Blue Angels pilots ready to 'grip it and rip it' at Pensacola Beach Air Show
The weather may be blazing hot this weekend, but the U.S. Navy’s high-flying demonstration team, the Blue Angels, will bring the cool with a sizzling performance in the skies over Pensacola Beach.
The Blue Angels annual Pensacola Beach Air Show promises to be another crowd pleaser with the familiar aerial acrobatic moves fans have come to expect like the diamond formation which showcases four pilots flying by in a diamond formation with their planes only 18 inches apart from one another, as well as the sneak pass. Veterans of the show know that’s the move that startles audiences into spilling their beverages when a jet comes screaming past at 700 miles per hour, seemingly out of nowhere.
The Blues Angels Squadron opened their hangar and flight line to the media Thursday morning, to give people a preview of what they can expect from the Navy’s elite team. Among the pilots who spoke to the press was Lt. CMDR Amanda Lee. She joined the Blue Angels in 2022 as the team’s first female fighter jet pilot and is currently the slot pilot in the No. 4 jet that bears the name of her call sign, “Stalin.”
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Her role as the first woman on the team has skyrocketed Lee to new heights, not only as a high-flying fighter jet pilot, but also for her appearance in the 2024 documentary “The Blue Angels,” featuring the demonstration squadron. The 37-year-old pilot told the throng of reporters surrounding her that while fame wasn’t something she was seeking, she now knows what it’s like.
“It's unusual to be recognized outside of the blue flight suit, but it has started to happen a little bit more frequently,” Lee said. “You know, I welcome it. It's great to talk to people, and it's great to continue to inspire people even outside of blue flight suit, too.”
Lee said she receives fan mail from people across the country including young girls and people from all walks of life who admire what she has accomplished. This is her last year with the Blues and she is still considering her next steps. In the meantime, she is making the most of her last months on the team and is excited about the Pensacola Beach Air Show.
The U.S. Navy brought the Minnesota native to Pensacola several times and she said it has been a pivotal place for her throughout her career. Lee is proud to be a part of the team and fly for the folks who call the Cradle of Naval Aviation home. If you’re watching the show, she’ll be one of two pilots flying inverted in a tight diamond formation known as the double farvel maneuver.
“The double farvel is always challenging,” said Lee. “It's one that I will continue to try to perfect until my last flight on the team, but it's one of the most fun maneuvers for me to fly this year.”
Blue Angels lead solo pilot, Lt. CMDR Griffin Strangel, is also ready to wow the hometown crowd. It’s Strangel’s last year on the team as well and said he’ll be doing what he loves best.
“What the solos are going to do is, we're going to showcase the maximum performance capabilities of the F/A-18F Super Hornet you see behind us, and we love to grip it and rip it,” Strangel said with a smile.
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“Push pop” is his call sign, the result of winning an ice cream eating contest where he downed seven Sherbet push-up pops in 10 minutes. Strangel said as much as he loves competing, something the diverse athlete has done all his life in a variety of sports, he said the teamwork he has experienced on the Blue Angels team is special.
“It's truly just the best team in the world,” said Strangel. “That starts with the trust, working with the crew chiefs. I know when I get in the aircraft everything is going to be set up perfectly, and all I have to do is get in, turn it on, and I can go fly and everything else is taken care of for me. We're very blessed to be able to do that here at the Blue Angels, but that's what I'm going to remember, is the teamwork to trust and just being part of the best team in the world.”
Tate High School Assistant Principal Austin Courson was also thrilled to be a part of the Navy’s elite high-flying team, if only for a little while. Courson had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride along with one of the Blue Angels pilots. He described the experience as “really cool,” and joked he may need to “work out more” after he passed out briefly pulling G-forces 15,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico.
However, Courson said the ride was inspiring and something he can’t wait to share with students.
“What you see here is what America represents,” said Courson. “Excellence, striving to be their best, working hard and dedicated to their mission and that's a strong story that we tell students every single day. Be dedicated to whatever your passion is and your mission, and make sure you're reaching your dreams and goals like every one of these individuals.”
The Blues excel at giving people something and someone to look up to, not just in the skies overhead, but in pursuing dreams, as well.
“Just for everybody in general who has a passion to fly or even just comes out and sees a flight demonstration and inspires them to maybe want to go fly, I'll really tell anybody to step outside your comfort zone, do things that scare you because you'll always be surprised at what you can do,” said Lee.
If you’re headed to the show, be sure to get there early. The Blues’ dress rehearsal performance starts at 2 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, but parking is nearly impossible to find after the early morning hours.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Beach Air Show with Blue Angels promises high-flying fun
