Blue Angels @ KSUS

[PRB]

It is so good to see the military air shows back in action! Today the Blue Angles arrived here (KSUS) for the show this weekend. I was at work, so I missed it (dang it). I do remember seeing them arrive at KNLC (NAS Lemoore, CA) a few years back, and it's so friggen cool. They fly into the pattern in the six-plane triangle formation for an otherwise normal US Navy overhead break, but they do it with a bit of attitude (as it were...) I wish I could have been at KSUS to see them arrive at a civilian airport that way. Fills one with a bit of pride, no?

[JoeW]

When I lived in Pensacola they would fly down Palafox street at about 500 feet in the triangle pattern. I was walking down Palafox twice when they came home. Very inspiring.

[TARPSBird]

Paul,
That "attitude break" is something most tailhook Naval Aviators have already learned in the fleet squadrons. They just sharpen it up a bit when they get to the Blues. :untroubled:

[PRB]

Paul,
That "attitude break" is something most tailhook Naval Aviators have already learned in the fleet squadrons. They just sharpen it up a bit when they get to the Blues. :untroubled:

Rgr that TARPS, but when a pack of Hornets (or A-7Es) arrive overhead for a carrier landing, it seems they just "break left" at some agreed upon interval. It's cool, but when the Blues do it they pitch up first, then break left. This makes sense since they're in that triangle formation, and the lead ship needs to clear the guys to his left before actually turning that way, but it looks pretty cool! One interesting aspect of this (to me) is that the "pitch up, then turn" technique looks a lot like the standard WW-II fighter break turn method. Perhaps jets had enough power that they didn't need to "pitch up then turn" and could just power through a break turn with loosing altitude. For what ever reason, it seems the jet break turns today are "flatter" than what I've seen in WW-II footage. Except for when the Blues arrive... :)

[gtirob01]

Ahh yes, the pitch up and break for landing. Looks awesome in person!

Heres a shot I took at one of the Blue's practice flights in Pensacola
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