Maybe we can show youtubes of the Blue Angels to save money. And maybe we can show youtubes of poor people getting healthcare and old people getting Social Security too.
Yes, the Blue Angels are a recruiting tool and little else. A very expensive and occasionally deadly recruiting tool. How many of those who were recruited as a result of watching the Blue Angels will ever have a prayer of qualifying to fly one, or anything like one? True, if needed, the Blue Angels pilots could conceivably be pressed into flying actual combat missions (I have no idea whether the planes themselves are combat-ready), but how many fighter pilots in uniform (now or in the past) hinged their decision to enlist upon the Blue Angels?
The phrase “Blinded by the beauty of our weapons” comes to mind.
But, hey, I’m liking this idea of a traveling balloon corps. As the cartoon suggests, it’s a lot cheaper than what we’re doing now, and it’s also just as beautiful and a heck of a lot quieter.
Another cheaper (and, again, quieter) alternative to the airshows would be to park ONE pimped-out fighter jet down at the fairgrounds, and hire a couple of smiling bikini models to stand next to it (or maybe straddle it).
It’d be just as effective a recruiting tool, I’m pretty sure.
Well put. I have never seen a Blue Angels show, but I’ve been around when they have been practicing. Impressive and totally unnecessary. What a concept: when you don’t have enough money to pay all the bills, you stop paying for stuff you don’t need. This is one of the few examples that fits the bill. If it were me, I’d keep the airport towers open and eliminate health care for Congress. Let them buy their own on the open market; see how happy they are with the “best healthcare system in the world”.
The Blue Angels, and the Thunderbirds, are tremendous recruiting tools. I like air shows, and yes formation flying IS good training for the “old days” when fighter aircraft actually come within sight of each other.
However, the F-22, and now the F-35 are missioned to only get within 100 miles of the target and launch a missile to “get the job done”. “Fighter pilots” are now, and will be more so in the future, sitting in bunkers in Nevada, while the aircraft are half a world away. It’s “small scale ICBM’s” at work.
What was REALLY scary was when Rumsfeld ordered the F-117s to stop flying in air shows because when this “fighter aircraft” had the wing fall off at an air show, in a “flyby”, it demonstrated more what “bang” we were getting for our “buck” with the military-industrial complex!!
You all missed the reasons for these military air shows. It was to bring the planes closer to the ground so you could see the skills of the pilots. Started after WWII in 1949. It was all a big show just to impress folks with how good our pilots are to the rest of the world. I have been to the Paris Airshow and those dang Russians do even crazier stuff. But a formation aerial demonstration of Hot Air Balloons? THAT I have got to see.It was neither the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds that got me to sign up.I won the Draft Lottery 1971. Deferred entry till Feb 72. Nam Mar 72 to Nov 72 then wonderful Alaska till my ETS Feb 75.US Army. Air Force planes crash. Navy ships sink. Marines are just too damn crazy. Coast Guard is wanta be the Navy. At least on dry land I can hide in a hole. hahah.
Oh and Stipple,Fort Greely. US Army Arctic Testing Center and home at the time of the Northern Warfare Training Center. I was assigned USATC by detached at time ot NWTC for arctic warfare training. I was an aggressor force member. Trained in Soviet Arctic warfare techniques.
Isn’t it the god-given right of every Murikan to have things that go Zoooooooom?
26 Blue Angel pilots have died in those shows. 19 Thunderbird pilots have died.
The shows cost about $200,000 each… and that’s beyond the cost of the fuel, planes, maintenance, and crews.
The schedules of the Thunder Birds and Blue Angels, alone, for this year include 61 total shows.
The basic acquisition price of an F/A-18 A Hornet is approximately $21 million per plane. However, after being specially equipped, each plane costs $56 million.
The US Navy budgets about $40 million a year to maintain the squadron.
It costs $13,344,000 in fuel alone (based on 2010 fuel prices) to just train one Commanding Officer and $85,957,200 in fuel for the training of the 14 other pilots.
According to the Boston Phoenix, in 2007, annual salaries for 114 support personnel cost $5.6 million. Pilot salaries cost approximately $12 million annually.
It costs roughly $20 million in fuel expenses for shows (rehersals and performances, based on 2010 jet fuel price) a year.
Plus, it costs approximately $2 million on staff lodging and meals to do these shows each year.
I would imagine the Thunderbirds cost a similar amount.
But… they do go Zooooooom! I gots to have me some Zoooooom!
Guess that shows me, huh? To which of my comments was that a response?
Regardless of the merits Blue Angels under conditions of normalcy, if cuts to non-essential services must be made the Blue Angels are an obvious place to start. Let the great axe fall.
Mneedle about 11 years ago
Yes. It is actually a recruiting tool.
Chillbilly about 11 years ago
Maybe we can show youtubes of the Blue Angels to save money. And maybe we can show youtubes of poor people getting healthcare and old people getting Social Security too.
fritzoid Premium Member about 11 years ago
Yes, the Blue Angels are a recruiting tool and little else. A very expensive and occasionally deadly recruiting tool. How many of those who were recruited as a result of watching the Blue Angels will ever have a prayer of qualifying to fly one, or anything like one? True, if needed, the Blue Angels pilots could conceivably be pressed into flying actual combat missions (I have no idea whether the planes themselves are combat-ready), but how many fighter pilots in uniform (now or in the past) hinged their decision to enlist upon the Blue Angels?
The phrase “Blinded by the beauty of our weapons” comes to mind.
But, hey, I’m liking this idea of a traveling balloon corps. As the cartoon suggests, it’s a lot cheaper than what we’re doing now, and it’s also just as beautiful and a heck of a lot quieter.
fritzoid Premium Member about 11 years ago
Another cheaper (and, again, quieter) alternative to the airshows would be to park ONE pimped-out fighter jet down at the fairgrounds, and hire a couple of smiling bikini models to stand next to it (or maybe straddle it).
It’d be just as effective a recruiting tool, I’m pretty sure.
I Play One On TV about 11 years ago
Well put. I have never seen a Blue Angels show, but I’ve been around when they have been practicing. Impressive and totally unnecessary. What a concept: when you don’t have enough money to pay all the bills, you stop paying for stuff you don’t need. This is one of the few examples that fits the bill. If it were me, I’d keep the airport towers open and eliminate health care for Congress. Let them buy their own on the open market; see how happy they are with the “best healthcare system in the world”.
fritzoid Premium Member about 11 years ago
A Blue Angels airshow is fundamentally no different from the Soviets parading missiles down the street on trucks. It’s just sexier, that’s all.
Dtroutma about 11 years ago
The Blue Angels, and the Thunderbirds, are tremendous recruiting tools. I like air shows, and yes formation flying IS good training for the “old days” when fighter aircraft actually come within sight of each other.
However, the F-22, and now the F-35 are missioned to only get within 100 miles of the target and launch a missile to “get the job done”. “Fighter pilots” are now, and will be more so in the future, sitting in bunkers in Nevada, while the aircraft are half a world away. It’s “small scale ICBM’s” at work.
What was REALLY scary was when Rumsfeld ordered the F-117s to stop flying in air shows because when this “fighter aircraft” had the wing fall off at an air show, in a “flyby”, it demonstrated more what “bang” we were getting for our “buck” with the military-industrial complex!!
Vet Premium Member about 11 years ago
You all missed the reasons for these military air shows. It was to bring the planes closer to the ground so you could see the skills of the pilots. Started after WWII in 1949. It was all a big show just to impress folks with how good our pilots are to the rest of the world. I have been to the Paris Airshow and those dang Russians do even crazier stuff. But a formation aerial demonstration of Hot Air Balloons? THAT I have got to see.It was neither the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds that got me to sign up.I won the Draft Lottery 1971. Deferred entry till Feb 72. Nam Mar 72 to Nov 72 then wonderful Alaska till my ETS Feb 75.US Army. Air Force planes crash. Navy ships sink. Marines are just too damn crazy. Coast Guard is wanta be the Navy. At least on dry land I can hide in a hole. hahah.
Vet Premium Member about 11 years ago
Oh and Stipple,Fort Greely. US Army Arctic Testing Center and home at the time of the Northern Warfare Training Center. I was assigned USATC by detached at time ot NWTC for arctic warfare training. I was an aggressor force member. Trained in Soviet Arctic warfare techniques.
Vet Premium Member about 11 years ago
So I can hide in a hole, in the snow, in the cold.
Bigmack Premium Member about 11 years ago
I really like things that go Zooooooooooom!
Isn’t it the god-given right of every Murikan to have things that go Zoooooooom?
26 Blue Angel pilots have died in those shows. 19 Thunderbird pilots have died.
The shows cost about $200,000 each… and that’s beyond the cost of the fuel, planes, maintenance, and crews.
The schedules of the Thunder Birds and Blue Angels, alone, for this year include 61 total shows.
The basic acquisition price of an F/A-18 A Hornet is approximately $21 million per plane. However, after being specially equipped, each plane costs $56 million.
The US Navy budgets about $40 million a year to maintain the squadron.
It costs $13,344,000 in fuel alone (based on 2010 fuel prices) to just train one Commanding Officer and $85,957,200 in fuel for the training of the 14 other pilots.
According to the Boston Phoenix, in 2007, annual salaries for 114 support personnel cost $5.6 million. Pilot salaries cost approximately $12 million annually.
It costs roughly $20 million in fuel expenses for shows (rehersals and performances, based on 2010 jet fuel price) a year.
Plus, it costs approximately $2 million on staff lodging and meals to do these shows each year.
I would imagine the Thunderbirds cost a similar amount.
But… they do go Zooooooom! I gots to have me some Zoooooom!
fritzoid Premium Member about 11 years ago
“Get a life, fritz.”
Guess that shows me, huh? To which of my comments was that a response?
Regardless of the merits Blue Angels under conditions of normalcy, if cuts to non-essential services must be made the Blue Angels are an obvious place to start. Let the great axe fall.