F 18 High Speed Buzz of Enchantment of the Seas

[truffles2]

12 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

The exact reason I would not even think about posting a video. That would get into an ugly mess in a heartbeat.

It was there and gone so fast (and loud) that I doubt anyone even had time to think about reaching for their phone or camera!

[Engineroom Snipe]

15 minutes ago, truffles2 said:

It was there and gone so fast (and loud) that I doubt anyone even had time to think about reaching for their phone or camera!

And there were more than six "man overboard" cameras in the immediate area that I observed this. I know they were all running since it was near a gang-plank boarding area on the port side of the deck I was on (lifeboat muster deck with cameras everywhere).

 

If the Captain wanted to file a complaint, I would not like to be in the Naval Press Corp trying to put a spin on this one.

 

I wish, as a very proud Navy Veteran, to try and defend this fly-by. If something had gone just a bit north or south, we would be watching this on every channel on this planet for a very different reason.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Engineroom Snipe
typo

[davekathy]

22 hours ago, paross4 said:

Love the smell of burned JP8.  Sorry I missed it.

And that great sound of freedom. I hear it just about everyday. 

[chengkp75]

Moderately common for planes to make practice runs on ships. Seen it many times over 46 years. Pilot not likely to get into trouble. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by chengkp75

[Cigar King]

We had this happen once too.  Loved it.  Too bad I didn't have a camera with me.

 

 

[grandgeezer]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

And that great sound of freedom. I hear it just about everyday. 

We live near Luke AFB, in AZ. And also see and hear jets almost every day. The newer F-22s can be quite loud, when they fly a little lower, but as yo said, the sounds of freedom.

I don’t know what the big deal about flying over cruise ships, they do all kinds of flyovers over special events, such as the Super Bowl and I haven’t heard of any complaints.

[truffles2]

25 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

We live near Luke AFB, in AZ. And also see and hear jets almost every day. The newer F-22s can be quite loud, when they fly a little lower, but as yo said, the sounds of freedom.

I don’t know what the big deal about flying over cruise ships, they do all kinds of flyovers over special events, such as the Super Bowl and I haven’t heard of any complaints.

Don’t think they get quite as close to the venue and its patrons as they did with the ship!  By a looong shot!

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Moderately common for planes to make practice runs on ships. Seen it many times over 46 years. Pilot not likely to get into trouble. 

Agree, very common and Pilot be fine. Growing up around 3 SAC Bases then in Military seen low flying training for 50+ yrs myself. 

[chengkp75]

43 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Agree, very common and Pilot be fine. Growing up around 3 SAC Bases then in Military seen low flying training for 50+ yrs myself. 

German Air Force was having too many accidents with power lines while doing low level training, so they went to training on ships (no power lines).

[grandgeezer]

6 hours ago, truffles2 said:

Don’t think they get quite as close to the venue and its patrons as they did with the ship!  By a looong shot!

From what I can find, planes should keep at least 500 feet between them and the vessel or structure, unless they are taking off or landing. I have no idea how low our jets fly, but at times they are awful loud and the windows, and other things rattle. They are low enough that I can tell if it’s a F22 or an older one as the F22 has two tail fins and a wider body.

How high are they flying over the ships? 48 cruises and 494 days at sea and have never seen that happen.

I’m not concerned in the least about any accidents happen. They have an air show here and the Thunderbirds fly at 500 mph and their wingtips are so close you would think they are touching. 

 

[Cruise4Jesus]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:10 AM, RedIguana said:

According to some navy folks I know, the only time the air force gets that close to the ground is when crashing....I mean landing. And I hear that due to safety concerns all their afterburners have been disabled. Ergo it much have been the Navy.....🤪.

This statement is completely false, I speak from firsthand experience and knowledge. Afterburners are not just "disabled". As far as the Air Force not close to the ground, the A-10 flies close air support missions lower than any of the Navy aircraft, other than that Air Force and Navy missions are fairly similar.

[smokeybandit]

Man I'd love to be on board when this happens.

I frequently get F-18s or F-16s fly about 1500 feet overhead, plus some C-5s or C-17s looking like they're going to land in my back yard.

[BallFour4]

When you live a couple of miles off RWY 17 at Ellington Field in Houston you get to see the F-18's during air shows, the NASA T-38's and the Texas Guard Unit. 126.050 on the 2 meter Kenwood rig. K5BLU. 

 

.

[RedIguana]

1 hour ago, Cruise4Jesus said:

This statement is completely false,

Of course it is. It is known as humor. Hence the little crazy emoji at the end.

[Chadr135]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:27 AM, Engineroom Snipe said:

At about 11:15 am on April 27, 2023, (yesterday). I was sitting on deck five outside of the midship  elevator bank on the port side. I witnessed what appeared to be an F 18 do a high speed fly-by cutting from our starboard bow and sharply following our port side with the one wingtip lower than the top of the deck railing. I had a complete view of the top of the jet.  It might have been about 200 feet away at most. In all of my years in the Navy, I have never seen a plane almost touching the water on its side at about 390 knots.

 

It was a Top Gun moment where I could distinctly make out the details of the pilot's helmet.

 

The same jet made another high speed pass from our stern passing along the starboard side before doing a vertical afterburner ascent disappearing into the clouds in about five or six seconds.

 

I guess we looked threatening but after closer review, found not dangerous.

 

I do think it was a bit unsafe. I would hate to think what would have happened if a wingtip touched the water or God forbid, have struck the ship.

 

The Navy is not proud of it for I cannot find any reports about it with any search engine.

 

"Maybe it was the Air Force.........."  😉

 

🫢

So cool!!! Sign me up for that cruise!

[rolloman]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:27 AM, Engineroom Snipe said:

At about 11:15 am on April 27, 2023, (yesterday). I was sitting on deck five outside of the midship  elevator bank on the port side. I witnessed what appeared to be an F 18 do a high speed fly-by cutting from our starboard bow and sharply following our port side with the one wingtip lower than the top of the deck railing. I had a complete view of the top of the jet.  It might have been about 200 feet away at most. In all of my years in the Navy, I have never seen a plane almost touching the water on its side at about 390 knots.

 

It was a Top Gun moment where I could distinctly make out the details of the pilot's helmet.

 

The same jet made another high speed pass from our stern passing along the starboard side before doing a vertical afterburner ascent disappearing into the clouds in about five or six seconds.

 

I guess we looked threatening but after closer review, found not dangerous.

 

I do think it was a bit unsafe. I would hate to think what would have happened if a wingtip touched the water or God forbid, have struck the ship.

 

The Navy is not proud of it for I cannot find any reports about it with any search engine.

 

"Maybe it was the Air Force.........."  😉

 

🫢

Clearly you were never stationed on a Carrier. Funny story, I was on a cruise ship off the coast of Cuba a few years back and we had multiple high speed passes by two jets. The passengers on deck started shouting USA , USA...yeah..well..uh...those jets had the Cuban military insignia...

[Engineroom Snipe]

11 minutes ago, rolloman said:

Clearly you were never stationed on a Carrier. Funny story, I was on a cruise ship off the coast of Cuba a few years back and we had multiple high speed passes by two jets. The passengers on deck started shouting USA , USA...yeah..well..uh...those jets had the Cuban military insignia...

 

You are correct. Most of my time was spent on small boats out of Little Creek with occasional special assignments to mine hunters and inshore underwater warfare. I have served with carrier personnel and they stated our fuel smelled like aircraft fuel (which had a specific gravity just a bit heavier than JP8).

[macrc]

12 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

You are correct. Most of my time was spent on small boats out of Little Creek with occasional special assignments to mine hunters and inshore underwater warfare. I have served with carrier personnel and they stated our fuel smelled like aircraft fuel (which had a specific gravity just a bit heavier than JP8).

 

[macrc]

In the mid 60's I was stationed in Germany.  I was part of the forward air control team.  We did practice air strikes for US forces and other NATO members.  It was great to see F105 and F4C at 100 ft  using us for a target.  My greatest memory was a F105 Pilot saluting us as he flew by.  I still have the Picture some where.

[death_star]

If you're ever by (or in) Key West you'll often see both our current navy fighters practicing but also a lot of custom painted OPFOR planes that are the enemy. Had to do a lot of looking online to try figuring out what they were. 

 

Doesn't tipping a wing on a fly by mean something?

[squadron]

On 4/28/2023 at 10:13 AM, paross4 said:

Love the smell of burned JP8.  Sorry I missed it.

I agree - also love that "scream"!  

[BND]

On 4/28/2023 at 3:54 PM, moposh said:

Yes, there is an Air Force base in Virgina Beach.

Actually, it's in Hampton. 

 

I lived in VA Beach years ago and we lived close to Oceana and fighter jets routinely flew over our house and dumped fuel before landing.  That's how long it's been as it's illegal to do so now.  We've also been on a couple of cruises where a jet flew close by.

Edited May 1, 2023 by BND

[lovesthebeach2]

We’re from Long Island NY originally and I along with so many who lived there worked for a time at Grumman when they were building the F14s - the ones like were in Top Gun. They were building others, but I worked on the F14s.

 

Years later we moved out to the east on the island where they did all the test flying with them, all day, every day. My kids were amazed at that they could do with those jets. Truly incredible what that machine could do.

[zebra36]

On a few cruises down the Chesapeake Bay have seen flyovers but not quite so close as described above,

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

We’re from Long Island NY originally and I along with so many who lived there worked for a time at Grumman when they were building the F14s - the ones like were in Top Gun. They were building others, but I worked on the F14s.

Still the greatest fighter in US military history.