joeware - never stop exploring...

I was lucky enough to live in SE Michigan today. Not only was it an absolutely beautiful and perfect Jeep Wrangler day, we have an Air National Guard base here called Selfridge ANG that had an Air Show. It is usually a very quiet place with moments of excitement when you hear jets taking off with full afterburner. How do I know it is full afterburner? I live about 10 miles from the base and am familiar with the sounds of normal takes off (hardly hear anything) and the sounds of full afterburner where my windows start rattling. I have spent hours at the end of that runway when I was growing up watching jets and big prop jobs taking off and landing over the years. Got in trouble a lot too, but you know, it didn’t matter. Those are memories I will always have.

Anyway, the semi-Annual Selfridge Air Show was today. This is a free event where the various US militaries and several aerial acrobatic groups show off their stuff. The shows ranged from a wing walker to a really good diabetic stunt pilot to a Mig 117 with is pulsing afterburner to a F4 to an F104 (Rocket with man attached) to the Blue Angels. While all of the jets (Especially the F104 and F16) appealed to me due to their noise and speed and climbing capabilities, the Blue Angels just absolutely amaze me.

They only fly so so fast except for one solo pass which I believe is just under the speed of sound so the jet is across the field before you ever hear it. Their big draw is their quality of flying. The maneuvers are just absolutely amazing. You sit there wondering how they avoid hitting each other. Especially during the delta maneuver when all six are in a tight delta (triangle) pattern and roll or turn. It is a great example of pin point precision and control which is quite admirable. If you haven’t seen them before (this is my second time, tomorrow will be my third…), you can see some video here and here.

If only companies ran their IT and infrastructure in as controlled a fashion.

joe