Smoky Mountain Airshow

[runco]

Very good!  Loved the Blue Angels! 

 

https://smokymountainairshow.com/

[Garufa]

The wife failed me today but I did see the Blue Angles rehearsal yesterday and Thursday.

Thursday was at the Toyota dealer (right at the end of the runway) at just the right time. Decided to take the afternoon off yesterday and go back. They were flying right overhead.

The whole time thinking....I'd hate to be whoever those incredible planes and pilots were after in a combat situation. Edited April 16, 2016 by Garufa

[Ugly]

U Gotta love an air show! We have some bad ass very capable aircraft and crew!

God Bless America!

Too crowded for me to go though :)

[gun sane]

If God had meant us to have airshows, He wouldn't have given us gravity.   :lies:

[Ugly]

Just saw a Prowler and Warthog in the background on the news.

Gives me a tingle!

[ArmyBrat61]

I had 2 A-10s fly over my house for 30 minutes....going up and down the valleys around here...then they flew off to give the folks at the Bristol Motor Speedway a quick peek....tried to get pics but they were just too darn fast! Coffee and Warthogs....I love America! :usa:

Edited April 17, 2016 by ArmyBrat61

[Sidecarist]

I didn't even know the show was on, but had a flight of 2 A-10's circle my house on Dayton mtn. Friday and Saturday, very cool, low & slow. I got a good look at them. I saw them several years ago in Columbus MS on the ground at a show there. The cannon is evil looking...

Makes me glad that our great guys are flying such a weapon in defense of the USA.

[Garufa]

Just got home. Freaking awesome!

Watching the Corsair fly made my naughty bits tingle. Coolest plane ever.

[TripleGGG]

Just got home. Freaking awesome!

Watching the Corsair fly made my naughty bits tingle. Coolest plane ever.

Got to fly a Corsair years ago. Absolutely one badass plane. Fell in love with them watching Black Sheep Squadron on TV. That and hanging out as an airport rat.

[ken56]

The Smoky Mountain Museum of Aviation on 411 in Sevierville is a worth while stop. Good display in their museum and the aircraft are interesting. P-40 war hawks are their claim to fame but there are other planes too. Watched the air show on the TV. Looked like a great time.

[gjohnsoniv]

Had some great seats across from The Blue Angels courtesy of City of Knoxville. Really great show.

[peejman]

We went Sunday and had a good time.  First airshow for the kiddos.  The F-16 turnin' and burnin' scared my little one a bit, but I really enjoyed the show.  I heard stories that traffic/parking was a trainwreck on Saturday with people sitting in traffic for hours before giving up and going home.  We didn't have any problems Sunday, got there about 10:30 and drove right in.  I wish there had been more warbirds there, I miss the show with the bombing runs and the pyro.  I can't remember the last time I saw a Corsair fly, love that plane.  I took a bunch of pics, I'll try to sort through them and put up a few in the next few days. 

[runco]

I meant to comment about the great experience we had.  First, a big kudo's to my mother-in-law.  She keeps her military ID up to date which allowed us onto the base Saturday morning.  Then they guided us to park in a designated area, and had a/c buses waiting on us to take us to the gate.  No fees, no waiting, and 1st class all around.  We arrived around 8:30am Saturday, and got to see many of the planes on the ground before they let in the general public.  We got front row seating against the plastic fence.  My only complaint the PA system was way too loud, but we were prepared.  I brought my electronic ears that I use when shooting.  The kids and wife had the sponge thingys which by the way were free on the bus.  Just a great time.  Glad I didn't take my water pill.  Those lines were horrible to the porta potties.  I felt for the beer drinkers, I guess you stood in line, did your biz, and got back in line to repeat, which I heard was about a 1 hour wait.

 

When we left which was about 4:30pm, we encountered little traffic by going the back roads behind the base.  Will I do it again, yea maybe if comes around again in 16 years. 

[peejman]

I meant to comment about the great experience we had.  First, a big kudo's to my mother-in-law.  She keeps her military ID up to date which allowed us onto the base Saturday morning.  Then they guided us to park in a designated area, and had a/c buses waiting on us to take us to the gate.  No fees, no waiting, and 1st class all around.  We arrived around 8:30am Saturday, and got to see many of the planes on the ground before they let in the general public.  We got front row seating against the plastic fence.  My only complaint the PA system was way too loud, but we were prepared.  I brought my electronic ears that I use when shooting.  The kids and wife had the sponge thingys which by the way were free on the bus.  Just a great time.  Glad I didn't take my water pill.  Those lines were horrible to the porta potties.  I felt for the beer drinkers, I guess you stood in line, did your biz, and got back in line to repeat, which I heard was about a 1 hour wait.

 

When we left which was about 4:30pm, we encountered little traffic by going the back roads behind the base.  Will I do it again, yea maybe if comes around again in 16 years. 

 

 

Funny you mention the PA.  It was plenty loud at stage center but we couldn't hear it at all on the north end of the ramp where we sat. 

[superduty]

I took my daughter to the airshow- her first. The airshow it self was great...
However, I really thought the 'logistics' around it were lacking. It took me 1 hour after the show to get 3 miles to Pellisippi Pky. C'mon.

The crowd management was pretty loopy too- a 3 mile walk to and from the car...for $30????? Seriously? With several bottlenecks along the route?

And yes, 30 minute wait for the Porta potties, lines too long to even get a dumb frozen lemonade for the kid. Lame.

Great airshow though. I could see an airshow once a month and it wouldn't get old. Just me though.

[Murgatroy]

I took my daughter to the airshow- her first. The airshow it self was great...
However, I really thought the 'logistics' around it were lacking. It took me 1 hour after the show to get 3 miles to Pellisippi Pky. C'mon.

The crowd management was pretty loopy too- a 3 mile walk to and from the car...for $30????? Seriously? With several bottlenecks along the route?

And yes, 30 minute wait for the Porta potties, lines too long to even get a dumb frozen lemonade for the kid. Lame.

Great airshow though. I could see an airshow once a month and it wouldn't get old. Just me though.

I heard even worse from a friend that paid for him and his parents to be in the VIP section. They ran out of food, drinks etc. That were all supposed to be paid for. How do you run out of things like that for a 'paid' section where you have a limited number of seats? He said the VIP section was 25% full.

 

He was not pleased at all with the planning.

[peejman]

So I finally got my pics uploaded.   Here's few highlights.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loved this B-25 pilot.  He put the fighter pilots to shame.... you sissies call that a low pass?  This, is a low pass. 

 

 

 

 

My favorite war bird... whistling death.  :death:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Youkin put on a good show in his beautiful twin beech....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Greg Koontz puts on a great show doing all sorts of thing a Piper Cup shouldn't be able to do...

 

 

 

... like landing on a truck that's driving down the runway...

 

 

 

 

 

The Air National Guard F-16 Viper put on a good turnin' & burnin' demo. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My youngest had a big time with the Navy EOD divers.  This had got to be tough duty for those guys.  Their day job is to swim around under ships in cold, dark, turbulent waters and look for bombs to defuse.  But today they get to play fish in the aquarium and splash kids.  Good stuff.

 

 

 

[peejman]

Time for the stars of the show....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[superduty]

Great pics!

[monkeylizard]

 

Boys and girls, that's what 18" looks like.

[peejman]

Boys and girls, that's what 18" looks like.

 

 

Indeed.  Check this out....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6SsB3JYqQg

[ou812]

I don't know how they work... but the numbers on the back of the blue angles are stick on!!!!

[teecro]

I took my daughter to the airshow- her first. The airshow it self was great...
However, I really thought the 'logistics' around it were lacking. It took me 1 hour after the show to get 3 miles to Pellisippi Pky. C'mon.

The crowd management was pretty loopy too- a 3 mile walk to and from the car...for $30????? Seriously? With several bottlenecks along the route?

And yes, 30 minute wait for the Porta potties, lines too long to even get a dumb frozen lemonade for the kid. Lame.

Great airshow though. I could see an airshow once a month and it wouldn't get old. Just me though.

 

Any Air Show is a great air show but of all the air shows I've been to over the years this one was the worst I've ever been to.... Was among the 1000's stuck in the car for hours trying to get in, even gave our self's an extra 1.5 hour to do it. Strange that getting out was no big deal at all... Watched lines a mile long form around the few and far between toilets... I understand the distance between parking and the show itself is nothing but logistics of what is available but if a 3 mile walk is the case then by golly you should have buses to help move the crowds....

[chances R]

From years back there use to be more variety by military fly- bys. But still a great show for the kids. Right up there with Mom and apple pie!

[Grand Torino]

Thanks for the pics. :up: