Excited for the weekend!

[quagmire]

This weekend there is going to be an air show over the beach sponsored by my college( Embry-Riddle). F-22 Raptors, F-16 Falcons, F-18 Hornets, CT-114 Tutors will all be there in the air show. So today a lot of the aircraft started to arrive at Daytona's airport. As I was walking to check in for my flight activity, the F-22 Raptors arrived and did a low overpass the airport/campus. So I start to taxi to the runway intersection I was assigned to and we taxi right by the Raptors and Falcons that arrived earlier. Seeing them close was neat. Wish I could have taken a picture( damn pilot professionalism rules ).

Then after doing the before takeoff check and requesting takeoff clearance, the F-18 Hornets arrived and flew over the runway at ~50-100 ft twice and then landed in front of me. After we returned, the group of Tutor jets taxied past me and over flew me in tight formation.

So that was a neat experience and it further stoked me for going to the air show on Sunday.

 

[steve2112]

I just want you to know that I am insanely jealous. That's one thing I miss about working on an Air Force base. They used to have air shows every so often, and I could usually scam my way into good seating.

 

[Gonzo3333]

Airshow!

I took these pictures from the Rockford, IL airshow back in August. They had quite the smorgusbourg of aircraft there. Everything from the Boeing Dreamlifter (the modified 747 used to transport the wings and fuselage of the 787), B-52, A bunch of A-10's, FA-18 Super Hornets, F-15 and an F-4 Phantom! (the F-4 is next to the F-15's in one of the posted photos)

 

[dmr727]

Sweet quagmire, that's very cool!

 

[Queso]

That's cool. I'd love to go up in a fighter jet for a ride. it must be the biggest adrenalin rush ever.

 

[quagmire]

It was great. Overall, the F-22 is the sickest plane ever. Have 312 photo's of the air show.

Here are my favorites:

You can see the rest of the photo's here:

http://gallery.me.com/quagmire2#100380&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=288

I apologize that some are a tad out of focus. These things were going by so fast, autofocus couldn't keep up/refused to get the plane in focus, so I had to manually focus the shot and still manage to get the shot I wanted.

 

[iJohnHenry]

No need for that. Real photographers know the challenges. Nice shooting.

One question? Why didn't the 2 jets in pic #4 shoot that little Fokker down?

 

[Queso]

Hardly a fair fight that. I imagine a war with North Korea would look quite similar.

Great pics quagmire

 

[quagmire]

Thanks guys. Though which photo are you specifically talking about? Maybe I need a refresher because there are so many photo's so I lost track of which planes performed when, but the only time I can think of 2 Jets and a propeller driven aircraft flew together was the last of the photo's with the F-16, F-22, and P-51 Mustang.

Here are a few videos of the air show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sgwbmRnXmA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-9OqafFjhs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqfE-PasHkc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcYViIn8-6g

Now this is inexcusable. I apologize for my fingers getting into the shot.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Thanks guys. Though which photo are you specifically talking about? Maybe I need a refresher because there are so many photo's so I lost track of which planes performed when, but the only time I can think of 2 Jets and a propeller driven aircraft flew together was the last of the photo's with the F-16, F-22, and P-51 Mustang.

Yes, the Mustang. I took a shot at a joke.

Now this is inexcusable. I apologize for my fingers getting into the shot.

What fingers?? I was busy watching the planes.

Was that our Snowbirds on the 4th link, or some other team??

 

[quagmire]

Yeah, those were the Snowbirds.

And you said Fokker, so I was confused. Haha

 

[iJohnHenry]

Yeah, those were the Snowbirds

Go Canada, but please, stop killing yourselves just for the "show".

And you said Fokker, so I was confused. Haha

Many are. Don't give it another thought. Just me, being me.

 

[quagmire]

Go Canada, put please, stop killing yourselves just for the "show".

Yeah as I told my friend, I would never be able to do that. Never be able to fly as precise as those pilots. The maneuvers/stunts they did looked to come within 2-4 ft of each other. Any error in speed, altitude, heading, etc, if the turbines sputter and lose power, flight controls break, etc they are screwed. Not much room to eject safely.

We also wonder what was their escape plan just in case a member was out of position or something that required aborting the maneuver.

The stuff they did was amazing.

 

[iJohnHenry]

The stuff they did was amazing.

Ignoring the fiction is this link, some of these fly-boys should be locked-up for their own safety. And the safety of those on the ground/water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dr2ZB36p9Y&feature=player_embedded