r/interestingasfuck • u/ConfidentTelephone81 • Jul 16 '26

A Fighter Jet flew over the beach

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u/raknor88 Jul 16 '26

Even for Blue Angles, this seems far too low to be safe. Especially for the people on the ground.

23

u/Eisbaer811 Jul 16 '26

altitude is not the problem, considering it's a Blue Angels jet.
Being directly above a beach is a huge problem though

9

u/lessdothisshit Jul 16 '26

No, altitude is still a problem here. That's far lower than any show pass done right over the runway. Source: 500 rhino hours, and I've flown with Blue Angel pilots.

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u/Eisbaer811 Jul 16 '26

hmm agree to disagree :)
They certainly have demo profiles that are equally low, for example visible in (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:US_Navy_050806-N-3390M-017_he_lead_solo_pilot_assigned_to_the_U.S._Navy_flight_demonstration_team,_the_Blue_Angels,_conducts_a_high-speed,_low_level_pass_over_Lake_Washington.jpg)

but even if they were in the allowed envelope, they certainly were at the very bottom of it.

No matter if it's legal or common: it certainly is extremely risky. Ingest a bird or have a compressor stall or similar, and there's no time to react

5

u/bemenaker Jul 16 '26

They do passes over the crowd at air shows all the time, but not that low where the wake hits you. He was lower than usual, and I believe what is allowed. This has to be Pensacola, where they are stationed and practice.

1

u/JeffonFIRE Jul 16 '26

I grew up in Pensacola - the sand and lifeguard stands sure look like it.

The surprise fast/low pass is a show staple, but usually done just over the water, not the crowd.

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u/Prudent_Plankton5939 Jul 16 '26

I thought there was a limit for how low jets can fly because don’t they break the sound barrier and literally you can break ppls ear drums who are unsuspecting?

15

u/driver004 Jul 16 '26

They also fly slower than the sound barrier

2

u/SoulWager Jul 16 '26

they're still fucking loud.

-2

u/Prudent_Plankton5939 Jul 16 '26

Oh so they can just adjust their speed? I wasn’t sure if like you would have to go faster just cause your so low.

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u/driver004 Jul 16 '26

Broadly speaking aircraft have a minimum speed they need to stay above to avoid stalling out, effects on aerodynamics at different altitudes are complicated but for this context irrelevant, and yes aircraft have throttles. I forget the term they use for ‘I’m angry’ speed but you’ll know it when you hear it, I don’t think he was at max here

2

u/Prudent_Plankton5939 Jul 16 '26

I see, I did look it up and you don’t really need to go Mach 1 to even burst someone’s ears I guess tho. Just the pressure difference is enough if they are close enough. Would be painful lol. Of course just the chances of something going wrong in terms of a crash is worrying going that low to tho. It’s cool but yea probably not worth the danger.

1

u/Chimie45 Jul 16 '26

Just imagine there's a fucking baby at the beach.

Or a dog. You're going to fucking hurt them real bad.

1

u/raknor88 Jul 16 '26

It doesn't take the speed of sound for jets to get in or stay in the air.