Miramar Airshow

On Friday, October 2, I attended the annual air show at MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) Miramar for the third year in a row. It was just as thrilling this time as the other times. There is always something exciting about the roar of jets overhead. As usual, the show was full of amazing aerial acrobatics. I didn't see every performance, but the ones I did see were well worth it. Among the performances I saw were, The Oracle Challenger, The Red Bull MIG jet, a legacy flight of an F-16 fighter jet and the P-51 Mustang fighter plane from World War II, The Patriot Team whose jets trail red, white, and blue smoke as they perform their stunts, a helicopter that performed some amazing stunts, such as loops (I had never seen a helicopter able to do loops, and have never seen one able to go upside down), and the AV-8B Harrier jet. It is always a sight to see a jet fighter take off and land vertically. But, the headliners of the show are the Navy Blue Angels. They put on another spectacular show. The excitement builds as the Blue Angels start up their engines and then start their slow taxi in pairs past the viewing stands and then they take to the skies with a roar. As usual, their performance was a spectacular demonstration of great skill and precision, The planes fly so close together at times that it appears that they might crash into each other or touch wingtips. It is an awe-inspiring sight to see the Blue Angels. I look forward to seeng them next year.

Miramar Air Show

On Friday, October 3, I attended the annual air show at MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) Miramar in San Diego. It was an awesome show, especially for an aircraft fan like me. When I got there they had an air/ground assault demonstration with helicopters, jets and marines. The highlight was a massive explosion which created a wall of flame. The heat was so intense I was able to feel it from where I was sitting. They had a performance from the Oracle Challenger, acrobatic biplane. The pilot, Sean Tucker, performed some amazing stunts. They also had flight demonstrations of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the F/16 Falcon, the new F-22 Raptor. They had a legacy flight with a WWII fighter plane flanked by the F/A-18 and F-22. That is always an interesting sight. They also had a demonstration of the Marine Corps' AV-8B Harrier VTOL (Vertical take-off and landing) jet. Before I arrived they had more demonstrations of aircraft, but I was there for the most exciting parts. They also had all kinds of aircraft, both civilian and military, on display on the tarmac. This year, they had the new Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. It is supposed to be a replacement for the aging transport helicopters used by the Marine Corps.

But, the real stars of the show were the Blue Angels. They made their return to Miramar after a one year absence. I last saw them in 1986, before they switched over to the F/A-18 from the A-4F Skyhawk. Our neighbor at the time was a retired admiral and he got me some VIP passes to the airshow. I was given the red carpet treatment. I sat in the VIP section. Among the guests were some high-ranking military officials. We were right on the edge of the runway so had front row seats to all the action. After the Blue Angels performed I was able to get up close to the aircraft and meet the pilots. It was a great experience. But, I didn't see the Blue Angels again until this year. Last year was my first time back to the air show since 1986, but instead of the Blue Angels they had the Air force Thunderbirds. The Blue Angels have always been a staple of the airshow but last year they had a scheduling conflict. So, I was excited to see them again this year.

The excitement grew as The Blue Angels started their engines and taxied down the runway, and then with engines roaring, they took to the sky in a precise diamond formation. Once in the air, they performed one amazing maneuver after another. They did loops, rolls, inverted flights and all kinds of different formations. The most hair raising maneuver was the knife-edge flight where two Blue Angels fly towards each other and then fly past each other with only a few feet to spare. One plane is actually slightly higher than the other to give the appearance that they are going head to head. They also did a fly-by in a tight formation with wings overlapping. The wings are only eighteen inches apart! One false move would be devastating. It takes the breath away to watch. It was a fantastic show. I can't wait to see them again next year.

Miramar Air Show

Today I went to the annual airshow at MCAS(Marine Corps Air Station) Miramar in San Diego. I have always had a love for aircraft ever since grade school, so I was excited to go. It was an awesome experience. The first demonstration I saw was a Marine Air-Ground Task Force Assault Demo. It was a demonstration of close air support, armor,artillery and infantry. It was complete with helicopters, jets, tanks,marines and a lot of fiery explosions. The explosions were so intense I could feel the heat. Next was the F/A-18 Hornet showing it's capabilities. After that was a step back to the past. They had a legacy flight with some WWII era fighter planes, and flying alongside was an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet. I thought the juxtaposition of old and new was quite an interesting sight to see. Following that was a civilian acrobatic flyer in a bright red bi-plane, the "Oracle Challenger" piloted by Sean Tucker, a veteran of the airshow circuit. His loops and death defying spins were amazing to watch. After that was the Patriots Jet Team. As they soared overhead they trailed streamers of red, white, and blue smoke. I missed the next act, Shockley's "ShockWave" Jet Truck, because I was looking at the various aircraft assembled on the tarmac. I'm just not that interested in trucks. After that was a civilian acrobatic flying team, the Red Baron Squadron 4-Ship Stearman Aircraft. They did some amazing synchronized maneuvers. Next, they had a demonstration of one of my favorite jets, the AV-8B Harrier Jet. I find it interesting because it is a VTOL(vertical take off and landing). The sight of a jet hovering in the air is amazing. The final act was the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, the stars of the show. Usually they have the Navy Blue Angels, but this year is the 60th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Airforce, so they had the Thunderbirds.

The Thunderbirds are just as awesome. There was much anticipation as the Thunderbirds prepared to take to the sky. I could feel the excitement in the air as the jets roared down the runway and soared majestically into the sky. The roar of jets makes the hairs rise on the back of my neck with excitement. I felt like a kid. I am always amazed at how the pilots can be so precise in their maneuvers. The six red, white, and blue Thunderbirds perform formation flying and solo routines, most of which are pretty hair-raising. In one routine, two jets fly full speed towards each other and then bank away from each other as they seem about to collide. In another, a jet flew upside down. In the mirror formation one jet flies upside down directly above the other jet creating a mirror image. The "bomb burst" maneuver is a sight to see. The jets fly straight up in the air then veer off in different directions. They end the show with all six jets flying in the delta formation. A beautiful sight to see.

I left the airshow feeling elated and looking forward to next year's show.