Posted on 07/31/2009 9:14:09 PM PDT by mojitojoe
Responding to dozens of requests from the public, the Defense Department has released 146 more photos from the infamous Air Force One flyover that struck fear in thousands of unsuspecting New Yorkers in April.
The photos are posted right on the Pentagon's Website, defense officials said today. The Pentagon also released a heavily redacted flight manifest.
The April 27 photo-op caused quite a fright in Lower Manhattan and New Jersey, as many people who had lived through the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks thought the city was again under siege. Workers poured out of office buildings as the planes buzzed the city near the Financial District.
Local officials in New York and New Jersey had not been informed of the photo-op, which cost some $328,000, and the lack of communication and needless worry caused by the incident led to the resignation of Louis Caldera, the Obama official behind the stunt
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnewyork.com ...
If only AF personnel were on board why were the enlisted who take care of passengers on board? I think they redacted the names of AF personnel especially enlisted because it would show these are the aides that serve the food/drinks to the passengers.
I think you are correct about donors. I would bet the reason for redacting the stewards was because other members of the AF would know who they are and start questioning why they were on board if there were no passengers. That is my question. From the ranks listed, bet they were the stewards to serve food and drinks. There is a lot of them listed. You would never have that many enlisted unless people are on board other then the crew.
I must have had too much gin. At first I thought you wrote "a chimp on their shoulders".
The only released document available from the referenced sources is FLIGHT AUTHORIZATION, not a manifest listing passengers.
(download the pdf and if necessary the free Adobe Acrobat reader)
The redacted names are all USAF flight personnel, only the commanding officer, Col. S. M. Turner is mentioned by name.
The 24 April 2009 flight had Mission designation AO133 with call sign Venus 01
Something looks funny with that photo.
Looks like it may have been the photo shoot it was originally reported as.
The flight manifest looks like it was done on one of those old mimeograph machines.
You are right it is just the Flight Authorization. So we still do not have the manifest?
I could understand redacting the security clearances which in this case they did not.
Anyone know what the designations for crew position mean? Especially “MEGP”.
The “manifest” tells us the USAF crew.
Why would an unattended flight require such a large crew?
The crew includes aircraft maintenance folks. They always ride in case something needs fixing.
MEGP is Mission Essential Ground Personnel.
JJ, I can understand about maintenance folks.
But this is a 747.
How many people does it take to fly an empty 747?
Two pilots, a navigator, and a techie? There’s only so much you can fix inside a plane.
Seems like a big crew and some high ranks for an unattended flight to me.
Thanks, Covenantor.
What would these folks be doing on the flight? Maintenance types, admin types, stewards?
They take more than a flying crewchief.
But, I would imagine that some civvies were on the flight. (speculation only)
I think the worst thing about that picture is that unattractive-looking white building that has been added to the Statue of Liberty. I winder if that has something to do with post-9/11 security.
The call sign for the flight was ‘Venus01’.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus!
Was the #1 Woman on board?
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