Relax, folks. It's all part of the show.

cheinke06
Who put a gun to their heads and made them do it?

F-4 was a very successful design. Recon, bomber, fighter, you name it.

Sad.

Every year here in Seattle when the Angels show up for Seafair, the media consistently give airtime or print space to some ranting asshats who always complain that they're either a) too noisy and traumatize their precious shih-tzus or pomeranians or b) they're a gratuitous show of violence-mongering war machinery. These people should all fark off. They're cool... Period.

KidDisaster
Totally agree, but a machine gun would have added strafing ability and may have had some use when too close for the rather rudimentary missiles they used.

KidDisaster:

If you want to make points about "American waste" with the life of a human at stake...go fark yourself.

Well you have to admit, he was doing something that was unnecessarily dangerous. Don't get me wrong, this is sad, but no more or less sad than when a tightrope walker falls while trying to walk between two buildings. It is however LESS sad than someone being killed by a drunk driver or a fireman or a cop being dying in the line of duty.

So to say that just because someone died you can't discuss the usefulness and value of these aerial drill teams seems a rife with a little more gravitas than it warrants, it is a very dangerous activity... of course people are going to die. The question is, is this activity a worthwhile thing for the taxpayers to continue to fund with their money and talented pilots to fund with their lives?

meh.
I want to care, but it seems like this is the only thing we EVER hear about air shows.
Count me as one of the Farkers that thinks they're mostly showing off....

Actually, The Beaufort Gazette reads Fark. I'm the submitter.

If anybody was there and has photos, please e-mail ew­e­tz­e­lber­ger­e­t­t­ezagtr­of­uae­bcom

The Blue Angels perform a crucial role in our national defense. Intimidation. You don't see too many UFO's flying around anymore, now, do you?
Thank a Blue Angel.

/Totally Sucks
//One of the most bad-ass experiences I ever had was watching the Angels fly over Lake Michigan from the roof of my building next to Belmont harbor.
///which was comparable only to watching the A-10s running tree-level target practice runs at Kisatchie. Hearing those cannons run is exhilirating, like listening to really angry whales singing, each to each, about how they're going to slit some bowfin's neck and kidney-f*ck the orcas next door.
////comparable only to that time when I was, like 6, and got to ride in Bigfoot - not in a race, just around a field -
//which was like that time that I almost kissed a girl once, you wouldn't know her, she's from the seychelles

The best at what? Showing off? I cringe when I think of how much it costs to fly and maintain aircraft (not mention train pilots) and how guys like these do it just to show off on my tax-dime.

Yes, it is expensive to fly a squadron of fighters. However, this is not the only squadon of fighters in the Navy. They are all expensive, but we get our money's worth.

The Blue Angels are just like any other squadron, except they fly in airshows. Do you think the training these pilots are doing, even as you watch, makes them less capabable pilots? Uh, no they are the most capable.

It's a squadron of fighters. Cost the same monay as any other squadron. They are just as capable, just that people are allowed to watch them while they work.

THeir comparison to the regular Navy holds up wrt the crash as well. When people total up the crashes of the Blues over the years and say it was a "waste" - well the crash rate for the Blues is no worse than regular Navy squadrons. In other words, if these planes and pilots were returned to the fleet, the same number of crashes would have occured....

In summary, These guys are just as capable to defend the country as any other pilot, probably more so. The planes as well. The accident rate is no worse. So, there's no great conspacy to waste our money "showing off"

Who put a gun to their heads and made them do it?

Nobody thankfully.

Local news is about to come on.

Mercutio74 - The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels represent more than their respective branches of the armed forces. They represent a classy, disciplined, idealistic vision of the United States. The key to this is the "ideal". While the US does not always hold true to these ideals, it is important to remember them. The Blue Angels are frank reminders of that. On a lighter note, they make a lot of kids smile and get excited for something OTHER than a video game.

Bigjohn3592
Costs the same, but they only show off the others do something.

Crash rate is some number per 1000 flights correct? So the less flights the less crashes. Of course you need training but these airshows are not training.

Local radio guy is on WTOC. He said the body has been recovered.

I think the real new here is that it is the main news article at cnn.com
Cho got pushed off! HA!HA!

skink

With little detail, I would speculate that he clipped the line at high speed and low altitude...Airframes can take some holes, but high tension wires would go through it like a cheese slicer.

Not necessarily. The fighters that clipped the skiing gondola cable in Italy were fine. Those are probably under quite a bit of tension.

A sad day. They practice over my house in Pensacola every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9am. The photo was taken in my back yard last Tuesday. I also know the PR guy for the team - I'll have to catch up with him soon.

In summary, These guys are just as capable to defend the country as any other pilot, probably more so. The planes as well.

Except they don't and never will because they are too busy farking around and wasting resourses.

I for one will appreciate the peace and quiet this crash will bring on week-ends.

But think of the enjoyment the crash added for the people at the air show. Cmon, this kind of stuff has to be like car racing; you go to see someone die. The more spectacularly, the better.

To everyone saying the Blues & TBirds are a waste--

You want to see real waste? Real live human All-American waste?

Break out a f'n mirror and take a long, hard look.


/My dad was a navy pilot.
//I wanted to be one, too, but couldn't pass the physical.

A zero/zero ejection would really, really hurt.

Bigjohn3592
I wouldn't question the pilots' skills, but each flight costs a shiatload of money which could've been better used elsewhere. I could see this as somewhat useful for recruiting purposes, but IMO it's still not nearly worth it.

Khazar-Khum
aw, we made the little loser sad, did we?

/Navy pilot is fine, these show offs are a waste of tax dollars.

/salute

//Is sooooooo glad Gradatim doesn't run things.

Turbo Cojones: Except they don't and never will because they are too busy farking around and wasting resourses.

Not true. They rotate back to the fleet and resume regular duties after their tour. You should also be aware their planes can be refitted for fleet duty in a very short time. I think I read somewhere that they were called up for combat in Korea.

Yes, they're just showing off. Yes, it's farking cool to watch. Yes, they should keep doing it. Stop biatching about your tax dollars.

KidDisaster:
The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels represent more than their respective branches of the armed forces. They represent a classy, disciplined, idealistic vision of the United States. The key to this is the "ideal". While the US does not always hold true to these ideals, it is important to remember them.

Hey, that actually makes sense.

The Blue Angels played my home town just last week, it is a sad day to see one of them down.

I talked with LCDR Powrie, commanding officer when I ran into him at the grocery store in 1980; hell of a nice guy. About 90 days later I read in the papers he had been killed in a crash.

You bastards who say they are a waste of money ought to get a refund on your brain, it isn't working right. The Blue Angels show potential enemies what kind os weapons we have and how much we can do with them, and hopefully dissuade them from hostile action. So far it is working, to a degree; no hostile nation has attacked us openly in the last 65+ years, although a lot of them have done us some small-time sneaky sh*t; no fun at all but it's better than war.

Heh, that first Y is really little.

Wow... That really sucks. I've seen the Blue Angels perform more than a few times. The F18 Hornet is an awesome fighter jet. Love watching those things fly.

Considering how critical every phase of their show is, it's actually quite surprising that they don't go down more often.

It's really a shame. And I hope the pilot is okay. (After RTFA, I couldn't get a feel for if anyone really knew that for sure.)

Anyway... With this, I will now plug my short film that deals directly with airshow disasters. Sort of.
Disaster at Naboo

I am not a bad person for posting this. It just happens to be related. In any case, I'll feel a lot better if I find out the pilot is okay.

(Some Guy) Jet kills hostage, self

Costs the same, but they only show off the others do something.

Crash rate is some number per 1000 flights correct? So the less flights the less crashes. Of course you need training but these airshows are not training.


Hmm , did not see your lips move, but your ass cheeks were flappin up a storm. Spoken from true ignorance, no doubt.

What is the "something" the others do? Fly their planes to maintain competence at their job? check. So do the Blues. There is a saying in the military "all but war is training"

They also do hard breaks and rejoins which is a major air-air skill, as is the formation flying.
Plus they are doing all their flying in relation to an important spot on the ground. This calls ino play many of the air-ground skills used while performing ground attack missions. Plus, between shows and when it can be scheduled during transits, they often trian in actual air-air and air-ground scenarios at bombing ranges, etc. They don't only fly on the weekends.

Fact is, they are as ready to fight as any other squadron that does "Uncle Karl"-approved training.

/ go complain about the noise of that airport you just moved next to

/ actually accident rate is usually quoted in accidents per 100,000 flight HOURS

The Blue Angels suck. Nothing but noise pollution and a waste of money.

Blue Angels/ Thunderbirds also work as a motivation tool for servicemen to work towards.

If you want to complain about money misspent, stick to Iraq.

Turbo Cojones, haven't I seen you in those Westboro Baptist Church videos?

Khazar-Khum: /My dad was a navy pilot.
//I wanted to be one, too, but couldn't pass the physical.

What are the requirements? Flying a jet is one of my daydream-at-the-office jobs. Do a lot of people join the navy in the hopes of flying, only to be rejected?

For a really scary video, go to youtube and key in Thunderbird Crash.

The Blue Angels show potential enemies what kind os weapons we have and how much we can do with them, and hopefully dissuade them from hostile action.
Again, which part of the air shows make the big news? The crashing parts - yeah, that probably makes the enemy pee in terror...

Heh, that first Y is really little.
I was going to argue with you, but that made me giggle.

LordPistachio: Obviously, random people on the Internet are more knowledgeable than someone who makes a career out of such things.

My dad farted and blamed it on elephants hiding in the room.

Sometimes the closer you are to a person, the less you trust what they have to say.

Video just in on WTOC. The jet crashed in a house. Looked like a tornado hit the house.

emurray: The Blue Angels suck. Nothing but noise pollution and a waste of money.

Wow thanks for your input. I never thought of it that way.

*Tosses emurray a troll snack*

For a really scary video, go to youtube.com and key in "Thunderbird Crash."

Bigjohn3592: There is a saying in the military "all but war is training"

Now it's "Train as you fight"

semiotix


LordPistachio: deal. Now, let's discuss funding for my giant homoerotic statue of Jesus made from chocolate-covered fetuses...

/just kidding... nothing wrong with a little taxpayer-funded aerobatics
//although... hmm...
///nah, I doubt I could get the chocolate to stick

You'd be surprised....

http://www.gianthomoeroticstatueofjesusmadefromchocolatecoveredfetuses.com