A United Airlines Boeing 777 has been spotted flying over the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge as part of the city's popular Fleet Week Air Show. The commercial plane is set to conduct a flight demonstration over the San Francisco Bay twice a day during the airshow.

United 777 flies over Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco's Fleet Week Air Show 2022 kicked off on Friday with one of the most spectacular sights - a large commercial airliner flying at a low altitude over the city's iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The flight demonstration, performed by a United Airlines Boeing 777-300ER, is one of the most memorable attractions at SF's Fleet Week celebrations.

Pilot Scott Kartvedt, who enjoys the responsibility of training United pilots to perform the feat, told KPIX CBS SF,

"To see a commercial airliner fly over an iconic setting like the San Francisco Bay - it's amazing. There are a couple of favorite maneuvers. I like the initial pass because it's a little bit of inspiration when you see that big airplane at 300ft."

There are four United pilots qualified to perform the flyover, although only three are onboard during the actual flight. The Boeing 777 demonstration over San Francisco Bay is set to take place twice a day during the airshow, which runs through to Sunday.

Dropping to 300ft

United's Boeing 777-300ER, the largest aircraft type in its fleet, dropped to as low as 300ft during the stunt over San Francisco Bay. While previous airshows have offered clear conditions and blue skies, Friday's flyover saw the 777 soaring through thick fog over the bay.

United Boeing 777-300ER
SF Fleet Week Air Show is the only event in the US with a commercial aircraft performing a choreographed flight demonstration. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Kartvedt offered an insight into how difficult this flight demonstration is, stating,

"We come in from over the Pacific, over the Golden Gate Bridge, we're limited to 300 feet, 30 degrees angle of bank, and 300 knots. The first pass is exactly that - 300 feet, 30 degrees angle of bank, and 300 knots - we roll wings level, pitch up, and turn around Alcatraz. The dynamics of the plane aren't different than what you'd fly when you're here on the plane as a passenger. It just happens to be lower, so you have the fixed objects of the Bay, Alcatraz, and it looks amazing."

United Airlines is the Presenting Partner of the Fleet Week Air Show. The event's official website proudly states that it "is the only air show in the United States with a commercial airliner, the United 777, to perform a fully choreographed act."

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What is Fleet Week?

San Francisco Fleet Week is one of the city's biggest events hosted each year in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fleet Week isn't just about aviation fleets - it also attracts a wide range of military ships that congregate in the bay, along with a calendar of performances from military bands.

The Fleet Week Air Show is the aviation side of the event, launching on Friday and concluding on Sunday. The show hosts several popular performers, including headliners The US Navy Blue Angels, who will take to the skies at 15:00 each day.

Were you at the Fleet Week Air Show 2022? Have you ever been to the event before? Let us know your stories in the comments.

Source: CBS