I am a long time aviation enthusiast, but a new member of FlightAware. My earliest childhood memory is watching the Blue Angels at KNUQ in Mountain View, CA. I believe I was about 5-6 at the time. What I do know is that my love of aviation began that day. I most recently saw the Blues at Fleet Week over San Francisco last Fall. When the Delta Formation came into view, I found myself wiping tears from under my glasses. I would think that this incredible team has had a profound impact on many of you, just as they did me. I would love to hear your stories.
I could only imagine your reaction if you saw the Thunderbirds!!! 
I actually fell in love with aviation when I walked up the Tower stairs and looked out the window. That was in 1980 at Zweibrucken Air Base in West Germany. I looked outside and saw an RF-4 depart and I haven’t looked back. I’ve been a controller for 28 years now, I fly as much as I can when time and money allows.
Clay
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Blue Angels Flight with Kaci
YouTube Videos and LiveLeak Videos
I lived in El Centro for four years, the winter home of the Blue Angels. For 5 months per year, they practice twice a day - and I have literally spent hours, and hours watching them.
On the local news, they always air the local celebrities that come to take a ride on the Hornets. They brought the guy and girl from TV show JAG, the guy was throwing up non-stop, about as sick as I’d get. The girl, went up to 9G’s 4 times, and loved every second, didn’t even pass out.
Sloppy flying by #4 above!!! 
Nah, he was just pulling into position as the photo was snapped. IOW, bad camera work! http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Amazing skill and airmanship, often forgotten is the heavy price that has been paid by the life and death decisions made, while flying on (and beyond) the edge.
ogivens, that must have been rather impressive to watch the soloists’ trans-sonic passes just over the bay…I’ve seen a couple of those videos 
I try to see them every year at the Miramar airshow… although last year it was the T-birds. T-birds at a USMC airshow?? I thought that was like blasphemy. Also, I do see them practicing over El Centro as I drive along I-8 in the winter.
When I was a kid (1960-64)I lived in Pensacola…and the Blues were the featured attraction at the 4th of July airshow. My dad was in the Navy, and one of our neighbors in Navy housing worked on the crash crew at Sherman Field.
In about '62 or 63 I got to sit out on the hardstand in the middle of the airport and watch the Blues from one of the crash trucks. A highly memorable experience.
I was in a couple of Navy air traffic facilities that had the Angel show, and it was always a little kick to work them and then watch them turn your airport into something completely different.
Yes, indeed it was. They actually fly over the GG bridge, then drop down to a few feet over the water with the throttle wide open. WHOA what a thrill. One if the soloists also does a sneak pass over the crowd from the back. He is going so fast that we see him before we hear him.
As you may know, the Blues take off from SFO, which is several miles from the GG Bridge. On this day, they got a police escort through SF to the airport. They drove right past my brother and I. When we realized it was the Blues, everyone started cheering. R-E-S-P-E-C-T…
I love the responses coming. I think it is so cool to find a place where aviation nuts like us can share.
You and I must be around the same age, Trafly. They were flying the A-4 my first time as well, and as I mention in my earlier post, I was around 5 to 6. So, what kind of work do you do? Did you go into another area in aviation?
Thank you so much for posting this, robbreid. It is very sobering to see all those names, and to think about the macro-cost. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!!
Pictures from 2007 San Francisco Fleet Week from avcanada.com forum by xsbank.
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I totally agree. The F-18 ROCKS!!! I remember how impressive the Phantom was, then, in 1974 thinking, what’s that LITTLE plane all about??? Although, Van Halen’s 1986 DREAMS video featuring the A-4 is REALLY cool. Click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvn7FJCUNfI)
The perfect marriage of great music and aviation footage.
BTW, great reference to the Blues debriefing line…
Great pic, robbreid. We have all heard that jets 2-6 always focus on The Boss while in formation. In your picture, you can actually see the helmets of 2 and 3 clearly focused on 1, and even 4, turning his as he pulls into formation. I quickly run out of superlatives when I start talking about the Blues…
Bryce flies with the Blue Angels
April 14, 2010
Bryce Donovan tries his hand at flying with the big boys, good thing he was just a passenger.
http://www.postandcourier.com/videos/2010/apr/14/1092/
He had some trouble… 
Are you here in CHS gretna? (I couldn’t figure out where 4PA0 is.) Yea, I saw that video posted online the other night - if you get sick in just level flight, you probably don’t need to be in one of those jets. As far as me - I’m excited for this weekend.
This:
Plus this:
= a good time for me!
Anyone on here going? I’ll be at Patriot’s Point tomorrow if any other FA members will be out and would like to meet up. I’d like to meet some of you guys if anyone else will be out there.
Have fun! Wish I was there… (you don’t )