Acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao announced on 16/7 that a Blue Angels pilot would not face discipline for a low flyover at Pensacola beach, Florida, the previous day. Cao posted on X, "The flight report is complete. No reprimand. No dismissal. No issues. This is the sound of freedom", alongside a video of the performance.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also voiced support for the pilot, asserting that dangerous flight displays "will continue until morale improves". Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell reposted an image of an F/A-18E fighter jet flying over the coastline with the message, "Keep going, patriots". The White House shared an illustration of the flight display with the caption, "There's nothing wrong with patriotism".
These statements followed an incident where a Blue Angels Super Hornet fighter jet flew extremely low over Pensacola beach. The jet wash from the aircraft blew away chairs, tents, and umbrellas. Several videos showed the aircraft banking and gliding over the crowd, at times only a few meters above those below.
The Blue Angels confirmed that a fighter jet approached the crowd "at an altitude lower than standard procedure", emphasizing that community, spectator, and pilot safety is always their top priority. The pilot's identity has not been released. A US Navy official stated that the Blue Angels would continue training for the Pensacola air show scheduled for 17/7.
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A Blue Angels Super Hornet fighter jet flies close to a Florida beach on 15/7. Photo: USNI News |
Former Colonel John Venable, who commanded the US Air Force's Thunderbirds demonstration team, stated that standard regulations require pilots to fly at a minimum altitude of 150 m from the ground. However, this limit can be adjusted more flexibly during performances. Venable assessed that given the Blue Angels' skill, people on the beach were unlikely to be in danger, but the pilot should still be reminded to maintain a safe altitude.
This marks the third notable low-altitude flight incident by the US military recently. Apache attack helicopter pilots from the South Carolina National Guard and two other helicopter crews were previously suspended after close-to-ground flights, but Secretary Hegseth overturned these decisions.
The Blue Angels, established in 1946, currently operate 6 F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft for demonstrations, along with a two-seat F/A-18F used as a backup and for civilian passenger experience flights. In addition to their demonstration fighter jets, the Blue Angels also possess a C-130 transport aircraft for carrying equipment, spare parts, and personnel.
In 2011, the Blue Angels team also faced controversy due to excessively low flights, which led to the resignation of the squadron commander at the time.
