These Fly-bys Were Both Badass and Dangerous

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Military flybys are an American sporting institution and are usually timed so the roar of the engines overhead the crowd happens right as the final strains of the national anthem are fading away.
Done right, flybys are thrilling and inspiring. Done wrong, they can be dangerous, hazarding people and property, and career ending for the aviators involved.
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[@flysatch]

As a member of the class of '77, best fly-by I ever saw was at the Navy - Air Force game. The Blue Angels flew over the stadium and the Navy cheered. The Air Force Thunderbirds flew over and the Air Force cheered. Then an AV-8b Harrier flew over, stopped in the middle of the stadium, did a 180 and flew out the way it came in. Everyone cheered and went absolutely wild!!! Would love to see a video of that Ward.

[@20chocsaday]

I've seen that type at a good safe distance and you just can't tell what it will do next. One flew sideways over the hangers and settled down on the other side. At least I thought that was what it had done. But then I caught a glimpse of it passing out from the row of hangers and behind some trees. I have no idea where it went after that but we wouldn't be able to see it fly away.

[@rickcimino5483]

would love to see video of THAT!

[@paulmcmahon646]

I'm also class of 77 and remember it also - apparently AV-8A not a B.....

[@sportsmom165]

Was this in Colorado Springs or Annapolis.

[@paulmcmahon646]

@@sportsmom165 Annapolis...

[@joevignolor4u949]

During WWII a B-17 did did three unauthorized flyovers during the first game of the 1943 World Series at Yankee Stadium. The ballpark was filled to capacity. During the third pass the bomber almost clipped the flag poles above the stadium. Today a military pilot doing something like that would get canned, but because the Army Air Corps needed every trained pilot they could get the B-17 pilot got a $75 fine and then he was shipped off to Europe. He completed 35 missions and survived the war.

[@jasonweaver8492]

The greatest generation had a lot of field to play on and not have their entire lives ruined.

[@NuclearFalcon146]

@@jasonweaver8492 Oh they probably wanted to immediately can him, but back then the situation was desperate enough that instead they probably expediated his deployment to the front. The attrition rates for B-17 pilots was so high that they likely did not expect him to survive anyways since bomber crews had higher attrition rates than infantrymen. If it were peacetime then he probably would have been canned.

[@Wohlfe]

​@@jasonweaver8492they basically gave him the death sentence he just got insanely lucky, bomber crews in Europe had horrible attrition rates second only to Marine units in the Pacific

[@jasonweaver8492]

@@Wohlfe if he was a bomber pilot he was going to face it eventually anyways, because of the attrition you mentioned. I have seen 12 O Clock High, and Memphis Belle, and read a lot about WWII aviation. Those times were indeed desperate and often bleak. Especially because the Germans and Japanese were some of the best engineers for the first few years of the war.

[@littlejackalo5326]

"Today" translates to: with betas running everything.

[@A1Frizz]

The tradition of waving to the kids in the hospital is one of the greatest traditions in sports, one that gets me emotional at times.

[@michaelm54877]

I'll always root for the Hawkeyes because of it.

[@BigDonKedick]

Yea that’s a rough one but the amount of joy it brings to them is hopefully Amazing

[@LanceRomanceF4E]

The last F-111F fly-by at the Air Force Academy football game was done so low and fast that folks in the press box said they were eye level with the jets and could smell JP fuel. The flight lead was a friend of mine who immediately lost flight lead and instructor status and soon separated for the airlines. That said, it was a hell of a pass!

[@wills2140]

Sort of worth it to honor the last fly-by of the F-111, at the Air Force Academy. Thanks for the story!

[@WildernessForever]

I remember an air show at our little rinky dink airport...I went because they said there would be a F -111 flyby. The announcer said " F-111 approaching from the West....there was a deafening roar and that was it...never saw the plane 🤣

[@MatthewHoughton-c6g]

Way to over embellish lance… next time just tell the REAL story 🙄🙄💯👍👍

[@LanceRomanceF4E]

@@MatthewHoughton-c6g apparently you weren’t there when Capt Robbie “teabag” Marr led the lowest fighter pass ever seen at the USAFA in 97

[@todydn]

Id want that fucker flying my spirit flight lmao

[@johnhutchinson1373]

After the tragedy of 911, NASCAR temporarily suspended racing. I was at the first race after 911. It was at Dover, Delaware and the flyby was a B2 Spirit stealth bomber. The crowd went wild!

[@paulyf.107]

Visit those kids on any day with a smile, positivity & some presents [couldn't hurt] don't forget the staff - miracles can manifest through actions.

[@johnnunn8688]

@@paulyf.107what you on about?

[@D3cepti0ns]

@@johnnunn8688 He responded to the wrong comment.

[@johnhutchinson1373]

@@paulyf.107 What????

[@ajcook7777]

So....they switched the permissive level from 500 ft to 1000 ft after 911?! Could anyone please explain how 500 ft is going prevent a terrorist attack?

[@johnhewitt3293]

Those were some badass fly-bys. Mid eighties I was at Florida Field and just before kick-off a B-24 Liberator flew by so low that he was below the skyboxes on one sideline. The pilot was an old guy and owned the plane. It was one of the last flying Liborators and he was flying it from Ocala to DC to donate to the Smithsonian. He knew he would lose his license and wanted one last hurrah and to salute his Gators. He hung 'em up in style.

[@alanclark639]

I was lucky enough to be in Kissimee in 1988 - messing around on a B25 rebuild and met some extremely well connected folk.

[@WildernessForever]

Perfect!

[@thomasmeade5649]

I was at that uf flyover as well. It was a B 25. Super exciting and I also believe it was below the lights. I think 1986. It was worth it. I was a sophomore at uf and it was the most exciting football game memory for me!!

[@todydn]

Fucking a going out with your boots on

[@nschlaak]

When I was turning wrenches and discussing the most recent crash someone would mention this gem, "There are old pilots and bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots."

[@stanleybuchan4610]

That's an oldie, but true.

[@sunny71169]

Very old cliche and not true. Although Howard Huges, to name one old bold pilot, died in airplane at aged 70, but he was a passanger on his way to obtain badly needed medical care. Then we have Buzz Aldrin, David Scott, Charles Duke, and Harrison Schmitt, quintssential bold pilots who walked on the moon and are still alive into old age. Now if the cliche was there are no old, bold, low-time pilots, that would be a different story.

[@clayz1]

Everybody understood it though. But you.

[@sunny71169]

@@clayz1 Get back under the bridge little boy.

[@sunny71169]

@@clayz1 Get back under the bridge troll.

[@A.J.K87]

The greates fly-by I ever witnessed was in the french Alps. We were driving through a quite narrow valley when all of a sudden a fighter jet (I can't remember what kind since I was 7 years old at the time) came screaming through the valley towards us in a mock attack run. He did a simulated gun run before pealing off. An amazing sight for a 7 year old boy with a fascination for military aviation.

[@tomsanborn4156]

Had similar experience at Mammoth Mountain ski resort in California. I had just as much fun watching F-18’s flying in the area as I did skiing.

[@mikes.1882]

We were coming down the from Helen's lake Mt Shasta. We heard big booms. One of the guys we were coming down with said they were sonic booms from the space shuttle re-entry to land at Edward's AFB WOW!! 1995ish

[@papawheelie5835]

....."You'll be flyin' a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit outa' Hong Kong!"

[@jaynicew]

“YES SIR!!” 🗣️ 😭‼️

[@JimAllen-Persona]

One of the best lines ever.

[@Tactical-God]

And You ... !!!??!!! You're Lucky to be Here .... 'THANKYOU SIR!!!!'

[@ChiIeboy]

If he's lucky.

[@yodaisgod2]

"Great! They pay way more than the Navy does, sir!"

[@gradycothren2267]

The wildest flyby I've witnessed was probably 1981. Ten years old and riding in the back of my parent's 1970 LTD in the Brazil, Indiana area. Tooling along on a long straightaway between two huge corn fields, i noticed a smoke trail following the road behind us. It caught up to us in a flash, it was an F4 Phantom on afterburner!! Straight over the car at what my dad said was close to 50 feet and making popcorn and us crap our pants! It buffeted the car pretty bad and the roar I'll never forget. Needless to say, i absolutley loved it!!!

[@TommyCubed]

Mine was an f16 from the Thunderbirds going about 500-1000ft over the crowd during an air show at Nellis. Both scared and amazed me.

[@Flumphinator]

Last year I got a trio of what I think were F-22s in Breckenridge, Colorado. Unforgettable.

[@roderickcampbell2105]

I admire Ward. He has the guts to tell tough truths about something that he loves. And he may save some ones life.

[@WardCarroll]

Thanks for the support, Roderick!

[@ajcook7777]

Sounds like a bot wrote that one tho lol

[@roderickcampbell2105]

@@ajcook7777 No I am not a bot. You can laugh all you want.

[@FaustoTheBoozehound]

Aviation is dangerous business and does not allo for mincing words. Literally life and death decisions. Ward's (informed) words would be echoed by any other aviator worth their wings.

[@TheTuttle99]

​@@roderickcampbell2105sounds like something a bot would say...

[@campingwithcorgis]

30 SEP 2000! I WAS THERE! I was the 4th Company SEL and we had the "Duty" that game. I looked at my Company Officer "Noise" and said HOL...LEEE...SH...! I could see that dudes flight helmet. It was a lot more dramatic than the video shows. The trees at your end were indeed swaying from the afterburners. I also appreciate you used a period correct photo of Worden Field. I recognize our 4th Company Commander. He just left command of the USS INDIANA. Thanks for finally covering this! (BTW, the next flyover was weak and was at like 2000')

[@troublecluster]

Thanks Ward, as always awesome material! I wanted to share a fun story. When we lived in Toronto the RCAF would do a flyover with a CF-18 when there was an international soccer game on and they would often fly right over our condo on the climb out.. One day our cat at that time was out on the balcony in her little tent enclosure enjoying the sun when the CF-18 flew over. She went into a panic at this giant loud metal bird over head. Got her back inside and calmed her down but from them on with the hearing they have the moment the CF-18 would be in the vicinity she would trot off suddenly to hide under the bed. Anytime she did that we knew one was coming. :-D

[@mgscheue]

Aww, poor kitty! A single event like that can really affect animals.

[@rodneymartin6154]

I was at the Pendleton Round-Up Rodeo on the 1-year anniversary of 9/11. as is tradition, they fire a cannon at 1:05 and the American flag comes out via rider on horseback. It's a thrilling sight each time I see it, but THIS year when the cannon went off all of a sudden there was an F-15 Strike Eagle IN THE ARENA - so low I could see the pilot's white helmet! The instant roar was both deafening, exciting and terrifying - and the crowd LOVED IT! There was like a 2-second pause beforehand where everyone was like - did that just happen?! It was WILD! Then, as the National Anthem's final note rang out, here was the F-15 again out of nowhere from behind the main grandstands, where the dude cranked it straight vertical in the middle of the arena and full-burnered it out of sight. Oregon ANG was AWESOME that day! And yes, dangerous. Considering the sentiment at the time and the poignant nature of the 1st anniversary of 9/11 I don't blame anyone. Thank you Ward and all servicemembers!

[@mikes.1882]

The boys doing the southern Oregon July 4th flyover like to buzz around the top of Mt. McLaughlin then take em down and over Lake of the Woods. Rooster tails close and power claimed out of the trees. The most spectacular thing I've ever seen with my eyes, and from near top of a mountain.

[@jeffmillsaps1966]

I was at a NASCAR race at Charlotte years ago and the flyby was a B-1 Lancer. It was before 9/11 so he was low. He flew over the center of the track from the turn 3-4 to the turn 1-2 end, nailing the afterburners mid-track. He then swung around and came back in the other direction. This time when he was over the infield he again hit the afterburners but this time he banked hard right and exited the track over the back stretch just before turn 3. Best flyover ever!

[@hoghogwild]

0:07 Don't worry, if those were SuperHornets, they weren't breaking Mach

[@A_dumb_bi_furry]

lol

[@Eric-l6n1c]

I would love to hate on you but your not wrong

[@josephroberts6865]

Mooch, your comments about flybys is on point. WRT the helicopter flyby, I believe it was aircraft assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), of the 101st Abn Div (AASLT). The flight lead and Air Mission Commander was the Brigade Commander, a Colonel. I knew him and served with him when he was a major and the XO of the 159th CAB that was also assigned to the101st until it was stood down a few years later. Suffice to say it is no surprise that particular person did that, nor is there no surprise he got off scot-free.

[@WardCarroll]

RHIP

[@DragonPilot]

I was the OPS officer for an Army aviation unit stationed at Ft Meade, MD. I controlled 3 UH-1Hs that preformed a flyby at Camden Yards in Baltimore during US Army Appreciation Night at the end of the National Anthem before an Orioles game. I was in the stands with my radio talking to the Huey flight lead. As they approached the stadium they popped red, white and blue smoke attached to the aircraft skids. We had rehearsed the day before and the flyby was a great success that night. We did everything by the book and the fans loved it!

[@josephroberts6865]

Mooch, you are so right.

[@ccrider77]

In the early 1970's, we used to attend the airshows at Point Mugu NAS. Back then, they were far more permissive. I watched an F4 do a real supersonic pass about 60 feet above the runway and right in front of the bleachers. You saw the plane go by instantly and it was gone, but it was absolutely quiet. We counted to five, and then the sound caught up to us, shaking the ground. Amazing...

[@seanmckee8625]

I remember one air show where the Tomcat broke the sound barrier, the Corsair fired its canon, and an Intruder dropped live bombs. All of these aircraft appeared to be flying below FAA altitude limits. However, since this air show was performed for the Omani guests on our ship while operating in the Arabian Sea, I think that FAA regulations didn't apply. It all depends on the venue. Good video Ward.

[@g4meb0y34]

Now THIS brings back memories! I was a plebe on the field working for the football team as an equipment manager. We lost every game that year except to West Point but that flyby made the season for me. I'd always wondered what happened to the pilot - right or wrong he was a legend to us Mids. Sadly, I think he broke stadium flybys for me for life. Love the channel Ward!

[@joelkirby3430]

I love the flybys! My dad had four F-16’s do the missing man formation at his funeral! 💪🙏❤️🇺🇸

[@MailmanWilly79]

We used to have air shows in our city before the airport became international. I was at the far southern end of the runway on a small hill when an A-10 Thunderbolt came in low and slow roughly twenty feet over my head! I was about ten years old at the time and it's a memory I'll never forget! The A-10 has a special place in my heart forever!

[@cgn2570]

Even though I'm a Navy Vet and have seen many navy air shows, the best by far was a B-1 bomber at the old Sears Point raceway in Napa California in 1998. Full afterburners flowing. Talk about feeling the heat. Wow! The noise matched the vibrating stands. Truly astounding.

[@JimAllen-Persona]

I believe it. I’d love to see a B-1B flyby. I live out by the old Grumman test site on Long Island and you could pull over on certain Sundays and just watch the Tomcats come in low and loud probably not more than a couple hundred feet above the deck.. the runway started just over the perimeter fence. Good times.

[@noname-wo9yy]

Should hear when the vulcan does flyby.

[@Nicksonian]

Living in Annapolis for 38 years, I never get tired of the Blue Angels roaring over my house…as they just did last week.

[@MichaelTaylor-yz1ss]

I was USAFA non-rated military faculty during the early 90s. Like Ward, I had season tickets for my four year tour. My most memorable fly by was by a Bone. There was a screw up and he missed his time window. Well he came anyway. By this time, the kickoff had happened, and the visiting team was running back. The B-1 came up the visiting team's six, very low, very fast, and in max burner. The guy sitting next to me, a veteran A-10 pilot, opined that the DO (Director of Operations) would meet this guy on the ramp.

[@WildernessForever]

😂😂❤

[@WildernessForever]

I bet the players had to call a time out to change their tidy whities😂

[@rbaz556]

I was at that game. They were LOW.

[@PeterNebelung]

Long time ago, I guess I was about 6 or 7, we were out on our boat in Humber Bay, Toronto watching the CNE airshow. The RCAF had 4 jets doing some aerobatics. They came in low from the 4 points of the compass, and did a zoom climb with full burner. We happened to be just about dead center. We felt the heat too. And were deaf for some time. I've always loved the CF-101 Voodoo.

[@DerInterloper]

The F16's at the Daytona 500 this year sure flew low. I loved it!

[@jamescross1989]

That's the Thunderbirds and they pretty much put on a show before the race instead of just a regular flyover. I wouldn't be surprised if they had their own rules and procedures.

[@jimboscardsandcollectibles1704]

I was also at that Navy game with the wicked low hornet pass. I was at the bottom of the grass hill down on the rail behind the end zone. Definitely felt the burners as he departed and it scared the hell out of me. Hands down one of the best memories I have as a kid now, though. Mission accomplished 👏👌

[@Super80ed]

As a ground coordinator, It’s very challenging getting the timing right on these events. Especially with heavy aircraft that can’t make up time with afterburner. There are so many variables. The nerves of the singer. Meaning, she sings faster than normal. Stronger winds than forecast. VFR traffic nearby. You can only do so much with timing circles, math, the best laid plans. Ultimately, you go with your gut and transmit “push it up! Now!” But I can proudly say I never screwed it up!

[@eastbaystreet1242]

As a lay person, my assumption would be that it is truly an art being able to pull that off. Sure, there is math. I am a math guy. But those variables and the interplay between them... well done, Sir!

[@Super80ed]

@@eastbaystreet1242 kind of follows the laws of chaos. :)

[@LiveTUNA]

I live in the flight path of Luke AFB and because it's a training facility I see the most insane fly-bys daily. Not only are the pilots able to fly faster at takeoff and finals on certain training exercises, but we've had a few make the mistake of running way way too hot "Here comes the boom" 🤯😮😂. I've taken several videos of conical vapor cones and many wing tip vortices directly over my house. It's incredibly loud sometimes, so much so that you have to pause the TV or a conversation while inside your house when they get going. They fly so low that you can clearly see the pilots and because they can see us, it's not abnormal for them to give a thumbs up or waive when the kids are outside. I've pretty much lived on AFB's my whole life around the world so I've gotten used to being able to sleep through them, however, as anyone who's experienced a full afterburner take off knows, there is no sleeping through that when it rumbles your insides 😂😅. 5am and Everyone in the house pretty much meets in the living room breathless and laughing saying "Well, I Guess that's our wakeup call.". That's not an uncommon occurrence being that early, because at least once a month they have pre dawn training exercises in the cooler months and to keep cool in the summers, they tend to do a lot of 6am runs or late late runs that have them returning after 11pm. Needless to say, I love the thunderous wind song of an aerial fleet. Souls of men dreaming of skies to conquer. Gave us wings, ever to soar! With scouts before and bombers galore. 🙏🏻

[@Nicksonian]

Here in Annapolis, we’re accustomed to fighter jets roaring overhead at low altitude, so I doubt much of anyone had a second thought of the Sept. 2000, fly-by over Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Blue Angels just made their yearly visit with two days of acrobatics and of course that’s much more dramatic than mere fly-bys. They do a few maneuvers at high speed and last week one flew right over me standing in my back yard. It’s hard to fathom how fast and loud they can be. Very cool! I was a photojournalist and covered many Navy games and graduations from 1986 until 2004, all of which had fly-bys. I don’t recall if I was at that game.

[@WilliamLuttrell-s8u]

Best fly by was at the Monterey Blues festival, on a Sunday afternoon while Coco Montoya was playing, a single F-18 took off at the navy base next door and went vertical full burner and did a slight photo roll. Coco just stopped playing, Incredible.

[@georgeburns7251]

Navy base next door?

[@alzeNL]

As a brit, I have the utmost respect the pilots and their skills, but also for those in charge making sure that the public's safety is not compromised without due process.

[@rednose1966]

I love these low flights. If they can rate them as safe I want to continue to enjoy them.

[@patrickshannon4854]

Impromptu Flybys: I was working on a "D" model on the flight line at Utapao. I got thrown off cause engine shop had shown up w/instruments. I walked out in front of the nose awaiting a ride from the shop truck. Across the ramp, engine shop & instruments were readying a '135 for the same business. Soon, I was totally immersed in the sound of 12 roaring engines. It was great, I loved it. I took my 'ears' off to imbibe. All of a sudden, there was a loud "BOOM!" & the night sky was illuminated by the blue-white afterburner flames of an FB111, at low altitude, shooting down the center line of the main runway. I was thrilled then & now. Sorry if I'm boring you, but if you'll permit: I was in the AMS launch truck on the Kadena flight line, when the SR71 crash landling occurred. I was on the beach in Agana, Guam when a "D" model, returning from a combat mission, exploded out to sea. It was night & the explosion lit up many miles of shoreline. 4 aircrewmen were lost. I was at Utapao the day Vietnam surrendered & over 110 South Vietnamese aircraft fleeing the Vietcong landed Willy- Nilly everywhere. Pilots w/their families & wounded soldiers. Made me sick. We went in for the Big Win & we lost. 49th anniversary of the surrender of South Vietnam in just a few days. At Utapao, SAC closed out operations in SEAsia. To commemorate the event, the last 3 Buffs flying in a cell formation, came in VERY low, hot & fast led by the Wing Commander. They peeled off, gaining in altitude, the trailing aircraft wagging its wings in farewell. I still feel emotional thinking about it.

[@PaulBeaudoin]

Hey I saw one of those once. 2005-ish, 4th of July. Two Super Hornets from NAS Lemoore, CA flew over downtown Hanford, CA, and right over my house. They were less than 1000 feet. Very low. It was awesome. I don't know if the pilots got in trouble. They probably did. The next day one of my co-workers, a retired EA-6B pilot, spent half an hour telling us how outraged he was, and that he called the base CO to complain about it. I swear, there's always somebody that wants to suck the fun out of the room!

[@ictpilot]

Don't you hate snitches?

[@WildernessForever]

Always a "Karen" to ruin everything!

[@andrewhoward4523]

I was at that titans game. I won’t ever forget that. I love flyovers, but that was insane that day.

[@DanTaron-l5o]

My most memorable fly by was at the USC-UCLA football game 4 weeks after 911. The Los Angeles Memorial Colosseum was packed with 90,000 fans. A lone trumpeter perform the national anthem. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone had their hand over their heart. A lone B2 timed the fly over precisely at the last note. Very moving

[@eastbaystreet1242]

I don't often say this, because it doesn't often happen, but your comment brought tears to my eyes and a deep breath of emotion. The images: lone trumpeter, the silence in the stadium, the hands over hearts. Hundreds of emotions, memories, historical moments, victories, losses, casualties - all in the history of a nation, flashing through our minds in a moment like that.

[@jamegumb9731]

It's so unfortunate that our government did that to us.

[@WildernessForever]

​@@eastbaystreet1242❤

[@WildernessForever]

❤

[@timesfly1081]

I like the flybys that come right as they sing “for the land of the Free” It really emphasizes just what keeps us free in this beautiful country God bless America 🫡🇺🇸

[@slayer8actual]

I've seen lots of flybys but never at a game. These were in Iraq and Afghanistan, and were being conducted by Apaches and A-10s, depending on which ones were assigned as our CAS. After they went by, many times the cheering was just as enthusiastic as that of the crowds in the stadiums...at least from us. Not so much by the other guys in the treelines and hilltops. Love me some flybys.

[@NoahSpurrier]

I was working in the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco in the 90’s. During Fleet Week the Blue Angels give a performance. A friend of mine and I went up to the observation floor to eat some Vietnamese sandwiches and watch the show. One of the jets came flying down Montgomery street. He was flying below our floor. We got to see him from above. The windows were shaking. One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.

[@burgesj7]

I'm over 40, I'm a DEEEP LOVER of the tomcat. I wanted to SO badly be a tomcat pilot. I wish I had done it. My new love is the f22. These 2 planes just rock my world

[@roundysquares]

The most dangerous fly-by I ever witnessed was during the 2020 Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge. Two Portuguese Air Force F-16s were buzzing the lighthouse at the tip of the cliffs right above the lineup. They were approaching from the south and therefore appeared to most everyone watching the competition on the north side of the cliffs out of nowhere, at maybe 200 ft above the water. They then pulled up vertically with full afterburner. The craziest thing, though, was the fact that the air was swarming with drones. They could have so easily hit one of them. I couldn't understand how this was signed off by anyone. Probably two pilots who wanted to show off.

[@baloog8]

The drones unless hit directly an engine intake wouldve bounced off the plane with minor damage.

[@kirstenscott516]

Husband is ex-Navy Seaking 'Looker' & he was horrified by rotary wing fly-by. "Too much kick the tires & not enough cool-headed planning" was his comment.

[@Chris-bg8mk]

Yep, spot on. As a helicopter driver, it definitely raised my poker factor watching the Chinook have to flare hard upon exiting the stadium to avoid crashing into the element in front of them.

[@disbelief3911]

The Chinook's quick nose up looked like the pilot wondered if they can clear the flagpole. May just be the perspective, though.

[@captwrecked]

My brother is an RCAF Sea King and now Cyclone sensor operator. I went fixed wing. lol. His reply was: "PUCKER! Way too low" The "Cool Factor" is never worth endangering people we swore to protect.

[@KutWrite]

"Soaking Looker" = Anti-Submarine "Tea Bagger?" :D

[@SkeezyFPV]

It wasn’t even exciting though like the other ones. It was like watching buses try to do nascar lol

[@jasonjenkins-ferris]

re: Iowa City. I'm a pharmacist, graduated class of 2006. had no idea this happened. "clearing the scoreboard by 58ft". you know what's higher? the children's hospital immediately across the street, where the kids fighting cancer, etc. line up at the windows facing the stadium. Imagine if things went "south". Love the channel btw.

[@WardCarroll]

My understanding is that hospital wasn’t built until 2017.

[@jasonjenkins-ferris]

@@WardCarroll looks like you're right... the ground breaking ceremony was in 2013. Now I'm scratching my head wondering what all the sky cranes were working on in the vicinity when I graduated in 2006. I honestly can't remember... it's been too long.

[@johntomaszewski9602]

Thanks for another great episode! The coolest thing I ever saw at the Air Force Academy as a Cadet: Navy pilot knife edge flyby during our noon meal formation, so low that the plane couldn't be seen as it passed by on the opposite side of the chapel.

[@flparkermdpc]

Scared me sptless just in the reading !

[@LemanoftheRussIV]

ill never forget the f 18s at the rose bowl 25 years ago. Three went by. The lead was in the back He then pulled right over the bowl went vertical with full afterburner and barrel rolled as he climbed out. The best flyby I have ever seen.

[@francisschweitzer8431]

DAMN!!! What was that…. 30 Feet ASB ? ( Above Score Board )

[@mikedempsey1041]

As a corporate pilot, I flew guests to the Iowa Hawks game, and was in the pressbox area when that fly-by occured. I remember watching them approach the stadium, and started moving back from the window, because the wingmen was not holding altitude and moving around while trying to stay on the right wing. It was pretty cool when they flew over, but - yep, I knew they probably were going to get in trouble over that one!

[@Wannes_]

57 or 58, it's in the video

[@N_Wheeler]

11:42 that Chinook is at max deceleration.

[@jonmoceri]

This made me think of the 1994 Fairchild Air Force Base B-52 crash. I was a medical intern at Sacred Heart Hospital, in Spokane and we saw it happen live in the emergency room TV. The consensus was that there couldn't possibly be any survivors.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Yep, that hot dog comes to mind immediately....

[@ziggystardust4627]

That is an example of what happens when you accept unsafe practices repeatedly and don’t address the behavior before it becomes too late.

[@pongokamerat8601]

@@ziggystardust4627 Exactly! When leadership accept deviance, it becomes the norm.

[@paulmathis2191]

I made the mistake of showing a couple of Marine F4 pilots where I'd be camping as they did the preflight before a weekend cross country flight. They flew over at about 1500 ft. Pretty cool. Then one pulled up and went to a 5k orbit. We lost the other behind a ridgeline. He cleared the ridge by 50 ft. and dropped into the valley getting no higher. As he got close, he pulled vertical and hit the burners. The tent when flying one way, the cooler went another and the rocks blown up by the exhaust put my windshield on the floorboard on my truck. BEST SHOW EVER!!!

[@oldgoat142]

You know, I LOVE low level runs just as much as the next guy. I've seen a bunch of them when I was on the IKE and more than a couple at ballgames, but these are in a class by themselves. Now I'm not aircrew, but I do know that complacency, or younger pilots deferring to seniors when they know the senior's maybe not in the right gets people into a whole lot of trouble a whole lotta quick. Nevertheless, it makes my heart go pitter-pat whenever I see these demonstrations. Makes me feel like a kid again.

[@MusicTherapyLaz]

Hi Ward... LOVE your channel. I was at a Low Tomcat Flyby at a SF 49ners game at Candlestick Park in the 90s... we were in the upper bleachers and I swear I could reach out and touch the jets they were so low! They flew over rather slowly compared to some of these videos which just added to the tremendously, overwhelming feeling of AWE! My first thought was... man, I'd hate to be the enemy of these things flying overhead! I dreamed of flying Tomcats as a pre-teen and teenager, well before the the movies came out... even signed up to the Air National Guard in Colorado, hoping to fly then someday. But my vision disqualified me from any service... such is life! I give back by donating Platelets, Plasma and Blood at the Red Cross as often as I can, play music and do what ever else I can for our troops and Veterans. Later in life I learned I inspired my younger brother, John who's a now retired, but proud member of the 970th National Guard & Desert Storm Veteran! We're 1st generation Hungarian Americans and proud of our nation's military and what this country's ideals mean to the world! Thanks for your service, your books and your music! 😎🤘🎸🇺🇲🇺🇦🇭🇺

[@Pastor.Dragon]

When I was younger the 174th out of Syracuse would do a missing man formation for Memorial Day parades in F-16s. Still gives me chills.

[@stevenscoville2773]

Back in the early 1990's a fellow Aviation Machinist Mate Senior Chief was having his retirement ceremony in the parking lot at NAMTRAGRUDET Oceana about mid morning. Due to spending his whole career in fighters at NAS Oceana, it was pretty easy to set up a flyby with an F14 from one of the squadrons. Despite all of us being aviation ratings with plenty of hours on the carriers and flight line, I thought he might take the tops off the pine trees out front! Everyone ducked but it was fantastic. We were going to do a dual retirement (I'm also a mech chief) but I decided to stay in a little longer. We were both cruising in sister squadrons (Vf11 & VF31) from 1984-1987 on Forrestal. Good times!

[@kickZtailout]

Motivating as hell. The Annapolis TCU flyover has always been a favorite of mine. SH as it gets.

[@MBailey1977]

Huge Georgia Tech fan and I was at the game! The stadium went bonkers!

[@markswan2582]

Me too! That was awesome! Both pilots were Tech grads, btw.

[@billynomates920]

american me: whooo-hoo! european me: what if a mid air happens at the worst time and they go into the stadium? captain obvious: will be a major accident. ntsb: will be a little while.

[@TOOLbassplayer]

Not only do I love your channel and content but the fact you are wearing a tool shirt is mind blowing!!! Love your gear in the background as well! Thx for your service and sharing your knowledge + experiences with all of us aviation geeks! 😊

[@kdavis63]

I was stationed at Ramstein AB in the 80s and saw the FlugTag disaster. I am lucky, I decided to not go down to the runway to watch because I wanted to see the CF-18 solo take off. They changed the order for some reason and the Italians took off first instead. It was just unbelievable.

[@ClockCutter]

Yeah. That 4 ship T-38 fly over was definitely badass.

[@phx4closureman]

3:25 *DAYYYUM THAT WAS LOW!!!!!*

[@jaynicew]

Sh*t was AMAZING 🗣️‼️

[@mk6315]

Dangerous as hell But f*ck if I don’t wish I was there to see it

[@rexrexford5249]

Thanks Ward, your vidoes and insights on military aviation are always worth viewing. They're educational and underscore the highest standards of professionalism required of our military men and women.

[@shredd1190]

Heros get rembered, but legends never die.

[@stephenbritton9297]

Favorite flyover I've been at was one of the big stage shows at the 1993 Boy Scout Jamboree at Ft. AP HILL (probably named something else now). Thousands of scouts and leaders gather for a concert by Lee Greenwood. As the National Anthem opening the show ended, 2 F-14's screamed overhead from over the stage. They were low, fast, in burner and with the wings back. The stage blocked them and their sound for most people until they were ontop of us!

[@dalemanolas5994]

At the very first Australian Grand Prix, an F-18 Hornet came real low over the stands then planted it for a vertical climb and seemed to hang above the stand I was sitting in for a moment. The exhaust blew a cloud of cups, magazines and assorted crap out all over the racetrack and instantly restyled everyone's hair. That was awesome!

[@jonathanc.gillespie4897]

All these flybys were honestly incredible but that chopper flyby was something else. Amazing!

[@stevecam724]

Those fly-bys were kickass, thanks Ward, sweet work 👍👍😆😆

[@JHillNC]

THOSE. WERE. AWESOME!!! Everytime I witness a fly by, even on tv, I get goosebumps and involuntary tears of joy at the raw, visceral display of American air power. When watching live on tv, I'll turn the volume on my TV up to extreme levels just to hear the engines scream as if I was there. It makes absolutely no sense, but it makes me feel so powerfully patriotic and happy. 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲💪💪💪

[@johnnolen8338]

Clever marketing there, Mooch. A video montage of "close shaves" sponsored by a razor company that also happens to make flight qualified parts for spacecraft. How incredibly subtle! Bravo, sir. 😂

[@WartimeFriction]

Haha! I didn't put that one together, great job! Wife and I love our Henson razors too, so always glad to see them sponsor channels I love.

[@bertg.6056]

A great episode, Mooch. Terrific fly-by footage.

[@pauldevey8628]

I was working at Baggotville Que. The night before I had dinner with some CF-18 pilots. They told me to stand at the end of the airfield at 10:00 AM the next morn. Well I was and 3 F-18s tool off and that blew me away. The fourth flew a bit lower and then at the end of the filed, over where I was did a tail stand and went vertical. I could feel the heat and smelled like fuel. I was shaking with excitement.

[@captwrecked]

LOL, had the same experience but out in Cold Lake when I was posted there. SO awesome. Cheers!

[@tedmoss]

I actually got bored watching F-105's and B-52's take off and land, ruined my hearing.

[@jackmac729]

Air Force vet who in the Middle East saw these low fly bys as a show of force. They were awesome. As long as they knew their city and the height of the buildings and the ordinance to not blow widows this was awesome

[@johnadair8492]

Great episode Ward. As a civilian pilot and skydiver, I've seen (and may have done) foolish acts than I care to remember. It's all fun and games until the aircraft hits the crowd.

[@WardCarroll]

Exactly.

[@TyrannoJoris_Rex]

That's why I stay away from airfields in operation and at least 3 railcar lengths from the tracks when a train comes by

[@stoppersocke_rs1481]

0:16 only thing i could understand in the crowd is HELL YEA

[@Sometungsten]

The Air Force has a figure of speech, D D D - Don't do anything Dumb, Different or Dangerous. All branches should observe this commonsense mantra. Civil aviation has something similar.... The two most dangerous words you can hear or say is, "WATCH THIS."

[@GeneBrotherton-z6q]

I thought those words were "hold my beer!"

[@alandaters8547]

@@GeneBrotherton-z6q Watch this is for people who don't even need beer to get themselves into trouble!

[@troydspain1099]

​@@GeneBrotherton-z6q"and watch this!"

[@wills2140]

Just as a Marine once told me - remember the "five P's" : Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance (it is called "five P's" because you aren't supposed to say the fourth P in "polite company")

[@AIRDOODOO]

Seeing a B-2 Stealth Bomber coming at you at the Indy 500 - priceless

[@navret1707]

Talk about career-ending moves. Wooopps.

[@thestrum71]

Saw 8 F-16's, 2 4-ships holding a pattern above where we live before they were to fly over Brussels for our nations national day. They made 3 turns above our heads. In perfect formation. Below 1000 ft. Watched in from our backyard with my sons. They were awestruck. One of them said: "dad I wanna do this too" Good enough for me. Just imagine 8 F-16's turning in unison above your head, all the noise, rock 'n' roll forever....

[@davidmeyering9114]

That heli pass was insanely dangerous. They were inside the stadium!

[@20chocsaday]

There is also the other side of it, proving to the watchers that they have warplanes that can do dangerous things.

[@MeppyMan]

@@20chocsadaysorry but adversaries don’t need to watch that to know the capabilities of the aircraft. That’s just a post-hoc excuse. Even though you could potentially put down if something happened, there are plenty of things that can go wrong that could put high energy metal flying into the stands in all directions. How would that look to an adversary?

[@greg_mid_tn3150]

Yes they were! I was at that Titans/Saints game in the upper deck and was looking into the cockpit of the following AH-64. Turned to my friend and said - "they're gonna get hammered for that stunt'.

[@20chocsaday]

@@MeppyMan They would smile with relief that their beliefs are confirmed. And I know, even from the USA military aircraft flights there are fatal incidents that should never have happened. The last big one I can think of in Britain was when a Hunter (that's an old one, I never knew there were any left) didn't pull out of a loop just outside the wire. The people who paid to go in were safe. That's why the loop was done outside but there were people at the wire looking in. It landed on them and burned. In the earlier days of supersonic flight a plane broke up above the spectators so they were sent a mile from the coast, just in case.

[@MeppyMan]

@@20chocsaday Shoreham air show… I remember it happening.

[@ScottSwenka]

While not a fly-by this happened out at the Glamis Sand Dunes in Southern California roughly 25yrs ago. I was in a group riding the tops of the peaks of the dunes in a quad at that time and I kept hearing noises that seemed like they coming from the bike but those types of noises weren't possible. Keep in mind I had a full helmet, goggles and visor on making my field of view limited and also muffled sound. So I stopped and the sound persisted. Moments later in the valley to my left (at best 500ft away) two jets screamed through roughly level with me (dune top was maybe 150ft tall) they then lit the afterburners and did a almost vertical climb. I could feel the heat, smell the exhaust, and the large cloud of sand and dust from the valley floor rushed over and around me. The earth shook, the sound was the loudest thing I had ever experienced and not to mention I almost sh*t my pants. I had to sit there for a few minutes to regain my composer so I could collect my thoughts and continue on my ride. It happened so fast I was unable to identify which jets they were but they did have 2 engines each. I guessed that they came out of El Centro California AFB about 30-40 miles away as seeing military helicopters, cargo, and other jets are common out there.

[@LiamMalone-sg7ui]

shaving ad ends at 5:14

[@Brianparsons1991]

Flown these before myself. To plan one of these we always rehearsed. A major part of all that was when we were to switch altimeters we would follow. We usually did it by following the radar altimeter while over the town then switch to following the barometric altimeter. Mainly bc it was more accurate and easy to fly in formation to just add the height of the stadium or flagpole to the local “mean sea level” altitude along with the 1,000 ft for clearance. We would cross our release point on time, on heading, at altitude, at speed, and talking to the right person. Comms and time were usually the hardest things to count on going right.

[@shirothehero0609]

The only time sitting in the VERY back row is the best seat in the house.

[@wills2140]

While I don't really want to clutter up the comments on Ward's channel with this story of "fly-by" highjinks, I feel the need to tell this history from my father here ... My dad served during WWII in Central Florida working on radar (both as a civilian contractor in electrical engineering, and later after 1942 when he was forced inducted to the US Army Signal Corps, to keep the secrets of what he was working on). One day he was working with a couple of British "advisors" and happened to hear a plane flying over his area. He and the advisors went outside to see a B - 26 "Marauder" circling around (or the "Widow Maker", he knew most of the aircraft and their nicknames - loved planes, and knew some of the pilots training and flying from the several Airfields and Bases here in the Orlando area). The B 26 pilot was coming down low, really low, almost too low - he had leveled out and buzzed the *roof* of a Quonset hut where a particular officer was working. Literally - a B - 26 fast bomber with it's landing gear down, trying (and succeeding) to roll it's wheels on the rooftop of a fairly low building! (kind of like practicing a "touch and go" type maneuver!). Dad was occasionally known to tell "tall tales", but this one was backed up by one of the British "advisors" (a friend that also bounced around and came back to Orlando a few times over the years, as my dad had also done). It must have been a terrifying but amazing sight. Dad said the pilot did get in real trouble, but I can't remember if ever said what the punishment was for pulling a stunt like that. Orlando and Central Florida had quite a few flight training bases during WWII (and after at SFB, and eventually "nuke school" at NTC Orlando, others) so my dad got some voluntary practice in "aircraft spotting" (even bought a silhouette book at some point. I enjoyed looking through that book when I was a kid). Dad would have been 108 in March, if he were alive - he passed away almost 30 years ago. He got to see so much - from the inter war years with the birth of commerical aviation to landing on the moon to the birth and success of computers to the early cellphone, including the changes to Orlando after the war and in a few of this areas "boom years" (though he didn't get to see me work at the former Navy airfield SFB in Sanford FL as a passenger care agent, or my marriage [of now 24 years, longer than any of his 3].). Separate note \ comment : My uncle John Sanford was the only other of my dad's six brothers to serve (but my older half brother would serve in Vietnam). John flew "the Hump" for the AAC, to deliver troops and supplies to Burma and the CBI theater. He would later crash while flying missionary relief supplies to Ecuador (or maybe Honduras or Venezuela, it was just after I was born). Thank you Ward Carroll for bringing us the deep information and details about the world of military aviation (Navy) and international affairs!

[@monstrok]

The Chinook looks like it narrowly avoided a mid-air by pitching up at 11:42

[@SSaugaCriss]

negative

[@josephroberts6865]

The chinook may not have narrowly missed the Apache, but had he not stood it up on its tail, he would have overtaken the Apache and a mid air certainly could have ensued.

[@MeppyMan]

Wasn’t close but they definitely had to slow down quickly to avoid it becoming close.

[@ImpendingJoker]

@@SSaugaCriss He is absolutely correct. See my response above.

[@ImpendingJoker]

@@josephroberts6865 It wasn't the Apache it was narrowly missing but the Blackhawk that was ahead of it. See? Even you missed it.

[@bryanepp5340]

Thank you for the explanation of safety and stadium flybys. That was more complicated than I thought it would be. Thank you for the work all you soldiers do to keep us safe. Your lives are a great sacrifice. Thank you.

[@pongokamerat8601]

It is the "now look at me!" syndrome. Lack of leadership and discipline.

[@gargoyle7863]

A consistent "loose your wings guaranteed policy" would put an end to this.

[@AlanToon-fy4hg]

On Labor Day 1979, two Montana ANG F-106's were doing an unapproved low level flyby at a parade in Dillon, Montana when one of then struck a grain elevator at approximately 100' AGL. The 106 exploded and the pilot ejected outside the envelope and was killed. The were some 40 people injured on the ground.. There was hell to pay afterwards..

[@RickRoseIsAwesome]

Sooo helicopters are safer than jets? In what world...?

[@VigilanteAgumon]

Autorotation

[@jpotter2086]

Missed opportunity, expecting a crack about that F-18 pass being a "close shave"

[@southerninterloper4107]

And today, if any one of these leads who were disciplined claimed he was confused about his gender and thought he was T, there would have been zero punishment.

[@bennettmylius1563]

I'm 100% sold on the razor blades my guy, I'm glad I didn't skip the advertisement, I got high hopes for em. Very well done

[@joedoe6444]

the best fly-by i have ever seen was only witnessed by 3 people. it was Jan. 2002, we were snowmobiling in southern Montana by Cooke City. we had made it to the top of a 11,000 ft. mountain on a clear blue-sky day. we had stopped to take a break and enjoy the view, on a clear day you can see all the way down to the Tetons in Wyoming. as we sat there we heard the sound of a jet plane coming closer which was very unusual, we looked in the direction of the sound and at a low altitude was Air Force 1 flanked by a handful of F-15s (after 9/11 security), i don't know how far they were above mountain top level, but you could easily make out the details of the planes flying by. they must have descended to get a better look at Yellowstone Park as they were flying just over the northern edge of it. when we later seen some news, they had mentioned President Bush had been at some world conference in Seattle, so they were on their way from there back to DC. once in a lifetime event, still makes me think back to that day with my friends out having a blast.

[@edschultheis9537]

As a former civilian aerospace/mechanical engineer for the US Navy, I spent a few years (1986-1989) working on the Lockheed S-3 Viking aircraft in Alameda, CA. The job was to figure out how to rework the aircraft, investigate failures, devise fixes/repairs, and keep the fleet of about 170 aircraft worldwide in service. I suppose because of that experience, I always have a bit of apprehension when I see these flybys over stadiums of people. Practically all the time, they go off without a hitch. But in the back of my mind I am thinking of all of the things that could go wrong (and have gone wrong in the past), which could result in a disaster with many people maimed or killed. One of my responsibilities at that job was to coordinate fixing aircraft issues related to the TFOA (Things Falling Off Aircraft) program. I would get a monthly report of TFOA for the aircraft. TFOA would include the wide range of screws, fuel caps, access panels, entire engines, and entire aircraft crashing. Just one small example... I had to investigate and solve a problem with a rash of fuel caps (5-6 instances over several months), weighing about 2 pounds each, falling off of the aircraft while in flight. The problem was fixed with a small design change to the fuel cap. But those fuel caps landed somewhere. In 4-5 of the instances, the fuel caps landed in the ocean. But in 1-2 instances, the caps fell on land. If this were to happen over a stadium of people with the aircraft flying at high speed, one or more people could be killed. This is nothing compared to the catastrophe that would happen if an aircraft lost control and crashed in a stadium.

[@blancolirio]

Outstanding debrief Ward!

[@WardCarroll]

Thanks, Juan!

[@TwistLosi]

Hornet pilots at the Avalon Airshow in Melbourne Australia have been doing a low and high AOA move along and away from the crowd line at the end of the display for awhile now, the runway at Avalon is not that far away from the crowd line and you can feel the heat from the burners if you are in the right spot along with the obviously very loud sound.

[@CSAFD]

"Maverick is down wind, no front landing gear, no tailhook, pull the cable and raise the barricade." John hamm's face is priceless when the tomcat flys by the tower.

[@lear1980]

I remember seeing a low fly-by 40 years ago. I was at a 4th of July celebration in 1984 with my new girlfriend, now wife, at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, KS. It was a 24,000 seat stadium, 12,000 in east and west stands. We were near the top of the west side as a pair of F-4 Phantoms from the Kansas Air National Guard came through. They lit their afterburners just north of the stadium and were low enough we could see the pilot's helmets. I'd been to several air shows with military demo teams but that was the first I "felt" the planes as they passed.

[@thomasd3862]

When I was in the training command in Advanced, I flew a training cross country with my instructor from Beeville to Andrews. I left my flight gear in the airplane and toured DC the next day. Unknown to me, my instructor, an Academy grad, took his non aviator, (non ejection seat trained), ex classmate up in the TA4. They did a flyover of the USNA and the local area, low enough that it was reported by more than one person, including FAA folks. I didn't know a thing about it, but was called in on Monday to the Ops O's office. That was my instructor's final flight. It took about four days for him to lose his wings.

[@John_SlideRule_Bullay]

Only Army aviation could have gotten away with it! LOL! Fun video Mooch! Fly Army - 🚁