Talk about a wake-up call, Sacramento.<\/p>\n
The four F-15 Eagles that thundered across the Sacramento skyline Thursday morning were part of the California State Senate\u2019s celebration of America\u2019s 250th birthday, ending a morning of speculation after the surprise flyover rattled neighborhoods from downtown to Arden Arcade.<\/p>\n
Jack Christensen, a spokesperson for Sen. Catherine Blakespear\u2019s office, said the F-15C Eagles participated in the Senate\u2019s commemoration of the nation\u2019s 250th anniversary. Permit records from the California Highway Patrol\u2019s Capitol detail confirmed the flyover was part of the planned event organized by Blakespear, D-Encinitas, and Senate President pro Tem Monique Lim\u00f3n, D-Santa Barbara.<\/p>\n
The aircraft flew in formation over the state Capitol at about 8:42 a.m., crossing Sacramento from northwest to southeast at about 340 knots, or roughly 400 mph, before continuing south through the San Joaquin Valley, according to flight-tracking data from ADS-B Exchange<\/a>.<\/p>\n The jets flew at roughly 1,400 feet above ground level, producing a roar that was heard across downtown, Land Park and Rosemont, according to readers who contacted The Sacramento Bee.<\/p>\n The flyover, typically seen in the afternoons or evenings for sporting events and special celebrations, sparked multiple Reddit threads and social media posts as residents tried to determine who was flying the aircraft and why. One thread<\/a> had received nearly 100 upvotes and more than 50 comments after being up for about 45 minutes.<\/p>\n Earlier Thursday, spokespeople for Beale, Travis and Edwards Air Force bases, as well as Naval Air Station Lemoore, said the aircraft were not assigned to their installations.<\/p>\n