Blue Angels

Between our house and the river is a non commercial airport, used primarily by the jet set crowd. Fifty one weeks each year the airport is a good neighbor. They do a great job reinforcing the noise abatement requirements, bring in well paying jobs, and are unusually candid when speaking publically. Mayberry likes its airport. The fifty second week, this week in fact, we LOVE our airport, it's air show weekend.

Blue Angels support team arriving

There are planes of all ages and sizes but the star of the show is the US Navy Blue Angels precision flight demonstration team. There are two ways to see the team in action. The first is to buy your ticket and take your chances. A crowd is promised for each weekend performance, parking is distant and portapotties dear.

The second is to take advantage of the early bird specials. The Blue Angels and groups sponsoring them are all about publicity. The team doesn't just show up in the morning and put on a show in the afternoon. The arrive several days early, make themselves available to media and who ever else shows up, then practice their routine at the times the event planners have them scheduled for 2 days prior to the show.

To jumble the meaning and intent of President Kennedy's inaugural speech when asked what my country could do for me I said put on an air show, and so it did.  I was in the cheap seats directly across the runway.

A crowd of maybe 50 showed for the afternoon practice.  From our vantage point the Blue Angels were a  hop skip and jump away. Generally, the US military gets uncomfortable when their aircraft are in close proximity to civilians.

The Navy puts on a wonderful show, and I am grateful to see it from such a vantage point, but I couldn't help imagining the what the practice cost, per viewer, was yesterday afternoon.  From my perspective- Priceless

If your in the area I suggest you take in a show, contact a local they know the best places, away from the crowds and traffic, to see the best of the best doing what they do best.

Toad