Did you miss the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels in 2020? Apparently they missed you too, because they’ve dropped a teaser video for their upcoming season.

The short clip released by the Navy includes footage of team members training in California, where they’re getting used to the F/A-18 Super Hornets they’ll be flying from this season onward. The video shows Lt. Cmdr. Cary Rickoff, flying Blue Angel #6, as he conducts a training flight over Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., and the Imperial Valley with Cmdr. Ben Walborn, Blue Angel #5.

The clip is being used to promote the team’s 2021 schedule, which follows a year in which air shows were shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among crowds.

The Angels’ first appearance is April 17-18 in Lakeland, Fla. Residents of coastal Alabama can look forward to the Pensacola Beach Air Show on July 10 and the season-ending NAS Pensacola Homecoming Air Show on Nov. 5-6.

https://www.al.com/news/mobile...st-covid-return.html



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WcSjxNM4H0

Always good stuff.

I may not make it to Sun & Fun in Lakeland but I’ll be at Oshkosh for sure. I’m ready for more aviation outings than we’re around last Summer.

Their home base is nearby. The Angels often fly over my house while practicing. The sight and sound of them is thrilling and never gets old.

Blows my mind to see someone that appears to be the same age as my kids doing that. Outstanding!

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
Blows my mind to see someone that appears to be the same age as my kids doing that. Outstanding!

Wait until they appear younger than your kids

When I see their videos I always think of Van Halen and "Dreams".

Has to be one of the coolest jobs on the planet.

Jim

Yes! I love the sound of freedom! Also hope the Thunderbirds will be going good this year.

Did you notice the pilot kinda grunting like he was constipated? They don't wear G-suits.

Apparently not much elbow room in an F18 either

So I have seen the Blue Angels fly many, many times. I have seen them do on the deck stuff they can’t even do anymore. I have seen numerous videos of them flying. I have always been impressed with their skill of course but even with all my exposure and being close up it was always just sort of cool or impressive.

We have an Oculus Quest VR headset. One day I booted it up and lost myself in a rabbit hole of VR video. One of the videos was from the seat of I think Blue Angels lead but suffice to say from the seat of one of the ships. After watching this from this vantage in full range VR my opinion of the Blue Angels has changed from above to.

HOLY BALLS THESE GUYS ARE BOTH INSANELY SKILLED AND PRECISE AND OBVIOUSLY BATSHIT CRAZY. I SHIT YOU NOT YOU COULD BASICALLY REACH OUT AND TOUCH THOSE OTHER JETS AT TIMES!!!! THOSE GUYS HAVE TO BE CLINICALLY INSANE.

So what I am saying is yes they are impressive indeed.

I thought that was V Tail for a moment ;-)

Love those blue jets!

I still miss the A-4's, much better turn-rate than the Hornets and they could do a dirty take-off. That's said, a low-level pass with the Super Bug will get me bits all excited.

There's a new act the Blue's will be doing this season, as they'll be combined with the USAF Thunderbird's for a Super Delta

Behold The Blue Angels And Thunderbirds' New 'Super Delta' Mega Formation

Here is a really cool in cockpit video of the Blue Angles that I have watched dozens of times and never tire of watching it or having my mind blown at their skills. Being a pilot myself, I consider their shows an impossible feat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4D0yx4DvBk

Saw them years ago at the Milwaukee Air and Water Show. Neat seeing them zoom all over the city while practicing.

Was really cool to see during their demonstration, a super low speed, very nose high solo pass over the lake. Like stall angle/ max thrust.

I read somewhere that they don't start with new aircraft. They fly used airframes, so new production ones can go to the fleet. Sure, the planes have been gone over with a fine toothed comb by maintainers before paint, but they pretty much are flying hand me downs.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Has to be one of the coolest jobs on the planet.

Jim

Getting to burn that much fuel has got to be a blast.

Talk to me Goose. Now if that Tom Cruise will release Top Gun 2.

I've seen them a couple of times in Pensacola where they do their spring practice. I've also seen them in Kalispell at an air show. Their practice there took them over my house - and most of the houses in the valley. Cool stuff.

My old house in pcola was 2.3 miles off the approach end of the runway at NAS. On practice days the front yard sounded like WWIII. But a good WWIII.

There are links to some really cool vids in this thread. Nothing says high performance like a US jet fighter.