I was the pilot. I was an instructor in VP-31 at the time, the video only shows a couple of the maneuvers but we maxed out the g's several times. For the airshow we had a minimal fuel load and only 4 people. The plane was very nimble at that weight.
I was at the 86 airshow as well! Was there on sunday...Saturday was my 30th birthday party and I stayed up all night, left at 3 AM from Los Angeles and drove up to Sunnyvale. As well as the Italian Frecce Tricolore, there was also a performance by the German Navy "Vikings" and their F-104s. Amazing show.
I always enjoyed going to airshows at Moffett. They usually had the Blue Angels there but 1986 was different - they had the Tri-Colored Arrows from Italy perform. There was an F-14 and that pilot put on one hell of a demonstration that year. And actually I was always very impressed with VP-31s Orion demos. The P-3 is a big airplane and they made it dance. Thanks for posting this video.
Heh, heh, I wondered what a P-3 could possibly do at an airshow to entertain a crowd?
Shut off an engine, feather the prop, re-start engine, open bomb-bay doors, close bomb-bay doors. That's about it, folks!
Not dissing the P-3 as it's served well for a long time now (well, a bit too long, it's time for the P-8 Posiedon), but in an airshow it's entertainment value is relatively low.
VP 31 was the training Squadron permanently based at Moffett. Everyone went through VP31 prior to going on to their assigned squadrons. Was there 76' to 78' with VP31 then VP9.
I was the pilot. I was an instructor in VP-31 at the time, the video only shows a couple of the maneuvers but we maxed out the g's several times. For the airshow we had a minimal fuel load and only 4 people. The plane was very nimble at that weight.
rippeerh 4 months ago
I was at the 86 airshow as well! Was there on sunday...Saturday was my 30th birthday party and I stayed up all night, left at 3 AM from Los Angeles and drove up to Sunnyvale. As well as the Italian Frecce Tricolore, there was also a performance by the German Navy "Vikings" and their F-104s. Amazing show.
Thanks for posting this.
orangelion03 6 months ago
I always enjoyed going to airshows at Moffett. They usually had the Blue Angels there but 1986 was different - they had the Tri-Colored Arrows from Italy perform. There was an F-14 and that pilot put on one hell of a demonstration that year. And actually I was always very impressed with VP-31s Orion demos. The P-3 is a big airplane and they made it dance. Thanks for posting this video.
nev594 8 months ago
Heh, heh, I wondered what a P-3 could possibly do at an airshow to entertain a crowd?
Shut off an engine, feather the prop, re-start engine, open bomb-bay doors, close bomb-bay doors. That's about it, folks!
Not dissing the P-3 as it's served well for a long time now (well, a bit too long, it's time for the P-8 Posiedon), but in an airshow it's entertainment value is relatively low.
jesusisbetter 1 year ago
VP 31 was the training Squadron permanently based at Moffett. Everyone went through VP31 prior to going on to their assigned squadrons. Was there 76' to 78' with VP31 then VP9.
stinkingdog101 1 year ago
i would give anything to work a moffett airshow nowadays. Nasa refuses to put on a show.
darklordojeda 1 year ago
I love watching the P-3 back up. You jet jockys can't do that!
In my 3 years at NAS Moffett I never had to work the annual air show - lucky for me.
KansasMusicLover1 2 years ago