Is Chicago under attack?

August 14, 2008 1:08 PM

There seems to be an unusual amount of warplane-related activity in the skies over Chicago. Some sort of display-of-force? I've never seen anything like it.

Every three minutes or so, blue-and-yellow military aircraft go whizzing by the downtown skyscrapers, it is really making me nervous. Is Chicago under attack? I haven't been able to learn anything from the news. Thursday August 14th 2008, tell my mother that I loved her.

posted by shipbreaker to travel & transportation (22 comments total)

Blue and yellow? Like the Thunderbirds? Is there an airshow in town today?
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:09 PM on August 14, 2008

Yup, looks like you have an airshow this weekend.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:10 PM on August 14, 2008

(Meant the Blue Angels, the Navy precision flight team, not the Thunderbirds which are, I think the USAF team)
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:11 PM on August 14, 2008

Chicago Air & Water Show. It happens every year.
posted by ISeemToBeAVerb at 1:14 PM on August 14, 2008

Sounds like the Blue Angels.
posted by smitt at 1:15 PM on August 14, 2008

Blue Angels practicing. They do it in San Francisco too - it's pretty cool.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 1:20 PM on August 14, 2008

Air and Water Show practice. Wheee, sonic booms!
posted by misskaz at 1:20 PM on August 14, 2008

Enjoy the show, the Blue Angels are awesome.
posted by C17H19NO3 at 1:21 PM on August 14, 2008

I was just outside eating lunch with ignignokt, two blocks from the Sears Tower, talking about the building being a terrorist target and how some people would be afraid to work there when FWWHOOOOOOOOOOSSSSHH!

The Air and Water show tricks me every single year.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:35 PM on August 14, 2008

I have a hard time imagining that this question was serious, but everyone should go out to the show this weekend to watch the F-22 do its thing.
posted by adamdschneider at 1:36 PM on August 14, 2008

I haven't been to an airshow in forever...They fly the F-22 in them now?

(Unless you're talking about the Blue Angels, but they only fly the F/A-18.)
posted by C17H19NO3 at 1:38 PM on August 14, 2008

My first Summer in Chicago I lived near Division and Wells, and was greeted early one morning by a crushing sonic boom. That's when I learned about the Air and Water show as well.
posted by answergrape at 2:16 PM on August 14, 2008

Heh. Yes. I am also in a downtown building and for awhile the F22 (which is really loud) was flying by every couple of minutes. It's really fun to watch it fly - doesn't move quite like other planes.

Enjoy the preview!
posted by mosessis at 2:17 PM on August 14, 2008

Go down to North Ave. Beach tomorrow at 3 and see Bill Murray skydive! :)
posted by nitsuj at 2:26 PM on August 14, 2008

It's really fun to watch it fly - doesn't move quite like other planes.

Thrust vectoring.
posted by C17H19NO3 at 2:45 PM on August 14, 2008

Wheee, sonic booms!

Not so much. See previous askmefi.
posted by tew at 3:27 PM on August 14, 2008

August 6, 2008: Where's the best place to watch the Chicago Air show?
posted by ericb at 4:03 PM on August 14, 2008

"The best day to watch the Chicago Air Show is the Friday practice day.

This was definitely true in the past, but Friday is not a practice day any more, it's an actual show day. Crowds will probably still be less than on Sat and Sun, but it won't be the same as previous years when parking was easy and crowds were light.

No idea whether Thursday will be a practice day or not, but probably."^*

posted by ericb at 4:05 PM on August 14, 2008

Butter up, little muffin. The Air and Water Show terrifies all newcomers the first time. Next year, you can be the nonchalant guy.
posted by sugarfish at 4:05 PM on August 14, 2008 [1 favorite]

Apparently my old boss, despite having worked in the Loop for a decade, has never noticed the practice drills for the air show, or even known that it goes on. He and his brother, coming in from out of town, were looking forward to a laid back weekend by the lake. Not hearing the shreaking and booming, I wish I could have that kind of focus at work.

Alas, I've since left town and I sort of miss the annual "Are we under attack?" from the new guys. At least I got a bit of it here on the Green.
posted by hwyengr at 4:08 PM on August 14, 2008

I work on Navy Pier. It's worse there, believe me.
posted by melodykramer at 9:54 PM on August 14, 2008

I wish I could have that kind of focus at work.

I think the word you must have been looking for is deafness. I worked in the west loop yesterday for a measly half day and there is no physical, physiological, mental, or spiritual way I could have not heard those planes.

Paranormal, maybe.

Or maybe if I worked in an underground bunker.
posted by iguanapolitico at 9:32 AM on August 15, 2008