This is our third summer here in Oregon, living in the same house. Every year in August, at a small airport located about two miles away, there is a huge international air show. This past weekend, from Friday through Sunday, was the air show. We live in an open area, where we can just step right outside, look up, and enjoy every bit of the air show — without having to pay an admission fee. In fact, the entire neighborhood is usually sitting outside with their cool drinks, snacks, and cameras to take pictures of the jets and awesome planes that fly by.
The air show is actually very cool to watch. The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps all bring their fighter jets and put on a great show. There are “flying circus acts”, and “night areobatics”, along with other death defying performances. It truly is a spectacular show (if not a bit nerve-wracking to watch the smaller planes spiral toward the ground, only to pull out of the free fall at the last possible minute — OY!). The only thing I don’t like about the air show is how loud the fighter jets are as they pass over our area. The sounds they make literally shake the house and rattle the windows — and scare the beejeebers out of the cat and dog!
So, has anyone else ever gone to an air show? What did you think?
Janelle Denison finds it hard to believe that it’s been nearly 25 years since she first started writing romance novels. At first, it was a way to pass idle time while her husband worked swing shift, but before long it became an obsession to get published. Luckily, she kept at it (it took her over 5 years to get that first book published!) and is now a Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and USA Today Bestselling author! Now, after selling over 45 plus novels, she finds that her Plotmonkey pals help to keep her stories fresh and unique, and she can’t imagine writing a story without their input. Janelle lives in Oregon with her husband, Don, along with two teenage daughters that keep life interesting.
Destiny
Dirty Little Secrets
Once Upon A Valentine
Through The Night
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My early childhood was spent at a naval air station outside Phoenix, AZ and the Blue Angels used the area for practice, out in the open desert. The Thunderbirds have flown here at shows for many years. I love air shows. I’ve always wanted to be one of those lucky people who get a chance to fly with them- barf bag and all!!
Yes the sonic boom will send the critters into hiding- or relieving themselves right where they stand, the poor things!!
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I don’t think I’d want to be in ANY of those planes, LOL. You’re a lot braver than I am!
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I remember going when we were kids. A lot of fun. They do it here in Chicago, but it’s such a hassle going downtown that I don’t go. But I remember enjoying it a lot.
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I used to live very close to and worked at Mass Military Reservation. The air shows were awesome. We did both, stayed at home and watched from the yard, and went to the facility to experience it all. Both were good times. I remember one year we had a dog and a cat and both were so freaked out by the Blue Angels practicing (right over our house) that they both would be going up and down the stairs in opposite directions. It was actually pretty funny, but I felt bad they were so freaked.
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That was our dog and cat over the weekend — totally freaked out. I sedated our dog, but it wasn’t enough because she kept pacing through the house and bolting when the house shook from the planes!
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I’ve never been to an air show. Didn’t have them where I lived growing up and just haven’t made it to one in or around Nashville. Sounds like fun.
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Love air shows! We have quite a few over here in the UK. I especially like to see the WWII fighter planes – Spitfires and Hurricanes are my favourites. Caroline x
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I have never been to one but my brother goes every year and takes his kids. Maybe I should take one in…
and see what I am missing.
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Great photos! I grew up going to air shows and have always loved them, both in Oregon and AZ. Since we always flew in small planes, I loved the chance to go up in helicopters, and other fun stunt planes at air shows. (Also used to skydive, but not at air shows.)
Our house while I was growing up in Oregon was on a hill overlooking the Air Force base. My pilot dad kept the control tower radio on all the time and the fighter jets would fly past our huge picture windows (so close you could see the pilots’ helmets), often rattling and occasionally breaking dishes. Our Aussie would chase jets instead of cars. Fortunately, he never caught one.
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I can’t even imagine skydiving!!!
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I LOVED skydiving! It’s the closest thing to flying (which I always tried to teach myself to do as a kid jumping off our roof), especially since I did it before the tandem jumps they do now, so I was all alone up in the sky. Except one time I came face to face with a hawk riding the thermals. I don’t know which of us was more surprised.
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I love seeing the Blue Angels fly when they come to Fleet Week in San Francisco. It is always Columbus Day weekend. I love the sounds! I’m sorry your animals were freaked. There was a small air show at the Santa Rosa County airport this weekend. I didn’t go, just wasn’t possible this time. I did hear some of the planes, but I love the sounds. There are no big name groups at this show as it is too small but they do focus on military planes. It sounds like fun to watch from your own yard. The first time I saw the Blue Angels fly was before 9/11 and one of them flew under the Golden Gate Bridge, that was an awesome sight.
They don’t do that anymore, but the show is still great. I’m like Ev I want to get up there & fly in one of those planes with them! 
Love the pictures, thanks for sharing.
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Our household is gearing up for the Reno Championship Air Races that will be held in September. Since Hubby is involved with the Air Race Foundation, we will be non stop in racing activies for 5 days. My yougest and I have just a wonderful time, meeting pilots, checking out planes and just enjoying all the excitment of the races.
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Fun, Ardie!
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Sounds like fun, Janelle! I’ve never been to an air show, but live relatively close to a smaller/university [airport] so have experienced the house/window rattling.
And I grew up close to where Goodyear’s HQ are so I remember random blimp sightings :)
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When I was an ARFF (Airport Rescue Firefighter), I worked the air show every year. I’ve also been to Sun and Sea down in Lakeland, FL. They are noisy! LOL but seeing the static display of the historic warbirds and watching the aerial displays is awesome!
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It has been a few years since I last saw an air show… there is a military base nearby and they have one for the public to come and see… very interesting! Nice pics!
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How fun, Janelle :). I haven’t been to an air show since I was a kid and then we were promoting my dad’s client’s business (there’s always a business angle in my life…LOL). Hope your dog is better :)
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I’ve been to the air show in Lakeland, FL. I work parttime at a department store in Lakelnad near the air show. When the planes flew over us, it’s so noisy we can almost feel the vibrations. A couple of older ladies were walking by my counter (I’m in fine jewelry) at the exact moment a plane flew and they literally ducked to avoid…whatever they thought was coming at them.
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Oh no, my comment didn’t save from this morning….grrrrrr!
Hey Janelle, what I said was that I have never been to an air show. I would love to see one. You are so lucky. The Air Force use to fly low around here on Memorial Day, and I loved the rumble of the engines as they flew by. The air moved so hard it rang the bells and shook the entire building. They stopped flying low after 9/11 though. It must be so cool to see the tricks these planes can do. Kudos to you for having front row seats too.
I hope this one saves. I miss you!
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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My bf took me to one last summer, in Geneseo, NY. It was amazing. We sat right on the flight line in lawn chairs with our feet on one cooler and another cooler between us to hold our drinks. It was fabulous! I loved all the WWII airplanes and the other stuff. I have tons of pictures of airplanes that I have no clue what they are. I also took pictures on his camera at his direction. I could stand on the cooler we had our feet on to get a better picture. We didn’t get to go this year. Not really sure why.
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lol…my aunt lives right next to westover afb and those suckers fly over her house day and night…anytime we go there we get to lay in her pool and watch them fly overhead….and boy are some of those planes huge…when they do the shows it neat….but…one time one of the planes dropped stuff flying overhead…and it crashed through her roof…they tried to deny it was from them but the wheel was pretty self explanatory…needless to say…she’s not a big fan ….she’s also had refuse from the lavoratories drop down at her house too in the past. Though she does like to joke that they are looking for me when they fly over and I’m visiting…she refers to me as the criminal…because I won on a ticket and she lost on hers…she said I won on her ticket because I cut her in line…ummm…she was in a wheelchair and like 5 people beat her to the line…..lmao…just her way of trying to make me feel guilty…it doesn’t work..lol
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Sounds fantastic, Janelle! We actually used to be able to see some of the military planes doing the air shows over Patrick Air Force Base when we lived in Florida–very cool to watch!
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I actually worked an air show. I was volunteering with my ROTC class two years ago.We were in charge of helping move the aircraft,keeping people off the runway and answering any questions we could.The only down side was the heat(I live in southern California)It was close to 100 and because we were an ROTC class we were under orders from our officers no to sit down.We got breaks every so often but the heat was a real back breaker.I personally love the sound of the jet engines,not planes.Planes propellers chop the air making a more disturbing sound.
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We have the air and water show here over Lake Michigan in Chicago every summer in July. It is a spectacular site, from the Blue Angels, the small crafts and the sky divers, it it quite a show…
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Every November there is an air show in Stuart, FL. I too hate the low fly overs. I really dread the noise! Too scary! I fear a crash!
We attended Germanfest last year in downtown Milwaukee. Simultaneously,there was an air show and it was very distracting. You could not hear the music performers.
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There’s an annual air show at Ellington AFB, outside of Houston, which my
husband loves to attend. I’ve attended a couple of them but not since the
show where I embarrassed myself! During the Blue Angels performance,
there is an instance where they make a low pass just in front and above the
seating area. During the pass it seems, someone screamed quite loudly. I
don’t recall it happening, but I was the one standing there with my hands over my ears with everyone staring at me! I had a headache for the rest of the day. I am assuming that the loudness caused pain in my ears which in turn caused the scream & headache. (That’s Dr. Pat’s diagnosis!) We did get to meet and get autographs from several of the Blue Angels after the show and that I greatly enjoyed!! Pat C.