Lauderdale Air Show, April 20-21, 2013

It's been years since I was the warm-up act before the afterburners took center stage and although I'm flying tomorrow, it won't be in Lauderdale and I was never really in the air show. For several years, I flew my helis from the boat during the show.

I've been down to Laud two times this week; 120 miles round trip. Had an FYBA meeting Thursday, then a Marine Industries Annual Charity event Friday, so I'm going to skip the show, stay put tomorrow and fly with my feet on the ground. Flying 3-D with RC helis is the next best thing to an F-16. Both are cerebrally challenging, but only one will make you puke.

But I have to tell you, it is only partially funny to listen to your WSO, puking in his oxygen mask. I have never understood those guys, watching their crazy pilots having fun. Any pilot seat is a great seat, but not the backseat of a combat jet, especially with no stick in front of it. Boy, I am far to old for that afterburner category now. I still like to do some acrobatics once in a while (good old Stearman), but +9 G is something for a young and aggressive fighter pilot.

Sleep tight tonight, your Air Force is awake.

I envy your guys for your gorgeous airshows all over the country. All this vintage airplanes, the jet noise, the great sound of freedom, everything that makes a big airshow. After that horrifying crash of the Frecce Tricolori at Ramstein AFB Airshow in 1988, with more than 100 casualties, big airshows in Germany at not very well liked by the authorities and politicians any more.

I believe, the Blue Angles are still the best team in the world.

Unfortunately, I heard the other day that the Blue Angels are temporarily grounded due to budget cuts.

We were in Lauderdamdale this weekend, and the show was quite a disappointment without any military units due to the sequester. But the vintage planes were neat, and who could ever forget their great sound!

Btw, our flight out on Sunday evening was delayed over an hour due, according to the pilot, by sequester caused air controller delays.

I was told it was due to Obama and blamed on the sequester is BS. I was told that every US military fighter jet has to do 4 cross country flights a month as well as refuel in the air as part of their normal training for the pilots and also to exercise the planes......So they're still doing the same flights and burning the same fuel.......It's really a pity.

Capt. J, now why do you need to turn this political? If you're going to do it, at least be acurate. The Sequester was the result of the GOP leadership thinking about only one thing, the Bush Tax Cuts For The Wealthy. To get another year of it they made an aggrement with the President that, if not budget compromise could be reached, cuts would come in the most drastic, visible (and most painful way for the Republicans) possible. The GOP thought wrongly that at the he would eventually cave in and take the money from the poor (Social Security, Medicare, Veteran's Benefits, welfare, etc.). He didn't. He stuck them with the deal they made, yet still offered them several compromises which they've rejected out of hand.

As for maintenance and training schedules, mothballing is done all the time. It really doesn't matter anyway. Since we're out of Iraq and almost out of Afghanistan we don't need nearly the military we did during the Bush ramp-up. The ones screaming are the military contractors who have been making big bucks for the last 10 years. It has no effect on our military preparedness. The Blue Angels could still be flying, and NYC could still be having Navy Week. This is just a way of keeping the spotlight on a B.S. political hub-bub. It's being used by both sides.

There is an Air Force which "forces" their fighter pilots to do 4 cross country flights per month?????!!!

Where can I sign in?. When I was a young Lt, we got may be 2 a year. Your pilots must be really spoiled. I remember those trips from Sheppard AFB, TX to Nellis AFB or Eglin AFB. We young boys felt like in heaven. The tax payer gave us a T-37 and later a T-38 for a weekend trip to Las Vegas.

Sorry for the quality. This picture was made, shortly after the photography was invented. But its me.