Blue Angels squadron pilots prepare for 2 ‘exhilarating’ Air Dot Show Fort Lauderdale flights

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Since 1945, the Blue Angels squadron has been displaying precision aerial acrobatics to rise consciousness astir the U.S. military’s exertion of aeronaval operations.

Each year, the U.S. Navy selects a squad of talented pilots to correspond the bequest of the world-famous unit: Three tactical combatant oregon onslaught pitchy pilots, 2 enactment officers, and 1 Marine Corps C-130J pilot.

Lt. Cmdr. Jack Keilty, of Oklahoma City, has been a Blue Angels aviator since precocious 2023 and has much than 2,700 formation hours. As portion of his three-year tour, helium volition alert close helping during the 2025 Air Dot Show connected Saturday and Sunday successful Fort Lauderdale.

“It’s exhilarating; it’s focused concentration,” Keilty precocious said astatine the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

Keilty is among the pilots who alert 11 Boeing Super Hornets jets: Nine single-seat F/A-18E and 2 two-seat F/A-18F during a 40-minute show that includes 20 choreographed precision maneuvers.

For immoderate stunts, the pilots alert conscionable 18 inches apart. Sometimes astatine speeds upwards of 400 mph. The pilots operating retired of 15 squadron enactment centers person the enactment of a squad of astir 140 work men and women who are besides connected work for attraction and support. Alternating crews of astir 45 question unneurotic for shows.

The archetypal women to articulation the Blue Angels were Marine Maj. Katie Higgins successful 2014 and Lt Amanda Lee successful 2022. Higgins, a Floridian calved successful Jacksonville, made past piloting the C-130 transport level and Lee, who was calved successful Mounds View, Minnesota, was the archetypal objection pilot.

Lt. Cmdr. Natalia Luchetti, who was calved successful Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, joined successful 2023. She has served successful the U.S. Navy for astir 24 years and has been moving arsenic a attraction serviceman during the performances successful Fort Lauderdale.

“We are looking guardant to inspiring millions of people,” Luchetti said up of the show.

On Saturday and Sunday, the opening ceremonies are astatine 11:45 a.m., astatine the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and The Blue Angels performances are astatine 2 p.m.,

Children who are 5 years aged oregon younger bash not need an admittance ticket astatine the park’s Drop Zone seating country astatine 3109 East Sunrise Boulevard. For much accusation astir the show, visit this page oregon telephone 954-241-7937.

Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.