Air Force One Giant PR Snafu

Our building was buzzed by Air Force One with fighter-jet chaperone three times Monday. There are varying reports as to why this was, but if they were looking for a PR disaster to take the focus off swine flu for a few minutes they succeeded.

The media reports of people panicking in our post-9/11 world are not over-hyped for once, as it really was disconcerting. The planes were loud and close, and seeing a huge plane with F-16 escort near NYC just makes you think, oh God.

There are pros and cons to living with someone in the airline industry. Plane-related things can be easily explained, but sometimes you don't want to hear the answer. Mitch knew there was something weird before he saw the F-16. Apparently, pilots in 747s don't turn at such severe angles, especially near airports and cities. All I saw was a huge plane with a Top Gun plane following, flying at building level around New York and didn't think that boded well for anyone.

I asked if we should leave our building -- we're on the 14th floor. Mitch said no. The second time around they were so close Mitch could see the Presidential seal, flag, colors and said it was Air Force One. I didn't buy it, even as he was saying there was no chance Obama was on board given how the pilot was flying. By the third pass I believed him and relaxed.

For me, it was scary, bizarre then cool. For NYers, it was just scary. I'm not one to think people should necessarily be fired when there's a publicized mistake made, but for once I hope the mastermind behind this gets a big pink slip for adding plane panic on top of swine panic on top of economic panic on top of existing and enduring terrorist panic around here.