REGION: Blue Angels soar at 55th annual Miramar Air Show Annual spectacle brings traffic, thrills
Thousands of eyes were on the sky Saturday as the Blue Angels soared and swooped in perfect formation over Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.
The Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds were highlights of a free show that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the base each year.
This weekend’s 55th annual Miramar Air Show, “Marines: A Tradition of Uncommon Valor,” offered fans more than a glimpse of expert flying. It was also a chance to take a peek inside military aircraft cockpits, try on flight helmets and ask fighter pilots exactly how fast their planes can go.
Leaning against the F/A-18F Super Hornet he flew from Lemoore Naval Air Station for the show, Navy Lt. Nathan Brasher said he spent part of the day in the open cockpit, fielding questions from children who climbed the ladder to try on his helmet and pick his brain.
“The question they ask most is, ‘How fast does it go?’” he said of the curious young people he had spoken with Saturday.
His answer? Mach 1.8, or about 1,000 mph.
The Blue Angels fly a similar aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet.
During the squadron’s performance, which began at 3 p.m., the six jets flew together in loops, dived in close formation and even cruised upside down along the airstrip, wheels pointing into the sky.
The maneuvers weren’t stunts or tricks, though, announcer Lt. C.J. Simonsen said. They were maneuvers developed for peacetime training and combat, tweaked slightly for performances.
Having served as a mechanic in the Air Force, attendee Niko Dimopoulos watched the Blue Angels show with a trained eye.
“There’s a lot of work behind it,” he said of the flying performed at the show. “Thousands of men and women have to deal with these planes every day for one person to fly it like they’re flying now. This is the fun part, but there’s a lot of work behind it.”
He paused to point out a spectacular maneuver by a solo jet to his daughter, Sophia, who was riding on his shoulders.
“Air shows are the only place where you get to see this stuff besides warfare” Dimopoulos said.
The Blue Angels pilots are more than performers, said Lt. Michael Tetreault, a pilot stationed at Miramar. They are trained to do the same skilled flying under fire, too.
“It’s tough,” he said of executing maneuvers similar to those going on overhead. “You have to be wicked, wicked good, and it’s a lot harder when people are shooting at you.”
Tetreault was among the many pilots stationed at static aircraft displays. The displays included past and present military equipment as well as air show memorabilia. Fans were invited to take a close look at the aircraft and were allowed to touch them in some cases.
Expected complications associated with the show included traffic delays. Miramar Road was backed up from both directions with motorists waiting to enter the base. Once inside, traffic moved slowly because of security precautions.
Unexpected complications Saturday included roof damage to a house in Carmel Mountain just north of the Marine base. A heavy-duty retractable rubber hose apparently fell off of a C-130J Hercules, a large cargo plane used to refuel other aircraft while in flight.
It was unclear whether anyone was in the home when the hose fell on it, or whether the plane had been part of the air show.
WHOLE ARTICLE posted.
I call BS on the “Traffic delays” It was very smooth.
Sunscreen required! Free to the public! Semper Fi!