Air Force One 1-19-2012

**Zee71** · 2012-01-19, 05:15 PM

Yes......31L, NYPD helicopter buzzing around. I didn't bother trying to catch it.........very ugly light.

**ch2tdriver** · 2012-01-19, 05:29 PM

MArine One now up on JFK tower 123.900

**PhilDernerJr** · 2012-01-19, 05:45 PM

Saw two sea knights pass over Astoria. One in Presidential colors, the other in US Navy colors. I'm used to seeing more helos.

**Matt Molnar** · 2012-01-19, 05:47 PM

There was a shooting on a city bus at Mott and Central Aves around the time AF1 landed, in case anyone was out at Bayswater and noticed a bunch of cops.

**ch2tdriver** · 2012-01-19, 05:48 PM

Great scanning today on 123.100 - Helo activity.

"Wheels down now...all wheels down"

**Joe** · 2012-01-19, 06:59 PM

I was at Bayswater all by lonesome, with the exception of a patrol boat or two plus a helicopter circling every few minutes. I just got in, almost an hours drive back to Farmingdale in rush hour traffic. I didn't stay to see Marine1, it was getting dark. I think that I got some great shots as it came right in front of me. It was funny, there was so much traffic, planes landing and taking off. All of a sudden, nothing but a lone helicopter then silence for a minute or two and then Air Force 1 shows up. Although it was getting dark, I swear that the plane was basking in a glow for a minute while it passed as the lighting looked real good through the viewfinder. I will review my shots momentarily and post any good ones.

**moose135** · 2012-01-19, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Joe

It was funny, there was so much traffic, planes landing and taking off. All of a sudden, nothing but a lone helicopter then silence for a minute or two and then Air Force 1 shows up.

That's about the way it usually works - you need to pay attention to the scanner, or he'll sneak up on you. Looking forward to seeing your shots.

**eric8669** · 2012-01-19, 07:27 PM

I had a somewhat unique view of AF1 landing, I was doing a shoot at the allegria hotel in Long beach on one of the upper floors. Saw her bank in for 31L. would have made a nice silhouette. unfortunatley i did not have the right lens on.

**Joe** · 2012-01-19, 07:56 PM

Here are my shots from this afternoon from Bayswater of AF1:

This image looks almost fake, but other than a little cropping, not too much done to it.

Getting closer:

Closer:

Passing the tower:

And touching down:

I have shots of him actually touching down, but with the Chinese plane in the background, the image was a little crowded in my opinion, more so than it already is.

**Gerard** · 2012-01-19, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

Last time he was here Marine One landed on Randalls Island and then he limo'd over the Triborough. I doubt they care about traffic at all but I suspect Randalls is a much more secure place to land.

Yup that's what I read also. Makes sense with all his stops Uptown. Plus his motorcade doesnt impede rush hour traffic heading North or into Queens on the FDR. What will be interesting is the forecast for snow showers after 8PM, some steady.

**Gerard** · 2012-01-19, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by ch2tdriver

Great scanning today on 123.100 - Helo activity.
"Wheels down now...all wheels down"

NYPD uses that as their "company" frequency.

**Zee71** · 2012-01-19, 08:54 PM

Nice set Joe! The first time I saw AF One was very moving, she is one awesome bird.

**Gerard** · 2012-01-19, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by gonzalu

Ah, miss that 59th st Heliport... would have been perfect for this trip

Manny as far as I can remember they never used East 60 Street for Marine 1 and its entourage. The pad wasnt big enough to handle the Big Metal of the
Sea King or Sea Knight. The biggest copter I saw land there was Trumps old Super Puma, the Pan Am Westland WG30 and on one Saturday morning while I
was on Roosevelt Island a Flying Crane landed on the empty pad but landed parallel to the river as opposed to tail to the wall. They were in and out. And I dont
think the size of the pad, its configuration and its location was conducive to Presidential Ops. Would have been cool though.