5 ms·

Meigs Field, Chicago's third, downtown airport is my favorite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigs_Field https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigs_Field

sokoloff 3y ago
The (IMO) illegal destruction of that airfield is the reason I've vowed to never again voluntarily spend money in Chicago. I only flew in there a handful of times, but it was amazing to fly in and walk 10 minutes over to the Loop. Mayor Daley decided he didn't have to follow the law and his city doesn't want my money, so I don't want to force it upon them... https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/ten-years-later-daleys-midnight-raid-to-bulldoze-meigs-field/ https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/ten-years-later-daleys-...
- ianbicking 3y ago
  When I lived in Chicago I generally hated how Daley operated, but on this one I was on his side. It was a silly use of space and served practically no one amidst a giant and bustling city. Removing the field would have been hung up in endless petty and bad-faith lawsuits. On principle I'm not sure I agree with what he did, but in practice I 100% supported it.
  - quantumwannabe 3y ago
    Today it's a lagoon and a field so it's even more of a waste of space.
- hammock 3y ago
  Some awesome photos from OP website http://www.airfields-freeman.com/IL/Airfields_IL_Chicago_C.htm http://www.airfields-freeman.com/IL/Airfields_IL_Chicago_C.h...
- ryandrake 3y ago
  The worst part is: Once an airport gets torn down, it's lost forever. It never gets re-built. And we basically don't build new airports in the USA anymore. Can anyone remember the last time a new airport was built (outside of people building private dirt airstrips on their 20 acre ranch in Idaho)? As population centers shift and housing gets built, people move in next to noisy airports and then say to themselves "Holy shit, I moved next to an airport and it's loud. How could I have known? Surely this is the airport's fault!" and they go complain to their city. A little public airport with a nice asphalt runway in my hometown recently went up for sale, and the price was within striking distance of what I could afford as an investment, but I chickened out and failed to pull the trigger. It would have meant moving across the country to manage it and convincing my company to let me work remotely (this was just before COVID when WFH suddenly became normalized). Sadly some shitty developer bought the plot and promptly closed the runway and facilities so he could build whatever shit he's going to build. Big regret.
  - hammock 3y ago
    >Can anyone remember the last time a new airport was built Denver, 1995 Northwest Florida, 2010
  - acwan93 3y ago
    >As population centers shift and housing gets built, people move in next to noisy airports and then say to themselves "Holy shit, I moved next to an airport and it's loud. How could I have known? Surely this is the airport's fault!" and they go complain to their city. Harrison Ford makes a similar case about KSMO and why it's important to continue investing in general aviation. >“Of course then they do a survey among Santa Monica voters. ‘What are the ten things that most need to be done?’ Number ten on their list is to get rid of the airport. But number one on their list is traffic congestion. [Lowers chin, raises eyebrows, points at me.] I rest my case.” https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a43965150/harrison-ford-indiana-jones-interview/ https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a43965150/harri...
    - ShadowBanThis01 3y ago
      The airport is number one on the city COUNCIL's list. I think Harrison is mistaken here: The airport didn't even MAKE the list in a survey of Santa Monica citizens. Many of them don't even know the airport exists. When asked directly about the airport, the majority of SM citizens SUPPORT it. The city has repeatedly commissioned studies (at taxpayer expense of course), and those have repeatedly indicated that the best course of action is keeping the airport open. Needless to say, the city council never mentions these studies. They're currently blowing loads of money on consulting firms to perpetuate this absurd lie that the airport land will be turned into a giant park. They admitted years ago that there is, and will be, no money to build any such thing. And that was BEFORE their current "budget crisis." The sham is simply a rallying cry for land speculators, developers, and the city council that they own.
  - sokoloff 3y ago
    > "Holy shit, I moved next to an airport and it's loud. How could I have known? Surely this is the airport's fault!" I think it's slightly worse than that. People buy a property for cheap[er than elsewhere] because it's close to an airport and then complain that their house is impacted by the noise from the airport and want to close the airport.
- giraffe_lady 3y ago
  Incredible thing to hold a decades long grudge over. It's a park, music venue, nature preserve, and part of the museum campus now. All of which I have to assume is better for the residents than an airport, however visitors may feel about it.
  - sokoloff 3y ago
    If that's what the residents want and they're okay having paid the fines for the city's illegal actions, I'm happy to let them enjoy the park without crowding it by my presence or tourism money.
ThinkingGuy 3y ago
Famous among non-pilots as the default airport in early versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

sokoloff 3y ago

The (IMO) illegal destruction of that airfield is the reason I've vowed to never again voluntarily spend money in Chicago. I only flew in there a handful of times, but it was amazing to fly in and walk 10 minutes over to the Loop. Mayor Daley decided he didn't have to follow the law and his city doesn't want my money, so I don't want to force it upon them... https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/ten-years-later-daleys-midnight-raid-to-bulldoze-meigs-field/ https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/ten-years-later-daleys-...

ianbicking 3y ago
When I lived in Chicago I generally hated how Daley operated, but on this one I was on his side. It was a silly use of space and served practically no one amidst a giant and bustling city. Removing the field would have been hung up in endless petty and bad-faith lawsuits. On principle I'm not sure I agree with what he did, but in practice I 100% supported it.
- quantumwannabe 3y ago
  Today it's a lagoon and a field so it's even more of a waste of space.
hammock 3y ago
Some awesome photos from OP website http://www.airfields-freeman.com/IL/Airfields_IL_Chicago_C.htm http://www.airfields-freeman.com/IL/Airfields_IL_Chicago_C.h...
ryandrake 3y ago
The worst part is: Once an airport gets torn down, it's lost forever. It never gets re-built. And we basically don't build new airports in the USA anymore. Can anyone remember the last time a new airport was built (outside of people building private dirt airstrips on their 20 acre ranch in Idaho)? As population centers shift and housing gets built, people move in next to noisy airports and then say to themselves "Holy shit, I moved next to an airport and it's loud. How could I have known? Surely this is the airport's fault!" and they go complain to their city. A little public airport with a nice asphalt runway in my hometown recently went up for sale, and the price was within striking distance of what I could afford as an investment, but I chickened out and failed to pull the trigger. It would have meant moving across the country to manage it and convincing my company to let me work remotely (this was just before COVID when WFH suddenly became normalized). Sadly some shitty developer bought the plot and promptly closed the runway and facilities so he could build whatever shit he's going to build. Big regret.
- hammock 3y ago
  >Can anyone remember the last time a new airport was built Denver, 1995 Northwest Florida, 2010
- acwan93 3y ago
  >As population centers shift and housing gets built, people move in next to noisy airports and then say to themselves "Holy shit, I moved next to an airport and it's loud. How could I have known? Surely this is the airport's fault!" and they go complain to their city. Harrison Ford makes a similar case about KSMO and why it's important to continue investing in general aviation. >“Of course then they do a survey among Santa Monica voters. ‘What are the ten things that most need to be done?’ Number ten on their list is to get rid of the airport. But number one on their list is traffic congestion. [Lowers chin, raises eyebrows, points at me.] I rest my case.” https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a43965150/harrison-ford-indiana-jones-interview/ https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a43965150/harri...
  - ShadowBanThis01 3y ago
    The airport is number one on the city COUNCIL's list. I think Harrison is mistaken here: The airport didn't even MAKE the list in a survey of Santa Monica citizens. Many of them don't even know the airport exists. When asked directly about the airport, the majority of SM citizens SUPPORT it. The city has repeatedly commissioned studies (at taxpayer expense of course), and those have repeatedly indicated that the best course of action is keeping the airport open. Needless to say, the city council never mentions these studies. They're currently blowing loads of money on consulting firms to perpetuate this absurd lie that the airport land will be turned into a giant park. They admitted years ago that there is, and will be, no money to build any such thing. And that was BEFORE their current "budget crisis." The sham is simply a rallying cry for land speculators, developers, and the city council that they own.
- sokoloff 3y ago
  > "Holy shit, I moved next to an airport and it's loud. How could I have known? Surely this is the airport's fault!" I think it's slightly worse than that. People buy a property for cheap[er than elsewhere] because it's close to an airport and then complain that their house is impacted by the noise from the airport and want to close the airport.
giraffe_lady 3y ago
Incredible thing to hold a decades long grudge over. It's a park, music venue, nature preserve, and part of the museum campus now. All of which I have to assume is better for the residents than an airport, however visitors may feel about it.
- sokoloff 3y ago
  If that's what the residents want and they're okay having paid the fines for the city's illegal actions, I'm happy to let them enjoy the park without crowding it by my presence or tourism money.

ThinkingGuy 3y ago

Famous among non-pilots as the default airport in early versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator.