How high are fireworks?

As I watched some amateur fireworks displays this weekend, I thought about
what they would look like from the air. Before I fly in the vicinity of a
fireworks display, however, it would be nice to know how high those flaming
projectiles go.

Couple of hundred feet high is my guess. I have seen fireworks from the
air, and they are a dull event. They look like sparkles on the ground.
Don't waste your time. Fireworks are best viewed from the ground.




"Reid & Julie Baldwin" wrote in
:

As I watched some amateur fireworks displays this weekend, I thought
about what they would look like from the air. Before I fly in the
vicinity of a fireworks display, however, it would be nice to know how
high those flaming projectiles go.

You're right!

Seems like each year a friend tries to talk me into taking them up to see
the fireworks from the air. I tell them it just isn't worth it. The view
from the air with all the ground clutter lights is less than spectacular.
Also, don't get to hear the fireworks, the booms just aren't loud enough to
be heard well over the engine (unless you get too close!). Much better
enjoyment from the ground with a beer in hand.


"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
. ..
Couple of hundred feet high is my guess. I have seen fireworks from the
air, and they are a dull event. They look like sparkles on the ground.
Don't waste your time. Fireworks are best viewed from the ground.

"Reid & Julie Baldwin" wrote in
:

As I watched some amateur fireworks displays this weekend, I thought
about what they would look like from the air. Before I fly in the
vicinity of a fireworks display, however, it would be nice to know how
high those flaming projectiles go.

"AS" == Andrew Sarangan writes:

AS Couple of hundred feet high is my guess. I have seen fireworks
AS from the air, and they are a dull event. They look like
AS sparkles on the ground. Don't waste your time.

They're worth seeing at least once, especially the bigger events. A
few weeks ago there was occasion to shoot some spectacular fireworks
at the SF side of the Bay Bridge, and I happened to be flying over the
Bay and down the coast while they were going off...now that was great.

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
. ..
Couple of hundred feet high is my guess. I have seen fireworks from the
air, and they are a dull event. They look like sparkles on the ground.
Don't waste your time. Fireworks are best viewed from the ground.


I mostly agree. Last night I flew from Abilene to Temple from about 9:15-10:15. The impressiveness of the
individual shows was not great (especially from 7000 feet!). But it was pretty neat to see across the entire
landscape the little technicolor bubbles sort of spewing out of the ground. There was probably no instant when
there wasn't one erupting somewhere in view. You could tell the municipal-scale versus the individual-scale by
the size and frequency.

Of course they were ALL dwarfed to nothingness by the show being put on to the southwest of my route, by a
mature thunderstorm area about a hundred miles across. Seeing a lightning show like that from the air is
indeed awesome, because you get the scale and the 3-D-ness of it. And seeing it in the background of the
little "blips" of the fireworks shows really gives a sense of perspective between "forces of man" and "forces
of nature".

--
Cheers,
John Clonts
Temple, Texas
N7NZ

"Reid & Julie Baldwin" wrote in message
...
As I watched some amateur fireworks displays this weekend, I thought about
what they would look like from the air. Before I fly in the vicinity of a
fireworks display, however, it would be nice to know how high those
flaming projectiles go.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=gr...ting+fireworks

Fireworks go up to 1500 feet in the air. The littler ones go a few
hundred feet up, but the big displays can send an occasional one up a
thousand feet. The burst from the bigger ones is several hundred feet
across (thus my statement that you are unlikely to find anything above
1500). I flew over the Macy's display some (koff) years back and was
above them (but not by much) while below the class B.

They are indeed more specatcular from the ground, up close. However,
they are interesting from the air inasmuch as the aircraft's motion
changes the perspective on the burst as it is exploding, which is a neat
effect and worth flying to see. It's also fun to see the displays all
over the land as you are flying around.

Jose
--
You may not get what you pay for, but you sure as hell pay for what you get.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Jose" wrote

changes the perspective on the burst as it is exploding, which is a neat
effect and worth flying to see. It's also fun to see the displays all
over the land as you are flying around.

Second that. I was flying commercial on a seriously clear 4th, a few years
back. On approach, it was amazing, how many places were sending up
displays, big ones. Really spectacular.

I was so close on the ground this year, that I had ashes, and occasionally
big pieces of cardboard raining down on me. There was also a brick wall
about 20 feet from me, and the echoes really increased the strength of the
concussion.

That would be lost, in the air. I'll stay on the ground, if given the
choice.
--
Jim in NC

Jose wrote:
Fireworks go up to 1500 feet in the air.

I guess some may go that high. Most large shows go about 500 feet.

-Robert

Jose wrote:

Fireworks go up to 1500 feet in the air.

If they routinely went that high, wouldn't there be NOTAMs across the
country mentioning the times and location of various shows? It seems to me
that 1,500 ft AGL is definitely a hazard to aircraft.

My thoughts while watching a mid-sized show from the ground last night was
that none got about 500 feet.

--
Peter


















----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----