New Blue Angels

[Velocity173]

The Thunderbirds started flying very conservatively after the incident in Chicago a few years ago, and really ruined their show, IMHO. The BA's have much tighter spacing, and don't depend on doing 3 "sneak" passes in order to entertain people. The sneak pass is kind of like when a comedian tells a fart joke. It's funny to have one as part of your set, but when you start depending on them in order to keep people in their seats, it gets old quickly.

Yep. Pre 2005.


Post 2005




I don’t think their show got any worse though. A little more conservative in the diamond but they added some maneuvers and updated their music selection. Superman and Chariots of Fire themes were starting to get a bit long in the tooth.

 

[Velocity173]

They're having a drive-in airshow here in Georgia next weekend. PS - No GA fly-ins.

Here's the link: https://www.wingsovernorthgeorgia.com

First year I’m off for it but I’m not going. $130 just isn’t worth it.

 

[Flocker]

First year I’m off for it but I’m not going. $130 just isn’t worth it.

Agree.

I flew in last year. I can't imagine driving in and sitting in a car the whole time...

 

[35 AoA]

To be fair, I think the E's will be a nice change. That thing is a comparative beast with no pylons/no tanks, even with respect to legacy Hornet with "EPE" F404-402 "big" motors (I am pretty certain the blues flew -400 "little motors"). Especially down low. I'd imagine they will be able to exploit the somewhat better T/W ratio. Not to mention the maintainability. These jets are old for sure, but not as old as what they have been flying for decades now. They won't be first in line for parts, but they will have commonality with much more of the fleet today than they did last season.

 

[smv]

To be fair, I think the E's will be a nice change. That thing is a comparative beast with no pylons/no tanks, even with respect to legacy Hornet with "EPE" F404-402 "big" motors (I am pretty certain the blues flew -400 "little motors"). Especially down low. I'd imagine they will be able to exploit the somewhat better T/W ratio. Not to mention the maintainability. These jets are old for sure, but not as old as what they have been flying for decades now. They won't be first in line for parts, but they will have commonality with much more of the fleet today than they did last season.

Wait... Did you just call the E 'old'? I was on the Stennis when they did their first flight deck quals... What does that make me?

 

[35 AoA]

Wait... Did you just call the E 'old'? I was on the Stennis when they did their first flight deck quals... What does that make me?

Hah it makes you old. I was a Charlie baby, but that was after the rhino was a thing. To be fair, the LRIP jets were built in the late 1990s, first few production lots were 2000 or so, which makes them ~ 20 years old......I think that is getting into "old" territory, when most of the current fleet was built in the last 5-10 years. Not as old as my chariot was when I first flew her, but still old I say

 

[smv]

Hah it makes you old. I was a Charlie baby, but that was after the rhino was a thing. To be fair, the LRIP jets were built in the late 1990s, first few production lots were 2000 or so, which makes them ~ 20 years old......I think that is getting into "old" territory, when most of the current fleet was built in the last 5-10 years. Not as old as my chariot was when I first flew her, but still old I say

Well, I did leave the Stennis a couple weeks before maiden deployment in 1998, so it has been a while...

 

[35 AoA]

Well, I did leave the Stennis a couple weeks before maiden deployment in 1998, so it has been a while...

haha. I did my first Hornet CQ on the stennis actually. Many years after you left though

 

[smv]

haha. I did my first Hornet CQ on the stennis actually. Many years after you left though

I remember the E/Fs coming aboard for the first time and seeing what looked like F-14 engines strapped underneath. What I would have given to go for a ride in one. .

 

[35 AoA]

Mac Air (and Boeing) did a really nice job. It is black and white difference compared to what I started out flying in low lot Hornets. Particularly now. They aren't cheap (I believe ~$70M now), but there is a massive amount of capability that we never had in the legacy. The jets the blues are getting can be better described as charlies with a lot more gas, but they set in motion a lot of upgrades we would never have otherwise had. 40 years is a long time to be perfecting a (mostly) similar airframe. I think it is as close as it ever will be right now.

 

[Velocity173]

To be fair, I think the E's will be a nice change. That thing is a comparative beast with no pylons/no tanks, even with respect to legacy Hornet with "EPE" F404-402 "big" motors (I am pretty certain the blues flew -400 "little motors"). Especially down low. I'd imagine they will be able to exploit the somewhat better T/W ratio. Not to mention the maintainability. These jets are old for sure, but not as old as what they have been flying for decades now. They won't be first in line for parts, but they will have commonality with much more of the fleet today than they did last season.

What’s the deal with the fluid coming from the top of the vert stabs? Fuel vent? Always seems more common on the Rhino when it’s inverted compared to the legacy.

 

[nauga]

What’s the deal with the fluid coming from the top of the vert stabs? Fuel vent? Always seems more common on the Rhino when it’s inverted compared to the legacy.

Fuel vent and vent tanks in the verticals.

Nauga,
spewing

 

[Velocity173]

Good practice footage. Watched air shows in this exact area back when they had A-4s. Best place to watch a Blues show. Kinda like the Jedi Transition, it’s developing a cult following.

 

[Velocity173]