TFR's an outing to see the prez

Monday here in sunny San Antonio we had a TFR (temporary flight restriction). GA pilots just love tfr's...yeah, like a headache. So I found out that President Bush was coming to town so I called my Father-in-law to see if he wanted to go watch air force one land. He has a hanger that us maybe just 150 yards off the touch down point of KSAT 12R. So of we go to the airport, get the lawn chairs and scanner out and get ready. Well, until we found out the center of the tfr was 16nm off the SAT vor on the 194 radial. Pull the sectional out to verify what we already knew in our heads and yup...Kelly AFB, Ok Lackland AFB what ever they are calling it now days.
Then we heard it, Air Force One calling San Antonio Approach, letting them know they were landing runway 15 at Kelly. Oh well, cant win them all. We did catch just a glimmer of the plane as he passed behind a SWA that was on approach to international. Whats worse, The flight path to Kelly is right over my house, I could have been sitting in my back yard with a ice cold beverage and watch him fly right over!

We decided to go ahead and just stay at KSAT, and take a chance, because usually when the Prez comes to San Antonio he does land at KSAT.

While we sat there of course we had to do some plane watching!
I caught this SWA 737 just as the mains touch down


Then watched as this citation and a couple more taxi by for takeoff








Than right after this Aero mexico connect landed

I spotted a military Helicopter approaching towards runway 21. I was surprised to see that and decided to wait to leave to see where he was going. The transient military aircraft usually park near us, so landing in 21 would be a really long "taxi".

Well, after some time I was really amazed to see what was actually landing/parking right next door.





Marine One. I thought that was pretty cool! I am assuming he flew in from Austin which is where the president had been just prior to his arrival. Imagine the 747 making a trip that short! It seems that would be a large workload. Austin to San Antonio in a 172 is a short flight, maybe half hour or so.

Well, after all the excitement and disappointment wore off we headed home. I was loading my car up and talking with Jimmy about possible going by Kelly to see Air force one take off when I hear a plane approaching from an unusual angle. I could tell it was a large plane, so I grabbed my Camera and managed to snap off a couple of pictures.





So after all of that we finally got to see it! Not up close and personal like we had hoped, but it was a fun adventure! Of course, airplane, and airports are always fun!