Fleet Week 2016 Takes Off from Oakland International Airport

Home for Blue Angels and Others Soaring Over Bay Area Next Week

Oakland, CA (September 30, 2016) - Oakland International Airport (OAK) will welcome the Blue Angels back to Oakland over the weekend as its base for Fleet Week 2016.  It’s the third straight year the precision Navy fliers will make Oakland their home on the road. They’ll be joined by United States Air Force aircraft, other performance teams and aerobatic planes, and France’s Breitling Jet Team, which will make its first Bay Area appearance.

The Fleet Week air show takes to the skies above the Bay Area during the first week of October. The Airport’s preparation for the week-long airshow includes reaching out to neighboring communities to inform residents about the week’s unusual flight activity and possible noise impacts.

The Airport is meeting with residents who live below Airport flight paths and providing updates to City Councils in neighboring Alameda and San Leandro. Although departures and arrivals will occur over some residences, OAK has worked with the Blue Angels and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to minimize noise by conducting some flights from the airport’s main commercial runway at South Field.

KEY FLIGHT ACTIVITY TIMES

The planned schedule for the high-performance flights when aircraft noise will be most noticeable is as follows (subject to change):

• October 3, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Media flights (South Field, Main Runway)

• October 2, 6:00 p.m. Blue Angels arrival (North Field)
• October 3, 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Media flights (Depart South Field, Main Runway; Arrive North Field)
  • October 6, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Airshow practice (North Field)
  • October 7, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Airshow flights (North Field)
  • October 8, 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Airshow flights (North Field)
  • October 9, 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Airshow flights (North Field)
  • October 10, 10:00 a.m. Blue Angels departure (South Field, Main Runway)

OAK COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The Airport's outreach efforts are part of an established Noise Abatement Program that works with surrounding communities on noise concerns related to operations at OAK. This is done in addition to efforts such as monitoring aircraft activities and educating pilots and air traffic controllers on noise procedures.

The Airport maintains a list of citizens and organizations that receive regular airport community advisories on any unusual conditions or activity that could affect aircraft operations. to be added to the Airport’s community advisory notification list, contact the Noise Hot Line at (510) 563-6463.

Follow Fleet Week activities on Twitter at @FleetWeekSF or by using the hashtag #FleetWeekSF

For more information about Fleet Week in the Bay Area, visit http://fleetweeksf.org/

For more information about the Blue Angels, visit www.blueangels.navy.mil

For more information about the Breitling Jet Team, visit  http://www.breitling-jet-team.com/en/news-events/

ABOUT OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Oakland International is the fourth busiest airport in California and second busiest in the San Francisco Bay Area. Serving over 11 million travelers each year, OAK is the closest airport to the region’s top tourism and entertainment venues. It is also the closest airport for most local residents.

Beginning October 6th, OAK customers can fly nonstop to El Paso, Texas, bringing Oakland’s air service roster to over 50 destinations on 12 different airline brands – seven of which operate with OAK as their sole gateway into the San Francisco Bay region.

The vision of Oakland International Airport is to offer customers a world-class experience and be the airport of choice for Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by The Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region and nearly 827,000 jobs across the United States.

For up-to-the-minute departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details on shopping, dining, transportation, and more,visit www.oaklandairport.com.

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

###

Media contact: Keonnis.Taylor@portoakland.com