X Meigs Field Closed X

[ellsworb]

Class D

I flew up there yesterday, the ATIS at Meigs was very clear "Meigs Field is closed, the Meigs Tower and Class D are still operational, All VFR shorline traffic contact meigs tower"

Pretty narly to see big ass X;s in the runway. I was surprised they weren't still working. . we flew over at about 11 AM.

We need to make this guy pay for what he did. How can he think this is a just way of closing an airport.

 

[ellsworb]

ps

Why don't we just go land in the grass?

 

[Iceman21]

Re: Class D

I was surprised they weren't still working. .

Why would they still be working, Daley wanted to prove the point that he could wreck general aviation in Chicago, so he just left the X's in the runway to show his "power".

 

[Timebuilder]

Would it be possible to sell Chicago to Canada?

Speaking as a 50% 'nuck, you have to remember that the parliament would never approve the purchase, since American Democrats are too conservative for Canada's taste!

 

[Flying Illini]

AMEN!

 

[dmspilot00]

Sign the petition...

http://www.petitiononline.com/q9851026/petition.html

 

[jdru25]

I talked to my friend who works the tower at Meigs and he said the tower will be open for another month. After that he will be jobless and collecting unemployment. He said they had no warning and went to work to find the runway torn up. It's a **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** shame.

 

[152SIC]

This action is not only unprecedented but also indicative of how powerful mayor daley thinks he is. It is not only disturbing but flat out scary. I will not travel to Chicago for pleasure anymore and if my job forces me there I will expend all effort to not spend any more money than is absolutely necessary. I hope the citizens of Chicago are wise enough to send this dictator packing. He should be thrown in jail for what he has done!

 

[brew3departure]

Meigs...

I'm glad I got the chance to fly a corporate 182 in and out of there on a quasi-regular basis. Sheesh. Unfortunately, having lived in Chicago for 20+ years, I think Daley's going to get away with this one. He's already gotten away with it - but destroying the runway...they didn't do that last time - I wonder how Daley would feel if someone just took a bulldozer to his office, instead of replying to a message like this or sending him a letter. Unfortunately, Lakes hasn't flown in there since ChiEx announced Springfield service a while back.

My question is this - sure, NYC, Disneyworld, and DC have no fly zones over the cities, but are any frickin' airports closed there? Should we close Cleveland's Burke Lakefront (basically a Meigs clone with two parallel runways) or La Guardia, that's close to buildings, isn't it? How about Kansas City Downtown - if memory serves, you go right over the tops of the KC buildings going in there. Someone mentioned Milwaukee - sure, let's close 1L/19R - there are those huge TV towers near Capitol Dr. - and the entire downtown north of the airport.

Or CHRIST - how about Vegas? Let's close McCarran down too.

Where will it stop?

Anybody worried about this having a domino effect on the other large cities across the US?

Daley, you really did Chicago proud on this one.

-brew3

 

[pilotshan]

Sign the petition...

http://www.petitiononline.com/q9851026/petition.html

Check out #280. Is this for real???? I'm confused.

 

[Timebuilder]

# 280, and # 282: it is tough to keep the children off the internet.

 

[Dot_AK]

To express your sentiments regarding the closure and destruction of Meigs Field, contact
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at [email protected] or
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich at [email protected]

Sentiments and logical remarks duly expressed.

 

[172driver]

Here's my e-mail to the governor for all the good it'll do.

Dear Sir,

What kind of government are you running in the state of Illinois when a mayor can rip up a worldwide landmark under the cover of night, against the wishes of his constituents? I want to express my displeasure with Mayor Daley's actions and urge you to work to assess the appropriate consequences.

We regular citizens may not be able to do much about the Meigs closure but I and everyone I can influence will avoid the totalitarian city of Chicago like the plague. At a time when your biggest airline needs every possible customer, Daley alienated the aviation community. Do you not think we have the power to influence the choices of airline travellers? They can just as easily fly through Detroit, KC, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Salt Lake.......

As you may know, every aspiring pilot in the world has flown into Meigs on their home PC. It was such a treasure that Microsoft made it the default airport on its popular flight simulator software. I'm sure that many made it to Meigs in real life at some point or another, willingly spending their dollars in Chicago. They will no longer have the chance.

The manner in which Daley went about the closure was downright despicable. As the governor, this reflects poorly on you, your state, and its biggest city. I once again urge you to help undo the damage. If not, I hope you and Daley get bounced out on your respective ears.

 

[Av8tor]

I send a similar letter to the Mayor and Governor today telling them how outraged I am about this situation, I would urge everyone to do the same. Daley is out of control....whats next Midway?


Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley at [email protected] or
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich at [email protected]

 

[FightingIrish]

Meigs POWs to depart today

City of Chicago suddenly tears up the Meigs
Field runway, stranding some 16 aircraft.
AOPA photos by Mark Schaible.

Apr. 2 — Most of the pilots who were trapped by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's midnight raid to destroy Merrill C. Meigs Field plan to make their escape today.

Meanwhile, the timing of the closure is looking even more suspicious. According to a report published in this morning's Chicago Tribune, airport workers were instructed by their city bosses to secretly count the number and note the size and type of aircraft parked at the airport each night last week. According to the Tribune report, "That may have been to help ensure that there were no larger private planes, such as a King Air business jet [sic], stuck on the field when six giant 'X' marks were carved into the runway using construction equipment."

"The depths of Daley's conniving continue to astound me," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "Has the man no shame?"

AOPA spent most of the day yesterday, acting as a conduit between all the different factions, helping pilots with aircraft performance data the FAA and city aviation officials wanted, and making sure all parties had the latest accurate information.

The FAA has issued a local notam that authorizes the use of the 3,100-foot taxiway at Meigs as a runway for departures only.

Most of the 16 trapped pilots attended a briefing on departure procedures this morning and are expected to depart as soon as possible. City aviation officials and the FAA have been unable to contact the pilots of the remaining aircraft to inform them of the departure plan and are expected to make arrangements for their departure as they are contacted.

03-2-008x

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Anybody think we can get Bill Gates to buy Meigs?

GP