Stupid Flyover Questions

[VMO4]

So, I am at the Bucs/Chiefs game last night watching my Bucs get roasted and saw a lone F-18 conduct a flyover. Announcer said it was from Oceania NAS and gave the squadron but I don't remember, I just wondered about the logistics of such a thing nowadays. As usual, they show the crew hangout in a luxury box in the 3rd quarter, and play the top gun theme and everybody cheers. So, there were four guys wearing bags in the luxury box. I assume they were a two seat squadron and two birds come down in case one goes broke dick at the last moment?, Can they scam the whole weekend to eat some Cuban food at Ybor and hang at the beach a little? Does every squadron have a set of guys to conduct some event when called, (you now , guys trusted to be away from home without adult supervision). They did a respectable job given today's rules, 500 feet, about 250 knots, went into burner a little so you could see them because it was dark.

FWIW, back in the 90's we had some epic ones. A squadron from Barksdale used to bring a B-52 every home opener, squadron was the Buccaneers, usually very low and very fast, some ANG F-15's came by very low and very, very fast one time, A-10's always get a big cheer, because, well, they are A-10's I guess, and in 2004, when we had a hurricane a week here, a four ship NOAA flyover brought down the house.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Four dudes sounds like two F/A-18F (two seat) crews, based on what you saw. Flyovers are usually done as either a two or four-plane formation. My guess is one aircraft had an issue, which is why you saw four guys at the game.

Some events will also have aicrew to act as a ground spotter with a radio to help the flight crew finesse national anthem flyover timing. So it's also possible they planned on just one aircraft, and had a second crew as spotter (it only takes one, but why not bring a buddy?)

 

[MIDNJAC]

So, I am at the Bucs/Chiefs game last night watching my Bucs get roasted and saw a lone F-18 conduct a flyover. Announcer said it was from Oceania NAS and gave the squadron but I don't remember, I just wondered about the logistics of such a thing nowadays..........Does every squadron have a set of guys to conduct some event when called, (you now , guys trusted to be away from home without adult supervision). They did a respectable job given today's rules, 500 feet, about 250 knots, went into burner a little so you could see them because it was dark.

I think -106 did that flyover, so the east coast F/A-18 FRS. Would have been an instructor flying. Fleet squadrons do flyovers all the time though. There is a formal request process, briefings to be given to the wing commander/boss man, and obviously skipper endorsement ahead of all of that. I should hope that no winged aviator truly would need “adult supervision” on the road however. That sounds a lot like “your FNAEB begins at 0700 on Monday”

 

[VMO4]

Makes sense, was a little curious if a second jet was scheduled and that was the other crew. Maybe I am dating myself, but I remember listening to the guys up front discussing if a mechanical issue was going to cause an unscheduled overnight in El Paso while we were on the way to the west coast for a CAX, and it wasn't to visit a museum, and there are you tube videos out there of some flyover that I think did result in a meeting on Monday morning. Thanks.

 

[jmcquate]

there are you tube videos out there of some flyover that I think did result in a meeting on Monday morning.

This come to mind..........

 

[HuggyU2]

If they were 500' over the field, and not 1000' above the top of the stadium, that's bringing it strong and I applaud.

It's also a violation of Navy and FAA rules and can get you schwacked.... like these two.

Navy approval process goes through Millington. In most cases Im aware of, squadrons ask for volunteers. Some like doing it, others won't do it.

 

[Brett327]

If they were 500' over the field, and not 1000' above the top of the stadium, that's bringing it strong and I applaud.

It's also a violation of Navy and FAA rules and can get you schwacked.... like these two.

Navy approval process goes through Millington. In most cases Im aware of, squadrons ask for volunteers. Some like doing it, others won't do it.

Millington?

 

[HuggyU2]

Yes. Navy Community Office for Outreach owns the process, to the best of my admittedly non-Navy knowledge.

 

[sevenhelmet]

CHINFO approves the list of airshows and events, at least they used to.

 

[Brett327]

Yes. Navy Community Office for Outreach owns the process, to the best of my admittedly non-Navy knowledge.

That might be the belly button for the public to submit a request, but they don't have any meaningful role in approving a fly-over. That ultimately rests w/ CNAF actual.

 

[HuggyU2]

That ultimately rests w/ CNAF actual.

Certainly, it does.
However, as I stated "the Navy process goes through Millington". They staff the requests.
Go to this link:

Navy Office of Community Outreach | Aviation

 

[Brett327]

Certainly, it does.
However, as I stated "the Navy process goes through Millington". They staff the requests.
Go to this link:

Navy Office of Community Outreach | Aviation

Yeah, I'm aware... it's just an odd thing to say, that's all.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Makes sense, was a little curious if a second jet was scheduled and that was the other crew. Maybe I am dating myself, but I remember listening to the guys up front discussing if a mechanical issue was going to cause an unscheduled overnight in El Paso while we were on the way to the west coast for a CAX, and it wasn't to visit a museum, and there are you tube videos out there of some flyover that I think did result in a meeting on Monday morning. Thanks.

Spares aren't uncommon in bigger ticket situations like a flyover. I remember I fluffed 3 different jets for the Naval Aviation Centennial flyover in SD, as a VMFAT-101 cone. They finally got airborne in the second, I was allowed to shut the 3rd down, just in time for the Coronado bridge to be closed so I watched from the Gaslamp area while my wife and parents saw the show from NI. Oh well.....

 

[nittany03]

Spares aren't uncommon in bigger ticket situations like a flyover. I remember I fluffed 3 different jets for the Naval Aviation Centennial flyover in SD, as a VMFAT-101 cone. They finally got airborne in the second, I was allowed to shut the 3rd down, just in time for the Coronado bridge to be closed so I watched from the Gaslamp area while my wife and parents saw the show from NI. Oh well.....

If the Shoguns had flown any looser of a formation that day, they'd have needed like 5 separate squawks.

 

[nittany03]

If they were 500' over the field, and not 1000' above the top of the stadium, that's bringing it strong and I applaud.

It's also a violation of Navy and FAA rules and can get you schwacked.... like these two.

Pretty sure that's footage of one of my Meridian instructors committing career suicide.