Marc's Public Blog

2024/10/12 Another SF Fleet Week

π 2024-10-12 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

I knew I didn't pick the best day to see Fleet Week this year, but I was going to be in SF anyway, so it was easier. Sadly the weather wasn't the best and after the clouds cleared as per forecast, fog rolled in in the middle of the day and screwed things up.

Thanks to Ralf for joining me, it was a lot more fun together

I was specifically excited to the the F22 again, my first time seeing it at fleet week:

As usual, some people came better equipped than me :)

The last bit we got lucky to see F35 demo:

Unfortunately after that, fog rolled in and weather went to shit:

too more planes flew

and fat albert was the last one to fly but by then the weather was too low for blue angels to perform

that's all, folks...

On the plus side, I have seen the blue angels many times, I was most excited by the F22 and F35 which did get to perform, so it was all good.

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2023/11/20 Private Visit of JPL in Pasadena

π 2023-11-20 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

After being in LA for Dreamstate, I was very lucky to have friends who invited me afterwards and gave me a tour of JPL the next day, which actually was a short bike ride from where I used to live in Altadena, so it was super excited to see it finally:

I joked that I would drive the rover and fly the helicopter, but of course, that's not how it works with a 8mn turnaround time for communications:

Control center:

They also have a rocky area they can do real world tests on:

It was an awesome tour, definitely worth it, thank you :)

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2023/10/07 Back to SF for another Fleet Week

π 2023-10-07 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

This year's fleet week was ultimately fairly similar to the one I went to 2 years ago. The main bonus was the F35-B demonstration which is rate to see, full hover and 360 degree turn in place.

I remembered how much of a clusterfudge it was to drive there and park last time, so I didn't try too hard to get closeby parking, and after picking up Ralf who was happy to join me for the show, parked fairly far from the waterfront, but with the bikes, it was a quick enough ride, even if I was kind of loaded with the big foldable chairs :)

this time went directly for an advance front row seat

cookies help :)

nice water cops came to chase the jetskis that weren't bothering anyone, yeah to silly laws

we were in time for the show this time

good climb power without passengers :)

pelicans tried to compete :)

that's some low flying

the middle plane is facing the wrong way :)

more competition :)

And finally came time for the F35-B Demo:

slowing down for hover

Then it went back into forward flight:

More planes and demos:

Last, but not least, the thunderbirds came back:

oh noes, two of them are out of order :)

Nice show overall, even if quite similar to the one 2 years ago, weather was perfect (not so much the day after), glad I was able to go despite the crappy SF traffic and parking. Thanks to Ralf for joining me.

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2023/04/23 San Carlos' Hiller Aviation Museum

π 2023-04-23 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

It had been a while since I had been to San Carlos' Hiller Aviation Museum, so it was nice to do another visit while I was there after landing from a FOG trip:

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2023/04/23 FOG Tour Of Victorville's Southern California Logistics' Airplane Graveyard

π 2023-04-23 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

I have flown over VCV a few times, always a very cool sight. I went to look for older pictures for history, and finally got lucky enough to get a tour on the ground thanks to San Carlos Flying Club's FOG tour.

2007

Flew to Victorville for the Darpa Urban Challenge (passenger in a 737 ;) ), it was a bit basic back then:

2017

This was my first flight to San Bernardino, and I got some good shots of VCV then

2022/03

My 2nd flight to SBD was still during the 737 Max debacle. Boeing, due to their greed and stupidity, had all their new badly designed planes grounded for close to 1.5 years and lost billions over their terrible decision making. This led to them having so many planes that couldn't fly and be sold, that many were stored at VCV, filling an entire runway and taxiway:

The boneyard was still there of course:

2023/04

This was my 4th time, and the best by far, this time it was with FOG and they SCFC nicely organized a tour of the facilities on the ground, that was very cool. By then, the 737 Max had been removed from runway and taxiway.

First time landing there:

FOG members had a good time in the FBO Million air:

golf, even :)

obligatory group picture

Then it was my group turn's for the van tour of the grounds (it's big). During the tour, I found out that indeed part of the airport is used for scrap, planes that exceeded their safe design limits, and that can be used for spare parts, or recycling of the metal. There are also boeing planes that are being parked there until they can find a new customer (planes that were ordered during covid and then the orders cancelled).

so long Victorvile, it was a very cool visit, thank you to Million Air for the private tour.

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2023/04/22 Socal USAF Airshow at March Air Reserve in Riverside with FOG

π 2023-04-22 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

Flyout Group organized a trip to Socal for the USAF Airshow at March Air Reserve in Riverside, and I was thankfully able to join last minute.
Even though we had a hotel almost next door, traffic was a complete mess. We left 1h30 early and the van I was in got almost nowhere in 3h and ran out of gas before making it to the entrance. Thankfully I made the call to get out and walk, it was a long walk (30-40mn), but I passed all the cars that were stuck in line, and got it before they nicely decided to close that entrance to pedestrians, so the poor people behind me were sent on a 1h30 walk all the way around the base, ridiculous :(

that was more than 20mn into my walk in, at least by then I was in the base and going towards the visitor entrance

The flight line and displays were interesting:

first time I see a B1 outside of a museum

cool to still see snow in the background

It was definitely warm and sunny, thankfully I found a tent to hide in :)

The airshow was quite good, here are some pictures:

had never seen a B1 fly before

So happy to see a F35 fly for the first time, both an F35B (vtol) and F35C:

short field takeoff

Nice to see this performer again with precision flying, including landing on the top of a van:

And the show ended with the thunderbirds:

All in all, a good show, nice to see some planes I had never seen outside or in flight

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2023/04/16 Paso Robles Estrella Warbird Museum

π 2023-04-16 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

It had been almost 10 years since I last went in 2013. My original plan wasn't to go back, but I got stuck at PRB with a low overcast, so that gave me time to go visit it again :)

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2023/04/16 Flight over Carrizo Plain To See Wildflowers

π 2023-04-16 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

We had a superbloom this year, so it was a good time to fly over it to have a look while flying from Paso Robles to Solvang:

that's a *lot* of flowers

and they go far

even the hills

Once it got to to the hills towards LA Coast, it was over though (and also a nice overcast):

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2023/04/14 Flights From Palo Alto to Oceano, then Paso Robles, Santa Ynes (Solvang) and back to Palo Alto

π 2023-04-14 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

It had been a while since I had been to Oceano and its sand dunes, and I also wanted to see Field of Lights at Paso Robles, as well as Solvang, the Danish town, a bit more south, so it was a good excuse for an extended weekend flight.

Pao to Oceano

Moffett hangar is being re-skinned

the quary in the hills is definitely making big holes

Santa Cruz

can go for house shopping

hopefully erosion is not a problem :)

whale watching boat going out

Hwy 1 is cool

Was able to fly around Hearst Castle:

Then on the way to Oceano:

had not seen diablo nuclear power plant before, cool sight with cooling pool above and hole in the hill for storage

Oceano ATVs

san dunes to play on

Oceano to Paso Robles

San Luis Obispo

Paso Robles

Paso Robles to Santa Ynes/Solvang

Departure from Paso Robles was delayed until the cloud cover lifted, beautiful flight with a small detour by Carrizo Plains for wildflowers

Santa Ynes back to Palo Alto

After a nice day in Solvang, easy flight back to Palo Alto:

able to see the oceano dunes

Apple spaceship buildings

new google campus and sports field

Very nice flights and fun trip..

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2021/10/10 Another Fleet Week in SFO

π 2021-10-10 01:01 in Flying, Nflying

I cannot believe it had been 15 years since last time I went to see fleet week in 2006. Glad I decided to go back, even if this time red bull air races was not happening.
Thanks to Lee for joining me, that made it more fun.

I got a slightly better camera 15 years later, so the shots were a bit better. It was cool to see an airliner flying so close to the ground/water: