Monday Morning Hudson Valley Fighter Jet Flyover

Local residents near the Hudson River this morning around 10:30 might be wondering what that sonic boom was. LoHud reports eight Air Force F-16s took off from Stewart Air Force base in Newburgh and flew south along the path of the river. The flight circled the Statue of Liberty and came home to the Hudson Valley. Originally scheduled for Friday, the first flight was canceled due to low cloud cover.

While the U.S. government no longer actively purchases the F-16 there are still many in active duty. Built by Lockheed Martin, the 50-foot long craft can reach speeds of 1,500 mph (Mach 2). The multipurpose fighter jet was first introduced in the 1970s and is now on its fourth generation.

The flyover got me thinking of one of my favorite movies, Top Gun. Remember when Maverick and Goose buzzed the tower? I thought I recalled them using an F-16 but it turns out it was a now-retired F-14 Tomcat.