Mooney Ovation takeoff at Chicago Meigs airport

Back before Meigs was ripped up. A WMU Mooney M20R departs Meigs for Battle Creek MI on a training flight. The airport was closed almost 4 months later.

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Travel & Events

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• WMU
• Mooney
• Chicago
• Meigs
• airplane
• aircraft
• takeoff
• M20
• KCGX
• fly
• flying
• flight
• Ovation

[AgentJohnson1]

I have always hated that bastard of a mayor and this just makes it even more.

[pfp217]

Well I haven't been up there recently, but the last time it was still "space", that's GREAT usage of the land!

It had great value to the city of Chicago. Corporate aircraft could easily deliver buisiness people to their downtown meetings and offices quicker and easier than a MDW or ORD.

[RobertGary1]

The major's brother and buds had been awarded to contract to build the park so it had to be done. :) Corruption in Chicago is generally accepted so its a great place for the Daley family.

[CalderonesRevenge]

Iit was actually the mayor and his wife that decided they would rather have a damn park instead of a historical airfield... What morons...And without warning, instead of red-xing the runways, plowed them with back-hos to further prevent use or even a chance of keeping it open...

[peanuts2105]

Great cities needs quick access airports. What bloody moron decided to rip this GA gem up? I would be labeled insane if I destroyed London City Airport. No logic

[zmatt]

Its field/park that the Daley named after his wife.....

[gtg227a]

High opportunity cost or not, what Daley did was illegal. Meigs field had received federal funding which requires to remain open for a predetermined term. Not only that, but his act of damaging the runway in the middle of the night was a danger to air navigation (a federal offense).

The land has been wisely converted from the most recognizable GA runway in the world to a park.

[Ardrex]

The airport had a very high opportunity cost. That is, the land could be put to better use for the city and people of chicago. GA airports are precious, but there are cases where it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to use up alot of land near downtown for the benefit of a few people. Meigs was pretty big too, not just a small field for GA.

I just hope they use the land wisely so it enhances Chicago.

[planeboy737]

Dayley is the gayest mayor ever.

DIE MAYOR

[shelpha2008]

Taking off in the metropolis area of Chicago is a dangerous threat because of September 11, if you read about Miegs Field on Wikipedia.

[hillndale57]

have flown in to Meigs for fun and business many times...never bothered to video because it never occured to me MD would actually get away with scrapping the runway. Beautiful, wonderful place to fly into, even with the fuel prices and assorted expenses.