Meigs Idea

[TDTURBO]

While talking to the folks at the "Save Meigs" booth at Oshkosh, I thought of an idea that would definitely put the hurt on Daley. Why don't we find a way to sanction, punish or otherwise discourage the airshow pilots from flying in the Chicago Air and Water Show?

Seems simple enough, the pilots that are willing to fly the event are obviously the enemy, without willing pilots there will be no airshow, without the airshow millions will be lost in revenue, the media exposure would be relentless, the downside in income for pilots would be minimal and Daley would be screwed.

Why hasn't organizations like AOPA figured this out yet? Where is all this donation money going? The lawyers? This is a simple, cheap, effective solution to get even. I for one will not patronize any airshows that include pilots that fly in this event. I think if pilots breach this code their names should be posted for all the world to see. There is no excuse to fly in this airshow unless you want to become part of the problem. I would like to hear comments and suggestions on how and where to contact the pilots that "think" they are going to fly in this event. They need to hear from all of us.

 

[generaltso]

You think Daley cares about some airshow? He didn't care about the most famous GA airport in the world, he sure isn't going to care about an airshow.

Besides even if something like this was tried, it wouldn't work. Airshow pilots make money by going to airshows. Nothing is going to work, Meigs is gone. The fight is over. I am glad AOPA realizes that.

Lets just try to get something in place so something like this will never happen again, to any airport.

 

[KingAirer]

I like Meigs. And i want it to open back. BUT why have so many people taken on this fight. I can see AOPA, thats alot of what they do. If BKL lakefront airport which is similar in scenry where to close would there be this much of a fight? Is it b/c it is historic to all pilot who have played flightsim for so long?

 

[TDTURBO]

I concede Meigs is gone, but Daley DOES care about the airshow because it means millions for the city plus a bunch of happy oblivious park goers walking around aimlessly spending money. If you take that away from Daley, it begins the process of showing other mayors the cost of terrorism.

 

[sky37d]

I vote for closing Chicago. I am in favor of doing anything that will hurt that mayor and city. Well, not anything, you know, I wouldn't want someone from TSA to say I am a terrorist, and pull my license for objecting to closing Meigs.
On that subject, how can the TSA secure airports if they can't keep some crummy mayor from closing one??
What do they say about that?? Where were the scurity people and screemers when the place was torn up, Why wasn't Daly arrested for that. If it was someone else, they'd have their a$$ hauled into court faster than you can say payoff.

 

[ShawnC]

Organize a protest. Do a flyby of Meigs, then each and everyone of them land at OHare or Midway. Imagine the congestion if 50 or more GA planes all at the same time landed at either of those airports.

 

[sky37d]

Sounds like a plan
You need to be IFR to go into ORD, though
Schedule a date, and time, see how many people show up

 

[labbats]

I may be mistaken, but... isn't there a fee of around $100 to land at either Midway or O'hare?

 

[banned username 2]

Guys, Meigs is gone, forever... Move on, get over it and focus on something more important and likely to occur. You're wasting your energy.

Seems simple enough, the pilots that are willing to fly the event are obviously the enemy,

Why hasn't organizations like AOPA figured this out yet?

Well, because it is a dumb idea. Why would these airshow pilots shoot themselves in the foot for an airport most of them could probably care less about.

I think if pilots breach this code their names should be posted for all the world to see. There is no excuse to fly in this airshow unless you want to become part of the problem.

 

[U-I pilot]

I may be mistaken, but... isn't there a fee of around $100 to land at either Midway or O'hare?

Not really at midway....its pretty cheap. But if you go to signature there is a $30+ security fee that gets tacked on to all the bills.

 

[AeroBoy]

It doesn't cost anything to do low approaches. And if you want to make a statement, remember that it's "how slow can you go?" That would really snarl things in Chicagoland and get someone's attention. Kind of reminds me of the groups of drivers that used to go on all the lanes of a highway and drive exactly 55 mph to protest the 55-mph speed limit. It had traffic backed up for miles...

 

[sky37d]

There is a landing fee at MDW, but it seems to vary from FBO to FBO. At MillionAir, it was $8.32, last week, at Signature, it was $9+, +the $34 fee for security ( Did you arrive in that plane? Sign here. Are you leaving in it? sign here. Pay at the counter ), and $20 to park for more than an hour.
MillionAir has the nicest folks, we use them everytime at TEB, and with the one exception where we were meeting people at MDW.
ORD does have a high landing fee, but what if you do a missed approach.
And, as Falcon says, it's gone. Sad but true.

 

[TDTURBO]

Thank you everyone for your input. It is my opinion that if you are a pilot and fly in this show, it amounts to an endorsement of Daley's actions and warrants punishment. With that aside, I think if this thing "fly's", I could get a few banner towers to drag signs during the show that will tell the people at the, "water only", show that they should thank Daley for No airshow or something to that effect. This would certainly make all the networks. What I need is someone in the membership that knows someone that knows who is going to fly in it or who knows the powers in the aerobatic community. Any thoughts, help or contacts would be appreciated. Time is of the essence. The fact that Daley cares about the airshow or not has no bearing, his constituents do and that is what matters.

 

[banned username 2]

TDTURBO,

Its over, its gone...

Move on...

 

[TDTURBO]

It may be over for you, speak for yourself. The airshow is still weeks away, if you can't contribute than stay out of it.

 

[TDTURBO]

It may be over for you, speak for yourself. The airshow is still weeks away, if you can't contribute than stay out of it.

 

[generaltso]

I hate what was done to Meigs but you have to realize everything else attempted is pretty much a waste of time. When do the contractors come in to tear up the rest of the runway?

What we can do is make sure nothing like this happens again to any other GA airport.

if I have something to do in Chicago I am not going to say to my boss "jeez I wish I could help you, but I am boycotting Chicago". It doesn't work like that.

It is a sad loss indeed...

 

[banned username 2]

It may be over for you, speak for yourself. The airshow is still weeks away, if you can't contribute than stay out of it.

What are you contributing to? A lost cause? An event to put GA in an even worse light?

Why don't you put your efforts into a positive GA cause that has a chance of winning? It might actually make a difference.

I guarantee you that no aerobatic pilot is going to blow off one of the largest airshows in the midwest to help your (lost) cause? Why on earth would they shoot themselves in the foot? The airshow circuit has a very limited amount of revenue potential as it is, you think these guys are going to volunterily reduce that further?