Just Saw the Blue Angels Perform

[Vuk]

It was pretty darned awesome. Out of interest, I wonder how other countries' military flight demonstration teams stack up. Anyone got any videos of flight demonstration teams from other countries? It would be cool to compare.
While I was there, I also got to see a jet-powered outhouse.
If the Blue Angels are ever performing near you, I advise that you go. They are definately worth the time and fee to get into the airshow.

[drone]

Ages ago, I saw the Blue Angels somewhere, and the Thunderbirds (in F-16s) perform at Langley. I caught the Red Arrows a few times at RAF Waddington, along with an impressive display by a Su-27 at that airshow. The Hawks used by the Red Arrows are not really impressive, but they are small and nimble, and the pilots do a great job with them. The Sukhoi was pretty insane, I don't know who the pilot was but he had a lot of fun with the vectored thrust system.

[Vuk]

Yeah, Team West was there and gave a demonstration in F-16s. I love those darned planes. I gotta say though, Team West's performance wasn't half as good as the Blue Angels. They did it very well, but they did not have the beautiful precision formation and solo flying that the Angels had. That was a pretty cool experience.

[Megas Methuselah]

Who???

[Centurion1]

The blue angels come to us every year for free....... benefit of living on one of the most important nas development bases.

My dad knows some old blue angel he went to ocs down in pensecola with one guy.... or was it flight school? Those guys are the best of the best.

Oh and cool story I played basketball with an angel once. On our base there's a drill hall with just about everything on it and last year an angel happened to be there and played basketball, really athletic guys of course.

So vuk that was your first time seeing them? I always forget most people don't get to see things like that

[Hooahguy]

i saw them a while ago, dont remember details but they were awesome!

[Veho Nex]

You can watch them for free in SF once in a while. I remember the first time that happened my marin county teachers were like wth?! and we stopped class to watch them

[Megas Methuselah]

Oh, so they're like the Snowbirds, but instead fly aircraft that isn't hopelessly obselete.

I see, I see. Cool stuff to watch, they'll ocassionally fly over during football games. I ain't a football fan, but it's a really big thing where I am.

[Rhyfelwyr]

The blue angels come to us every year for free....... benefit of living on one of the most important nas development bases.

Similar for me, I've seen the Red Arrows a lot, due to living near a massive naval base.

[Vuk]

The blue angels come to us every year for free....... benefit of living on one of the most important nas development bases.

My dad knows some old blue angel he went to ocs down in pensecola with one guy.... or was it flight school? Those guys are the best of the best.

Oh and cool story I played basketball with an angel once. On our base there's a drill hall with just about everything on it and last year an angel happened to be there and played basketball, really athletic guys of course.

So vuk that was your first time seeing them? I always forget most people don't get to see things like that

Sweet, good for you!
Yeah, it was my first time. I had seen videos of them performing, but never in real life before. They don't come to Wisconsin a lot. :P

[Centurion1]

Yeah they are a sight to see really breathtaking they bolt stay angels for a short while actually

[Gregoshi]

I've seen the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds but it has been a while - probably mid-90's for the Blues. They are a heart-pounding, adrenadline-pumping thrill. Now I want to see them again.

[Yoyoma1910]

I was recently stationed in Pensacola for some training. If you enjoy naval aviation it's an excellent pilgrimage to make.

I really respect the Blue Angels work ethic. They practice and perform constantly, and are top pilots. These days they're using f 18s.

[Vuk]

I was recently stationed in Pensacola for some training. If you enjoy naval aviation it's an excellent pilgrimage to make.

I really respect the Blue Angels work ethic. They practice and perform constantly, and are top pilots. These days they're using f 18s.

Yeah, those guys are like machines. I have never seen more perfect or spectacular flying in my life.

[Centurion1]

Its so high stress and high danger and high workload they get ortated pretty regularly and get moved to something safer like combat pilots....

[Vuk]

lol, let me put it this way: I don't envy them. :P

[Lemur]

Yeah, looks stressful ...

[Ja'chyra]

Are they like a poor mans version of the Red Arrows?

[Vuk]

Are they like a poor mans version of the Red Arrows?

lmao, actually they are widely considered to be the best flight demonstration team in the entire world. :P

[Ja'chyra]

Sorry, couldn't resist a little fishing trip and fair dues, you didn't bite.

As the Red Arrows are due to move to Lincoln and I spend a lot of my working time there I'll be sure to pass on your opinion, should make for an interesting chat in the mess. :-P

[drone]

As the Red Arrows are due to move to Lincoln and I spend a lot of my working time there I'll be sure to pass on your opinion, should make for an interesting chat in the mess. :-P

The Red Arrows are moving to Waddington full-time? That ought to make the anoraks on the A15 happy.

[Ja'chyra]

That was the plan, might have changed now though

[Vuk]

Sorry, couldn't resist a little fishing trip and fair dues, you didn't bite.

As the Red Arrows are due to move to Lincoln and I spend a lot of my working time there I'll be sure to pass on your opinion, should make for an interesting chat in the mess. :-P

lol, I did not say that was my opinion. I simply said that many consider them to be. I have not seen the Red Arrows, so I cannot say.
This is what I saw on Wiki though:

Red Arrows accidents and incidents
1969: Two Gnats crashed, one striking trees at Kemble during practice with one fatality and the second crashing short of the Fairford runway.
1971: Two Gnats collided during the cross-over manoeuvre with four fatalities.[16]
1980: A Hawk hit a yacht mast at an air show in Sussex, the pilot ejected safely.
1986: A Hawk rammed into the back of another on a runway.
1987: A Hawk crashed into a house in the neighbouring village of Welton, Lincolnshire while practising.[17]
24 June 1988: A Hawk crashed whilst attempting to take off, and the fuel tanks exploded. The pilot ejected safely.[18]
9 September 2003: A Hawk overshot the runway during landing at Jersey Airport while arriving in advance of the Jersey International Air Display. Nobody was harmed in the incident.[19]
2007: The wingtip of a Hawk hit the tail of another during practice flight near RAF Scampton.[20]
23 March 2010: Two Hawks had a mid air collision. The synchro pair were practicing one of their manoeuvres when the 2 aircraft collided. Red 7, Flight Lieutenant David Montenegro managed to land his plane in safety, but the other (Red 6, Flight Lieutenant Mike Ling) had to use his ejection system and was taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder. The incident took place during pre-season training at Hellenic Air Force base, Kastelli, in Crete.[21].

Accidents
During its history, 26 Blue Angels pilots have been killed in air show or training accidents.[11] Through the 2006 season there have been 262 pilots in the squad's history,[12] giving the job a 10% fatality rate.

1946 - September: Lt. "Robby" Robinson was killed during a performance when a wingtip broke off his Bearcat, sending him into an unrecoverable spin.
1952 - Two Panthers collided during a demonstration in Corpus Christi, Texas and one pilot was killed. The team resumed performances two weeks later.
October 14, 1958 - Cmdr. Robert Nicholls Glasgow died during an orientation flight just days after reporting for duty as the new Blue Angels leader.[13]
15 March 1964 - Lt. George L. Neale, 29, was killed during an attempted emergency landing at Apalach Airport near Apalachicola, Florida. Lt. Neale's F-11A Tiger had experienced mechanical difficulties during a flight from West Palm Beach, Florida to NAS Pensacola, causing him to attempt the emergency landing. Failing to reach the airport, he ejected from the aircraft on final approach, but his parachute did not have sufficient time to fully deploy.[14]
September 2, 1966 - Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver crashed his Tiger and was killed at the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto.
February 1, 1967 - Lt Frank Gallagher was killed when his Tiger stalled during a practice Half Cuban 8 maneuver and spun into the ground.
February 18, 1967 - Capt. Ronald Thompson was killed when his Tiger struck the ground during a practice formation loop.
January 14, 1968 - Opposing solo Lt. Bill Worley was killed when his Tiger crashed during a practice double immelman.
June 4, 1971 - CDR Harley Hall safely ejected after his Phantom caught fire and crashed during practice over Narragansett Bay near the ex-NAS Quonset Point in Rhode Island.
January 8, 1972 - Lt. Larry Watters was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground while practicing inverted flight.
March 8, 1973 - Capt. John Fogg, Lt. Marlin Wiita and LCDR Don Bentley survived a multi-aircraft mid-air collision during practice over the Superstition Mountains in California.
July 26, 1973 - 2 pilots and a crew chief were killed in a mid-air collision between 2 Phantoms over Lakehurst, NJ during an arrival practice. Team Leader LCDR Skip Umstead, Capt. Mike Murphy and ADJ1 Ron Thomas perished. The rest of the season was cancelled after this incident.
February 22, 1977 - Opposing solo Lt. Nile Kraft was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during practice.
November 8, 1978 - One of the solo Skyhawks struck the ground after low roll during arrival maneuvers at NAS Miramar. Navy Lieutenant Michael Curtain was killed.
May 31, 1980 - Lead Solo Lt. Jim Ross was unhurt when his Skyhawk suffered a fuel line fire during a show at NS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. LT Ross stayed with and landed the plane which left the end of the runway and taxied into the woods after a total hydraulic failure upon landing.
February 22, 1982 - Lt. Cmdr Stu Powrie, Lead Solo was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California just after a dirty loop.
July 13, 1985 - Lead and Opposing Solo Skyhawks collided during a show at Niagara Falls, killing opposing solo Lt. Cmdr. Mike Gershon. Lt. Andy Caputi ejected and parachuted to safety.[15]
February 12, 1987 - Lead solo Lt. Dave Anderson ejected from his Hornet after a dual engine flameout during practice near El Centro, CA.
January 23, 1990 - Two Blue Angel Hornets suffered a mid-air collision during a practice at El Centro. Marine Corps Maj. Charles Moseley ejected safely. Cmdr. Pat Moneymaker landed his airplane, but it never flew again.[16]
October 28, 1999 - Lt. Cmdr. Kieron O'Connor, flying in the front seat of a two-seat Hornet, and recently selected demonstration pilot Lt. Kevin Colling (in the back seat) struck the ground during circle and arrival maneuvers in Valdosta, Georgia. Neither pilot survived.[17]
December 2, 2004 - Lt. Ted Steelman ejected from his F/A-18 approximately one mile off Perdido Key after his aircraft struck the water, suffering catastrophic engine and structural damage. He suffered minor injuries.[18]
April 21, 2007 - Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis crashed his Hornet near the end of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort airshow in Beaufort, South Carolina[19] and was killed.[20][21] (See 2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash).

The Blue Angels seem to have had a lot more accidents, but I would not say that necassarily means that they are not as good. They have been around longer, have flown more, and several of their accidents seem to be because of faulty aircraft. Also, from what I have heard, the Blue Angels perform much more dangerous stunts, so it would make sense that they are in more accidents.

[Centurion1]

Look at the aircraft used. Am I right in presuming the arrows use rotor based stunt aircraft? If so the angels are inherently more dangerous. But I haven't seen arrows personally so I can't judge

[drone]

Look at the aircraft used. Am I right in presuming the arrows use rotor based stunt aircraft? If so the angels are inherently more dangerous. But I haven't seen arrows personally so I can't judge

The Red Arrows use BAE Hawks, jet trainer aircraft.

[Centurion1]

Then I have nothing to say except my ridiculously biased american of "blue angels are wayyyyyyyyyy more awesomer*

[Spartan198]

I've seen the Blue Angels and the Canadian Snow Birds, I think they're called. Breathtaking.

Come to think of it, the annual airshow here where I live starts today and goes on through Sunday. Living literally right next door to the airport where they hold it, I get a nearly front row seat every year. And consequently there's a US Air Force within walking distance of me. In the past, the show has had F-16s, F/A-18s, A-10s, U-2s, F-117s, and even B-52 and B-2 bombers. They used to do 200+ mph fly-overs barely above the treetops, which was totally awesome. Love the scream of those jet engines at such low altitude. THAT'S an alarm clock!

But a couple years ago the city restricted them from doing fly overs below 2000 feet. The sons of ...

[gaelic cowboy]

I seen the Red Arrows in Galway once we had a brilliant day twas class weather sun splitting the stones pure clear sky. The Jets flying up from Shannon past the beach were everyone gathers out over the Atlantic with the Aran islands in the distance some picture.

Some eejit hippies had peace flags spread on the beach protesting the war or some rubbish god I never wished as much for a bomb to land on em.

[Centurion1]

And then you went to the pub for a pint o' guinness.

(How's that for irish american idealism and loving stereotyping of the old country)

[gaelic cowboy]

And then you went to the pub for a pint o' guinness.

(How's that for irish american idealism and loving stereotyping of the old country)

Of course we did we were in Galway for the Mayo v Galway match after we retired to the tavern in Salthill for witty conversation in relaxed surroundings. Nah actually we hit for the nearest superpub to pull women ha ha