Blue Angels set to perform at Beth Page Air Show Saturday. Everything you need to know

Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal
·9 min read

What better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than by watching the Blue Angels soar across Jones Beach State Park at the Bethpage Air Show in New York.

The Blues are scheduled to dazzle crowds in the Empire State for the Bethpage Air Show's 20th anniversary. This year's performance will mark U.S. Navy flight demonstration team's 10th performance at the show. Their first performance was at the inaugural air show in 2004.

Here’s what to know about the Bethpage Air Show, including parking information and the schedule.

When is the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach State Park?

The Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach State Park, New York, will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 25-26.

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Where to watch the Blue Angels at the Bethpage Air Show in Jones Beach?

You can watch the Blue Angels perform at the Bethpage Air Show from Jones Beach State Park or by boat.

If you’re watching the air show on the beach, the Jones Beach State Park itself is likely the best vantage point, though it will be the most crowded. You may be able to see parts of the show from some of the surrounding area beaches, but you’ll miss the show’s center point, where many of the aerial maneuvers are based, and you’ll miss the commentary.

Boaters can catch the air show from Zach’s Bay or the ocean. There are some restrictions in the ocean, so pay special attention to posted signs.

Where can I park at the Bethpage Air Show?

Parking fields for the Bethpage Air Show will open at sunrise. It costs $10 to park, though Empire Pass holders can park for free. Accessible parking is available in every parking field.

Where is Jones Beach State Park?

Jones Beach State Park’s official address is 1 Ocean Parkway, Wantagh, New York. You can use the map below to find parking and find a spot to enjoy the show. The center point is at Central Mall.

A map of Jones Beach State Park.
A map of Jones Beach State Park.

Bethpage Air Show performers

Here’s who you can expect to see performing ahead of the Blue Angels:

  • U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team

  • U.S. Navy F-35C Lightning II Demonstration Team and Legacy Flight

  • U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team and Heritage Flight

  • Mike Goulian

  • Warbird Thunder

  • Skytypers

  • David Windmiller

  • American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport

  • Farmingdale State College Aviation

  • 106th Rescue Wing, NY Air National Guard HC-130/HH 60 Formation Demonstration

When do the Blue Angels fly at the Bethpage Air Show?

While there is no official schedule for the Bethpage Air Show, the Blue Angels are scheduled to take flight at approximately 2 p.m. on May 25-26.

What to expect at a Blue Angels air show?

If you’re never been to a Blue Angels air show, you’re in for a treat. Plan for an all-day event, from waiting in line as you await the opening gates at 8:30 a.m. to when the show wraps up about eight hours later.

Once the gates open, depending on which show you’re attending, you’ll likely be able to meander through vendors, claim spots to watch the show, enjoy performances from civilian and other military teams and learn about some aeronautical history.

There’s typically something to keep your attention every 30 minutes to an hour, starting with a parachute demonstrations and ending with a demonstration from Fat Albert just before the Blue Angels take to the skies.

How long do the Blue Angels fly during an air show?

A Blue Angels air show is typically an all-day event spanning about eight hours. Civilian acts and other military performers take to the skies throughout the day leading up to the final event: the Blue Angels. Fat Albert will lead the Blues with a short 10-15-minute demonstration, and the Blues will perform for about an hour afterward.

What can you bring to the Bethpage Air Show?

Here are some things you should bring with you to the Bethpage Air Show:

  • Chairs, blankets or something comfortable to sit on

  • Food and snacks

  • A cooler to bring drinks and keep them cool

  • Backpacks (subject to search)

What can't you bring to the Bethpage Air Show?

Leave these items at home:

  • Kites

  • Drones

  • Balloons

  • Pets

How to listen to the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach

You can tune into the Bethpage Air Show via WHLI-1100AM to hear the entire broadcast from your beach chair or blanket. Show organizers provide a mile-long sound system that is projected along the boardwalk, so a radio may not be needed, depending on your spot.

What planes do the Blue Angels fly?

In 2021, the Blue Angels started flying in a new airplane for the first time in more than 30 years — the Super Hornet F/A-18 E/F. The new jets are 25% larger, fly 40% further, remain on station 80% longer and can carry more weapons than their predecessors. The team previously flew F/A-18 Hornets, which they transitioned to from the A-4F Skyhawk II in 1986.

How fast do the Blue Angels fly?

A Blue Angel ground crew member directs one of the team's A/F-18 Super Hornets at Sherman Field at Naval Air Station Pensacola on Thursday, July 6, 2023.
A Blue Angel ground crew member directs one of the team's A/F-18 Super Hornets at Sherman Field at Naval Air Station Pensacola on Thursday, July 6, 2023.

The new Super Hornets can reach top speeds just under Mach 2 (about 1,400 miles per hour), almost twice the speed of sound. The jets can climb at a maximum rate of 30,000 feet per minute.

How much do Blue Angel pilots make?

Blue Angels pilot salaries are no different from what their pay would typically be, based on rank and time in service.

Where are the Blue Angels based?

The Blue Angels are based onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida.

Blue Angel pilots in 2024

Here’s a look at the Blue Angel pilots for the 2024 air show season.

  • #1 Cmdr. Alexander Armatas — Cmdr. Alexander P. Armatas is a native of Skaneateles, New York. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering.

  • #2 Lt. Cmdr. Jack Keilty — Lt. Cmdr. Jack Keilty, is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he attended Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School, graduating in 2005. He attended the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, where he lettered in football and earned a Bachelor's Degree in history in 2010. Upon graduation he was commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy and reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API)."

  • #3 Lt. Wesley Perkins — Lt. James Wesley Perkins is a native from Pordenone, Italy, grew up in Georgetown, Texas, and graduated from Hutto High School in 2009. He attended Texas A&M University graduating with a degree in ocean engineering in 2014. Perkins commissioned as an ensign through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

  • #4 Lt. Cmdr. Amanda Lee — Lt. Cmdr. Amanda Lee is a native of Mounds View, Minnesota. She graduated from Irondale High School in 2004, where she competed in soccer, ice hockey and swimming. While attending the University of Minnesota Duluth, Amanda enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electronics technician (AT) and reported to her first command, VFA-136 "Knighthawks." She was selected to commission as a pilot through the Seaman-to-Admiral (STA-21) commissioning program in 2009. The following year, Lee attended the Naval Science Institute (NSI) for officer training in Newport, Rhode Island, and simultaneously began her studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where she received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry.

  • #5 Lt. Cmdr. Griffin Stangel — Lt. Cmdr. Griffin Stangel is a native of Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated from Madison West High School in 2008. He attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in air traffic control in 2012. Immediately after graduation, he reported to Newport, Rhode Island, where he received his commission as an ensign in the United States Navy after completion of Officer Candidate School.

  • #6 Cdr. Thomas Zimmerman — Cmdr. Thomas Zimmerman is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from St. Paul's School in 2004 lettering in football, wrestling and lacrosse. After graduation, he attended the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island, for one year prior to attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He lettered in lacrosse at both schools and graduated from the Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in ocean engineering, earning his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2009.

  • #7 Lt. Connor O'Donnell (Narrator) — Lt. Connor O’Donnell is a native of Freeport, Maine, and graduated from Yarmouth High School in 2011. Following high school, he attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in operations research."

  • #8 Lt. Cmdr. Brian Vaught — Lt. Cmdr. Brian Vaught is a native of Englewood, Colorado. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 2004, where he lettered in lacrosse. After high school he attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. Upon graduation, Brian worked in professional sports marketing and promotions, eventually attending Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, where he earned his commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in 2011."

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Blue Angels schedule 2024

  • March 9: Naval Air Facility El Centro, California

  • March 16-17: Travis Air Force Base, California

  • March 23-24: Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana

  • April 6-7: Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama

  • April 13-14: Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Forth Worth, Texas

  • April 20-21: Cocoa Beach, Florida

  • April 27-28: Vidalia, Georgia

  • May 4-5: Vero Beach, Florida

  • May 11-12: Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina

  • May 22/24: U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland

  • May 25-26: Jones Beach, New York

  • June 1-2: Terre Haute, Indiana

  • June 8-9: Chesterfield, Missouri

  • June 15-16: La Crosse, Wisconsin

  • June22-23: Dayton, Ohio

  • June 29-30: Traverse City, Michigan

  • July 6-7: Johnson City, New York

  • July 13: Pensacola Beach, Florida

  • July 27-28: Fargo, North Dakota

  • Aug. 3-4: Seattle, Washington

  • Aug. 10-11: Colorado Springs, Colorado

  • Aug. 17-18: Chicago, Illinois

  • Aug. 24-25: Wichita, Kansas City

  • Aug. 31: Cleveland, Ohio

  • Sept. 1-2: Cleveland, Ohio

  • Sept. 14-15: Owensboro, Kentucky

  • Sept. 21-22: Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia

  • Sept. 28-29: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California

  • Oct. 12-13: San Francisco, California

  • Oct. 19-20: Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida

  • Oct. 26-27: Houston, Texas

  • Nov. 2-3: Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Blue Angels Jones Beach air show: What to know for Saturday's show