Ft. Lauderdale Air & Sea Show

[cargopusher]

Has anyone been to the Ft. Lauderdale Air & Sea show? It's the first weekend in May, I think---thanks for any info.

[FLflyer]

I live here in Ft. Lauderdale, and this will be my 5th year in a row going to the show. The website is www.airseashow.com. This year it will be held on May 1st and 2nd, and the headliners will be the Blue Angels. Also performing will be the Canadian Snowbirds, U.S Army Golden Knights, and the usual flyovers and demonstrations (F-14, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-117, B-1, B-2, B-52, A-10, AV-8 Harrier, AH-64 Apache, C-130, B-25, as well as several aerobatics and civilian performers.
It's an incredible time, and they perform full shows on both days, ending with a fireworks show on Saturday night complete with F-14's or F-15's in the pitch dark, with afterburners tearing up the night sky.
My personal favorite part of the show is watching/listening to those fighters with full afterburners crackling in the night sky, it's a different experience than watching them in the daytime.

[kellwolf]

I went a couple of years ago, and it was my worst air show experience. Not b/c of the acts, but b/c of the crowds. It's on the beach, and people don't plan ahead for the tide to come in. I got there about two hours before the show started to get a decent spot at show center. Got it all staked out with the blankets, etc. Did this at the Wings & Waves show put on by ERAU at things went fine. Not at FLL. People kept crowding in front of us, and when the tide came in, guess where they went. I was jammed b/w hordes of people trying to sit in my lap, and hordes of people behind me. I wound up leaving right after the B-52 and American Airlines heritage passes. Never got to see the Blue Angels, but I DID hear them from my hotel.....

This was the first military air show after 9/11, so the crowds may have died down since then. The show is top notch, just be ready for everyone in South Florida to be there in a small area.

[cargopusher]

Thanks for the info - had heard it was great - forgot about the tide - good point- so we need to bring a blanket and barricade, too ?? Also heard the practice runs can be entertaining, too!

[kellwolf]

Barricade (those bright orange plastic ones) is HIGHLY recommended. I bought one of those $10 camping chairs from Wal-Mart before I went to the air show in Titusville last week, and it's become my new best friend. They have them at the air shows, but they charge upwards of $30 for them there!

[Kristie]

whoever's going.. make sure to take some photos for the rest of us!

[cargopusher]

Will do!! The room is booked!!

Hi. I live in Pompano Beach and I've been to this show since 1999. It is an awesome show in my opinion but it is quite crowded. Bring sunblock and something to drink. They will charge you $3 for a small water. This year it will be May 1st and 2nd and maybe I will be also going the 30th of April with my JROTC class. On the actual dates I go with my family. Maybe someday I'll get to perform in one of these events.

[kellwolf]

I was amazed when I went to the TICO Airshow last month. They only charged me $1 for water!!! The food was cheap, too. I looked at my wife and asked "I'm sorry, I thought we were at an air show." I was expecting the $3 water gouge and the $7 hamburger (cheese extra).

[FLflyer]

Okay, so tomorrow I'll be out at the Air Show all day, braving the crowds with my camera and my cooler. I know it'll be mega-crowded, but I don't care. I'll try to get some good pics.
Oh, the weekend started on a somber note today, a pilot practicing aerobatics in a small plane crashed just off the beach and was killed. Don't know who it was yet.

Aerobatics plane crash

[cargopusher]

Just back from sunny Florida- the air show was great but it did have a somber note as mentioned above - Ian Groom was the pilot and the accident happened on a practice run - doing flat spins - not sure what happened and the last I heard they may not investigate since it was an experimental aircraft - it was mentioned that maybe he had a heart attack or something since he was such an experienced pilot - the Canadian Snowbirds and the Blue Angels both did the 'missing man' formation - don't know if any of you have seen that performed, but it is very moving to see -

On a funny note, I've never seen the Goodyear blimp do the things that the pilot was making it do!!! I think all the pilots have fun at this airshow!

[kellwolf]

Did they have the American Airlines Heritage flight this year? The year I was there they had a 727 and a 777 flying formation. The 727 pilot did a low pass over the deck of the aircraft carrier.

[FLflyer]

Yes, this year American Airlines had a retiring Captain do a couple passes in a B737. DHL did a pass as well in one of their yellow B757's (I think, it was definitely yellow).