Wondering where the Blue Angels are flying today? Here’s where to watch in May
The Blue Angels have shows scheduled every weekend throughout May, starting right here in the Sunshine State.
On Saturday and Sunday, you can find the Blue Angels performing at the Vero Beach Air Show between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on both days.
Afterward, the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team will head north along the East Coast, making stops in North Carolina, Maryland and New York. Here's where to watch them this month.
Blue Angels Vero Beach Air Show
The Blue Angels will return to Vero Beach with a show at 6 p.m. on Friday. The team will perform their regular shows from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the performances there will be a kids zone and other fun experiences.
General admission tickets start at $25 per person for the Friday show and $50 per person for Saturday or Sunday. More ticket options, such as reserved seating and the photo pit, can be found here.
Blue Angels MCAS Cherry Point Air Show
The MCAS Cherry Point Air Show in North Carolina will take place on May 11-12. Admission and parking are free. Upgrading seating options are mostly sold out, but you can still grab bleacher seating, Afterburner Club and Flightline Club tickets for the Sunday show. Tickets can be found here.
Blue Angels Naval Academy's Commissioning Week at Annapolis
Each May, the Blue Angels headline the Naval Academy's Commissioning Week festivities in Annapolis, Maryland. The team will return this year on May 21-22 to perform for thousands of spectators above the Severn River.
Commissioning Week is open to parents, family members and invited guests, but you can catch the Blue Angels flying by boat (via a private vessel, charter, sailing tour or cruise). If you don't have a boat and don't want to spend the money to buy your way aboard one, you can line up across the bridge between Eastport and Annapolis or Hospital Point at the Naval Academy. The Blue Angels will take to the sky at 2 p.m.
Blue Angels Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach State Park
Lastly, you can catch the Blue Angels at the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach, New York, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 25-26. The air show is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
What to expect at a Blue Angels air show?
If you’re never been to a Blue Angels air show, you’re in for a treat. Plan for an all-day event, from waiting in line as you await the opening gates at 8:30 a.m. to when the show wraps up about eight hours later.
Once the gates open, depending on which show you’re attending, you’ll likely be able to meander through vendors, claim spots to watch the show, enjoy performances from civilian and other military teams and learn about some aeronautical history.
Each show has a fairly strict schedule it follows, which can be found online. Taking a peek, you’ll see that there’s something to keep your attention every 30 minutes to an hour, starting with a parachute demonstrations and ending with a demonstration from Fat Albert just before the Blue Angels take to the skies.
How long do the Blue Angels fly?
A Blue Angels air show is typically an all-day event spanning about eight hours. Civilian acts and other military performers take to the skies throughout the day leading up to the final event: the Blue Angels. Fat Albert will lead the Blues with a short 10-15-minute demonstration, and the Blues will perform for about an hour afterward.
What planes do the Blue Angels fly?
In 2021, the Blue Angels started flying in a new airplane for the first time in more than 30 years — the Super Hornet F/A-18 E/F. The new jets are 25% larger, fly 40% further, remain on station 80% longer and can carry more weapons than their predecessors. The team previously flew F/A-18 Hornets, which they transitioned to from the A-4F Skyhawk II in 1986.
How fast do the Blue Angels fly?
The new Super Hornets can reach top speeds just under Mach 2 (about 1,400 miles per hour), almost twice the speed of sound. The jets can climb at a maximum rate of 30,000 feet per minute.
Blue Angels pilot salary
Blue Angels pilot salaries are no different from what their pay would typically be, based on rank and time in service.
Where are the Blue Angels based?
The Blue Angels are based onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida.
Blue Angel pilots 2024
Here’s a look at the Blue Angel pilots for the 2024 air show season.
#1 Cmdr. Alexander Armatas — Cmdr. Alexander P. Armatas is a native of Skaneateles, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering.
#2 Lt. Cmdr. Jack Keilty — Lt. Cmdr. Jack Keilty, is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he attended Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School, graduating in 2005. He attended the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, where he lettered in football and earned a Bachelor's Degree in history in 2010. Upon graduation he was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy and reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API)."
#3 Lt. Wesley Perkins — Lt. James Wesley Perkins is a native from Pordenone, Italy, grew up in Georgetown, Texas, and graduated from Hutto High School in 2009. He attended Texas A&M University graduating with a degree in ocean engineering in 2014. Perkins commissioned as an ensign through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
#4 Lt. Cmdr. Amanda Lee — Lt. Cmdr. Amanda Lee is a native of Mounds View, Minnesota. She graduated from Irondale High School in 2004, where she competed in soccer, ice hockey and swimming. While attending the University of Minnesota Duluth, Amanda enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electronics technician (AT) and reported to her first command, VFA-136 "Knighthawks." She was selected to commission as a pilot through the Seaman-to-Admiral (STA-21) commissioning program in 2009. The following year, Lee attended the Naval Science Institute (NSI) for officer training in Newport, Rhode Island, and simultaneously began her studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry.
#5 Lt. Cmdr. Griffin Stangel — Lt. Cmdr. Griffin Stangel is a native of Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated from Madison West High School in 2008. He attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in air traffic control in 2012. Immediately after graduation, he reported to Newport, Rhode Island, where he received his commission as an ensign in the United States Navy after completion of Officer Candidate School.
#6 Cdr. Thomas Zimmerman — Cmdr. Thomas Zimmerman is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from St. Paul's School in 2004 lettering in football, wrestling and lacrosse. After graduation, he attended the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island, for one year prior to attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He lettered in lacrosse at both schools and graduated from the Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering, earning his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2009.
#7 Lt. Connor O'Donnell (Narrator) — Lt. Connor O’Donnell is a native of Freeport, Maine, and graduated from Yarmouth High School in 2011. Following high school, he attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in operations research."
#8 Lt. Cmdr. Brian Vaught — Lt. Cmdr. Brian Vaught is a native of Englewood, Colorado. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 2004, where he lettered in lacrosse. After high school he attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. Upon graduation, Brian worked in professional sports marketing and promotions, eventually attending Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, where he earned his commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2011."
Blue Angels schedule 2024
Here’s where you can catch the Blue Angels throughout the rest of the 2024 season:
May 4-5: Vero Beach, Florida
May 11-12: Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
May 22/24: U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
May 25-26: Jones Beach, New York
June 1-2: Terre Haute, Indiana
June 8-9: Chesterfield, Missouri
June 15-16: La Crosse, Wisconsin
June22-23: Dayton, Ohio
June 29-30: Traverse City, Michigan
July 6-7 Johnson City, New York
July 13 Pensacola Beach, Florida
July 27-28 Fargo, North Dakota
Aug. 3-4: Seattle, Washington
Aug. 10-11: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Aug. 17-18: Chicago, Illinois
Aug. 24-25: Wichita, Kansas City
Aug. 31: Cleveland, Ohio
Sept. 1-2: Cleveland, Ohio
Sept. 14-15: Owensboro, Kentucky
Sept. 21-22: Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia
Sept. 28-29: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
Oct. 12-13 San Francisco, California
Oct. 19-20 Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida
Oct. 26-27 Houston, Texas
Nov. 2-3 Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Where are the Blue Angels today? Here’s where to watch in May
