One year after the Air Force Thunderbirds sent two suspected sonic booms rippling across Chicago, some Lake View residents say they are concerned about more possible blasts at this weekend’s Air and Water Show.
Lakefront residents told the Sun-Times they remember hearing the booms during last year’s Friday practice run that shattered the windows of four lakefront high-rises.
“When the sonic boom hit, the whole building shook,” Claire Falk, who lives in a high-rise in Lake View, told a Sun-Times reporter during a stroll through the neighborhood Thursday.
The Air Force denied the loud booms, captured last year on several videos, were the planes going supersonic. But one aeronautics experts told the Sun-Times that the videos clearly showed that they were.
Dennis Straight, who lives in a high-rise near Lake Shore Drive and Belmont Avenue and remembers reports of the damage, plans to watch this year’s Air and Water Show.
He said he hopes officials take steps to prevent another incident — and that the pilots watch their speeds a little closer this time.
“If it’s gonna bust out people’s windows and things, I’m sure they can control whether it goes that fast or not,” Straight said. “It’s just, like, slow it down a little bit.”
Straight also said he would like to see more communication from officials about what residents should expect.
“It’d be nice if they’d say that. People are worried about it,” he said.
Local Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) gave the Sun-Times a statement: “The Air & Water Show is a longstanding Chicago tradition, but the safety of our residents and their property must come first. Following reports of property damage in Lakeview during last year’s rehearsal, I joined neighboring alderpersons in raising concerns with the City and requesting additional safeguards to prevent similar incidents.”
“As this year’s show approaches, our office continues to expect the City and its partners to take appropriate precautions to ensure the event can be enjoyed safely and responsibly,” Lawson said.
Last year, Lawson said the damage was limited to the first floors of four condo buildings in the 3180, 3600 and 3950 North Lake Shore Drive and 4200 N. Marine Drive. At the time, he encouraged the building owners to file claims with the city to be reimbursed for the damage.
The Thunderbirds and city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, which coordinates public safety at the Air and Water Show, did not reply to the Sun-Times request for comment on what safety precautions are being taken this year.