General Discussion

I've seen the USAF Thunderbirds (in 3 different aircraft - F-4 Phantom II, T-38 Talon, and F-16 Fighting Falcon), the Blue Angels, the Canadian Snowbirds, the British Red Arrows, and the Italian Frecce Tricolori flight demonstration teams through the years. Each has their own unique style and 'flavor' of their shows. The Blue Angels are project speed and sheer power. The Thunderbirds seem to be a little more 'graceful' with ultra-high precision. The Red Arrows and Frecce Tricolori both seemingly put a lot of planes in the air and have visually stunning shows with multi-colored smoke, and the Snowbirds have a somewhat more laid-back and graceful show.

All are amazing pilots, and I wouldn't pass up the chance to see any of them when given the opportunity.

Here in Seattle we'll have the Blues again. We usually go down to the Museum of Flight for their 'Jet Blast Bash' and watch them take off, see a few of their high maneuvers over the ridge between Boeing Field and Lake Washington, and then their landing.