Artemus Posted October 15, 2014 Author #51 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Janis, I really doubt you would have been running outside. Like I said, I talked to several people who were on lido who thought an airplane was getting ready to hit the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark290 Posted October 15, 2014 #52 Share Posted October 15, 2014 If you thought it was safer on the floor, I don't understand that reasoning, then why didn't you pull your wife down on the floor with you ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar1068 Posted October 15, 2014 #53 Share Posted October 15, 2014 As the Kinks said..."Paranoia the Destroyer".....or something to that effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrate13 Posted October 15, 2014 #54 Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) Sorry, but I too have doubt about the 50' estimate. Many average folks cannot make accurate visual distance estimates. 50' is only about three parking space lengths or so. My house is over 70' wide and I highly doubt the aircraft was less than a house length or three parking spaces away from the ship. As for the crew not issuing a warning that this was going to happen, they probably had no idea themselves. I'm guessing their radar is looking at surface vessels, not aircraft and I doubt the pilot called them. And yes Artemus, I too would have run outside to see it. Sorry you were so scared. Edited October 15, 2014 by Pyrate13 word left out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASOXFANN Posted October 15, 2014 #55 Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) Ah, the sound of freedom! The U.S. Jets are flown by the best trained pilots on the planet. It's actually excellent training for them. While we all hope & pray it isn't necessary they may be called on someday soon to deliver ordnance on time and on target to protect American lives. God Bless every one of our brave men and women who protect all of our rights (including our right to cruise) 24/7 365. I can tell you that in another life I was flying anti-submarine patrols in the Atlantic. While there weren't near the number of cruise ships afloat then, you'd be nuts if you don't think we knew the location of every passenger ship out there! We much preferred to be rescued by a passenger ship as a military vessel or a freight hauler if the unthinkable happened! I'll bite. How does buzzing a cruise ship provide "excellent training for them" that they can't get elsewhere? As you can tell from my profile pic, I'm as pro-military as anyone else :) Also, like I said in my previous post, I think this would have been cool, but not at the expense of someone's elderly grandparent who may have gotten a little too excited...:eek: Edited October 15, 2014 by VASOXFANN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeLuvr87 Posted October 15, 2014 #56 Share Posted October 15, 2014 I work at Langley AFB in VA with the F-22s. That sound is a beautiful thing, but I can understand your gut reaction to dive to the floor! Would have been neat to see, but I'm sure I would have peed myself until I figured out that I was totally safe! What a neat experience. Pics of the aircraft carrier are too cool! Would love to see something like that out at sea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kona_wahine Posted October 15, 2014 #57 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Since so many people are glued to their camera or cell phone these days where's the pictures? Believe it happened but on the second pass somebody should have got one. I wish I had my camera! It was so cool, so fast. On the ship, cell phone is worthless and we were just walking around so didn't have our camera. Totally unexpected for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbound Posted October 15, 2014 #58 Share Posted October 15, 2014 It happened to us one time although I do not remember the ship but the was a retired navy pilot on the ship that I just happen to run into by chance he said there could have been an air craft carrier close by. It did make hard turn. In 31 cruises this only happened to me once. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanpatricksmom Posted October 15, 2014 #59 Share Posted October 15, 2014 As often as the Blue Angels perform over various cities across the country, I'm pretty sure that the military is confident that their pilots can safely navigate around a cruise ship. Btw, I have a house within walking distance of Martin State Airport, and have had a Blue Angel fly directly over my deck. It felt like I could reach up and touch him....but I was pretty sure that was a bit of a misconception. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artemus Posted October 15, 2014 Author #60 Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) I did see a large ship on the horizon with my binoculars after the jet passed but could not recognize what it might be. It looked like it could have been an aircraft carrier turned pointed towards our ship. I looked at it a long time trying to figure it out. For what it's worth, my cousin's son (my second cousin) was once a member on The Blue Angels and later became an astronaut and was the pilot on one space shuttle mission. Edited October 15, 2014 by Artemus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbound Posted October 15, 2014 #61 Share Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) I'm willing to bet that is why the jet buzzed the cruise ship, jets do not buzz cruise ships unless the are told to by their commander. You can bet there was a destroyer or a sub escorting the air craft carrier they do not travel alone. Gary Edited October 15, 2014 by Shipbound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laprof Posted October 16, 2014 #62 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Gunner 13 - Were you Navy P-3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travler27 Posted October 16, 2014 #63 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I too used to fly in the Navy anti submarine business. Real long time ago. Anybody ever heard of a P-2V? We did close fly-by's to get photographs of non-US vessels. Mostly Russian ships. Anywhere we could find them. It was fun watching the hand salutes from the Russian sailors and watching their guns lock on and follow us around the sky was even more fun. Of course we were going at less then 200MPH. We never did any close fly-bys of civilian ships but we did like to fly down the beaches and along the cliffs of Molokai. We were required to stay 50' off the surface but I've seen water on the wings before. I would be surprised if the plane in question was anything like 50 feet away. Probably more like several hundred feet. Anybody ever tried to take a picture of a plane about 100' off the water passing maybe 500' away going 500-600 MPH. You'd have to do it in milliseconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGA961 Posted October 16, 2014 #64 Share Posted October 16, 2014 . I do not mean to sound like a stick in the mud, but believe me, accidents happen in an instance. Too late... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cv322 Posted October 16, 2014 #65 Share Posted October 16, 2014 Oh wow! I was also on the Pride last week (Oct 5 - Oct 12) and I WISH that I had seen the jet! How cool would that be! I was in the casino Monday & Tuesday...:rolleyes:...I remember hearing a loud plane one of those days, but didn't see it. Maybe next time! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mzloolue Posted October 16, 2014 #66 Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) I can understand how some people were spooked. But it may not have been as close as they thought. I spent part of my childhood living under the Oceana flight path. I love the sound of fighter jets. This morning the Blue Angels are practicing at an air field a few minutes from my house. Love it when a fighter comes over the house! I really miss the planes since they closed the base here. Several years ago a jet fighter came low over my car on my tree lined country road and it did spook me for a moment. Edited October 16, 2014 by mzloolue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 2Ccruisers Posted October 16, 2014 #67 Share Posted October 16, 2014 I've never been buzzed on a ship but as I was walking out of the hospital where I work a few years ago I watched US jets buzz the hospital for the kiddos in the Children's unit. It was expected at the hospital and once I got over how LOUD it was I swelled up with American pride. It was amazing to witness! That was, however, the last time they did it since so many people in the community complained but I heard later that the kids loved it:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travler27 Posted October 16, 2014 #68 Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) I can understand how some people were spooked.But it may not have been as close as they thought. I spent part of my childhood living under the Oceana flight path. I love the sound of fighter jets. This morning the Blue Angels are practicing at an air field a few minutes from my house. Love it when a fighter comes over the house! I really miss the planes since they closed the base here. Several years ago a jet fighter came low over my car on my tree lined country road and it did spook me for a moment. Paul Jones Circle? Edited October 16, 2014 by travler27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roosterlamp Posted October 16, 2014 #69 Share Posted October 16, 2014 How cool is that?? Straight to the top deck to get all of that on camera! Then again, I love hanging out on Maho Beach :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_G Posted October 16, 2014 #70 Share Posted October 16, 2014 If you thought it was safer on the floor, I don't understand that reasoning, then why didn't you pull your wife down on the floor with you ? You beat me to it. [emoji1] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artemus Posted October 17, 2014 Author #71 Share Posted October 17, 2014 You beat me to it. [emoji1] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk She was on the other side of the bed. Any other questions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_G Posted October 17, 2014 #72 Share Posted October 17, 2014 She was on the other side of the bed. Any other questions? Just having a little fun with you. ;) Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner13 Posted October 17, 2014 #73 Share Posted October 17, 2014 I'll bite. How does buzzing a cruise ship provide "excellent training for them" that they can't get elsewhere? As you can tell from my profile pic, I'm as pro-military as anyone else :) Also, like I said in my previous post, I think this would have been cool, but not at the expense of someone's elderly grandparent who may have gotten a little too excited...:eek: First, thank you for your service. Without knowing *any* of the facts regarding the jet's mission I'm simply making informed guesses. I don't know what type of jet it was, or to what service it belonged. Odds are great it was a training sortie but whether air-2-air or air-2-surface? My guess would be the pilot had already set up some runs with simulated stand-off weapons on a "target of opportunity." Finally he/she either set up a gun run jinking & juking inbound to get some video or just decided to give the folks afloat a thrill. In the age of video cameras in every hand I seriously doubt the bird was anywhere near 50 feet from the ship. As you know training ROE are just as strict, possibly more strict, than combat rules. Why use the cruise ship? I dunno. I do know with the administration currently in power in D.C. there are far fewer gray ships to engage and far fewer dollars and opportunities for training. You might be shocked to know commercial airliners are also used as targets of opportunity. I'm sure there are pictures, just none from this small sample. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momof3cruisers Posted October 17, 2014 #74 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Sorry, but I too have doubt about the 50' estimate. Many average folks cannot make accurate visual distance estimates. 50' is only about three parking space lengths or so. My house is over 70' wide and I highly doubt the aircraft was less than a house length or three parking spaces away from the ship. As for the crew not issuing a warning that this was going to happen, they probably had no idea themselves. I'm guessing their radar is looking at surface vessels, not aircraft and I doubt the pilot called them. And yes Artemus, I too would have run outside to see it. Sorry you were so scared. Sailing out of CA I have seen several fly bys from troops practicing off the coast of San Diego. One time, we were warned ahead of time, once we're informed what it was after the fact and the other times people pretty much just figured it out. It's very loud but I've never been scared by it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNJCruisers Posted October 17, 2014 #75 Share Posted October 17, 2014 If I was walking along the Lido deck when that happened, I would have been so startled, I would have spilled my drink and then I would have had only 14 left to consume with the Cheers program. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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