Blue Angel Weekend: Against My "Better" (hell, "ALL") Judgement...

[soflagator]

The last time I went to the Pensacola beach airshow was in 1995. Rather than try to drive out there and somehow find a place to park, instead we put my little 15' Hydrostream Viper in the water, and drove out the inlet into the surf with 1000 other boats. It was awesome, until it wasn't.

In the morning the water was great. Nice and smooth for my little boat, plus we rode in the wake of some pretty big pleasure craft on the way out. Easy peezy.

Watching the show from the boat was very cool. Then when the show was over, rather than head back in with all the other boats, we left it at anchor and swam in through the surf to party at The Dock, which is right across the main road from Flounder's. After having one too many, we stumbled back out to the surf and swam to the boat and managed to drag ourselves back aboard. That's when the fun began.

The nice calm water we drove out in was long gone. The friggin waves were taller than the damn boat. I was going so slow back to the marina that I was barely making steerage, and every 5 seconds was another back-breaking crash as we tumbled from the crest of one wave down into the following trough like a sack of wet cement. I damn near abandoned ship simply out of fear that one or both of us were going to sustain a serious injury. And this wasn't a ten minute ride either, it was like 10 miles just to the inlet, then another 8 miles or so to the marina north of the base. The whole journey was like a 2 hour long plane crash.

At least it was dark by the time we got to the ramp, and nothing about my setup was appropriate for night running. Good times! Well anyway, we lived to tell about it...but never again.

The last time I was in Pensacola was for a girlfriend family member’s graduation. I ended up doing shots from an Asian girl’s a** on the beach with a current FL politician.

Anyway, I didn’t see any airplanes.

 

[Zambo]

The last time I was in Pensacola was for a girlfriend family member’s graduation. I ended up doing shots from an Asian girl’s a** on the beach with a current FL politician.

Anyway, I didn’t see any airplanes.

It really is a nice beach.

 

[fischerwood]

When I watch "The Blues", it's either at Sun N Fun (Lakeland) on the flightline (perk of being an old Navy volunteer), or air Venture (Oshkosh), same reason. Awesome show, lot's of yanking & banking...
Enjoy the atmosphere & Go Gators...

 

[Bait'n Gator]

Does your sister still call out my name when you are fukking her?

Yeah, I'm stealing that one.

 

[jeeping8r]

Son works in same hangar the Blues use. He also knows a few of the aircrew. Room he rented is near the AC130 practice range, forget if near either Eglin or Tyndall.

He said the pros working in same hangar as Blues is he can watch practice, Con is they're loud.
His pro about room he rented was watching the gunships on practice range, Con is what if they miss

Once he gets back from his reserve deployment to Japan he will be buying a home in Pcola

 

[neteng]

Nah. She says “daddy” which makes it really weird

Well...that is his name.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

I had a condo on the beach. Before they got all concerned about safety they would come right over the top of the building and damned near fry the roof tiles.

Nothing made me happier than to see 100,000 people leave the beach after the show while we had dinner on the balcony and watched the sun set.

They rotate sites when they do the Jax show. I actually like the one in town better. I have a little spot just outside the base where they are loud and very low and you can smell the kerosene as they come by. I love the smell of kerosene in the afternoon.

They also practice two days before the actual show. If I catch it just right I'll see them make a first pass near my house and I can haul ass to my spot and watch them with no hassle and no traffic.

Do you think they'll switch to F-35s ?

I've seen them several times...even when they flew F-4s


My BIL got to fly with them...the video is awesome.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

Son works in same hangar the Blues use. He also knows a few of the aircrew. Room he rented is near the AC130 practice range, forget if near either Eglin or Tyndall.

He said the pros working in same hangar as Blues is he can watch practice, Con is they're loud.
His pro about room he rented was watching the gunships on practice range, Con is what if they miss

Once he gets back from his reserve deployment to Japan he will be buying a home in Pcola

When my son was at Cherry Point...the Harriers we deafening.

 

[Detroitgator]

Son works in same hangar the Blues use. He also knows a few of the aircrew. Room he rented is near the AC130 practice range, forget if near either Eglin or Tyndall.

He said the pros working in same hangar as Blues is he can watch practice, Con is they're loud.
His pro about room he rented was watching the gunships on practice range, Con is what if they miss

Once he gets back from his reserve deployment to Japan he will be buying a home in Pcola

So he works at NAS but lives over by Hurlburt/Eglin? I know a lot of Hurlburt/Eglin guys that live as far west as Navarre.

 

[Detroitgator]

Do you think they'll switch to F-35s ?

I've seen them several times...even when the flew F-4s


My BIL got to fly with them...the video is awesome.

Given that this is their first year with the Super Hornet, I doubt they switch to anything new in the next 5-10 years.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

Given that this is their first year with the Super Hornet, I doubt they switch to anything new in the next 5-10 years.

I'd love to see the USAF T-birds use F-22 thoes planes are amazing.

 

[Zambo]

The Hornet can fly a more precise formation simply because the old-school controls allow them to use a tension spring in the cockpit. The newer jets have side-stick controls that barely move, they are more pressure oriented. The Blues attach a heavy spring to the front of the stick during the show which requires the pilot to constantly be pulling aft just to fly level. What this does is change the dynamic from alternating between the muscles that pull and the muscles that push, to just constantly pulling a little more or a little less. Its the same concept as using two hands on the steering wheel so you are either pulling with the left hand or pulling with the right hand when racing, vs. the ghetto drive one-armed technique which requires you to push to go right and pull to go left. Don't get me wrong, the T-birds are great pilots and the F22/F35 are good airplanes, but you can't fly form the same way in those planes like you can in the Hornet or something else with an old-school joystick.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

The Hornet can fly a more precise formation simply because the old-school controls allow them to use a tension spring in the cockpit. The newer jets have side-stick controls that barely move, they are more pressure oriented. The Blues attach a heavy spring to the front of the stick during the show which requires the pilot to constantly be pulling aft just to fly level. What this does is change the dynamic from alternating between the muscles that pull and the muscles that push, to just constantly pulling a little more or a little less. Its the same concept as using two hands on the steering wheel so you are either pulling with the left hand or pulling with the right hand when racing, vs. the ghetto drive one-armed technique which requires you to push to go right and pull to go left. Don't get me wrong, the T-birds are great pilots and the F22/F35 are good airplanes, but you can't fly form the same way in those planes like you can in the Hornet or something else with an old-school joystick.

Y'all know some stuff...thanks

I agree on the T-birds...but I like the Angles show a little more.

 

[gator1946]

f-35? Not in my life time. I saw them fly the Cougar. It was either the Cougar or Panther. I saw them shortly after I could walk. And even at that age I remember snippets of that show.

 

[Nalt]

f-35? Not in my life time. I saw them fly the Cougar. It was either the Cougar or Panther. I saw them shortly after I could walk. And even at that age I remember snippets of that show.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

The last time I went to the Pensacola beach airshow was in 1995. Rather than try to drive out there and somehow find a place to park, instead we put my little 15' Hydrostream Viper in the water, and drove out the inlet into the surf with 1000 other boats. It was awesome, until it wasn't.

In the morning the water was great. Nice and smooth for my little boat, plus we rode in the wake of some pretty big pleasure craft on the way out. Easy peezy.

Watching the show from the boat was very cool. Then when the show was over, rather than head back in with all the other boats, we left it at anchor and swam in through the surf to party at The Dock, which is right across the main road from Flounder's. After having one too many, we stumbled back out to the surf and swam to the boat and managed to drag ourselves back aboard. That's when the fun began.

The nice calm water we drove out in was long gone. The friggin waves were taller than the damn boat. I was going so slow back to the marina that I was barely making steerage, and every 5 seconds was another back-breaking crash as we tumbled from the crest of one wave down into the following trough like a sack of wet cement. I damn near abandoned ship simply out of fear that one or both of us were going to sustain a serious injury. And this wasn't a ten minute ride either, it was like 10 miles just to the inlet, then another 8 miles or so to the marina north of the base. The whole journey was like a 2 hour long plane crash.

At least it was dark by the time we got to the ramp, and nothing about my setup was appropriate for night running. Good times! Well anyway, we lived to tell about it...but never again.

The infamous afternoon sea breeze. You’re not the only one who’s discovered that pattern the hard way! Next time go inside Little Sabine very early in the morning before all the others get there and beach it on the sandbar in the middle of the lagoon. You’re also only a short swim & 2 minute walk to the best Bushwhacker on the island at The Sandshaker Lounge.

 

[gatorev12]

I'd love to see the USAF T-birds use F-22 thoes planes are amazing.

Definitely amazing planes--but they only made 186 of them and with attrition--with only 125 or so being combat-capable.

Needless to say, they won't be taking 6 out of combat or training units any time soon...

 

[jeeping8r]

So he works at NAS but lives over by Hurlburt/Eglin? I know a lot of Hurlburt/Eglin guys that live as far west as Navarre.

Used to live in the area, moved out for his stint in Japan, his wife and kids are here in marion county. Once he gets back they'll find a home somewhere up there. Wants a place near west gate but we'll see

 

[jeeping8r]

Don't the blues and tbirds get clapped out jets at the end of their lifespan?

 

[Concrete Helmet]

FWIW - our condo is directly on the beach directly in front of the airshow. We'll see where this schit show of a post goes, but I'd seriously consider it. This video is from the balcony...

Book it Dano.....I'll be there in the morning