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Top 10 Low Pass Flyby's


FireFox

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Yes, SFO.

Evidently it was the pilot's last show with the Blue Angels & he figured what-the-hey.

Reportedly many of the boats in the bay lost windows to the sonic blast.

I seriously doubt that there was a sonic blast...the aircraft was probably at M.98/M.99 but as you can see by what appears to be a shockwwave but is actually a vapor cone that the aircraft never went supersonic.

Going supersonic at that altitude wouldn't just break boat windows, windows within a couple of miles would be cracked. I am sure everyone has seen the vapor trails when even a passenger jet encounters "low-level" humidy, often comes off the flaps etc.....basically that is the vapor cone being generated by the Blue Angel being so close to water in a humid atmosphere and the cone is being generated by engine heat and air compression.

If the guy actually went supersonic in that populated area he would probably be out of a job.............. as a pilot in the USN.

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Going supersonic at that altitude wouldn't just break boat windows, windows within a couple of miles would be cracked.

Indeed, many years ago when Lockheed were trying to sell the F-104 to Canada they sent an aircraft to Ottawa for a demo.

Our hero pilot went a bit too fast on a low pass up runway 32, (coupled with colder temperatures than I am sure he was used to, which he probably did not think about),

and the Sonic boom caused a whole lot of damage to the then under construction new terminal building.

Almost all the glass for starters. More than a few red faces.

Edited to add: Good old Wiki, I thought I might find something.

The terminal building was originally scheduled to open in 1959, but during practices for the opening ceremonies, a United States Air Force F-104 Starfighter accidentally went supersonic during a low pass over the airport, and the resultant sonic boom shattered most of the glass in the airport (including the entire north wall) and damaged ceiling tiles, door and window frames, and even structural beams.[6] As a result, the opening was delayed until April 1960.

Not sure if they are completely correct there about practice for the opening ceremonies, from what I heard I always thought it was a demo tour.

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I remember when a member of the T-Birds flew over our hangar at YXU back in the late 80's. He may not have been breaking the sound barrier, but he left behind several popped rivets on the siding, along with insulation that pushed out drywall and numerous ceiling tiles that fell out of the tracks. I was sitting right in front of the main hangar door and I swear my beach chair jumped a couple of inches off the ground when he went by. In spite of the damages, it was very cool! Clap-Hands.gif

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I remember when a member of the T-Birds flew over our hangar at YXU back in the late 80's. He may not have been breaking the sound barrier, but he left behind several popped rivets on the siding, along with insulation that pushed out drywall and numerous ceiling tiles that fell out of the tracks. I was sitting right in front of the main hangar door and I swear my beach chair jumped a couple of inches off the ground when he went by. In spite of the damages, it was very cool! Clap-Hands.gif

Amazing what air pressure can do. The "main man" at Thule Air Base was leaving for his home in Denmark after a 3 year tour. I was in Alert with a C-130 doing a supply op and was going back to Thule for the rest of the day. He called me on the radio after I left Alert and asked me to do an "approach light inspection" during our approach to land at Thule. He had his 1/2 ton parked in the approach lights, he was behind it with a video camera, His wife was standing in the 1/2 ton box.

I went by at about 350kts, did a low- to- high battle break and landed. He met me and we went to his office to see the video. I did not realize the amount of air pressure created by the "aluminum overcast" as we went over the truck. His wife exited the 1/2 ton deck, flying through the air and landed in a snow bank near the truck. We freeze framed the video. "guess-timates" were that I was about 10 feet over the cab of the truck. I miss those days!!!:biggrin1:

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I went by at about 350kts, did a low- to- high battle break and landed. He met me and we went to his office to see the video. I did not realize the amount of air pressure created by the "aluminum overcast" as we went over the truck. His wife exited the 1/2 ton deck, flying through the air and landed in a snow bank near the truck. We freeze framed the video. "guess-timates" were that I was about 10 feet over the cab of the truck. I miss those days!!!:biggrin1:

Freakin Awesome!!! :icon_super:

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