This year, the San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show, often referred to as Fleet Week, was presented from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13 between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Fleet Week is an air show put on each year by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
While the event attracts many fans, residents of San Francisco are also able to catch sight of the planes from certain places. Oftentimes, the planes are easily recognized by the loud roars as they fly by; these sounds are caused by the large amount of thrust that the planes use when flying at such high speeds, according to sophomore Trinity Joa.
“I think Fleet Week is a really fun event that we have every year,” Joa said. “ I like how it brings out tourists and families who come to watch the show,”
Since 1946, the Blue Angels have been performing all over the United States and Canada in order to raise public interest in naval aviation and boost Navy morale. The Blue Angels perform alongside a commercial airliner called the United 777.
“It’s so much fun to see the planes flying each year,” junior Lillian McConathy said. “It’s especially nice because I have a great view from my house, and they fly right over it,”
Because of the location of the event, there are certain times in which the planes fly close to or even directly over the school’s campuses. While this is entertaining to watch, when it happens during class, the loud noises can also sometimes be distracting or disruptive to the lesson, according to Joa.
“I think it does get really noisy during the school day, and I feel like it would be better if they performed after work hours,” Joa said. “Also, it doesn’t happen where I live in SF, so that’s also kind of disappointing, but it does always make for a great outdoor event.”
