The Blue Angels Flyover

Ken N Tx

MALE
Location
Texas
Blue Angels Flyover Dallas/Ft Worth to honor first responders...
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Nice, but in my typical fashion I had to gripe about the cost of such a "salute."
The use of the jets to show resolve could anger those frustrated with the administration’s struggles to find enough protective equipment for medical personnel. The squadrons each cost at least $60,000 per hour to fly.

The senior military official said that the cost of the flights will come from money already in the Pentagon budget. Other planes also could be involved, the official said, suggesting bombers flying over their home states as one possibility.
 
The use of the jets to show resolve could anger those frustrated with the administration’s struggles to find enough protective equipment for medical personnel. The squadrons each cost at least $60,000 per hour to fly.

The senior military official said that the cost of the flights will come from money already in the Pentagon budget. Other planes also could be involved, the official said, suggesting bombers flying over their home states as one possibility.
Yeah, I remember the bruhaha when the president had the flyover at the State of the Union or whatever it was a few months ago. Those things are outrageously expensive to operate... but the salute is definitely touching.
 
In normal years the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels give as many as 30-60 shows each in a year allover the country and are always practicing several days a week. TheBlue Angels formed in 1946 and the Thunderbirds in 1953. I’ve seen the Blue Angels practicing over Va. Beach & twice here, at air shows over crowds of >25,000. Loved the experience. They decide where and when they will fly, what invitations they will accept, and will not hesitate to cancel if weather is unsuitable. Keeping them grounded is not going to produce more PPE’s. All channels of tv news showed many health care personnel watching outside, through windows or on roofs, as well as ordinary folks getting pleasure. They are going to fly anyway, why not where people can enjoy seeing them instead of out over the empty desert?
I live in an AFB city and see all kinds of wonderful planes flying back and forth at different times. An Air Force of any country HAS TO Keep flying to be ready. They can’t just keep them gathering dust till they’re needed.
 
It's a nice gesture but I agree with others that if I was a first responder I would rather have a day off or a free pizza.

The expense doesn't bother me because we already own the planes and the pilots are on the payroll so the only cost is fuel and maintenance.

Chalk it up to training.

I thought it was nice that jetBlue is giving 100,000 free roundtrip tickets to first responders. Again it doesn't cost much more to fly a full plane than it does to fly an empty one but it is a meaningful gift to many people.
 
Years ago we were working on part of a quiet county road that stretched straight, running north and south. The next thing I knew here comes four jets flying low and slow coming from the south, heading north, following the road we were on. As they flew by over the top of us I remember being in awe, and also feeling very puny.

I believe it was the Blue Angles flying in close formation. One of the guys there working with us said he thought there was going to be an airshow in a city north of us.
 

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