Obama staff talking to Gary airport, but what about landing at Rockford?
January 30th, 2009 at 04:33pm Thomas V. Bona
President Obama’s support staff and Secret Service personnel have talked to Gary/Chicago International Airport officials about the possibility of landing Air Force One there on visits to Chicago. The problem is, the two main airplanes that are used as Air Force One are Boeing 747s, which can’t land on GYY’s short runway. Yes, the president has smaller planes he could use, but doesn’t he want to return home in style?
That’s the case Chicago Rockford International Airport Executive Director Bob O’Brien is making. He says that Obama should avoid O’Hare because of the existing congestion, but should consider RFD … which has a long enough runway and top-notch landing guidance systems. O’Brien says Obama can land at RFD and helicopter into Chicago faster than it would take to land and get out of O’Hare. You can see Bob’s response in the above article.
So far, he’s not gotten any interest from the Obama folks, but he’s made the pitch to other officials. No clue if it’s made its way up the chain. Maybe the president reads The Passenger Seat?
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5 Comments Add your own
1. CD | January 30th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
I’m worried what that would do to the private pilots that fly out of Poplar Grove and other local airports as far as the Flight Restrictions when the president is in town?
2. Joy | January 30th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
They deserve it, they’re a predominately black area and have been discriminated against. We are white and need to share our wealth with miinorities. Its only fair!
3. Craig Knauss | January 30th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Rockford would be the obvious choice. There would be too much disruption at O’Hare. Midway and Gary runways are too short for safe landings and way too short for takeoffs. RFD handles 747s now for UPS. They could use the internationa arrivals building to deplane. It’s a secured area. Then load into cars or helicptors. A helicoptor could land in Chicago’s Grant Park.
4. Thomas V. Bona | February 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
CD - Well, Obama wouldn’t be around Rockford for long … not sure if flight restrictions would be in place out in Poplar Grove while he’s in Chicago, but if they did it wouldn’t matter which place he flew into. But other than for the window he’s flying in and out once in a while, I doubt there would be a huge affect. But I’ll check on that when the time comes. Good question
5. Thomas V. Bona | February 2nd, 2009 at 10:31 am
Joy - racial makeup of the communities is not the issue. Gary would make sense because it’s closer to Hyde Park and Obama’s other haunts … but it can’t handle the big planes. The question for his staff is a matter of trade offs.
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