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Navy spent $450,000 on Super Bowl flyover with stadium roof shut | ||||
2011-02-11 | ||||
The U.S. Navy has been blasted for spending almost half a million dollars on a flyover at the Super Bowl - even though the stadium roof was closed. The estimated $450,000 expense was for four fighter jets that flew from Virginia and over the retractable roof of Cowboys Stadium.
The $450,000 figure was based on the operational cost, the time it took pilots to fly the mission and a backup plane. But the Navy said the only costs that it recorded were the fuel expenses of $109,000 and the event provided good publicity to help military recruitment. Military aviation expert Jay Miller has questioned the expense. He said: 'What's the military exercise that's involved unless you're trying to pinpoint a target? And a big coliseum's your target destination?'
'These missions are included in the annual operating budget of all branches of the military and they are used as training,' said a spokesman for the U.S. Navy Air Force's Atlantic division. 'There was no additional money provided to us - Congress did not cut us a special check to do this flyover. This is considered a training mission whether they were to fly over the Super Bowl or not. I can't put a specific dollar attributed to what we did on Sunday, but we know we gained some recruiting points. Everyone in the stadium saw it on the big television screen and everyone else saw it their TV. From an exposure standpoint it was huge for us.'
Commander Ben Hewlett from Virginia Beach led the Super Bowl overflight. 'I would hesitate to say there is a need for it,' he told a television station. 'There is a desire for it. There's a want there. There's a public interest. There's a lot of Americans that want to look up and say: "We are super proud of our Marines, our sailors out there doing the job every day".' Every Super Bowl but one in 1967 has had a flyover, and the NFL in return promises to show the planes and give the Navy exposure.
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Posted by: |
#13 The vast majority of Americans respect and admire our Armed Forces - huge numbers of us have served. I and I assume most Americans like to see some tax dollars in action doing something worthwhile, like protecting the nation. I guess as an alternate they could have 4 welfare queens come to the mid-field and insult the crowd. |
Posted by: retired LEO 2011-02-11 22:33 |
#12 And don't forget that in 2 short weeks there will be military flyovers for every NASCAR event. |
Posted by: USN,Ret 2011-02-11 22:12 |
#11 For future: as this year's baseball post season begins (yeah I know that is like 7 or 8 months away); start bird watching at the local military bases close to the stadiums. There is a ramp-up in cross county training flights during that time frame. And try to get a room in the BOQ, go on, just try. Ain't gonna happen for us retirees. |
Posted by: USN,Ret 2011-02-11 22:11 |
#10 Last summer, the Blue Angels flew at the local Cherry Festival. Awesome. Still makes my nipples hard to think about it. Go Navy! Beat Whiny-ass Criticism! |
Posted by: SteveS 2011-02-11 20:37 |
#9 For decades Americans have been treated to military flyovers of local parades, celebrations, & funerals, along with flyovers for strictly training purposes. Why is this an issue today? |
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-02-11 19:59 |
#8 why fly all the way down from DC to do it? Training flights exercise more than just the airplane and its crew. Typically they include interactions with air space controllers etc. along the way. |
Posted by: lotp 2011-02-11 19:52 |
#7 Government Motors spent $9 million of your dollars on commercials for the super bowel. The Air Force spent $450,000. Who got the better deal and the most bang for their buck? |
Posted by: DarthVader 2011-02-11 14:32 |
#6 Best flyover for me was a B2 over Foxboro stadium. Low and crystal clear, well received by the crowd. link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsRIbEjlCK0 |
Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2011-02-11 13:43 |
#5 Even if the flyover does have some value, why fly all the way down from DC to do it? Pretty sure both Air Force and Navy have fighter jets based in or a lot closer to Texas. |
Posted by: Glenmore 2011-02-11 13:40 |
#4 Green Bay has flyovers at a lot of their home games if it isn't raining or snowing too bad. Usually they're the Air National Guard folks doing it. Pretty awesome PLUS Lambeau Field doesn't have a roof. |
Posted by: Mullah Richard 2011-02-11 13:25 |
#3 There was a program which followed a flight planning and execution over a stadium, I think Arrowhead in KC (where they just love it). Fascinating what all goes into it. I'm glad they kept the tradition alive, especially when the planning committee banned cheerleaders. |
Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-02-11 13:04 |
#2 ...Traditionally, the USN has always been very lenient about letting its airplanes fly, figuring that every minute of stick time makes their guys that much better. My former pastor's nephew - once he soloed at Pensacola - was encouraged to sign out a bird on weekends and fly home to SC. He got valuable cross-country training, and the USN got some free publicity. Mike |
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2011-02-11 12:30 |
#1 It still sounds awesome when they pass overhead. You can barely see them anyway, even with an open roof. They streak past in a second. This is a typical liberal non-story trying to shit on: the military, and the Superbowl. |
Posted by: gromky 2011-02-11 12:16 |