Blue Angels & Thurderbirds coordinated fly overs

[Por_sha911]

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6153728021001#sp=show-clips

[masraum]

I can't wait. I loved air shows as a kid, and would love to go now, but I'm also not going to screw with the crowds. When we lived in the Houston suburbs, we used to see the planes practicing from our home. As a kid my dad was stationed in Pensacola a couple of times, so I've seen the Blue Angels several times. I've also lived on an Air Force base that had annual air shows when I was younger. I don't think I've seen an air show since the early 80s.

[GH85Carrera]

It would be fun to go to the bar with them afterwards. Navy and Air Force jet pilots giving each other a razzing. It would be an interesting chat.

[Eric Coffey]

USAF and ANG did a coordinated flyover of several hospitals here in AZ yesterday. Pretty cool...

[spuggy]

[masraum]

It's been cancelled for Texas.

https://blue-angels.info/canceled-blue-angels-will-no-longer-be-flying-over-coastal-bend-this-weekend/

The team had planned on flying over Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Kingsville and Corpus Christi.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Navy’s Precision Flight Team, the Blue Angels won’t be doing their usual ‘Wings Over South Texas Air Show,’ the pandemic took care of that; and they were planning to fly over South Texas on Saturday as part of a nationwide effort to thank health care workers serving on the front lines of the coronavirus response effort.

However, on Friday officials at Naval Air Station-Kingsville sent out notice that this weekend’s Blue Angel flyovers for the Coastal Bend have been canceled.

Over the last week, the Blues have been joined by the Air Force Thunderbirds in flying over other parts of the country. They were scheduled to fly over Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Kingsville and Corpus Christi this weekend but accord to NAS-Kinsgville officials, those flights were canceled.

On Friday, NAS-Kingsville officials posted, “The #AmericaStrong flyovers of Kingsville and Corpus Christi were canceled to allow the teams to focus on large metro areas that have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While disappointing, we must take solace in the fact that our area has not been hit hard by the virus.”

But next Fri, May 8, we will have another flyover.

https://www.lonestarflight.org/fight-finish-flyover-fri-may-8-1145-am

Friday, May 8 in the skies over the city of Houston.

11:45 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. (est.)
Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and the End of WWII in Europe.

In honor of those that served and sacrificed during WWII, and to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the Lone Star Flight Museum and its supporting partners will fly nearly 30 rare and historic warbirds over the city of Houston in an epic aviation event called the Fight to the Finish Flyover.

“The Fight to the Finish Flyover is an invitation for Houstonians to join in acknowledging the 75th anniversary of VE Day – Victory in Europe. And while we navigate this difficult time in our community, we encourage everyone to step outside and enjoy a moment of patriotic distraction and marvel at the rare WWII warbirds flying overhead, all from the safety of their own homes. This amazing flyover is a unique opportunity for everyone to view, all they have to do is look up!”

- Museum President and CEO Douglas H. Owens, Lt. Gen. (ret.)

PARTNERS

All partners volunteered their time and resources to make this event possible.

Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Houston Wing
CAF - Gulf Coast Wing
CAF - Highland Lakes Wing
Wings Over Houston Airshow
Signature Flight Support
HoustonFirst
IHeart Media-Houston
Individual warbird plane owners, pilots and volunteers.

FLIGHT PLAN

The flyover will take off at 11:45 a.m. from Ellington Airport and fly a 120-mile flight plan over the skies of the Greater Houston area. This historic flight will last just over one hour, landing back at Ellington Airport at approximately 1:10 p.m.

THE LINE-UP AND PROGRAM

The fleet of more than two dozen historic warbirds include:

B-25 'Devil Dog', Grumman HU-16 Albatross, P-51 Mustang, P-63 King Cobra, SB2C Helldiver, CAF Tora Group, C-45 Twin Beech, T-6 Texan, BT-13 Valiant, L-17 Navion, T-34 Mentor, Yak 52 and more.

An event program will be available the week of the flight for download for Houstonians to follow the planes.

The program will include:

Flight plan and map along with the estimated timing/location of of the aircraft overhead throughout the hour-long flight.
We will be flying over Pasadena, the San Jacinto Monument, University of Houston-Main Campus, Downtown Houston, Memorial Park, Acres Homes, Houston National Cemetery, Spring-Cypress, Cinco Ranch, Mission Bend, West Memorial, West University Place, Bellaire, Missouri City, Alvin, Pearland, Friendswood, Dickinson, Kemah and many communities within the flight plan. The flight will end back at Ellington Airport at approximately 1:10 p.m.
Information about each one of the participating aircraft.
The museum, including the parking lot will not be open to the public and spectators will not be allowed to park on museum property.

You can also follow flights and event information:

Via the museum’s Facebook and Instagram pages for posts and live stream video.
The Friday, May 8 issue of the Preview Section in the Houston Chronicle will also include the full flight plan and schedule.

[masraum]

[Heel n Toe]

Watch this in a darkened room, full screen, with headphones. They did it right... pure... no music. Very impressive. Breathtaking when you realize the complexity of close quarter flying like this.

[masraum]

Another (NY, NJ & Philly) that includes a little inflight refueling and the Thunderbirds.

It's amazing how close they are and how much they are moving around. They look like they were REALLY close together. I can only imagine that feels like it would feel to drive on the interstate with cars splitting lanes all around you. The cameras were cool. I'm curious about who was controlling them. Surely it wasn't the pilots.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Watch this in a darkened room, full screen, with headphones. They did it right... pure... no music. Very impressive. Breathtaking when you realize the complexity of close quarter flying like this.

What control is his left hand operating?

[Won]

Thank you for the videos! I think the footage is from a 360 degree camera which is then edited to show different FOV after the fact.

Originally Posted by flatbutt

What control is his left hand operating?

Is it the throttle? Didn't imagine it would be worked so much alongside the stick. Do they have much throttle lag?

I read that it's the first time both teams have flown together. Maybe not quite worthy of being the silver lining of the COVID cloud but very cool nonetheless. Props to everyone that made it possible.

I liked the scenes of the ground crew and their "rituals". Just looks effortlessly cool. Also the refuelling - they make it look so easy. The probe being on the nose where the pilot can see it makes sense to me. When it's behind you like the F-16?? Respect to the boom operators.

[masraum]

It looks like some of the Texas flyovers have been rescheduled for tomorrow, Wed, May 6.

https://www.khou.com/article/features/when-will-the-blue-angels-fly-over-houston-and-dallas-texas/285-48053634-02b5-40ac-ae8f-ef33880feed7

HOUSTON — The Blue Angels will fly over Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and New Orleans this week, the squadron confirmed on its official Twitter account.

(Editor's note: The video on this page is from a recent flyover in the Atlanta area.)

They'll appear over DFW and Houston on Wednesday. And yes, this is one of two flyovers planned for our area this week. Keep scrolling for information about Friday's flyover, which does not involve the Blue Angels.

[masraum]

Here's another video that's longer. It includes the take-off of both teams and a bunch of footage from folks on the ground as they fly over.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by spuggy

It is great stuff. Even better without some crappy music. The jet engines soundtrack is enough.

[red-beard]

If that Route is correct, it will go over my neighborhood around 12:50PM

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by red-beard

If that Route is correct, it will go over my neighborhood around 12:50PM

They're going to pass 4700 feet North of my house.


I hope I can still see them from that distance

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by masraum

The cameras were cool. I'm curious about who was controlling them. Surely it wasn't the pilots.

I am guessing they were canopy-mounted 360 cams on gimbals ("controlled" in post).

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

What control is his left hand operating?

Throttles.

[Ryan_Cunningham]

Originally Posted by Won

Is it the throttle? Didn't imagine it would be worked so much alongside the stick. Do they have much throttle lag?

If you are in close formation your left hand is always moving if you're flying off of someone else. If they have a video of the flight lead I imagine you'll see the movements of his left hand are miniscule compared to those flying off him to provide a smooth, stable platform.

"Congratulations, you're a flight lead. Give me the keys to the sports car you had as a wingman, and the sedan you had as a section lead. You'll now be driving a van."

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Ryan_Cunningham

If you are in close formation your left hand is always moving if you're flying off of someone else. If they have a video of the flight lead I imagine you'll see the movements of his left hand are miniscule compared to those flying off him to provide a smooth, stable platform.

"Congratulations, you're a flight lead. Give me the keys to the sports car you had as a wingman, and the sedan you had as a section lead. You'll now be driving a van."

More detail please?

I'm assuming a stable stick on the lead doesn't necessarily correspond to perfectly smooth flight, so the guys near/behind have to make constant adjustments to keep formation? Is that what you're saying?

Is it because the lead plane just naturally moves around some, or is it because flying that close to the lead plane gives the others more dynamic air that they have to fly through?