Daley at it again

ScottM

ScottM

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iBazinga!
In today's Sun Times there was an article in which Mayor Daley calls for a no fly zone to protect Chciago form the threatening, evil, terrorist flown, little single engine plane. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-daley10.html

I sent off a letter to the editor today. (letters@suntimes.com)

In today's paper there was a story about how Mayor Daley is again renewing his call for a no fly zone over downtown Chicago. His call is in response to the release of information about a terrorist plot in LA. Mayor Daley is quoted as saying "Someone could fly a single-engine plane right across downtown". His comment is nonsensical, the plot in LA involved large commercial airliners, the same type of planes used in 9/11, and the same type planes fly over down town all the time enroute to O'Hare. Maybe we should stop O'Hare expansion?

Single engine aircraft cannot cary the payload required to do the damage we have seen in these attacks. Small single engine planes tend to weigh less than a small automobile. In addition the airspace around O'Hare airport already controls much of the air traffic over downtown. Only a small slice along the lake front is open to small aircraft. To date the only terrorist act involving aviation in the Chicago area was the act committed by the Mayor himself when he illegally tore up Meigs field stranding several aircraft. That act alone removed some of the controlled airspace along the lake front and made the area less safe for aircraft operating there.
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smigaldi said:
To date the only terrorist act involving aviation in the Chicago area was the act committed by the Mayor himself when he illegally tore up Meigs field stranding several aircraft.
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Nice! When is the next mayoral election in Chicago?
 
Ha! don't you remember? Chicago doesn't have elections. Daley will be mayor for as long as he wants.
 
gibbons said:
Nice! When is the next mayoral election in Chicago?
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I think this fall. But I do not live in the city limits so I do not get a vote. I might be able to get a proxy for 3 or 4 vote if I visit the cemetary :rofl:
 
smigaldi said:
To date the only terrorist act involving aviation in the Chicago area was the act committed by the Mayor himself when he illegally tore up Meigs field stranding several aircraft.
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You put that one inside the 10 ring! :rofl: :rofl:
If you turn up missing, we'll start dredging the rivers in case he gave you a pair of concrete boots. At least we'll know where to start looking for you. ;)

If he doesn't like the way the federal gov't runs things, including our airspace, why doesn't he just declare independence and start his own country. He could do what he wanted at that point. The US and Canada would slap up an ADIZ around his country and he would be all happy safe from our teeny airplanes that are hard pressed to break out a window.


After FOUR YEARS, I still can't believe that the supposedly intelligent well educated powers that be AND citizens in this country STILL can not figure out that it takes a stupid AIRLINER crammed full of fuel, baggage and people to knock down buildings. Big giant cruise missile exploding bomb = safe. Little teeny mesquito paint scratcher = infinitely deadly. WTF? You could take a blind, deaf and dumb peasant that aspires to be a footstool for some crazy island tribal chief on an undiscovered primitive island in the South Pacific and even he could figure it out within a week.
 
My response to the author of the article:

Mike Berisford said:
I am a private pilot who flys small single engine aircraft, and I just want to point out some facts that were glossed over in your article titled "Daley renews call for no-fly zone" which can be found at http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-daley10.html.

In your article you state, and I quote "... that Chicago desperately needs a no-fly zone, especially over the downtown area, similar to the one in place at Disneyland, Disney World, New York City and Washington." First let me point out that there are currently no such flight restrictions over New York City. The no-fly zone over Disney Land and Disney World are very small - 3 mile radius up to 3000 feet above ground level (details at http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_2122.html and http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_2123.html). The flight restrictions over Washington DC is the Flight Restricted Zone - which is part of a larger Air Defense Identification Zone - which is not comparable to the no fly zones over the Disney theme parks - in size and purpose.

The fact is that more explosives can be put in a rental truck and driven right into downtown Chicago than could ever be put in a small single engine aircraft. In fact, the small aircraft that strayed within 3 miles of the White House couldn't even get off the ground with more than a couple hundred pounds of explosives and can not carry the necessary amount of fuel to cause the kind of damage Mr Daley portrays fear of. Fully loaded that plane weighed less than a fully loaded mid sized SUV (which has more cargo carrying capacity thant the plane). Mr. Daley could do more to protect the good citizens of Chicago by stopping all trucks from entering downtown Chicago (a ludicrous proposition at best).

Even the US Congress questions the necessity of the Washington DC ADIZ in general citing that some security officials may have overstated threats from General Aviation aircraft. Might I remind you that the LA incident quoted in your story involved an airliner in its plan and not a single engine aircraft.

It should also be noted that much of the airspace over downtown Chicago is already controlled by the FAA - and pilots who are flying single engine aircraft over downtown are talking to air traffic control if they're in that airspace.

I invite you to call the AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) at 800-USA-AOPA (800-872-2672) and discuss the need for a no fly zone over Chicago as I am quite confident that they can more clearly express why such a need is nonsensical.

Thank you for your time,
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He just discovered that we need a heliport on the lakefront. Remember that Boeing wanted one when Meigs was still there - when they LANDED at Meigs to annouce the move to Chicago.

He can hire duh same guys wit' duh bulldozers ta build it! Yeah! Dats duh ticket.


Chicago, IL – In a front-page story today, the Chicago Tribune is reporting that the City of Chicago is poised to open a new, private-access "helistop" on the Chicago lakefront. The helipad, located at the mouth of the Chicago River, on Chicago Park District property, will allow access for public safety helicopters, as well as private helicopter operators to land downtown.

http://64.143.36.15/html/news/news_curr.html#06-02-10_heliport
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mikea said:
He just discovered that we need a heliport on the lakefront. Remember that Boeing wanted one when Meigs was still there - when they LANDED at Meigs to annouce the move to Chicago.

He can hire duh same guys wit' duh bulldozers ta build it! Yeah! Dats duh ticket.
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Speaking of skunks on our runways diverting aircraft... ...sorry:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002722269_webskunk05.html
 
Columnist Neil Steinberg has always got it on this one.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/steinberg/cst-nws-stein12.html

It just occurred to me why Daley is so tenacuius and ANGRY about this issue. It's THE only time in his reign where he was opposed on an issue and (temporarily) couldn't just steamroller the opposition. In this case it was a group of loudmouths who had the nerve to not let him get his way. The group was the FAA, the Friends of Meigs - which was EXTERMELY effective, the Illinois state legislature, and the vast majority of people in Chicago.

During all of this we can imagine his wife was needling him as to why he couldn't get her the project she wanted. So he showed THEM who was in charge and he intends to keep it up. We need to keep reminding that "small" interest group what he did.
 
What is missing from the reports are a couple of details:

1. What will the proposed heliport cost; and

2. How will it be paid for?

Anyone want to make a bet about the mayor seeking AIP funds for the construction of the heliport, which is vitally-needed because the established facility which already served that need and provided a vital link in the national aviation infrastructure, was demolished under false pretenses?
 
I just got a call formt he Sun-Times wanting to verify that I wrote this letter and they told me it is being considered for publication. Woo hoo!

smigaldi said:
My letter to the Sun Times
In today's paper there was a story about how Mayor Daley is again renewing his call for a no fly zone over downtown Chicago. His call is in response to the release of information about a terrorist plot in LA. Mayor Daley is quoted as saying "Someone could fly a single-engine plane right across downtown". His comment is nonsensical, the plot in LA involved large commercial airliners, the same type of planes used in 9/11, and the same type planes fly over down town all the time enroute to O'Hare. Maybe we should stop O'Hare expansion?

Single engine aircraft cannot cary the payload required to do the damage we have seen in these attacks. Small single engine planes tend to weigh less than a small automobile. In addition the airspace around O'Hare airport already controls much of the air traffic over downtown. Only a small slice along the lake front is open to small aircraft. To date the only terrorist act involving aviation in the Chicago area was the act committed by the Mayor himself when he illegally tore up Meigs field stranding several aircraft. That act alone removed some of the controlled airspace along the lake front and made the area less safe for aircraft operating there.
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smigaldi said:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/letters/cst-edt-vox19a.html

Check out the third letter down on the page.

woo ho they left in the 'terrorist' comment too :yes:
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Great letter. You may want to hire a body guard for the near future, just in case hiz honor takes exception to the terrorist comment.

Oh yeah, make sure your preflights are real thorough...:goofy:
 
NC Pilot said:
Great letter. You may want to hire a body guard for the near future, just in case hiz honor takes exception to the terrorist comment.

Oh yeah, make sure your preflights are real thorough...:goofy:
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Anyone want to volunteer to do run ups for me?? :hairraise::eek::rofl:
 
Good job, you guys. GREAT job, especially pointing out that bit about the trucks. (So they can't pick on those, who to pick on? The innocent little airplanes, of course!) I hope people take notice.

terry
 
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