Community Chat

[On It]

This is a daring fly over.

[LTT1]

@On It 

WOW amazing!

[Citrine1]

Nope.  Too close for comfort.

[Sooner]

@On It I've gone to many air shows in my time and the Blue Angels don't do some of the crazy things they did back in the 1960's.  They do not do some stunts nearly as close to the ground, like they did with the guy flying upside down over the runway the one passing over him.  Yikes!  

Once we were sitting on a bank at the end of the runway and one of them came streaking over the tops of the prairie grass right toward the crowd on the bank.  He didn't pull up and we were all frozen place scared to death.  

As he pulled up and shot right over us everyone on the bank leaned back flat on the grass and saw the bottom of the plane up close and personal: Every rivet and oil spot, and smelled the jet fuel and felt the hot wash.  

I am sure that hot shot maneuver let's play chicken with the folks wasn't in the plan and the pilot was laughing his butt off.  I doubt any of us ever forgot it!

I seem to remembe after some accident they were mandated to work not so close to the ground, but who knows now.  They were the best I ever saw.  Even my Air Force ex-fighter pilot friend had to admit it!  

[Kachina624]

They use telephoto lens in these photos which make things look closer and closer together than they actually are.

[naturalfan]

The Chicago Air & Water Show is in August and I believe the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds alternate years.  I love when there is a Cubs game going on and they always to a little something extra over Wrigley Field.

I remember one year I was at a game (this had to be before 9/11 because I'm sure they couldn't do this now) but one of the planes came out of nowhere and looked like it was going to land on the field.  The players on the field even fell to the ground and covered their heads.  It was amazing.  I live close enough to the lake that I get a great view from my back deck.  They usually do a couple of days rehearsals before the weekend and those rehearsals can be more exciting than the actual show.  My dogs used to run through the house barking when they heard the noise and sometimes I can actually feel the house shaking.  

[On It]

My son was working in a high rise office in San Francisco several years ago. The Blue Angels perform there when the fleet is in. He saw them flying level with his office window. I sent him this photo and asked if they were that close. He said no, they were further away from the building.

My title was a reference Willie Nelson's song.

[Kachina624]

@On It.  I got it....the reference to the title. 

[catter70]

I remember my dad taking us to the airshow at Fort Dix in NJ in the late 50's, early 60's, when I was a little girl. They are in a class of their own.

[SaveTheTurtles]

Holy Smokes! That IS a daring flyover.