9/11 Flashback: United Plane Passes Just Above Golden Gate Bridge

Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:25pm by Jonathon M. Seidl
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San Francisco residents were appalled when a United Airlines plane appeared to barely miss hitting the Golden Gate bridge. According to a CNN video, the plane was part of a marketing ploy during a recent air show:

UPDATE:

The fly-over was reportedly part of last week’s San Francisco Fleet Week. United was a sponsor of the event.

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Comments (105)

George Washington
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:53pm
What was the actual distance between the airplane and the Golden Gate Bridge? When watching airshows which include the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds, from the ground, it looks as though the jets are flying wingtip to wingtip. However, because of the distance between the ground and the actual planes, it only apears as such. In reality, the jets are far apart from each other. If in fact the United Airlines airplane was very close to the bridge, then yes. It was a stupid stunt. Had something gone wrong, the Golden Gate Bridge and those driving on it could easily have become “history”. As for the people on the ground, watching the show, should not have thought that it was a terrorist attack. As for everyone else who saw it, I am sure that the airshow was well publicized. Therefore, they should have been able to put two and two, together. Oh, wait. Since it is well known that our educational system is breaking down, maybe they thought that two and two equals three. New math?
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Ziplock
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:52pm
Please people! This thing was miles from the bridge. It is all camera angles!!!!!!!!!! Don’t over react.
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Progressivelyworse
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:50pm
It was not that close, just a point of view. Geez. GB, are you trying to take the lead of the Enquirer?
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lanky189
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:47pm
obviously an optical illusion, but would have hurt to warn folks in the area that such a sight would be expected, or how about closing the bridge for a few minutes while the plane few over.

Much ado about nothing if you ask me.
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- M31Sailor
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:05pm
  How about we put up “ LFPA Alert ” alert signs all around the country
  Low flying plane alert.
  
  Shovel Ready Jobs to build and install the signs
  Report Post »
cheezwhiz
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:46pm
San Francisco residents were appalled when a United Airlines plane appeared to barely miss hitting the Golden Gate bridge.
—————————————–
This sentence is incomplete ;-)
Here, lemme complete it :

San Francisco residents were appalled when a United Airlines plane appeared to barely miss hitting the Golden Gate bridge, the most important bridge which feeds the city’ s demand for pot
( and other assorted pharmaceuticals) from Mendocino and is also their only way out into Marin
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cessna152
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:46pm
If it were Obama or Soros that set this up, it would be considered a “cute” stunt and their freedom of expression.
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ReadTheBill
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:43pm
Al Quada would never attack San Fran. Too many people there that think the same way as they do….
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- FreedomGal76
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:02pm
  You’re delusional if you really believe “Al Quada would never attack…” anywhere.
  Report Post »
Honcho
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:42pm
I think it’s just a function of the camera perspective.
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- N37BU6
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:23pm
  Definitely, to a large degree. The video slowdown and “look how close it comes” commentary is pathetic. It was well behind the bridge. This is very irresponsible reporting. The camera is positioned lower, so it’s looking up through the bridge somewhat, and of course telephoto zoom lenses greatly distort depth of field. They where nowhere near it. A 747 is also a massive aircraft, so it can look very big from far away.
  
  Anyone who knows anything about aircraft would see the full flaps and realize they intended on staying airborne, not crashing into something… but I can understand why it may unnerve some people. They were over sparsely populated areas and water though, so it’s not that big of a deal. Air Force 1 in downtown Manhattan was something else altogether. That was definitely stupid.
  
  I was at an airshow recently, and there were MUCH lower passes than this from KC-10, C-130, C-5, P-3, and C-17. All big aircraft, going over large suburban areas near the military base, including my house. Sure, they were military, but in years past there have been lots of civilian jets too. Nobody panicked. I’ll attach a pic I took (@300mm) for perspective:
  
  http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/172/13t5t.jpg
  
  Now THAT is low… but again, nowhere near the house in reality.
  Report Post »
- nkawtg
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:57pm
  Damn nice pic Honcho.
  Report Post »
FreedomGal76
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:42pm
An air show??? I’m having a hard time believing that one – with a 747. What kind of “air-show” type maneuvers does a 747 do exactly?
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- N37BU6
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:44pm
  Low passes… they are really impressive, especially fast ones.
  
  They aren’t going to do any loops or rolls, but large jets / turboprops are more than welcome at airshows!
  Report Post »
- nkawtg
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:50pm
  Well maybe you all missed one little detail. Do you think a jihadist would fly a 747 into a bridge with the gear down?
  Report Post »
- nkawtg
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:52pm
  It happens all the time, big jets and small jets. Get out now an then, you might enjoy the scenery.
  Report Post »
joseph Fawcett
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:38pm
That was kind of stupid in my opinion, not because of 9/11. It endangered the people on the bridge and those in the plane. I don’t care if it was a stunt or not.

http://www.josephfawcettart.com western artist
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Nightstalker
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:38pm
It always strikes me that this type of thing is a good reminder of the age we live in.
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N37BU6
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:38pm
Impressive, though.

Oh, to be on that hill with a 600mm lens…
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jmhammond
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:36pm
Does CNN understand the concept of “objects may appear closer than you think”? Clearly the plane wasn’t over the bridge it turned before the bridge making it appear as if it was about to hit it. At the end the anchor just happens to mention that apparently there was an airshow happening. But you know this is MUCH worse than Air Force One making a surprise visit over the skyscrapers of NY for a photo shoot. Much worse.
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LBreath
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:36pm
Get a grip folks! Every low flying plane is not full of Jihadists!
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- DimmuBorgir
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:45pm
  shut up you tard, we know that.
  
  i also know i’m not in iraq anymore but i still get jumpy at certain things.
  
  they’re called memories
  Report Post »
- azkenreid
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:47pm
  That may be true, but every low flying plane that has ever intentionally been crashed into occupied buildings was full of jihadists.
  Report Post »
- LBreath
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:06pm
  Dimm,
  No disrepect to your service intended. I’m sorry.
  
  The point I intended to make was that if you allow yourself to be manipulated by sensationalized, out of context stories or photographs, then you will continue to be a victim (terrorized) by a crime that was perpetrated over ten years ago.
  
  I have sympathy for the victims and families of the 9/11 attack, as well as, the brave men and women who fight to prosecute those who committed this heinous crime. I do not begrudge the pain or anguish that any of them feel. They (you Dimm) deserve our support and comfort when confronted by images that envoke memories best forgotten.
  
  The rest of us must remain strong. We are not victims. Refuse to be manipulated. REFUSE to be a victim!
  Report Post »
N37BU6
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:35pm
Probably something you want to advertise a little better.
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untameable-kate
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:35pm
Obama did it for a publicity photo at the statue of liberty so, why not? It’s not like you could just photo shop stuff like this. It is too expensive to make this stuff on a computer when you could do it far cheaper in a 747. Oh wait, no it isn’t maybe they just wanted to scare the crap out of people.
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Susan Harkins
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:35pm
OMG! Its Obama!
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DimmuBorgir
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:35pm
what the hell were they thinking??
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Blacktooth
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:34pm
What were they thinking?
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patriot4ever
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:34pm
That’s just WRONG to do.
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cheezwhiz
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:33pm
Unless its AF-1…then its OK
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- TruthLover
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:43pm
  Exactly. IN NYC. Morons.
  Report Post »
- Uncle Dave
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:01pm
  I was gonna say, didn’t we learn anyhting for the Air Force One/NYC fly-bye … Duh!!
  Report Post »
- WHATWOULDPATTONDO
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 8:51pm
  lol
  Report Post »
snowleopard3200
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:32pm
This actions of the maneuver defines a new meaning for the word stupid and these planners of the maneuver need to be disciplined in any way possible. The panic of someone not knowing of the air show could have caused mass havoc and panic.

By all apperances this plane did not miss the bridge by much either.

http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mix art)
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- nkawtg
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:45pm
  Get a grip Snowleopard, I watched the clip and I saw nothing alarming or unsafe at all. They never decended below the FAA establised minimum altitude and it was over water.
  By your standards people should be panicing everytime they see an airplane on approach to land, afterall they fly low over buildings too don’t they?
  Report Post »
- Nigel2
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 11:16pm
  Is spamming for self gain going to become a regular feature of this board? There is already 3 artists/dealers trying to sell their run of the mill work on these boards.
  Report Post »
Steve Smith
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:32pm
Idiots.
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- N37BU6
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:49pm
  They aren’t idiots… they were nowhere near the bridge.
  
  Go out at night and hold your finger up next to the moon.
  
  “Look how close it is!”
  Report Post »
- RobertCA
  Posted on October 20, 2010 at 1:38am
  Here’s some clips from the show including The Blue Angels :
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MXaGMe86kw
  Report Post »
WTH
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:32pm
First, yes! (Tosh.0)
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- Danglinbags
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:39pm
  Tard fail.
- WTH
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:46pm
  Damn, too slow.
  
  Danglinbags, still a toolbag.
  Report Post »
Sara
Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:32pm
what in the hell were they thinking?!
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- snowleopard3200
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:38pm
  Agree, also noticed something at the end of the video – a reference to a person receiving a power bill for over one billion dollars – google search the “one billion dollar power bill” and it went to a small family, was indeed a billing error, and left me wondering just how much errors such as this those in DC and other admin positions are making…
  
  http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mix art)
- Susan Harkins
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:39pm
  THIS JUST IN: Obama says Bush was flying the plane.
- Venom
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:41pm
  “Hey lets do a fly over!“ ”Think we will get in trouble?“ ”Nah”
- M31Sailor
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:51pm
  The plane was part of an Air Show, and due to the camera angle the plane appears to fly over the bridge. It does not. the plane turned inside the bay and never flew over the bridge to the pacific side
  Report Post »
- Sky0bserv3r
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:53pm
  The FAA approvies ALL Air Show Flights! If you know the Bay area, you know that the 747 was NOT near the Golden Gate Bridge! The Bridge is so big that a 747 can safty fly under it. It was just the camra angle fools you to think the 747 is near the bridge.
  Report Post »
- snowleopard3200
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:54pm
  @Susan Harkins
  
  And here I thought maybe it was Pelosi flying the plane on a joy ride…would be just like her to take one out for a spin.
  Report Post »
- M31Sailor
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:55pm
  PS
  
  look at what Network put up what Headline
  
  CNN
  Report Post »
- snowleopard3200
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 3:57pm
  @M31Sailor
  
  The angle of the camera would make sense, as I have little experience with cameras, is this what is called an optical illusion? I mean that it just appears the plane was going over or extremely close to the Golden Gate Bridge, when actually it was safely away from it?
  Report Post »
- Thirteenth Paladin
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:03pm
  This was part of an airshow. Unless it was a solo aircraft airshow, there were a bunch of other aircraft in that area most of the day. This is an isolated video of a very small part of an much large flight program. Get a life, if was even worth catching your breath over, you should be on valium and anti-psycotics.
  Report Post »
- M31Sailor
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:09pm
  Snow
  
  Aye matey you can see all the sailboats and stinkboats anchored for the show
  
  Sailor
  Report Post »
- what4
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:23pm
  They asked Barry if this was a good Idea!!
- K9 Mamma
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:29pm
  Let me guess, it was Bush’s fault…
  Report Post »
- DagneyT
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 4:51pm
  Your are assuming the city that gave us Nasty Pelosi actually uses their brain. tsk tsk
  Report Post »
- A1955Rosie
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:11pm
  They were thinking the SAME THING WHEN AIR FORCE 1 did the flyover in NY. IT’S A HORROR distraction to keep us from focusing on the REAL facts.
  Report Post »
- nkawtg
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:34pm
  As a long time Air Force Aviator, I saw nothing unusual, unsafe, or alarming. Get a life people.
  Report Post »
- nkawtg
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 5:39pm
  I stand corrected, I was surprised that “Fleet Week” was allowed to happen in San Fransicko at all. As much as they hate anything military out there.
  Report Post »
- pajamash
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 7:02pm
  http://www.airlinereporter.com/2010/10/united-airlines-boeing-747-buzzes-over-san-fransisco-bay/
  
  It was a celebration of Fleet Week.
  Report Post »
- uneedmorekoolaid
  Posted on October 19, 2010 at 8:33pm
  michelle obama doing dry runs of blowing up the Ghelardelli chocolate factory in san fran!! she’ll show you to enjoy chocolate, look out hershey!!!
  Report Post »
- Rubesd1
  Posted on October 20, 2010 at 6:18pm
  What were they thinking???? They were celebrating Fleet Week, which happens every year and is extremely well advertised and a huge part of Fleet Week is AN AIR SHOW OF AIRPLANES!!!! Goodness gracious people… especially you yahoos at CNN, confirm you guys were duped by an ignorant citizen who claimed that they didn’t know it was part of the scheduled airshow and part of the program?? No wonder your ratings are tanking. Wake up people!
  Report Post »
- FIRED UP FREE MAN !
  Posted on October 20, 2010 at 9:32pm
  Mr. SOROS is an international criminal. Any government official taking money from this monster or those he supports should be brought up on treason charges. Anybody who takes money from this monster has sold his soul and our government to HELL ! GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE LIGHT OF DAY! For only TRUTH and the light of day is what this country DESERVES. Democrats seemed to have been infected by this DEADLY parasite and his minions. This country will NOT rest until SOROS is in prison orange and handcuffs standing in front of a military tribunal in Guantomino Bay, Cuba
  
  If you have any complaints about Mr. SOROS here are the names and addresses, maybe you can send them a line.
  
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