Air Force 1 in Gary (KGYY)

[n4gix 4,947]

How cool is this! For the very first time ever, a 747 is landing at KGYY. I wish it weren't dark so I could watch Air Force 1 land there!

 

I say "landing" because it's currently 4 nm from touchdown. :Applause:

[tttocs 301]

DIdn't realize Mr. Obama was headed back to Chicago, but it looks like the decision to land in Gary was made to help O'Hare continue to try to get things back to normal after last week's ATC fiasco at Chicago Center.  O'Hare is apparently still running at capacity trying to catch up.

 

I wonder if AF 1 has ever been to Gary before?

 

Scott

[G550flyer 1,009]

Caught this while holding short.

[CrownCityMisfits 58]

Caught this while holding short.

 

Awesome rare photo opportunity. Well done.

[pinlifter 502]

Caught this while holding short.

At first I thought that was shot from a KC-10 Rick, but it looked a tad low

[Cat_Dad 17]

Could be the back-up bird being positioned  there or maybe he is stopping in to see Oprah as I think see lives somewhere in that area.

 

Terry

[G550flyer 1,009]

At first I thought that was shot from a KC-10 Rick, but it looked a tad low

lol, good ol Gulfstream 5. Sitting behind a G3

[n4gix 4,947]

DIdn't realize Mr. Obama was headed back to Chicago, but it looks like the decision to land in Gary was made to help O'Hare continue to try to get things back to normal after last week's ATC fiasco at Chicago Center.  O'Hare is apparently still running at capacity trying to catch up.

 

I wonder if AF 1 has ever been to Gary before?

 

Scott

No, which is why I wrote "for the first time ever..."  :Whistle:

 

Yes, the chief reason was to reduce the already strained workload on both the two Chicago airports, as well as the truly over-strained hodge-podge TRACON.

 

What is puzzling to me is that they haven't been using KGYY as it is much closer to downtown Chicago, and certainly far faster in terms of ground travel.

[tttocs 301]

 

 

No, which is why I wrote "for the first time ever..." :Whistle:

 

Yeah, that would indicate the first time ever, wouldn't it...  :blush:

 

Scott

[n4gix 4,947]

Could be the back-up bird being positioned  there or maybe he is stopping in to see Oprah as I think see lives somewhere in that area.

 

Terry

Oprah hasn't lived in this area for many years now since she closed her downtown studio and moved to California full time. She sold her estate in NW Indiana about six years ago.

[spearmint_flyer 579]

I live in Lancaster PA, Here at KMDT Harrisburg PA is where the air force practice landings with the Presidential VIP fleet. It makes for a pretty cool sight cause at times I see the 747 fly over route 283 and at times I see the 757s as well. It really is a sight because they are banking about 1000 feet above the ground. Makes for some really nice spotting.

[Cat_Dad 17]

Oprah hasn't lived in this area for many years now since she closed her downtown studio and moved to California full time. She sold her estate in NW Indiana about six years ago.

Thanks for the info on Oprah. I know she was a big supporter of the president. Just thought it was mighty strange that they would fly a big aircraft like that into a small field like Gary.

[jtwhite 36]

HEre's Air Force 1 as it landed at KEVV, Evansville, Ind.

My son sent this to me.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ohr2n6borkv8r81/AF1KEVV.MOV?dl=0

[n4gix 4,947]

Thanks for the info on Oprah. I know she was a big supporter of the president. Just thought it was mighty strange that they would fly a big aircraft like that into a small field like Gary.

At 7,003' rwy 12/30 isn't all that small. In fact, by next year the 1,900' extension should be completed...

 

...all of which begs the question of why it's being extended at all, given the massive failures over the past two decades of attracting and keeping any airline service. Currently there's a really nice multi-million pax terminal with two jetways that has been essentially unused for the past six years.

 

Apparently now the plan is to do a complete "makeover" of the airport hoping to transform it into a aircargo hub servicing the Chicagoland area...

 

...which given the extreme saturation of both KMDW and KORD with pax flights, might just work!