SFist: SFist Photo: The Blue Angels are Done for the Day.

andyc

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:36:49 -0800

far better to have these guys doing cool stunts over the city than droppin bombs on iraq or whatever. perique:yes, the staff is comprised of combat pilots, with a minimum of something like 1350 hours of flight time to be selected, although most have a lot more than that. sangfroid..i love the sounds of jets flying overhead, it is an amazing display of technology and skill. i think it sucks that there are wars and things in the world and our country should not be initiating them (nor should we be outspending the rest of the world combined on defense), but i'm really glad those guys from the navy are out there and have the balls to do that stuff rather than spending their lives bitching about a little noise on the intarweb. i mean, do you even live in this city?? the sirens and traffic noise alone are just as loud and that happens all year long and at all hours of the day, not just for 3 25 minute sessions in the afternoon. put on a record if it bothers you so much?

Jess Drake

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 15:31:35 -0800

I just want to comment so everyone can see my adorable avatar and die of excitement over how cute the puppy is. *dying time*

periqueblend

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:33:56 -0800

You do have to stay more than 1000 feet vertically and horizontally from any vehicle, person, or structure, and if you observe closely the BA will be observing that rule when over the City. I call bullshit. not only did they come within that zone during thursday's practice around the monster on Rincon Hill, they fly over my apt building in the mission, at a distance much, much, closer than 1000 feet. The BA are loud, but its not the worst thing that could happen. By the way, I don't know if the flying recruitment show is staffed by combat pilots. That's quite a thing huh, dropping bombs on people because someone else said so... oh well.

wsanders

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 17:00:26 -0800

BTW, the "airshow box" is entirely over the water in the fleet week show. While the planes are over the City, they are not performing aerobatic maneuvers. The Blue Angels, or any old airplane, can fly over the City anytime they want, with the permission of air traffic control. The airspace over the City is, though, close enough to SFO and OAK that you need to ask before you enter, and all aircraft are treated equally by ATC. You do have to stay more than 1000 feet vertically and horizontally from any vehicle, person, or structure, and if you observe closely the BA will be observing that rule when over the City.

wsanders

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:54:34 -0800

"Hey you fucking kids, get the fuck off my fucking lawn! And stop using the fucking f-word!"

sangfroid826

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 15:21:49 -0800

I fucking hate the sounds of jet planes flying over my head. I fucking hate knowing that these aeraunotic acrobatics are just a shorthand for how impressively we can kill people. And I fucking hate our militaristic culture. There.

Dan Berkes

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 11:36:41 -0800

Perhaps not so large and disturbing, as Firefox seems to have had an issue with them on first rendering.

Dan Berkes

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 11:35:41 -0800

These new user icons are large and disturbing. Yay! I live on Telegraph Hill, so I plan on dragging a chair to my roof and watching the show. Either I'll be entertained, or have a really lame and ironic last thought as a few thousand pounds of blue metal hurtle my way unexpectedly.

mariconsoy

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:54:03 -0800

I want to see suckafree.

bob loblaw

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:20:28 -0800

i can't believe there hasn't been a post about the new comment style. will i have a cutie little panda bear too? have there always been pictures on this thing? fun!

Plug1

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:08:28 -0800

Fotos of Thurs/Fri practice sessions from EMB here.

RinconHillSF

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:06:20 -0800

Weekends like this, stuffed full of outdoor events, are why we pay out the nose to live in this crazy City. Ain't it great?

cranky

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 20:49:30 -0800

Yummy sailors at the Castro Street Fair? What a perfect storm of a weekend! I've gone through disliking the Blue Angels to enjoying watching them. Just to watch physics at work as they make turns is incredible. Plus these guys have gone through combat and know more about how bad killing is than whiners like Chris Daly and his upper middle class ilk who have options beyond joining the military. These pilots do not take their jobs and responsibilities lightly. Plus I'd like to see the whiners take a ride in an F-18 -- love to see Daly puke his chicken liver up!

mariconsoy

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:47:09 -0800

Do the pilots scratch their balls as they fly? Too macho. Neuter them.

Elizabeth

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:17:40 -0800

Let me get this straight- those people had to leave their homes in Duluth because their houses were within the "air show box"? Aerobatic maneuvers may only be performed if the energy vector of the aircraft is not directed toward the crowd. All aerobatic maneuvers must be performed inside the "airshow box", a rectangular volume of airspace which provides the specified distance from all spectators, and up to a certain altitude over this area. No people are allowed in the airshow box except those assisting the pilot in his or her act (for example, to hold poles the aircraft flies between, or to drive ground vehicles associated with the aerial act). This means any roads in the airshow box (such as a highway at one end of the airfield) may have to be closed, and any buildings in the airshow box must be evacuated during the airshow. Where is this "box" when the Blue Angels perform in the Bay Area? I have noticed that the Coast Guard is keeping boats out of the area just off the piers and Aquatic Park, but the Angels seem to be doing acrobatic moves all over the city, not just that space.

MalcoveMagnesia

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:30:30 -0800

For anyone who cares, looks like CBS5 had a camera on that chase plane trailing the A380 doing a "slow & low" flyover. Cool footage!

daithi

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:07:48 -0800

Don't forget Castro Street Fair On Sunday.