2023 San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show
Published on . Event was held at Pier 39 on .
#photo gallery #air show #Blue Angels #California #cars #event #Marina #planes #San Francisco
Autumn is here — It’s Fleet Week in San Francisco. This is California’s first autumn without wildfires after two or three smokey autumns in a row! I’m so happy about that — my favorite season is back.
Last year, I watched the air show at Francisco Park. It’s elevated, offering a breathtaking wide-angle view. Planes flew over my head a few times. With tall buildings shielding me, I didn’t hear them approach. This surprise element made the experience thrilling, F/A-18 engine roar is very special; you can’t experience that on a race track.
This year, I chose a new vantage point — the Wave Organ pier near the Marina District Lighthouse. I was fortunate to find parking at Presidio, right before the start of the show. A twenty-minute walk through the marshes of Crissy Fields marshes, and I was there.
Navy Seals kicked it off, parachuting down with a giant American flag. Shortly thereafter, two MH-65 rescue helicopters drop a frogman into the bay, only to “rescue” him minutes later.
The Patriots Jets Team showcased incredible aerobatics with six Aero L-39 Albatros jet engine trainer planes built in Czechoslovakia. Interestingly, this group has no relation to the military; it’s a private company specializing in air shows.
Then the T-33 Ace Maker took the stage for its six minutes of glory. The T-33, introduced in the late 1940s, is the first jet-engined US trainer plane. It’s likely that Gregory W Colyer, who owns a few restored ones, piloted the plane. The jet, distinct in its bottom-view silhouette, has fuel tanks on the wingtips.
Following the T-33 was the almost extraterrestrial-looking Marines F-35B. It performed aerobatics and then hovered above the water by Pier 39. This plane, with its capability for vertical landing and short take-off, is tailored for Amphibious Assault Ships — much smaller ships than conventional aircraft carriers. Even in the photos I captured, the aircraft appears almost CGI, given its unusual shape and body material.
And, of course, there is a signature Boeing 777 of United Airlines performing breathtaking maneuvers above landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. You will never see commercial airliners with banking and ascent angles like these outside of air shows.
The distinct blue and yellow color scheme of Blue Angles appears from the east, flying over the bridge at a high banking angle. But wait, this isn’t a fighter jet formation — it’s a massive C-130 turboprop plane! It is a part of the Blue Angels team providing logistical support.
Blue Angles team is the headliner, and their performance usually concludes the show. As their act approached, the crowd around me swelled. Kudos to those who found parking three hours into the show!
And then, there they were, emerging from the north with a trail of smoke — six F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jets in echelon formation. These jets are unmatched in speed and agility, and their show stands out.
My favorite maneuver is when a jet flies just below the speed of sound. The halo that forms around the wings is mesmerizing. The distinct sound at this speed keeps you on your toes, guessing where the plane will appear next.
I also admire the Blue Angels’ V formation, where two jets soar upside down. It’s breathtaking when two jets approach each other, and at the last moment, one inverts, narrowly missing its counterpart.
Often, the Blue Angels would split into smaller groups and vanish behind the city skyline, only to reappear from the most unexpected direction.
At times, they’d disband, performing tricks simultaneously across the sky, keeping the audience guessing what is coming next and how and when they will come back together.
It’s a captivating and thrilling game which I was happy to play.
The sound these planes make is surreal. The Blue Angels reignited the childlike wonder in me, reminding me of the marvels of technology and human capability. The Embarcadero transforms into a place of magic during the Fleet Week airshow.
After a riveting 45-minute performance, the Blue Angels faded into the horizon, leaving me with a singular task — navigating across the city via Highway One. It was a challenge, but I have no regrets.
