Question: Why do we not have Military Flyovers?

[Crimson1967]

Do they still have the practice shows open to the public? I went to one a few years ago while on vacation at Orange Beach. It was on a Tuesday morning very early but well worth the early rise.

A number of years ago I lived in Madison, not far from the airport. There was a Blue Angels show one weekend. The Friday before the show I was in my front yard and saw a jet fly upside down right above the house across the street.

Pretty cool.


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[teamplayer]

YES you know what it costs per hour to fly a fighter jet?? For 3 seconds of cool???? Waste of time and money, it is cool but what purpose does it really serve? Not to mention time and effort to coordinate it all. Football is about football, air shows are for planes, just my tax paying opinion.

I'm all about saving tax payer dollars, but these guys are required to get a certain amount of time in the air. They don't leave these planes grounded all the time to save money. They fly them anyway, so why not build national pride and get people excited?

 

[rgw]

You wouldn't leave a car parked for a month without driving it because it isn't good for the vehicle. Same stuff applies to aircraft. I don't get why people think that this stuff is done at any greater taxpayer's expense than what is already expected in state-side flight time. You hear that sentiment though. I guess the only additional expense may be that the flight crew may be honored at halftime and be entitled to defense travel expenses. If we're gonna quibble over half-day per diem then my lord.

 

[Cruiser]

Because the last time they did that they almost hit the construction cranes. :biggrin2:

I was also at that one and it was AWESOME!

 

[CrimsonNagus]

Here's the problem. See, Alabama is the rock star and everyone else is just a regular Joe. When a rock star visits regular Joe's house it is a huge event. Mr. Joe will call everyone, hype it up because the rock star is coming to his place. So, of course you are going to have a flyover, it is the biggest event of the year at your house. When regular Joe comes over to the rock star's house, the rock star normally just rolls his eyes and tries to get rid of him as quickly as possible. Once he's gone, there is always another pesky Joe right behind him. No flyover needed, more like a fly swatter.

 

[Tide Rev]

Because the last time they did that they almost hit the construction cranes. :biggrin2:

Most awesome one I have witnessed. I was in the upper deck Bama side and could see the face of the pilot of the big plane.

 

[B1GTide]

As a child I loved watching the flyovers. As an adult, I couldn't care less.

 

[CaliforniaTide]

I think flyovers are pretty cool. I've seen several B-2 flyovers while attending a football game at the Rose Bowl. Always surprised me to see how big they really were.

 

[GP for Bama]

I was also at that one and it was AWESOME!

This 2005 LSU game flyover was the all-time best! Everyone who was there remembers it.

 

[TheRealPokeChop]

They have them but usually for big games. When bama travels somewhere its that teams biggest game of the year. Why waste a flyover when colorado state comes to town.

I was on the field with the mdb during that 2005 one. It was awesome

 

[Tug Tide]

If I didn't know better I'd say the same thing. But I do, so allow me to help you understand the value and how it literally changes nothing regarding your tax dollars.

1) The guys flying this are going to have to plan the route for travel from base, timing so that they appear over the stadium at the key moment, and fuel. All of that is directly related to the training conducted for any "time on target" missions aka being at an exact point in space at an exact time, usually plus or minus 30 seconds. Think it's easy, drive to your local store and arrive at an exact minute and second that you planned. Tell me how it works out.

2) Your tax payer money (ours too cause don't forget, the military is paying taxes as well). That money for flying was allocated a year ago. Now it's up to the unit on how to spend it. Let the guys go fly the pattern? Straight and level at 3000 feet, or maybe coordinate with entry and exit of several different airspace, coordinate with the FAA to create a ROZ, etc. Again, valuable training being used for something that is already paid for. They will fly that time either way, it just depends on how it's utilized.

3) Recruiting. The military (namely Air force and army) are at record lows regarding military pilots and losing the battle of attrition to the commercial aviation side. If you don't think that all it takes is a good memory of a football game and a flyover to be enough to motivate a kid to chase the dream of becoming a combat pilot then you're a silly goose.

And finally, it looks cool. Yup. It looks really cool.

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A big Thank You to you for giving a great explanation!

 

[Lost in TN]

and the main reason...

"it looks cool. Yup. It looks really cool."

If I didn't know better I'd say the same thing. But I do, so allow me to help you understand the value and how it literally changes nothing regarding your tax dollars.

1) The guys flying this are going to have to plan the route for travel from base, timing so that they appear over the stadium at the key moment, and fuel. All of that is directly related to the training conducted for any "time on target" missions aka being at an exact point in space at an exact time, usually plus or minus 30 seconds. Think it's easy, drive to your local store and arrive at an exact minute and second that you planned. Tell me how it works out.

2) Your tax payer money (ours too cause don't forget, the military is paying taxes as well). That money for flying was allocated a year ago. Now it's up to the unit on how to spend it. Let the guys go fly the pattern? Straight and level at 3000 feet, or maybe coordinate with entry and exit of several different airspace, coordinate with the FAA to create a ROZ, etc. Again, valuable training being used for something that is already paid for. They will fly that time either way, it just depends on how it's utilized.

3) Recruiting. The military (namely Air force and army) are at record lows regarding military pilots and losing the battle of attrition to the commercial aviation side. If you don't think that all it takes is a good memory of a football game and a flyover to be enough to motivate a kid to chase the dream of becoming a combat pilot then you're a silly goose.

And finally, it looks cool. Yup. It looks really cool.

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[81usaf92]

There have been military flyovers in 2014 and 2015 for Alabama I know. 2016 I don’t know. But Alabama usually does the halo jumpers pregame which is still very cool

 

[Elefantman]

A buddy of mine use to fly C130's for the Penn ANG. He said they would routinely fly to Maine, pick up lobsters and bring them back to base for a lobster boil. All for the purpose of highly strategic military training of course.

 

[rgw]

A buddy of mine use to fly C130's for the Penn ANG. He said they would routinely fly to Maine, pick up lobsters and bring them back to base for a lobster boil. All for the purpose of highly strategic military training of course.

I see nothing wrong here. Good teambuilding.

 

[MobileCrimson]

We had 4 fighters flyover for the 2012 Texas A&M game. I believe it was military appreciation day.

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[pigsinspace]

I was in the upper deck for that game. The flyover really shifted the momentum and Bama won big.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

We had one at the Iron Bowl last year, I was there.

In fact, I just deleted the video off my phone last night, or I'd upload it for you. I think it was an A320.


I grew up on bases; I just don't care one way or the other. On rare occasions they can impress me.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

There have been military flyovers in 2014 and 2015 for Alabama I know. 2016 I don’t know. But Alabama usually does the halo jumpers pregame which is still very cool

2016 Auburn there was one.

 

[RT27]

Great question, why do we? I see no real reason at all, but, what the heck do I know. May be some reason way back that started this fly over thing, not sure when or why it got started. Anyone know its origin?