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BumRushDaShow

(174,540 posts)
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 06:27 AM 16 hrs ago

Blue Angels conducting review after jet flies over Florida beachgoers

Source: ABC News

July 15, 2026, 8:00 PM


Officials with the U.S. Navy's elite Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron said they're conducting a review after social media footage showed a jet flying low over a crowd of beachgoers in Pensacola Beach, Florida, on Wednesday morning.

"During an arrival maneuver, an aircraft flew lower than standard profiles, resulting in a disturbance on the beach that affected civilian chairs and umbrellas," the statement said, calling it a "low-altitude pass."

North Florida ABC affiliate WEAR reported the flyover happened during a "Breakfast with the Blues" event.


A still image from a video showing a flyover by a jet with the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels on July 15, 2026. Hayes Air Experts / Facebook
Hayes Air Experts / Facebook


"I've been coming for 10 years and I've never seen a pass like that in my life," Ashley Korn told WEAR. "I literally thought we were going to be taken out by Blue Angels, but it was amazing."

Read more: https://abcnews.com/US/blue-angels-conducting-review-after-jet-flies-florida/story?id=134800561



And like the other illegal air incidents, it will be excused and praised.
39 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Blue Angels conducting review after jet flies over Florida beachgoers (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 16 hrs ago OP
High-T pilot Delarage 16 hrs ago #1
That was MY first thought! 70sEraVet 13 hrs ago #13
I mean, come on Prairie Gates 16 hrs ago #2
I see what you did there. Pacifist Patriot 14 hrs ago #8
"Negative, Ghost Rider, True Dough 14 hrs ago #11
C'mon people. He's just demonstrating his testosterone level. Vinca 16 hrs ago #3
This message was self-deleted by its author Vinca 16 hrs ago #4
I saw a guy in the middle of Clark Street Stacey Grove 15 hrs ago #5
The Blues and demonstration teams of Deminpenn 11 hrs ago #26
Horrifying. QueerDuck 15 hrs ago #6
It is a display or a machine that is designed to kill people. That is beyond sick but done daily. twodogsbarking 15 hrs ago #7
Hegseth has destroyed good order and discipline. Happy Hoosier 14 hrs ago #9
Then the fatal accidents happen! Crowman2009 14 hrs ago #12
That is indeed where this buck stops. JohnnyRingo 12 hrs ago #19
I would not be surprised if he's overtly encouraging it. littlemissmartypants 10 hrs ago #30
During my ground school training I heard the story of pfitz59 14 hrs ago #10
They were looking at girls - but that is way too low ms liberty 13 hrs ago #14
Video posted on Reddit ZERTErYNOthe 13 hrs ago #15
There are a pile out there,,, here is one on youtube BumRushDaShow 13 hrs ago #18
So much for an impartial review. twodogsbarking 13 hrs ago #16
Went to an airshow in Charleston SC 20 years ago. The thunderbirds do a maneuver that right when you think its done Cheezoholic 13 hrs ago #17
Yes. They are well disciplined professionals. JohnnyRingo 12 hrs ago #21
The Blues do do that same maneuver Deminpenn 11 hrs ago #27
Good to hear. Yes the Angels do a similar manuever but with the Tbirds its that F16. It's single engine is much louder Cheezoholic 10 hrs ago #29
As an airshow fan, I wonder if you've seen the "Flying Farmer" routine? JohnnyRingo 8 hrs ago #33
The scariest thing I ever saw at an airshow were the AH-64 gumships popping up over Deminpenn 7 hrs ago #37
The F16 is a nice little airplane, but it can't hold a candle to an A-10 Warthog bearing Deminpenn 7 hrs ago #38
He's gone. He'll still be in the Navy, but I'm sure he's done with the BA. JohnnyRingo 12 hrs ago #20
Discipline after the most recent aircraft "incidents" has been overruled by Kegsbreath every time. BumRushDaShow 12 hrs ago #22
I don't believe the squadron will want him either. JohnnyRingo 12 hrs ago #23
Not gone - PRAISED BumRushDaShow 6 hrs ago #39
The MAGATs in the crowd probably loved it. LeftInTX 11 hrs ago #24
The Blues do a knife edge pass that Deminpenn 11 hrs ago #25
He knows Kegsbreath will bail him out underpants 11 hrs ago #28
We'll see. Depends on what actually happened. If the pilot was actually trying to show off they're gone Cheezoholic 10 hrs ago #32
Good point. underpants 8 hrs ago #35
Way too much testosterone. Martin68 10 hrs ago #31
A bird strike would be a blast purr-rat beauty 8 hrs ago #34
This was reckless and... Snackshack 8 hrs ago #36

70sEraVet

(5,823 posts)
13. That was MY first thought!
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 09:31 AM
13 hrs ago

Pilot demonstrating that he doesn't need to have his levels tested (or female pilot showing Hegseth that you can do stupid 'manly' shit without testosterone overload!).

Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Stacey Grove

(283 posts)
5. I saw a guy in the middle of Clark Street
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 07:27 AM
15 hrs ago

who had no shoes on. He was crossing to get to a garbage can to look for something to eat.

But there's money for this crap.

twodogsbarking

(20,161 posts)
7. It is a display or a machine that is designed to kill people. That is beyond sick but done daily.
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 08:11 AM
15 hrs ago

Disagree if you like but don't try to change my opinion.

Happy Hoosier

(9,756 posts)
9. Hegseth has destroyed good order and discipline.
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 08:44 AM
14 hrs ago

These yahoos now believe they can act with impunity if they are just "manly" enough.

Crowman2009

(3,669 posts)
12. Then the fatal accidents happen!
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 09:09 AM
14 hrs ago

So get ready for easily preventable deaths due to stupid shit.

pfitz59

(13,101 posts)
10. During my ground school training I heard the story of
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 08:49 AM
14 hrs ago

"In the Dirt Burt", a Marine Corps A-6 pilot. He loved flying low and fast. The A-6 was an extremely loud and powerful attack jet. The story goes Burt was on his way out of the Marines and did one last flight. On it he saw a lake where a small boat sailing regatta was happening. Burt dropped down to about 20 feet as he flew over the lake, his exhaust scattering sailboats willy nilly. He laughed while watching in the mirrors.

ms liberty

(11,498 posts)
14. They were looking at girls - but that is way too low
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 09:32 AM
13 hrs ago

Pilots out of MacDill did that kind of thing regularly back when I was a kid, but never that low on a civilian, public beach. That's a big no-no, and that pilot should have been reamed by his CO later.

Cheezoholic

(4,263 posts)
17. Went to an airshow in Charleston SC 20 years ago. The thunderbirds do a maneuver that right when you think its done
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 10:10 AM
13 hrs ago

A Tbird solo comes blistering directly overhead, full afterburner, from behind the crowd. If you've seen the Tbirds you're probably familiar with it. Ive seen them at least 20 times and this maneuver still scares the shit out of me lol. But this particular pass, the jet had to fly the length of the parking area before it got over the crowd. They had to stop the airshow for 20 min because it set off at least 1k car alarms all at once. It was crazy.

Yeah that pass is a bit much for an airshow. I'm pretty sure the pilot missed his incoming mark by a couple hundred feet, maybe a sudden sea breeze gust caught him/her (it's been pretty hot down there) but thats speculation on my part. They cue off of sight lines on the ground and very very seldom they miss the line. It does happen. These guys aren't Movie Maverick types. They are consummate pros and I doubt very much it was intentional. I'm sure proper measures will be taken. Anytime a safety infraction happens the Angels very are serious about finding out why. If by chance it was the pilot (which I doubt) intentionally doing it he/she will be gone.

JohnnyRingo

(21,122 posts)
21. Yes. They are well disciplined professionals.
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 10:57 AM
12 hrs ago

A mistake like this could get one of his squadron mates killed in a performance. He's gone from the group, and even Hegseth won't be able to save him.

I too have seen that Thunderbirds routine a number of time and I thought the Blue Angels do it too. Even watching for it hardly prepares me for the sudden shriek as it blasts by. I think it's because he's pushing it fast enough the sound trails behind. You never hear it coming

Deminpenn

(17,682 posts)
27. The Blues do do that same maneuver
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 12:10 PM
11 hrs ago

coming from behind the crowd and thundering overhead.

Cheezoholic

(4,263 posts)
29. Good to hear. Yes the Angels do a similar manuever but with the Tbirds its that F16. It's single engine is much louder
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 12:25 PM
10 hrs ago

than the Angels F18's. I'm an aviation nut (Air Force Brat) so I enjoy it though. I really enjoy taking Tbird virgins to a show and watching them freak out when they pull that one off lol. Like I said, I even know its coming and it still blows my mind!

On the other side of it though, those machines were built destroy and to kill. I can't imagine the horror of someone on the ground (the F16 is a ground support fighter) as one of things barrels down on them to fire air to ground missiles or cannon fire. Silence then explosions then the roar of hat thing. Terrifying when you think about it. That absolutely horrible thought always crosses my mind when I see the show.

JohnnyRingo

(21,122 posts)
33. As an airshow fan, I wonder if you've seen the "Flying Farmer" routine?
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 02:46 PM
8 hrs ago

Being a certain age helps as it's been watered down over the years.
The first time I saw it was when aerobatic master Art Scholl was still alive. He dressed in overalls as an old hick who won a free ride in a Piper Cub. He sat in the cockpit while the pilot walked about inspecting the plane. With the pilot at the rear Art pushed the throttle forward and barely took off at near stall speed while the pilot gave chase. Then Scholl proceed to push the envelope doing maneuvers that appeared on the edge of controllability, even stalling and recovering just feet above the runway. It was breathtaking, but not the punch line.

Finally Art gained a few hundred feet of altitude and pushed a dummy out of the cockpit. It landed with a thud and the announcer let the people of the hook. Scholl safely landed the plane and took a well deserved bow. I think they quit doing that part to keep people from being triggered.

Deminpenn

(17,682 posts)
37. The scariest thing I ever saw at an airshow were the AH-64 gumships popping up over
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 04:05 PM
7 hrs ago

the surrounding tree tops ready for action.

Deminpenn

(17,682 posts)
38. The F16 is a nice little airplane, but it can't hold a candle to an A-10 Warthog bearing
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 04:08 PM
7 hrs ago

down on ground troops and tanks with that gatling gun, that shoots depleted uranium ammo, blazing away.

JohnnyRingo

(21,122 posts)
20. He's gone. He'll still be in the Navy, but I'm sure he's done with the BA.
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 10:49 AM
12 hrs ago

I say that because the squadron is all about discipline and there's a long list of hot shots who want the honor of flying his jet. He's very expendable.

"500 hundred feet from any person, place, or thing". That's the law. Even airshow pilots can't fly over the crowd.

BumRushDaShow

(174,540 posts)
22. Discipline after the most recent aircraft "incidents" has been overruled by Kegsbreath every time.
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 10:59 AM
12 hrs ago

JohnnyRingo

(21,122 posts)
23. I don't believe the squadron will want him either.
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 11:06 AM
12 hrs ago

Being disciplined in the Blue Angels is about life & death for his squadron mates.
If this was a mistake, he failed the first qualification to fly in the unit. If he did it intentionally he showed bad judgment. That would probably be the second qualification.

I'm sure a Commander will sit Pete down and explain it very slowly to him, perhaps using axe throwing as an example of how quickly such stunts can go bad.

BumRushDaShow

(174,540 posts)
39. Not gone - PRAISED
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 05:00 PM
6 hrs ago
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143696953

“That’s the sound of Freedom!”





Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao
@SECNAV
·
Follow
Flight debrief complete.

No reprimands. No firings. No problem.

That’s the sound of Freedom!

Semper fi and Hooyah.
3:32 PM · Jul 16, 2026



The military is destroyed from within.

Deminpenn

(17,682 posts)
25. The Blues do a knife edge pass that
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 12:02 PM
11 hrs ago

can't be more than 30 feet above the runway at during their airshow.

It is an awesome maneuver if you've never seen it.

underpants

(198,112 posts)
28. He knows Kegsbreath will bail him out
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 12:15 PM
11 hrs ago

Like the helicopter pilots at Kid Rock’s house
And the helicopters really low going by I think Myrtle Beach

Cheezoholic

(4,263 posts)
32. We'll see. Depends on what actually happened. If the pilot was actually trying to show off they're gone
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 01:20 PM
10 hrs ago

The other pilots won't fly with them if it comes to light they were just being an idiot. No way will they pull into formation 16 inches from a hot head at 300mph.

purr-rat beauty

(1,803 posts)
34. A bird strike would be a blast
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 02:52 PM
8 hrs ago

Not like flocks of seagulls and other seafaring birds hang out on the beach or anything

Also hearing damage?

Shrapnel strewn about from jet wash?

I didn't realize how low and close, that should be a clipping of this pilots wings but he'll get a high five and invite to a circle jerk.

Snackshack

(2,617 posts)
36. This was reckless and...
Thu Jul 16, 2026, 03:22 PM
8 hrs ago

reflects badly on the Blue Angels.

Regardless of what the secretary of keggers says, the Blue Angels are supposed to hold themselves to a higher standard. It's what imbues them with the respect and reverence of that 'elite pilot' status as opposed to the 2bit carney barnstormers / wing walkers of yesteryear.

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