United 747 Does Flyby Near Golden Gate Bridge (VIDEO, POLL)

Though we're not quite sure what the reason was, an United 747 airplane did an ultra close flyby of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge during that city's Fleet Week.

A bystander, of course, filmed the whole thing, chronicling the plane's low altitude and close circle near the famous bridge.

In the video you can tell some people are shocked and some are totally comfortable.

Watch the video below and vote in the poll below to let us know what you think:

Quick Poll

That flyby was

So stupid. I would have been terrified.

Super cool!

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

Comments

[Dunkleberger Karl]

04:57 AM on 11/19/2010

It was 400 ft above the bridge well bellow where it was supost to be!

[land2341]

07:14 PM on 11/10/2010

Huf po call out number three for TODAY. Bad reporting. Sensationalizing something that had been clearly and extensively promoted. For shame.

[msimi]

10:53 PM on 10/23/2010

GEEZ! Let's get this over with. The United 747 was part of the U.S. Navy Fleet Week festivities in San Francisco. It was a pre-choregraped promotional fly-by. I was part of the announce team at airshow central. United's spokesman, Gordon-Bowman-Jones announced the entire segment with Gershwin's Rapsody in Blue playing in the background. Everything was under the control of the on-site air boss. The Blue Angels C-130 Hercules called Fat Albert DID NOT fly UNDER the Golden Gate bridge. The Blue Angels CWO attached to the Marine Corps C-130 called every manuever standing with us at central. Finally, to be clear, The Blue Angels fly F-18 Hornets. They have never flown F-15 Eagles. Before the F-18 they flew the A-4 Skyhawk.

[land2341]

07:12 PM on 11/10/2010

Is this video faked?? Or wrong plane?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99wDNYmGSbY

I think its cool.

[HereinDC]

12:02 PM on 10/22/2010

The upclose camera shot makes you think the plane is 20 feet from the bridge.............but when the camera pans out...........you see...........it really is quite a distance from the Golden Gate Bridge.

[lunacougar]

02:57 PM on 10/21/2010

If he'd had passengers aboard he would've lost his job, it's an airshow stunt.

[Sansculotte]

12:06 PM on 10/21/2010

Oh be serious. Dangerous!???? The Blue Angels flew F-15's UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge. And I trust a United 747 is just as competent as they are.
Chill.

[Jelliott]

03:46 PM on 10/22/2010

No they didn't. The Blue Angels fly F-18s. The Air Force is the only operator of F-15s.

[CJHAN]

10:38 PM on 10/22/2010

They use to fly F-15s and they did fly them under the bridge.

[Jelliott]

03:49 PM on 10/22/2010

But you're probably correct in that the Blue's flew under the bridge. Just not in 15's.

[cestpasvrai]

12:02 PM on 10/21/2010

Jet engines are my favorite sound... I could totally live close to an airport.

[Foxy Pachyderm]

01:22 AM on 10/21/2010

I didn't hear any shocked or totally uncomfortable people. Another lame article on the Huff.

[Tumunzahar]

09:38 PM on 10/20/2010

Fleet Week is loads of fun. Do Ask, Do Tell and Do Lots of Other Things, too.

[CrazyCarl]

03:32 PM on 10/20/2010

Uh - it was Fleet Week, which is an AIRSHOW. For hours, planes do all kinds of crazy things - it's fun, loud and really, really COOL ! I was there - the 747 did not fly that close to the bridge - the angle of the video in conjunction with the distance and zoom made it appear a lot closer in the video than it actually was.
Me thinks someone was bored at work at HuffPost today...

[SURFER DUDE]

02:55 PM on 10/20/2010

It was for real. It was a commercial jet with NO passengers aboard. As usual, HuffPo doesn't have the whole story. It was fleet week in San Francisco. The Navy Blue Angels were there. They used United's hanger facilities at SFO. United received permission from the FAA to do the flyby in an empty 747 for fleet week promitional purposes. The press had been reporting that this was going to take place for weeks. The locals were real excited to see it. There was no danger. Everything was done in a controlled environment.
HuffPo quotes "Were not quite sure what the reason was, but a United 747 did an ultra close flyby of the Golden Gate Bridge." Why don't you find out what the reason was before you print your sensationalized story HP.

[thereisonlyoneparty]

07:38 PM on 10/20/2010

UA gets permission to do promotional 747 flyover at air show is not a great news story.

Facts get in the way of emotions.

[tlChicken2]

12:47 PM on 10/20/2010

This was very cool to see. But, not quite as impressive as when Fat Albert (the C-130 used by the Blue Angels) flew under the bridge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99wDNYmGSbY

[Carbon Forteetoo]

12:40 PM on 10/20/2010

I'd like to see it go under the bridge. I'll bet a good pilot could do it.

[Jelliott]

03:48 PM on 10/22/2010

Yes a good pilot could fly a 747-400 under the bridge. Once.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

05:00 AM on 11/19/2010

Never been under the golden gate bridge have you? the clearence is less than 300 feet ,at high tide!

[anitaj]

11:05 AM on 10/20/2010

"So stupid" and "Super cool" aren't mutually exclusive.

[WryAwry]

10:22 AM on 10/20/2010

OMG -- it was going so slow! Did you notice the seagull that flew by so much faster than the airplane?

[ThinkCreeps]

11:49 AM on 10/20/2010

If that was the same distance away as the 747 it was a damn big seagull.

[Dunkleberger Karl]

05:00 AM on 11/19/2010

bird poop airlines!