Blue Angels air shows

Looks like their budget cuts are over. We are planning on going to Pensicola to see their show in July.

Are their shows free to the public? I'll be damned if i can find ANYwhere online to purchase tickets.

 

They are free here.

However, get a room, NOW!!

On the beach. In a high rise because they fly by the windows.

Or rent a boat.

I always take mine out and park in the bay with 3838163383 other drunk idiots.

HELL OF A HOOD SHOW!!

Again, it's free, but the beach only holds sooooo many people and it fills up early in the AM

 

Shows are generally free.

Parking, on the other hand, is somewhat pricey.

 

Especially if you park in a wrong spot a get a ticket.

 

Blue Angels show is a must see. Usually free. Totally badass

 

Parking in PCOLA is free unless some places feel like charging.

Bring your own boos unless you wanna spend $$$$

Big events are usually jacked up prices.

 

We will be camping at the Big Lagoon State Park. Driving over. I guess we better leave pretty early in the morning to get a decent spot to watch from, eh?

 

my bucket list is to go out to Reno and watch the Air Races out there. Buddy of mine at work is a pilot, and he's been the last 15 years and says there is nothing like it.

 

Oh cool... Ya know they just build a pretty badass campground on the beach....

Prob pretty pricey though.

Definitely leave EARLY!! If everyone has bicycles, park in Pensacola or gulf breeze and ride the bicycles. 3-5 mile pedal. And you won't have to wait in 3 hour traffic

 

wonder if they'd let me ride the golf kart over?

and yea, the ones on the beach are very pricey. Ours is $20/night with power and water hook-ups.

 

Golf cart would work but there would still be traffic

4 lanes each way and a bike path is all

 

I remember in 1981 or so they flew down Market Street in San Francisco at about 300 ft. I was on the 35th floor. THAT was cool.

They sorta got in trouble for that.

-jim

 

I remember reading an article years ago where the new commander decided to lift the ban on owning/riding motorcycles. The next day they all showed up on their sportbikes

 

I was lucky enough to be able to participate in a Blue Angles airshow once. We got VIP'd into the command center and met all the big wigs there, they were super cool to us, and some of the higher ups pulled their Velcro patches off and gave them to my friends.
Got to fly in a Vietnam Huey with the side door off and my feet hanging out over the foot-rail-thingys.
First and only time in a helicopter

 

So far about 5 Angels over the years have bought bikes from us.

They get paid VERY well

Nate Barton was the latest. They are all pretty cool dudes!

 

One of the alumni from The Citadel recently had the honor of commanding the show two seasons. Commanded the first season, then the replacement commander screwed up bad at a show and stepped down. Our guy came back to command again. Think he's back in the fleet now. I imagine he's got one helluva career left in him.

 

Guys I work with just went to the show in Cali. last week-end(think the Angles did the fly over the next day for the nascar race). I was at the show in Niagara Falls in 1986 when they had the mid air.

 

Friday before the show is practice day. The team will fly at about the time they are scheduled on Saturday and Sunday to familiarize themselves with sun conditions and gather reference points.

You must get on-site if there is a WW II warbirds show with second billing. They perform some rolls, loops and "max airspeed" passes at a much lower altitude that the Angels/Firebirds. Been lucky enough to see an F-86 Sabre, also. Granted, they perform a shorter show, well inside their design-performance envelope, but experiencing the sound of the piston engines is music. The 18 cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial, the Merlin V-12 - say no more.

I worked during 10-12 shows involving the USN and UASF performance teams as well as 10 others with just the warbirds. Traffic is a bitch.

 

I lucked out and hit one air show that had a fly by of an SR71 Blackbird right before the retirement. I have NEVER seen anything as humbling as a fly by with that beast. That is one of the most incredible planes ever built, hands down.

Like others said, get there early. The Angels draw a huge crowd and it will be bigger because of their downtime from last year. But well worth it. I'm partial to them over the Thunderbirds, but that's just me. Saw them on the harbor at Charleston a few years ago. A very rare occurrence to have it there and wish they would do it again.