Posts Tagged ‘blue angels’

And I Can See Those Fighter Planes – Military F-18 Super Hornets Above San Francisco

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Not too often you see regular military fighter jets above San Francisco these days, you know, just flying around on some mission as opposed to performing an airshow. Last time for me seeing something like that was when a pair of U.S. Air Force F-15’s roared low and fast over the Western Addition about a half-decade ago.  

Here’s the view from Haight Ashbury yesterday, through the Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees. Don’t bother looking at the misfocused photo ’cause you probably won’t be able to see them, but KPIX / CBS5 has some footage from Oakland International Airport yesterday. There they are lined up next to the King Airs and whatnot at OAK

Speaking of airshows, remember this alarmist headline from a few years back: “Blue Angel Kills Thousands in SF crash” 

Of course, no spectator has died at an airshow in San Francisco ever, I don’t think. And actually, no airshow accident has killed or injured a spectator in America in the past half-century or so that writer Tim Redmond has been alive. (Let’s not talk about Russia or Ukraine – spectators die all the time in those places.) 

And of course, a crash like that one in San Diego wouldn’t kill anybody in San Francisco because the Blue Angels would react differently to a sudden loss of power. And if there were a crash for other reasons, it would be simply unpossible for that to kill “thousands.” 

Anyway, if you ever want to say that you don’t like the Blue Angels, it’ll be up to you to just say that you don’t like the Blue Angels or, instead, to make a blog post going, “Blue Angel Kills Thousands in SF crash.” 

Your choice.

Anyway again, this “Military Aircraft operation” might have brought a nuclear aircraft carrier to the waters of the Farallones, who knows.

Look to the skies! They are ever changing.

Suit and tie comes up to me
His face red
Like a rose on a thorn bush
Like all the colours of a royal flush
And he’s peeling off those dollars bills
Slapping them down, one hundred, two hundred,
And I can see those fighter planes
And I can see the fighter planes
Across the mud huts as the children sleep
Through the alleys of a quiet city street
Up the staircase to the first floor
We turn the key and slowly unlock the door
A man breathes deep into saxophone
Through the walls we hear the city groan
Outside is America
Outside is America

San Francisco Fleet Week 2009 – Friday Practice was the Best Time to See the Blue Angels

Monday, October 12th, 2009

The San Francisco Chronicle has great shots of the Blue Angels, as per usual. What was unusual this year was lots of fog on Saturday and Sunday. But Friday was nicer.

Let’s take a look.

Propeller tip contrails  from the U.S. Marines’ Fat Albert C-130, El Heraldo de Angeles, the Harbinger of Angels:

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Sometimes the pilots look the same direction…

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…and sometimes not, as explained by Lt. Mark Swinger on SFist.

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The pelicans didn’t seem to mind…

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…all the commotion:

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Loud, loud, loud:

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It was not foggy, but a bit humid on Friday practice, as these ghostly forms attest:

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This one must have busted a gasket or something, the left cylinder bank looks to have a leak anyway.

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See you next year!

Take Your Dog Along When You Kayak in San Francisco

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

The best place to see the Blue Angels perform during Fleet Week is on top of one of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge, but using your feet to pedal into the bay is another way to get into prime position to see the show.

So, get yourself a Hobie Mirage Oasis kayak with MirageDrive (where you sort of pedal your feet to make yourself go), grab your dog and hit the water.

Click to expand:

See you out there on the water next year.

Fleet Week 2008 a Huge Success in San Francisco

Monday, October 13th, 2008

Here are photos from San Francisco’s Fleet Week air show on Sunday, October 12, 2008. Here’s what it looked like the day before and years past.

Despite being called The Patriots, this flight team uses Russkie-designed jets. Hmmm. Anyway, the backseater doesn’t look too happy. Click to expand:

From Ogden with love. This Viper West U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon based out of Hill Air Force Base in Utah shows us all what full afterbuner looks like.

Look at them shock waves as the F-18 Hornet approaches the speed of sound. Apparently, “the public generally responds negatively to sonic booms“, but I think we could handle it. The sound would be like this.

Just when you get one into focus, the other one squirms away…

The 12-year-old Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM lens – still working after all these years:

Somewhere down there is the Maltese Falcon.

All right, see you next year!

Blue Angels Return to San Francisco – Fleet Week 2008

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

The best place to see the Blue Angels during Fleet Week must be atop the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. Here’s what it looked like on Saturday, October 11, 2008.

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Glowing edge…

…or not, your choice:

And an oldie from 2005, high above California’s I-80 Interstate:

San Francisco’s Fleet Week 2008, Starring the Navy’s Blue Angels

Friday, October 10th, 2008

October has arrived, so it’s time for another Fleet Week in San Francisco. What’s Fleet Week?

Fleet Week is a United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard tradition in which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week. Once the ships dock, the crews can enter the city and visit its tourist attractions. At certain hours, the public can take a guided tour of the ships. Often, Fleet Week is accompanied by military demonstrations and airshows such as provided by the Blue Angels.

O.K. then. See some photos of Fleet Weeks past and also this weekend’s schedule below.

Alcatraz. Click to expand:

An F-86 with an F-15:

The Snow Birds will also come back in 2008:

Fisherman’s Wharf:

 SATURDAY, OCTIOBER 11, 2008:

11:30am-12:30pm
Parade of Fleet Week Ships


12:30pm-3pm

Blue Angels

Air Show


3pm-4pm

 

11am-4pm
“Festival at the Fort”
Fort Mason


1pm-3pm
Rockin’ at Ghirardelli Square


4pm-7pm
PIER 39 Music Festival

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008

11am-4pm
Ship Tours

 12:30pm-3pm
 Air Show

 3pm-4pm
 Blue Angels

 12:30pm-3pm
 Italian Heritage Day Parade aka Indigenous Peoples’ Day, aka Columbus Day

 11am-4pm
 “Festival at the Fort”
 Fort Mason

 1pm-3pm
  Rockin’ at Ghirardelli Square

  4pm-7pm
  PIER 39 Music Festival

See you there! 

 

This year’s sponsors:

SAAB

The Air Show Network

Consulate General of Canada

Geico

Team Oracle

Lucas Oil

Virgin America

KSFO 560 AM

The San Francisco Examiner

CW Bay Area

Military.com

Pier 39

Fisherman’s Wharf San Francisco

Fort Mason Center

Doubletree Hotel
San Francisco Airport

Black Diamond Brewing

Barefoot Wine & Bubbly

Signature Flight Support

Argonaut Hotel

Ontario

TransCanada

Port of San Francisco

San Francisco Marina

National Park Service

San Francisco
International Airport

Seven Hills Group