The things we see from our bedroom window.

[Lobsang]

There I am, sat at my computer browsing the boards. I hear a jet noise. I dismiss it. Then I hear another one, so I go to my window....


Oh, its' just the red arrows.





<brain turns on> The F****G red arrows?!

The next few moments leave me glad I was already dressed because if I wasn't I'd have a sock on my ear, my underpants on my head and my t-shirt on my legs. I was that frantic to get out and catch a few shots of them (camera) before they sod off.


I don't know how globaly well known they are but I can bet every single Brit knows exactly who/what they are. It's not every day you see them out your bedroom window.

[BadBaby]

So my search tells me they're either a motorcoach service, an acrobatics team, or some sort of pilot training thing. I'll go with door number three.

What were they doing, just flying around? My hometown is the winter training spot for the Blue Angels. Maybe the same sort of thing as Red Arrows?

[Lobsang]

aerobatics. They are a synchronised flying team (using red jet planes) they do all the biggest events - Queen's Jubilee, British Grand Prix etc...


I am in the process of getting a picture (that I took) of them onto the internet (I am trying to find web-publishing wizard in windows XP)

[Rich Mann]

I had the honor once of seeing the Blue Angels in the very best arena possible.

A not-for-profit corporation involved in oil-spill clean-up emergency preparedness got permission to anchor in San Francisco Bay at the very edge of the no-sailing zone for the performance. I was invited along as a family member.

Imagine standing at the rail of a small ship watching fighter jets go by at hundreds of miles-per-hour with their wings perpendicular to the waves--wingtips seemingly inches from the water--passing each other with a few feet to spare--and all just yards in front of you.

My poor words cannot express just how awesome it really was.

Standing in a crowd on the ground squinting way up in the sky at tiny-seeming planes will never cut it again.

[Trigonal Planar]

I see the Snowbirds (Canadian equivalent of the Red Arrows, or Blue Angels) flying by every so often. I think I live under a flightpath between some of their bases.

[BadBaby]

Ack! You're correct Lobsang, that link description did say aerobatics, not acrobatics. I was sort of tickled that Red Arrow could turn up such diverse results.

E d'Mann-- Yep they're cool to watch and always willing to come give presentations at local schools, too. I wish I could remember how it felt to see them for the first time, it's all so old hat these days. Sheesh, I can see them flying around from the balcony some evenings and we all curse them when they go rattling the tea cups with a flyover. The older guys are all great to know, the younger pilots are *gasp* a bit arrogant. When you consider the skill involved, their pride is deserved (and cute to see).

[Lobsang]

here is the picture I took from the car park of the shopping centre right behind my house (http://homepages.manx.net/lobley/dscf0006.jpg)

[Severian]

Are those A4 Skyhawks?

[Lobsang]

Hawk T. Mk.1 (http://www.raf.mod.uk/reds/faqs.html#faq4)

[tunabreath]

Every year (except 2001,the year of 911) the US Navy's Master Jet Base Oceana in Va. Beach Va. has an air show, I take my kids and they love it. Last year I had the pleasure of seeing the Snow birds and thought "Wow, they're really good." Then at the end of the show the Blue Angels flew. HOLY COW! I'd forgotten just how crazy thos guys are. They do their synchronized flying within 18 inches of each other!
I may not have been on a small ship but I was less than 1/4 mile away and could hear the anouncers commentary. A B2 stealth bomber flew there too. Scarey man, real spookey. It looked like a black hole in the sky when overhead but when it was coming toward us (and leaving) it was very hard to see as huge as it is. Just a thin black line in the sky.
Part of the show was local Navy F-14's and USAF F-16's, they push their planes almost to the sound barrier and the air around the plane gets compressed so much that light won't pass through it the way your used to it doing. It reminds me of science fiction movies where a spaceship kind of goes almost invisible. Truely a wierd thing to see.
Air shows are neat to watch until you realize that most of what you see is made to kill people.
I'm glad they're ours at least. These things are so fast that by the time you hear them they have gone past you, I gues if you hear them they're likely after something elsewhere or the weopon is slow on delivery.

[Ringo]

Neat picture, Lob. I was afraid it might be one of those speck in the sky photos, but it is a good shot. Thanks.

[rjk]

I've seen some spectacular aerobatics at the Abbottsford Air Show (http://www.abbotsfordairshow.com/) near Vancouver. It's always a thrill seeing what they can do. (This year it's on August 8, 9, and 10.)

And that's a great pic, Lobsang!

[Sassy]

Every year, for as long as I can remember, the Blue Angels are here for the fleet week celebration in October. When I moved into this apartment, one of the perks was the fabulous views from the roof - I really can see most of the bay and both bridges :D. The first time I was here for fleet week, I made plans to watch the airshow - and it was amazing. As part of their routine, they swoop (not correct term ;)) over the hills here - and over my building! I swear I could have touched them if I was a little taller - and a whole lot faster :cool:

[RadioWave]

WooHoo! It's funny how in San Diego (home of the US Navy on the west coast), 747s and DC10s are "noise pollution". The Blue Angels are "Get the hell out of my way! I've got to get outside to see them!!!"

[Mudshark]

Earlier today, outside my bedroom window I saw my neighbor (the thumbs down lady) walking up and down the driveway in the rain, smoking a cigarette.

[Emperor Penguin]

Originally posted by rjk
I've seen some spectacular aerobatics at the Abbottsford Air Show (http://www.abbotsfordairshow.com/) near Vancouver. It's always a thrill seeing what they can do. (This year it's on August 8, 9, and 10.)
Lobsang!

I was lucky enough to grow up in Abbotsford, from 1984(?)-1999. Every year, without fail I went to the air show. The last couple of years that I was there, it wasn't as good as the years previously. Of course, that may just be because before I was watching through a kids eyes...

Our house was on a small hill, with our porch looking out towards the airport. It was a ways away, but you could still see and hear all of the jets doing their thing. And, when the jets flew in, they always went over our house. I can remember many frantic runs outside just to catch a glimpse. The best was when the SR-71 Blackbird was there

Sorry for the minor hijack, but that post brought back a flood of memories for me. Has anyone been to the shows lately? Have they improved? If they have I might just make a trip back to see it.

[auntnut]

Growing up in Las Vegas Nevada, with a dad who was a jet engine mechanic for Nellis Air Force Base (civil service) I was lucky to see "up close and personal" air shows. I think it was the "Thunderbirds" that were the biggies back in the 60's and 70's............that was some RAW POWER, I tell you!!
The Blue Angels are big up here in the Northwest (Washington State) Seafair up here is the big thing, hydro races on lake Washington..........they almost always do an air show.

[lilbtagna]

Wow, great picture Lobsang!

I saw the Blue Angels at an air show here about a year ago, and it was just amazing. Took my breath away.

[FairyChatMom]

I work aboard Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, birthplace of the Blue Angels (even if they are based in Pensacola now) and they do an annual air show here. In November of 2000, we watched the show from our boat anchored just off the end of one of the runways. At one point, two of the Blues were headed straight down at us in a screaming dive. Seemed like they waited till the last possible second to pull up, but for those few seconds, it was such a rush staring straight up at the nose of a jet heading straight down! :eek:

I don't know how many times I've seen them fly since I was a brand new baby sailor in San Diego (29 years ago!!) but it's always an amazing experience for me.

[plnnr]

My former father in law was as Major in the USAF and stationed at Eglin. We were on his sailboat off Santa Rosa Island a few years ago and had the opportunity to watch the Blue Angels practice for a bit. A very nice time - laying on the bow, sunning, and watching them scream around.

[NurseCarmen]

Originally posted by Mudshark
Earlier today, outside my bedroom window I saw my neighbor (the thumbs down lady) walking up and down the driveway in the rain, smoking a cigarette.

Yes, but can she blow colored smoke out her tail?

[MrMyth]

Not a bedroom window, but I used to work at a hospital on the north side of Chicago that was on the lakefront. It had an undocumented 13th floor viewing area with a spectacular view. Every year the week of the air show, I would take my lunch up there. The Blue Angels passed close enough to the building to see the decals on their helmets - these were slow practice flights up and down the lakeshore. On the days of the actual shows they would be further out over the water, lest they destroy every window on the shoreline.
Seeing something like that up close and moving totally ruins the 'regular' experience from then on. I can't go to air/water shows here anymore.

[Kalhoun]

The stealth bomber flew over my house on its way to the Chicago air show. What a waste of money. I mean, I saw the friggin' thing! Not too stealth from my vantage point!

[Winnie]

When we first got our bulldog from a rescue group, we were helping her overcome some housebreaking issues. My husband and I were very careful to let her out for her first "break" as soon as we woke up in the morning.

One morning I woke a little earlier than usual for some reason, and neither my husband or the dog were in bed with me. It was still dark out... hmmm... strange. I peered out our bedroom window and he was letting the dog do her business. And he was naked. And we live in a townhome with houses on all sides of us. What the F___?

When he comes back up I ask what in hells bells is he doing in our backyard, naked, letting the dog out for a pee? He said he woke up and saw her sniffing around the bedroom like she was looking for a place to pee so he ran out "as is" so she wouldn't have an accident on the floor. "What's the problem, it was still dark outside?" I'm still shaking my head over this one.

[Elza B]

I lived in Pensacola for a year in the sixth grade, and the Blue Angels were the highlight of that year. Whenever we heard them training, we'd run outside and stare at them for as long as they were up there. Very cool.

Ava

[El Marko]

Hey Lob, it looks like you might have caught them doing an airshow. Is there an airfield nearby. As far as I know, aerobatic teams like that don't just fly around with the smoke cans on for the fun of it. Did they come back or was it just one pass?

We just had an airshow here in So. Maryland 2 weekends ago celebrating the 60th anniversary of the naval air station here as well as the centennial year of powered flight. Anyway, most of the flying was grounded due to ugly weather - low cloud ceiling, occasional rain, etc... Fortunately, the ceiling raised just enough by the end of the day that the Blue Angels were able to do their "low" show. None of the really cool stuff like starbursts or anything at altitude, but we did get to see some precision formation stuff and high speed menuevering. It was cool even though you knew it was only a small part of their full repertoire. Still, it was free so I didn't feel too cheated.

[Lobsang]

Originally posted by El Marko
Hey Lob, it looks like you might have caught them doing an airshow.

Well as soon as I saw them I realized they were showing for the Manx TT which is currently on on the Isle of Man (where I live)

But It didn't occur to me that they were going to do the TT so it was a surprise. Also - last year I never got a glimpse of them, this is the first time I have ever seen them.

P.S. They were not just flying past, they were displaying in the sky all around me, I got a couple of pictures of them, the one I linked was the closest I caught. They came closer but I was not ready with the camera for all of them.

[Lobsang]

little hijack - my my website (http://homepages.manx.net/lobley) (which seems to have become a little confused) has a picture of a side car from last year's TT.

[Lobsang]

And on closer inspection my site is more than a little confused. It's totaly clueless. please disregard captions.

[World Eater]

I see my neighbor's bedroom out of my bedroom window. :D

[Kalhoun]

Winnie said, "I peered out our bedroom window and he was letting the dog do her business. And he was naked. "

Heh. That's a riot! Once my husband was drunk and depressed about his comatose sister. A huge, and I mean HUGE, rainstorm. He grabbed a bar of soap and went out into the driveway nekkid and started lathering up. Lo and behold, lightning hit the transformer at the end of our driveway and the entire fire department, cops, and rescue squad pulled up. I'll bet they're still talking about it.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Originally posted by Lobsang
There I am, sat at my computer browsing the boards. I hear a jet noise. I dismiss it. Then I hear another one, so I go to my window....


Oh, its' just the red arrows.'Round here, it seems like the Air Force has started having weekly practice runs in case of attack. For tonight, they've hired some small aircraft piloted by civilians to portray potential terrorists.

[DesertDog]

Originally posted by RadioWave
WooHoo! It's funny how in San Diego (home of the US Navy on the west coast), 747s and DC10s are "noise pollution". The Blue Angels are "Get the hell out of my way! I've got to get outside to see them!!!" That's 'cause the heavies are just flying busses, while the Blue Angels (and the other aerobatic squadrons for that matter) are Totally Cool. Who minds a bit of noise?

DD

[ratty]

Originally posted by Mudshark
Earlier today, outside my bedroom window I saw my neighbor (the thumbs down lady) walking up and down the driveway in the rain, smoking a cigarette.

I want to know more about this mysterious person. I've seen her mentioned a few times on the board. What's her deal?

[lovelyluka]

I moved to the city last week, in an 11th story apartment near the hospital. There are helicopters flying around outside all the time. They are loud and annoying and don't have colored smoke.

[Mudshark]

Originally posted by ratty
I want to know more about this mysterious person. I've seen her mentioned a few times on the board. What's her deal?

Oh, trust me. You don't want to know any mora about her than you have to.

And, I bet she can blow smoke out of her tail. Or at least she'll probably try to.