Navy’s Blue Angels Returning to Augusta in 2025
The Navy’s Blue Angels recently released their air show schedule for the 2024-2025 season, and Augusta is on the list of cities where performances are scheduled.
Their first air show in 2024 will be March 9 at Naval Air Facility in El Centro, California, where the team trains during the winter months. As is tradition, the final show of the year will be at Naval Air Station Pensacola, their homecoming air show, on November 2. In 2025, the Blue Angels are scheduled to perform in Augusta April 26 and 27, though no information about the show has been released locally yet. It’s been more than two decades since the Blue Angels performed in Augusta.
Officially they’re the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, but the public knows them as the Blue Angels. They have deep roots in Jacksonville where they put on their first demonstration in 1946. Today, they’re based in Pensacola and perform more than 35 weekends a year.
“Since 1946, it has been our honor to represent the hundreds of thousands of men and women who serve in the United States Navy and Marine Corps to audiences both at home and abroad, showcasing the excitement, precision, and power of Naval aviation,” said a statement from the Blue Angels posted on their website.
The Blue Angels currently fly a total of 11 jets; 9 single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet, two 2-seat F/A-18F. Only six are used during demonstration flights and the rest are used as spares. “The Fat Albert”, a cargo aircraft in the form of a C-130 Hercules, is used for transportation of the ground staff and spare parts.
Interesting Facts About a Blue Angels Show:
- There must be a visibility at least 5500 meters from the show center. If the lower limit of clouds is less than 450 meters, then the Blue Angels will postpone the show.
- If one of the team pilots is sick at the time of the show, then the rest of the pilots will fly without him. If the commander is not capable of flying, the show will be postponed.
- In one year, the Blue Angels consume about 14,000,000 liters or 3,698,410 gallons of fuel
- During the airshows, the Blue Angels do not use G-suits, which requires that the pilots are very well trained and know how and when to get in and out of specific maneuvers.
A First for the Blue Angels
2023 marked the first woman demonstration pilot to fly the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
For More Information on the Blue Angels
Visit https://www.blueangels.navy.mil
