Red, White and Blues Week officially began on Wednesday when the Blue Angels soared into the skies over Casino Beach for a series of maneuvers to help pilots become familiar with the airspace and land references prior to the show.
Fans who showed up by the 8 o’clock show got a look at the new F / A-18 Super Hornets and the new Fat Albert model.
Your leader: Pensacola Beach Blue Angels Air Show 2021
Pensacola Beach Blue Angels Air Show 2021 Guide:Schedule, overflight times, transportation, and more
Here’s everything fans need to know to get the most out of Blue Angels week:
Blue Angels Pensacola Beach flight schedule
Thursday
On Thursday at 2 p.m., the Blue Angels put on a full practice show over Pensacola Beach.
Friday
Friday is the dress rehearsal of the Pensacola Beach Air Show, with the aerobatic acts at just after 11 a.m. and the Blue Angels at 2 p.m.
Saturday
Saturday marks the official Pensacola Beach Air Show and follows the exact rehearsal schedule on Friday.
Line up for civil acts for Friday July 9th and Saturday July 10th:
11 clock The Gulf Coast Magni Gyro team will initiate the civilian part of the air show with a seven-man formation in their colorful Magni M24 Orion Gyroplanes from shortly after 11 a.m.
11:20 a.m. Julian MacQueen will take to the skies in his 1943 Grumman Widgeon class.
11:35 a.m. Organized by Pensacola attorney and pilot Roy Kinsey, about a dozen old Stearman biplanes from all over the Southeast will fly over the beach on Friday and Saturday as part of the Veterans Flight into aviation history.
11:43 am A group of US Navy T-6 aircraft and TH-57 helicopters from Training Air Wing Five in Milton will fly by in multiple aircraft formations.
11:50 a.m. Redline Aerobatic Team pilots Ken Rieder and Adam Baker will soar into the air in their signature red and black stunt planes to perform death-defying enemy stunts and reverse maneuvers and formations.
12:07 pm Solo pilot Kevin Coleman will push the boundaries of his bright yellow Extra 300 SHP stunt plane to create a visual spectacle like no other.
12:25 p.m. Solo pilot Gary Ward will soar overhead in his green and purple MX2 plane and perform aerobatics with maneuvers ranging from zero speed hover to dives at more than 250 mph.
12:40 p.m. Stunt pilot Skip Stewart will complete the civilian actions with highly qualified passports and breathtaking maneuvers in his famous red-white-black checkered biplane Prometheus.
After the civilian stunt pilots’ performances, there is a 45-minute window for spectators to cool off and bathe in the golf before the lifeguards clear the water in anticipation of the start of the Blue Angels show at 2pm
Fat Albert and the US Navy Blue Angels
14 o’clock Gaze out to the gulf horizon as a famous C-130J aircraft affectionately known as the Fat Albert flies over Pensacola Beach followed by six signature blue and gold F-18 Super Hornets. This will be the air show debut of the new Super Hercules Fat Albert model.
For the next 50 minutes, viewers can get a glimpse of the Blue Angels’ flight maneuvers such as the Diamond Dirty Loop, the Double Farvel, the Vertical Pitch, the Fleur-de-Lis, the Opposing Knife-Edge Pass, the Sneak Pass and always exciting grand finale: the Delta Breakout.
Weather
After several weeks of a pattern of rain soaking northwest Florida, the National Weather Service said the humid air will begin by the weekend and should return to a normal summer weather pattern by Sunday.
From 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, the Blue Angels are said to have the first full show since 2018 on Pensacola Beach. However, Leigh Davis, the executive director of the Santa Rosa Island Authority, said that could change depending on weather reports.
Traffic tips
The Santa Rosa Island Authority plans to ease traffic congestion by increasing free public transportation along the island on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, the three free SRIA open-air trolleys operated by ECAT will begin passenger transport at 7 a.m. and will run their regular lines until midnight.
From Saturday at 6 a.m., the SRIA will use 10 buses in addition to the three open-air trolleys along the island and expand their service area to Park East, which is a mile east of the Portofino Resort.
Buses and trolleys will run from Park East to Park West all Saturday to take people to Casino Beach. The additional bus service to Park East ends on Saturday at 6 p.m. and the three open-air trolleys will resume normal operation by midnight.
Passengers wishing to return to their vehicles after the air show has ended must ride the first fleet of buses to leave the Casino Beach Post Show or wait up to 90 minutes for the trolleys or buses to return due to traffic congestion immediately after the air show. Face masks are required on all public transport.
Park? Plan ahead to avoid traffic
Finding parking anywhere on the beach after the early morning can be difficult. The car park at Casino Beach has around 1,000 parking spaces. For the past few years, the Casino Beach property was filled before 7 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Additional public parking spaces are available at Park East and Park West.
When parking on other streets, be warned not to park in the sand. Every year, cars get stuck in the sand and have to be towed, officials said.
Cruises in Pensacola Bay
A special Saturday schedule includes hourly connections between downtown and Pensacola Beach starting at 8 a.m., with the last return time at 8:30 p.m. on both days.
Price is $ 13 each way with free for children 2 and under. The return trip from Pensacola Beach to downtown begins at 3:30 PM
safety first
The entire lifeguard team will work on Saturday. An emergency doctor tent is available in the Casino Beach parking lot for anyone with health problems. West Florida Hospital will also have a medical tent on the beach.
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What can I not bring with me?
- Drones are prohibited at the beach show. All unmanned aircraft or drones are prohibited on the beach until Saturday. Kites are not allowed during the air show.
- Glass container
- Pets are not allowed on the beach (except for dogs in the two designated dog parks during regular operating hours).
What should I bring?
- Rainy weather equipment
- Deck chairs, blankets
- Cell phones and tablets in a ziploc bag
- Cameras and camcorders
- A cooler with lots and lots of water. Beer will only dehydrate you and it’s a long day. Don’t forget the snacks. There will be thousands of people on the beach, do you really want to run to the nearest beach bar?
- Beach wagon
- parasol
- Beach hat – and keep it on, you will look spectacular
- Sunscreen and reapply often
- Wear shoes because this time of year the sand and pavement can be too hot to walk barefoot.
Facts about the Blue Angel air show
- An estimated 15 million viewers see the squadron during the air shows throughout the year.
- The highest maneuver performed in an air show is the vertical rolls performed by the opposing solo up to 15,000 feet, and the lowest maneuver performed in an air show is the sneak pass performed by the lead solo in 50 Running foot.
- The fastest speed flown during an air show is about 700 mph (just below Mach 1; Sneak Pass) and the slowest is about 120 mph (High Alpha section).
- The land purchase price for a single F / A-18 Hornet is approximately $ 21 million.
- The F / A-18 can reach speeds of just under Mach 2, almost twice the speed of sound, or about 1,400 mph.
- An F / A-18 weighs about 24,500 pounds without any artillery or flight crew.
- The smoke trail left by every aircraft is created by pumping biodegradable paraffin-based oil directly into the aircraft’s exhaust nozzles, where the oil instantly evaporates into smoke. It provides an obvious path for viewers to follow and increases flight safety by allowing lone pilots to see each other during enemy maneuvers. It does not pose a threat to the environment.
