General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDoes anyone else see these fighter jet "flyovers" as wasteful, meaningless, militaristic
nonsense? Just a coincidence that the recent Blue Angel's flyover "to salute the nurses" is featured in Trump's latest campaign ad?
rurallib
(62,415 posts)jaxexpat
(6,828 posts)And I want to see the coroners report!
SharonAnn
(13,772 posts)It's money that would've been spent for other displays in order to maintain them.
I'm OK with it.
TomSlick
(11,098 posts)dware
(12,377 posts)it ruins a good rant.
sop
(10,177 posts)absolutely.
Waste. Of. Money.
ahoysrcsm
(787 posts)money printer go brrrr
FEMA is still stealing the PPE destined to states.
xmas74
(29,674 posts)They must maintain flight hrs. Many times this includes air shows and that's not happening this year.
They were already in the air. They're giving the public a show for a change.
(I live a couple of miles from an air base. They're in the air all the time, no matter what. )
empedocles
(15,751 posts)Solly Mack
(90,766 posts)K/R
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)I think it is creepy.
Solly Mack
(90,766 posts)And I am reminded of Pavlov's dogs.
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Reminds me of shitstain's desire for military parade.
montanacowboy
(6,089 posts)everything is about him remember
I used the word bullshit instead of nonsense.
SoonerPride
(12,286 posts)I've already seen them.
They weren't to support the nurses.
They are a tax-payer funded campaign stunt.
virgogal
(10,178 posts)RandiFan1290
(6,232 posts)for scumbag trump's campaign ad "in these trying times"
Amishman
(5,557 posts)people could use something to distract them and maybe bring a smile.
LisaM
(27,811 posts)They are just war machines, they are noisy and scary. What's to like?
sarisataka
(18,654 posts)People like golf, basketball and karaoke. I just don't get what's to like.
I raced bikes for several years, loved the competition. For the life of me, however, I could not understand the people who came out to watch and cheer. I appreciated that they did, but to me it seemed it would be the most boring thing in the world watching us go by.
LisaM
(27,811 posts)They planned flyovers up and down Puget Sound today and if it goes overhead, I can't avoid it. When the Blue Angels practice downtown, I can't avoid them. And I don't go to football games to see a bunch of planes fly over the stadium, either. I go to watch football. Geeze, once I went to the Stratford Shakespeare festival in Canada and when we stepped outside to go to dinner, the freaking Snow Birds were doing some sort of show!!
So it's not just about what I like and what you like. It's the fact that they fly over my apartment or my office building or even me sometimes, and I can't avoid them.
Amishman
(5,557 posts)it's probably a guy thing
RandiFan1290
(6,232 posts)xmas74
(29,674 posts)B2s fly over all the time
SQUEE
(1,315 posts)Plowshares from swords.
They perform a beautiful ballet of machine and man.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)Tipperary
(6,930 posts)Not a fan of this in these times.
MacKasey
(986 posts)When it is saying thank-you to the front line workers, ok but I rather see then delivering PPE, masks, etc that says more of a thank-you.
I have a huge problem with Donny Bodybags using it in a commercial. His campaign should have to pay for it.
xmas74
(29,674 posts)This just gives a slight reroute over more populous areas so everyone can see them. Our local base said it's also a small token for cancelling the air shows this summer.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,693 posts)and it seems to me that flyovers which are ostensibly a gesture of thanks to medical workers are really just publicity stunts. A truly sincere gesture would involve providing them with PPEs. Maybe they could airdrop them out of C-130s if they wanted to fly airplanes.
Judi Lynn
(160,530 posts)trixie2
(905 posts)I live close to a superbase and have always loved the air shows. The base is situated on Lake St. Clair so you can see by land or boat. I once went to a funeral of a freind's dad who was retired air force and they did a fly over for the funeral. Picture Michigan's mitten and we live in Macomb County. The base is also located in Macomb County on the lake. They had to fly all the way up to the tip of the thumb and turn to fly over the funeral. I thought it was cool. This was during Obama and he and our County Executive worked hard to reopen and make Selfridge a superbase.
Moostache
(9,895 posts)Trump is focused on ONLY one thing...getting enough electoral college votes to secure a second term...notice he is NOT concerned with actually winning re-election, it is blatantly obvious by now that his support hovers between 40-45% and will not move off of that point.
He is using EVERYTHING he can to stack the decks and set the wheels in motion to allow just enough chicanery to be seen, but not so much that its obvious to the Fox News crowd too. Willful suspension of disbelief is necessary for people to enjoy movies or books or entertainment - they must be willing to accept certain premises or the experience is ruined...for example, Superhero stories only work if the audience is not thinking about the physics of Superman flying or Flash running through time...it is the exact same principle in play with Trump.
His facade is miles wide and fractions of a cm deep, but his fans and supporters DO NOT CARE...they simply accept what he says and do not question it. They are along for the ride and damn the consequences. This is even more obvious with the recent 'protesters' who want to 'reopen America' because that was Trump's wording..."damn the consequences, we want what our Tangerine Mussolini wants!"
Unless we figure out a way to pierce that willing suspension of disbelief - and we have not been successful with - TREASON, Foreign interference in elections, Extortion of another foreign leader, Nepotism, Cronyism, Incompetence, Racism, Sexual Assault or the out right cause of TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DEAD AMERICANS have not worked yet - unless that veil is pierced and Trump is seen by all how those who do not blindly worship him to feel better about themselves - the collective 'we', the United States is doomed.
I was slapped down by a friend who said thought it was great for morale and, "I have a lot of friends in NYC." I responded, "Half of my friends and family are from New York. This was still a huge waste of money."
That money was never going to masks and gowns or food stamps. I enjoy the excellence those guys and girls demonstrate. Better they take the show on the road than practice for the residents of Pensacola. I don't even really consider it particularly military, as I've seen both acts many times and most of what they do would not be considered military flying. I just like air shows with loud jets. Shoot me.
kimbutgar
(21,148 posts)Footage of those flyovers. It talked about how he well responded to the cv19 and how he has been great for the economy.
But there was the flyover footage featured prominently.
Judi Lynn
(160,530 posts)It would make the world a lot more civilized if people could act like grown-ups, and stop all the ####-waving.
It's the really stupid ones among us who feel the need to threaten violence.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)It actually makes me sick. I can't stand these airshows even in normal times. I think they are loud and obnoxious. During a time like this they are especially pointless. Our priorities are so far out of whack it's painful.
Happy Hoosier
(7,308 posts)The pilots need to fly to maintain training currency. Might as well do it publicly.
The other issues are another matter.
Aristus
(66,356 posts)Wasteful military displays are the Band-Aid incompetent leaders put on a bleeding national wound, hoping we won't notice it doesn't stop the bleeding...
NRaleighLiberal
(60,014 posts)Blues Heron
(5,932 posts)Literally sickening. You can't bomb a virus idiots, the ten trillion wasted on this evil crap could come in handy right now.
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)JCMach1
(27,558 posts)ooky
(8,922 posts)It follows the script of all the other nonsense Trump produces that has no relevance to any helpful actions to deal with the issues at hand.
A real patriot would have organized a federal effort to provide the PPE that his country desperately needed. All he wants to do is wave the flag while others do all the work.
Ron Green
(9,822 posts)Loud, fast things that we cant all use but that we all pay for.
Merlot
(9,696 posts)and for what this cost, it would have been a good amount of PPE.
subterranean
(3,427 posts)One nurse the other day mentioned to him that supplies have been "sporadic." He took umbrage at that, saying, "Well, maybe for you, but everyone else has more than enough." He was basically telling her "Don't contradict my story."
Liberal In Texas
(13,552 posts)Give us fast test kits. Give us PPE. For chrissake gives us some rubbing alcohol!
Wounded Bear
(58,654 posts)"I have to wash those planes."
Not literally true, but as one who worked the flight line to keep them in the air, it was close. It's wasteful and militaristic, but the planes, like old cars, need to be flown and the pilots need their flight hours.
Flying the Blue Angels and T-Birds around the country leaves me feeling kind of meh.
Pantagruel
(2,580 posts)Isn't it just a handful of pilots being kept sharp? What about the cost of all that flying? A weekend appearance usually involves multiple weekday practice runs, I know because every "Fleet Week" I see and hear them screaming thru the skies, Wed. thru Friday.
tiredtoo
(2,949 posts)How many lives could have been saved with this money? How many hungry people could have been fed?
Bucky
(54,013 posts)They have their operating budget for FY 2020 and that's what paid for the flyovers. I mean, look at the huge deficits we run up. It's not like budgeting is a zero-sum operation anymore.
tiredtoo
(2,949 posts)My post was just intended to make a point.
intheflow
(28,473 posts)but learned that incident was part of the USAF graduation ceremonies. So, still somewhat wasteful, but an okay addition to a graduation for people who fly planes. But these random flyovers? Pure bullshit Trumpian jingoism.
Bucky
(54,013 posts)The operating budget for the Blue Angels and all the rest of the Air Force was set in law months ago. They can spend it flying around Pensacola or they can put on a little show over your town, where it puts a little thrill in somebidy's day.
They can't legally transfer that money to PPEs or whatever. So there's no waste going on
I liked the one they did here in Houston. They PR'd it as a hat tip to the medical workers saving lives. It felt normal for a second. I needed that.
iluvtennis
(19,858 posts)to feed people who are short on food.
warmfeet
(3,321 posts)Military parades, military flyovers - all things military, rah, rah, rah. Think North Korea/Russia. From our perspective, it is a waste. From the perspective of an authoritarian, it is essential to showcasing the hierarchical power structure of their society. What remains here, is merely the facade of democracy.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,182 posts)...when I found out that Trump was using footage of the flyovers in his personal campaign ads, I can't help but think that's the entire reason for all of it as opposed to it being some sort of benign morale booster.
Get us tests and a vaccine now, and after that I'll be more than happy to watch all the airshows you give me.
Yavin4
(35,438 posts)Sloumeau
(2,657 posts)and medical equipment for hospitals.
Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)mahannah
(893 posts)aggiesal
(8,914 posts)they're using military money on the wall, not PPE.
Come on, get with the program here.
Work with me!
Im sure a few people could use the money they easy.
ProfessorGAC
(65,042 posts)And, it was Thunderbirds too.
At $60,000 per hour!
How many N95 masks would that buy?
sarge43
(28,941 posts)citizen blues
(570 posts)Where's the PPE?
Where are the tests?
ihaveaquestion
(2,538 posts)My son is in the Air National Guard in MD and his unit was activated recently. They are loading trucks with PPE and other medical supplies and delivering them to various medical facilities. His regular military job is fixing jet engines, but he is happy to be loading trucks. 😻
NoMoreRepugs
(9,425 posts)I always hate them
CloudWatcher
(1,848 posts)Maybe they're just trying to keep the reported numbers down. I hear the virus is killed by Napalm.
totodeinhere
(13,058 posts)of people being weighed down by covid-19 restrictions.
sarisataka
(18,654 posts)They would be flying anyway so it doesn't likely cost any more than if they were flying out of sight somewhere.
Also I doubt there will be a single person who says 'I was going to vote against Trump but then I saw that ad with the Blue Angels...'
PatrickforO
(14,574 posts)We didn't really watch, but we heard them for sure.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)Raster
(20,998 posts)... the money would be better used FOR TESTING, FOR PPE, FOR REAL RELIEF FOR CITIZENS.
Fuck trump!!!
sinkingfeeling
(51,457 posts)IronLionZion
(45,442 posts)estimates online are that 6 blue angel jets use around 7,200 gallons per hour. At $6 per gallon it would be around $43,200 per hour.
https://www.quora.com/How-much-does-it-cost-to-fuel-the-Blue-Angels-for-an-air-show
IronLionZion
(45,442 posts)so why does anyone think they would use flyover money for anything useful?
And after the trillions given away to large corporations as emergency stimulus immediately after the longest bull market in history, massive tax cuts, and record low interest rates, the real problem is the cost of jet fuel for planes and pilots who get paid whether they flyover or not. And oil is at record lows now too.
I have beef with the MAGA flyovers in that Italy does it way better
When MAGAts whine about processed meat shortages leading to socialist limits on purchases to promote a libtard vegan agenda, I show them this Italian video of pasta shortage
overleft
(356 posts)Never mind that hospitals are not places that need to be buzzed by loud fighter jets.
Fucking grandstanding.
leftyladyfrommo
(18,868 posts)They come to KC every once in a while. The whole city turns out to see them. They do practice runs iver my house and it's so neat.
This adm. has cost us trillions as all the grifters steal what they can as fast as they can. At least we get something back if we get to watch the jets.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)The Blue Angels were doing an air show 90 miles away that Saturday. Somehow they found the thinly populated area with the big open space golf course and practiced over that area, doing all types of stunts. Of course we stopped everything and started jumping around and waving at them. They practiced for about 15 minutes, then blade away back toward where the air show was to be done.
It is sad to see Trump defile another national icon, like he has done to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, and will do to Mt. Rushmore in July.
xmas74
(29,674 posts)We can mix margaritas and watch the Stealth shake my house.
DavidDvorkin
(19,477 posts)They're absurd.
Pepsidog
(6,254 posts)riverbendviewgal
(4,252 posts)Absolutely
Dial H For Hero
(2,971 posts)fishwax
(29,149 posts)Yes, I get that the money could have been spent on other things, but that's true of tons of stuff. It's shitty that they're apparently turning up in trump's commercials, but that guy could ruin just about anything.
On the day the blue angels and thunderbirds did their flyover here, there were a lot of people talking about it and excited about it. I was outside when they flew over my neighborhood, and while it was a very brief thing it also was an infusion of positive energy, with various neighbors out on patios and porches and landings, all social distancing and most in masks, but having a communal experience for a moment--and that's something that has been quite sorely lacking for the last 8 weeks here.
It was an opportunity to share a moment and an experience as a community. People took pictures and passed them around online in groups on reddit and facebook and NextDoor and so on. It provided a brief but satisfying drop into the void left by the elimination of sporting events or concerts or theater or all the usual opportunities we have to come together to share an experience with strangers.
And, yes, there were people here at the time, too, who made the point about how that money might be better spent on PPE. But that's true of just about anything and everything anybody ever does for fun.
rickford66
(5,523 posts)The announcer at one said it was an expensive way to turn kerosene into noise. This isn't quite normal training, but pilots are required to fly regularly. Some people will get something out of this. So be it.
vanamonde
(164 posts)$30000 an hour to fly 4 F35 boondoggles over Utah for 2 hours. $240000.
SunSeeker
(51,555 posts)I guess it's better than accusing the doctors and nurses of faking Covid-19 death numbers like right wing websites are doing.
struggle4progress
(118,282 posts)Squinch
(50,949 posts)MH1
(17,600 posts)Personally, I agree with you.
But I have seen some people who are generally not open about their politics, but seem like nice people who might vote Democrat, who enjoy watching a flyover and think it is a great tribute to the front-line workers in this crisis.
I think NASCAR and gambling are blatant wastes of money, harm the environment, and particularly gambling is merely organized exploitation of others. But, lots of people enjoy these things and even throw their money at them.
Stinky The Clown
(67,799 posts)Let's start with the notion they're wasteful.
They are wasteful only if you think our military pilots should not keep their skills sharp. Every pilot is required to log some minimum number of flight hours. The Thunderbird and Blue Angels crews are among them. This gig flying "show" planes is actually just an assignment, a tour of duty, not a career; just another duty station. It seems very reasonable to me use the flight hours to entertain us.
As has been expressed right here in this thread, some people see this in a negative light. And that's okay. I am not here to change minds. Rather, I am here to state my own view. I see these flights in a very positive way.
I am a Navy vet. By choice, not conscription. I served during (not in) the Vet Nam War. That war was horribly wrong. As have been so many. But that is the fault of American voters. The military is necessary. Even today. Even as it gets all-too-often misused.
These flights are simply a routine part of keeping up our readiness. With a side of entertainment. Overall, more on the plus side than the minus side.
xmas74
(29,674 posts)a week or so ago.
The pilots need their hours. They're out all the time but most don't realize it. (I've felt my house shake recently. It's so common you don't think about it.)
This was already budgeted. I don't go out to look because I'll watch an F16 or a Stealth in my backyard while drinking a beer. Someone else might enjoy what I take for granted.
Stinky The Clown
(67,799 posts). . . . . my brother lives a few miles south and east of Miramar. He's not in the flight path but they do get to see F18s and F35s quite often. There was a wider variety to see when it was the Navy there. Now the Marines use it.
xmas74
(29,674 posts)They're up practicing regularly.
They've cancelled this year's air show so why not take those additional hours and do some public flyovers? It cost no extra since practice hours are already budgeted.
Stinky The Clown
(67,799 posts)xmas74
(29,674 posts)Thunderbolts are the big ones. With the National Guard unit assigned we have Apaches. There's also a Naval unit assigned to Whiteman.
I'm sure there's others but those are up the most. I do know recent focus is on it becoming a heavy drone use. They even work in conjunction with a local university on an aviation major specializing in drone tech.
Squinch
(50,949 posts)pushing this bullshit that their flying somewhere is somehow a "thank you" to the first responders.
The same first responders who we are now treating like cannon fodder.
It's crap.
Stinky The Clown
(67,799 posts)The flying is routine. Doing flyovers above NYC (and elsewhere) is not routine. Therein lies the difference.
And no one is hiding the facts nor pushing bullshit. It is what it is. Its all out there if anyone cares to learn about it.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)ecstatic
(32,704 posts)BigDemVoter
(4,150 posts)Caliman73
(11,738 posts)It is militaristic and likely wasteful, but as someone said, it offers flight hours and training for fighter pilots for the military. I like jets and at one point for a brief time, I wanted to be a fighter pilot.
My major problem is the motive. As with anything that comes out of the disgusting Trump administration, this is only done to benefit Trump. That is it. You see the video with Italy's flight team uniting the country and bringing some relief to the country ravaged by COVID-19. Trump immediately thought, "That will make me look good". He didn't think that it may uplift people or be patriotic, or whatever, he thought, "This will be good for me." He never has a good or pure motive ever! He is a POS.
That is my problem with the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds stunt.
Texaswitchy
(2,962 posts)It was a ego boost for Trump.
He used it already in a campaign commercial.
niyad
(113,303 posts)"recruitment", blah, blah.
G_j
(40,367 posts)dangerously low
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)are precision demonstration teams. They are never going to go into combat. Their planes have specific modifications so they can do the aerial acrobatics. Their job is to put on shows for the purpose of recruiting for their respective service. In fact, the formal name of the Blue Angels is Naval Flight Demonstration Squardon.
Raine
(30,540 posts)I would love to see them!
robbedvoter
(28,290 posts)where they insist of doing that 💩. President Cuomo repeatedly panned it "thank the nurses and drs not with flyovers, but by staying home"
Autumn
(45,084 posts)Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)the supposed deficit hawks are now on this actual waste of money, after all the years they screeched about Obama.