Chef Jim Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 It's Fleet Week this weekend in SF and the Blue Angels have been buzzing the city the past couple of days doing practice runs. I was walking through the city on my way to meet my wife for drinks on Thursday and it was incredible. You could hear them echoing through the "canyons" of the city but you had no idea where they were, and then one would go screaming right over head.....very cool. I was standing outside the bar waiting for my wife and talking to her on the phone and I told her one was headed right towards her building (the Transamerica Pyramid building). To hear her response on the other end of the phone as it flew right buy her was pretty damn neat. The best part was the tourists reaction. Many looked freaked out, thinking we were under attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 You should set off some fireworks and watch them jump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I watch the Bills in Cupertino and used to work in Alameda. One time after the game, I drove up to Alameda to do some work. Drove through the city during the Blue Angels show. They used to fly over the city also, not just over the Bay. While I was approaching the Bay Bridge, they came past. I knew they were much higher, but it almost appeared to be going between the towers of the bridge. One year, many years ago, they started the show by flying UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge. They got fined heavily for that and haven't done it again. I saw the low altitude show once because it was cloudy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 I watch the Bills in Cupertino and used to work in Alameda. One time after the game, I drove up to Alameda to do some work. Drove through the city during the Blue Angels show. They used to fly over the city also, not just over the Bay. While I was approaching the Bay Bridge, they came past. I knew they were much higher, but it almost appeared to be going between the towers of the bridge. One year, many years ago, they started the show by flying UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge. They got fined heavily for that and haven't done it again. I saw the low altitude show once because it was cloudy. My wife works with people that have worked in the city for years and said they used to fly between the buildings of downtown. One person said they were so close you could see the pilots faces. We'll be heading up the Transamerica tower today to my wife's office to watch them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 My wife works with people that have worked in the city for years and said they used to fly between the buildings of downtown. One person said they were so close you could see the pilots faces. We'll be heading up the Transamerica tower today to my wife's office to watch them. I was still living there the year they flew under the GG bridge - those guys are freaking nuts. The way they flew between the buildings in the Financial District was a disaster just waiting to happen. And residential neighborhoods weren't spared either. Imagine a leisurely stroll down Geary through The Richmond, when out of nowhere comes this screaming F-15 right over your head - they sneak up so quietly that you don't hear them until the roar nearly scares you out of your shoes! I lived on the crooked part of Lombard St, and they'd fly by so low that you'd swear they were buzzing your house. And, of course, the shock wave would set off every car alarm in Russian Hill. Fun stuff - and a great use of taxpayer $$$$ too! Anchors away!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I was still living there the year they flew under the GG bridge - those guys are freaking nuts. The way they flew between the buildings in the Financial District was a disaster just waiting to happen. And residential neighborhoods weren't spared either. Imagine a leisurely stroll down Geary through The Richmond, when out of nowhere comes this screaming F-15 right over your head - they sneak up so quietly that you don't hear them until the roar nearly scares you out of your shoes! I lived on the crooked part of Lombard St, and they'd fly by so low that you'd swear they were buzzing your house. And, of course, the shock wave would set off every car alarm in Russian Hill. Fun stuff - and a great use of taxpayer $$$$ too! Anchors away!!!! I was in Chicago a couple years ago for the air and watershow- incredible! We went to the Sox game and a B2 bomber buzzed the stadium! It was the loudest noise I have ever heard besides thunder. The thundercats were the there, and the planes would fly between sky scrapers. My sister lived on the 80th floor in a high rise- looked out her window and actually saw the pilot in the cockpit as buzzed by. And she got married that weekend. During the ceremony the planes flew right over the church right as they were kissing- the timing was incredible! The priest joked that my sister had the fly by planned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWVaBeach Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I was still living there the year they flew under the GG bridge - those guys are freaking nuts. The way they flew between the buildings in the Financial District was a disaster just waiting to happen. And residential neighborhoods weren't spared either. Imagine a leisurely stroll down Geary through The Richmond, when out of nowhere comes this screaming F-15 right over your head - they sneak up so quietly that you don't hear them until the roar nearly scares you out of your shoes! I lived on the crooked part of Lombard St, and they'd fly by so low that you'd swear they were buzzing your house. And, of course, the shock wave would set off every car alarm in Russian Hill. Fun stuff - and a great use of taxpayer $$$$ too! Anchors away!!!! They actually fly the F-18 Hornet. I'm just sayin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 I was still living there the year they flew under the GG bridge - those guys are freaking nuts. The way they flew between the buildings in the Financial District was a disaster just waiting to happen. And residential neighborhoods weren't spared either. Imagine a leisurely stroll down Geary through The Richmond, when out of nowhere comes this screaming F-15 right over your head - they sneak up so quietly that you don't hear them until the roar nearly scares you out of your shoes! I lived on the crooked part of Lombard St, and they'd fly by so low that you'd swear they were buzzing your house. And, of course, the shock wave would set off every car alarm in Russian Hill. Fun stuff - and a great use of taxpayer $$$$ too! Anchors away!!!! That reminds me of when I was a kid living in WNY. I was mowing our lawn one day and a huge C-130 type cargo plane flew over from behind me. The SOB was skimming the tree tops (or so at least it seemed) and he was so low and close that even over the noise of the mower the sound of that thing scared the living **** out of me. My favorite however was at a show I was at in Long Beach and they had a A-10 Warthog. Those things are so effing ugly but so cool. Regarding the great use of taxpayers dollars there was this letter to the editor in the SF Chronicle today: So how does the U.S. government have money for those gas-guzzling, noise-polluting Blue Angels? The dying Roman empire at least had "bread and circuses." All that the United States seems to provide now are circuses. FREDDY SWEET San Francisco Gas guzzlers. Why is it I think that Freddy lives in the Castro? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 They actually fly the F-18 Hornet. I'm just sayin. Really? I did not know that - guess I gotta keep up witht the times. Then it's the F-22 that's stalled in Congress, yes? 'Cause I asked the guys to slow down so I could see the model number, you know - in case I wanted to buy one or something, but those bastards just strafed me and flew away laughin'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 They are really special. When we lived in Seattle they would come in for SEA-Fair, in early August. They would have to close the 2 "floating bridges" for practices, because they would fly so low over Lake Washington that drivers could lose control of their cars. That really screwed up E-W traffic but all things considered, I always thought it was worth the inconvenience just to see them every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 They are really special. When we lived in Seattle they would come in for SEA-Fair, in early August. They would have to close the 2 "floating bridges" for practices, because they would fly so low over Lake Washington that drivers could lose control of their cars. That really screwed up E-W traffic but all things considered, I always thought it was worth the inconvenience just to see them every year. They really are, and that one week a year they spend practicing their maneuvers over the Bay Area is about the biggest gas I can remember from my 7 years there - I can't remember too many people complaining, other than the FREDDY SWEET-types that Chef Jim mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 That reminds me of when I was a kid living in WNY. I was mowing our lawn one day and a huge C-130 type cargo plane flew over from behind me. The SOB was skimming the tree tops (or so at least it seemed) and he was so low and close that even over the noise of the mower the sound of that thing scared the living **** out of me. My favorite however was at a show I was at in Long Beach and they had a A-10 Warthog. Those things are so effing ugly but so cool. Regarding the great use of taxpayers dollars there was this letter to the editor in the SF Chronicle today: Gas guzzlers. Why is it I think that Freddy lives in the Castro? Amazing, isn't it? They sneak up on you and you don't know it until you feel the concussion - then, you need to go change your shorts. The Warthog is one ugly aircraft. Turn your speakers up real loud, and enjoy the next 41 seconds... Take that, FREDDY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outsidethebox Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Amazing, isn't it? They sneak up on you and you don't know it until you feel the concussion - then, you need to go change your shorts. The Warthog is one ugly aircraft. Turn your speakers up real loud, and enjoy the next 41 seconds... Take that, FREDDY!!! That was pretty sweet. My company was located near the Rochester airport and when the Blue Angels come to town we used to get a great view from our building. Those guys sure do make me proud to be an American! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWVaBeach Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 They're here in Va Beach next weekend for the Neptune Festival. I've seen them many times (was stationed in Pensacola where they're home based) so we're going here next weekend instead. Beer and wenches! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 That was pretty sweet. My company was located near the Rochester airport and when the Blue Angels come to town we used to get a great view from our building. Those guys sure do make me proud to be an American! Damned right! Every time I see those guys - or the Air Force Thunderbirds - I try to image a group of towelheads or Bolsheviks posing as elite pilots pilots trying the same maneuvers, and I just burst out laughing. If it weren't for the risk to themselves and the public safety, I'd love to see them try. GOD BLESS AMERICA, BABY!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Amazing, isn't it? They sneak up on you and you don't know it until you feel the concussion - then, you need to go change your shorts. The Warthog is one ugly aircraft. Turn your speakers up real loud, and enjoy the next 41 seconds... Take that, FREDDY!!! I loved that link! I must confess I have watched it at least 15 times. BTW I think Warthogs are beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I loved that link! I must confess I have watched it at least 15 times. BTW I think Warthogs are beautiful You mean these... Warthog or these... Warthog ???? (You're right - they are beautiful - just look at the odnance on that thing!) One of the most beautiful planes I've ever seen is the... SR-71 Blackbird A friend of mine who's been with McDonnell Douglas/Boeing for 20 years tells me that the skin on the SR-71 gets so hot during flight (Mach 3) that the aircraft actually expands about 2 feet! (No penis-jokes, please ) Link - Spy Plane was Cold War Predecessor to Modern Stealth Fighters & Bombers If you're near NYC, or visit there, you can see one on the deck of the USS Intrepid... link BTW, I've been watching that Blue Angels clip every time I sit down at my PC - it's just so freaking cool. Imagine just sitting there on your sailboat, relaxing with a cold one, when that thing comes screaming out from under (???) the GG Bridge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 It's Fleet Week this weekend in SF and the Blue Angels have been buzzing the city the past couple of days doing practice runs. I was walking through the city on my way to meet my wife for drinks on Thursday and it was incredible. You could hear them echoing through the "canyons" of the city but you had no idea where they were, and then one would go screaming right over head.....very cool. I was standing outside the bar waiting for my wife and talking to her on the phone and I told her one was headed right towards her building (the Transamerica Pyramid building). To hear her response on the other end of the phone as it flew right buy her was pretty damn neat. The best part was the tourists reaction. Many looked freaked out, thinking we were under attack. Never saw the Blue Angels, but several years ago when I spent a couple weeks in Albuquerque I'd see flights of F-18s out of Kirtland go screaming along at low altitude every so often. Very cool stuff...though the natives didn't think so. You mean these... Warthog or these... Warthog ???? (You're right - they are beautiful - just look at the odnance on that thing!) One of the most beautiful planes I've ever seen is the... SR-71 Blackbird A friend of mine who's been with McDonnell Douglas/Boeing for 20 years tells me that the skin on the SR-71 gets so hot during flight (Mach 3) that the aircraft actually expands about 2 feet! (No penis-jokes, please ) Link - Spy Plane was Cold War Predecessor to Modern Stealth Fighters & Bombers If you're near NYC, or visit there, you can see one on the deck of the USS Intrepid... link BTW, I've been watching that Blue Angels clip every time I sit down at my PC - it's just so freaking cool. Imagine just sitting there on your sailboat, relaxing with a cold one, when that thing comes screaming out from under (???) the GG Bridge! The A-10 Warthog, I think, is one of the greatest planes ever made, for one simple reason: they had a single clear mission for it, clearly defined, and designed it specificaly and uncompromisingly to do that single mission extremely well. That's just a beautiful thing to me. And brought it in at $6M/copy, too...its replacement will run about $80M per, and won't do the same mission nearly as well - because the government knowing what it wants, defining it clearly, and sticking to that definition just never happens. The SR-71, I've heard, leaks jet fuel something awful on the ground, just because of how loosely it had to be put together to allow for expansion in the air due to friction. Yet another great plane that was designed strictly to do a single task well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 When I was stationed at Norton Air Force Base one of my first duty stations was in the 52 military airlift squadron. In two consecutive years our squadron hosted the Thunderbirds (the Air Force version of the Bue Angels) and I was around the pilots quite a bit. I hear that the Angels were better then the Thunderbirds.....but those guys were totally cool and even took me up in one of their jets to thank me for the work I did for them........what a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 When I was stationed at Norton Air Force Base one of my first duty stations was in the 52 military airlift squadron. In two consecutive years our squadron hosted the Thunderbirds (the Air Force version of the Bue Angels) and I was around the pilots quite a bit. I hear that the Angels were better then the Thunderbirds.....but those guys were totally cool and even took me up in one of their jets to thank me for the work I did for them........what a great time. You're a luck guy - very few folks get that ride. I'm not very fond of vomiting, but would love to go up for a thrill-ride with one of those aces (with a barf-bag, of course ). I don't know any Blue Angels or Thunderbird pilots personally, but have known a lot of Navy pilots over the years. It's kinda ridiculous to argue who's better when they're flying in precision formation 18 inches from their wing-man at 700 mph - they're all great Anyway, all those guys can pound some vodka - and I can attest to that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 You're a luck guy - very few folks get that ride. I'm not very fond of vomiting, but would love to go up for a thrill-ride with one of those aces (with a barf-bag, of course ). I don't know any Blue Angels or Thunderbird pilots personally, but have known a lot of Navy pilots over the years. It's kinda ridiculous to argue who's better when they're flying in precision formation 18 inches from their wing-man at 700 mph - they're all great Anyway, all those guys can pound some vodka - and I can attest to that I wish they would let them break the sound barrier at those shows-I want sonic booms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 The SR-71, I've heard, leaks jet fuel something awful on the ground, just because of how loosely it had to be put together to allow for expansion in the air due to friction. Yet another great plane that was designed strictly to do a single task well. Given the fact that, in a period of just 24 months, Kelly Johnson's Lockheed 'Skunk-Works' designed, prototyped, and built that thing, using just protractors and slide-rulers - before liquid-nitrogen-cooled supercomputers, CAD/CAM software, PC's, or even the most primitive HP engineering calculators, etc. ever existed - I consider it one of the greatest engineering marvels of all time... A defensive feature of the aircraft was its high speed and operating altitude, whereby, if a surface-to-air missile launch were detected, standard evasive action was simply to accelerate. "Incoming at 1500 mph...Roger that...Evade at Mach 3...." - and this was 1962, when (you kids won't understand) most folks didn't have colour TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Given the fact that, in a period of just 24 months, Kelly Johnson's Lockheed 'Skunk-Works' designed, prototyped, and built that thing, using just protractors and slide-rulers - before liquid-nitrogen-cooled supercomputers, CAD/CAM software, PC's, or even the most primitive HP engineering calculators, etc. ever existed - I consider it one of the greatest engineering marvels of all time... A defensive feature of the aircraft was its high speed and operating altitude, whereby, if a surface-to-air missile launch were detected, standard evasive action was simply to accelerate. "Incoming at 1500 mph...Roger that...Evade at Mach 3...." - and this was 1962, when (you kids won't understand) most folks didn't have color TV Even more remarkable, I saw a mid 60s film shot in the cockpit of a SR-71 on a mission and the pilot was determining his position with a sextant Now a trip to the store without GPS is imposable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 11, 2009 Author Share Posted October 11, 2009 The Angels had to cancel their performance yesterday due to fog. you mother nature. One of them did zoom right past the Rincon Tower which is right next to our place and I was lucky enough to have been outside to see it scream by. I'll have to cross my fingers for today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 The Angels had to cancel their performance yesterday due to fog. you mother nature. One of them did zoom right past the Rincon Tower which is right next to our place and I was lucky enough to have been outside to see it scream by. I'll have to cross my fingers for today. Aha...so you & Mrs. Chef live in 'SOMA' - I'm jealous, as you're a spit from Pacific Bell Pa....,er, Southwestern Bell Par...er, uh AT&T Park . Beautiful building, that Rincon Ctr. A friend of mine had a temporary exec apt. there while on a 3-month consulting gig for BofA. And, of course, you & Mrs. Chef are right at the start line for this Spring's annual Bay-to-Breakers - supposedly the world's largest organized foot race - I ran it once, and will NEVER understand how a guy can run 12 miles w/out a strap, or a how a gal can w/out a bra... Bay To Breakers (definitely NSFW) All things must pass... Myself, I established Senatorial offices at 495 Market, then 444 Market. Do me a favor when you have a spare sec - stop at 'Dave's'- (on 3rd Street btwn 2nd & Mission) and tell Dave Supple that 'The Senator' says, "Hello - and GO RED SOX!!!!!" (Dave is originally from Methuen, MA and is a huge baseball and Red Sox fan - lie to him & say you know me - you'll get free drinks!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted October 11, 2009 Author Share Posted October 11, 2009 (edited) Aha...so you & Mrs. Chef live in 'SOMA' - I'm jealous, as you're a spit from Pacific Bell Pa....,er, Southwestern Bell Par...er, uh AT&T Park . Beautiful building, that Rincon Ctr. A friend of mine had a temporary exec apt. there while on a 3-month consulting gig for BofA. And, of course, you & Mrs. Chef are right at the start line for this Spring's annual Bay-to-Breakers - supposedly the world's largest organized foot race - I ran it once, and will NEVER understand how a guy can run 12 miles w/out a strap, or a how a gal can w/out a bra... Bay To Breakers (definitely NSFW) All things must pass... Myself, I established Senatorial offices at 495 Market, then 444 Market. Do me a favor when you have a spare sec - stop at 'Dave's'- (on 3rd Street btwn 2nd & Mission) and tell Dave Supple that 'The Senator' says, "Hello - and GO RED SOX!!!!!" (Dave is originally from Methuen, MA and is a huge baseball and Red Sox fan - lie to him & say you know me - you'll get free drinks!) Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! The weather sucks again today so looks like no show today either. But the Angels comeback really helped cheer me up. Found this on the Chronicle's website so looks like the show is on. I think low level flights would be better. Finishing our wine and then we're off. Edited October 11, 2009 by Chef Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 My wife works with people that have worked in the city for years and said they used to fly between the buildings of downtown. One person said they were so close you could see the pilots faces. We'll be heading up the Transamerica tower today to my wife's office to watch them. I live by Miramar, they fly over my house for the OCt. 2,3 and 4th show. I have actually seen their faces on occasion, they were that close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! The weather sucks again today so looks like no show today either. But the Angels comeback really helped cheer me up. Found this on the Chronicle's website so looks like the show is on. I think low level flights would be better. Finishing our wine and then we're off. Nothin' quite like being an hour away from the Silverado Trail to 'turn that frown upside-down' ... IN VINO VERITAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 One of the most beautiful planes I've ever seen is the... SR-71 Blackbird Let's not forget the P-51 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damj Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 One of the most beautiful planes I've ever seen is the... SR-71 Blackbird True ... they have one at the new Air and Space museum ... I damn near wet myself when I saw it. That plane flys faster than anything else we have and it was designed before computers, Kelly Johnson (lead engineer - Lockheed Skunkworks) was a forking genius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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