Blue Angels The Blue Angels is the United States Navy ' s flight demonstration squadron . It was formed in 1946 , making it the second oldest formal flying aerobatic team ( flying under the same name ) in the world , after the French Patrouille de France formed in 1931 . The Blue Angels ' six demonstration pilots fly the F / A - 18 Hornet , typically in more than 70 shows at 34 locations throughout the United States each year , where they still employ many of the same practices and techniques used in their aerial displays in 1946 . An estimated 11 million spectators view the squadron during air shows each full year . The Blue Angels also visit more than 50 , 000 people in a standard show season ( March through November ) in schools and hospitals . Since 1946 , the Blue Angels have flown for more than 260 million spectators . On 1 March 2013 the US Navy announced that due to sequestration actions aerial demonstration team performances including that of the Blue Angels would cease from 1 April 2013 . Mission . The mission of the Blue Angels is to enhance Navy and Marine Corps recruiting , and credibly represent Navy and Marine Corps aviation to the United States and its Armed Forces to America and other countries . Air show overview . The Blue Angels ' show season runs each year from March until November . They perform at both military and civilian airfields , and often perform directly over major cities such as San Francisco ' s " Fleet Week " maritime festival , Cleveland ' s annual Labor Day Air Show , the Chicago Air and Water Show , and Seattle ' s annual Seafair festival . During their aerobatic demonstration , the Blues fly six F / A - 18 Hornet aircraft , split into the Diamond Formation ( Blue Angels 1 through 4 ) and the Lead and Opposing " Solos " ( Blue Angels 5 and 6 ) . Most of the show alternates between maneuver s performed by the Diamond Formation and those performed by the Solos . The Diamond , in tight formation and usually at lower speeds ( 400 mph ) , performs maneuvers such as formation loops , barrel rolls , and transitions from one formation to another . The Solos showcase the high performance capabilities of their individual aircraft through the execution of high - speed passes , slow passes , fast rolls , slow rolls , and very tight turns . The fastest speed flown during an air show is 700 mph ( just under Mach 1 ) and the slowest speed is 120 mph . Some of the maneuvers include both solo aircraft performing at once , such as opposing passes ( toward each other in what appears to be a collision course ) and mirror formations ( back - to - back . belly - to - belly , or wingtip - to - wingtip , with one jet flying inverted ) . The Solos join the Diamond Formation near the end of the show for a number of maneuvers in the Delta Formation . The parameters of each show must be tailored in accordance with local weather conditions at showtime : in clear weather the " high " show is performed ; in overcast conditions a " low " show is performed , and in limited visibility ( weather permitting ) the " flat " show is presented . The " high " show requires at least an ceiling and visibility of at least from the show ' s centerpoint . The maximum ceilings allowed for low and flat shows are 3 , 500 feet ( ~ 1 km ) and , respectively . Origin of squadron name , insignia and paint scheme . When initially formed , the unit was called the " Navy Flight Exhibition Team " . The squadron was officially redesignated as the United States Navy Flight Demonstration " Squadron " in December 1974 . The original team was christened the " Blue Angels " in 1946 , when one of the pilots came across the name of New York City ' s Blue Angel Nightclub in " The New Yorker " magazine ; the team introduced themselves as the " Blue Angels " to the public for the first time on 21 July 1946 , in Omaha , Nebraska . The official Blue Angels insignia was designed by then team leader Lt . Cmdr . R . E . " Dusty " Rhodes and approved by Chief of Naval Operations in 1949 . It is nearly identical to the current design . In the cloud in the upper right quadrant , the aircraft were originally shown heading down and to the right . Over the years , the plane silhouettes have changed along with the squadron ' s aircraft . Additionally , the lower left quadrant , which contains the Chief of Naval Air Training insignia , has occasionally contained only Naval Aviator wings . Originally , demonstration aircraft were navy blue ( nearly black ) with gold lettering . The current shades of blue and yellow were adopted when the team transitioned to the Bearcat in 1946 . For a single year in 1949 , the team performed in an all - yellow scheme with blue markings . Current aircraft . The Blues ' F / A - 18 Hornets are former fleet aircraft that are nearly combat - ready . Modifications to each aircraft include removal of the aircraft gun and replacement with the tank that contains smoke - oil used in demonstrations , and outfitting with the control stick spring system for more precise aircraft control input . The standard demonstration configuration has a spring tensioned with of force installed on the control stick as to allow the pilot minimal room for uncommanded movement . The Blues do not wear G - suit s , because the air bladders inside them would repeatedly deflate and inflate , interfering with the control stick between the pilot ' s legs . Instead , Blue Angel pilots tense their muscles to prevent blood from rushing from their heads and rendering them unconscious . The show ' s narrator flies Blue Angel 7 , a two - seat F / A - 18B Hornet , to show sites . The Blues use this jet for backup , and to give demonstration rides to VIP civilians . Three backseats each show are available , one of them goes to members of the press , the other two to Key Influencers . The No . 4 slot pilot often flies the No . 7 aircraft in Friday ' s " practice " shows . The Blue Angels use a United States Marine Corps C - 130T Hercules , nicknamed " Fat Albert " , for their logistics , carrying spare parts , equipment , and to carry support personnel between shows . Beginning in 1975 , " Bert " was used for Jet Assisted Take Off ( JATO ) and short aerial demonstrations just prior to the main event at selected venues , but the JATO demonstration ended in 2009 due to dwindling supplies of rockets . " Fat Albert Airlines " flies with an all - Marine crew of three officers and five enlisted personnel . Team members . All team members , both officer and enlisted , pilots and staff officers , come from the ranks of regular Navy and United States Marine Corps units . The demonstration pilots and narrator are made up of Navy and USMC Naval Aviator s . Pilots serve two to three years , and position assignments are made according to team needs , pilot experience levels , and career considerations for members . The officer selection process requires pilots and support officers ( flight surgeon , events coordinator , maintenance officer , supply officer , and public affairs officer ) wishing to become Blue Angels to apply formally via their chain - of - command , with a personal statement , letters of recommendation and flight records . Navy and Marine Corps F / A - 18 demonstration pilots and naval flight officers are required to have a minimum of 1 , 250 tactical jet hours and be carrier - qualified . Marine Corps C - 130 demonstration pilots are required to have 1 , 200 flight hours and be an aircraft commander . Applicants " rush " the team at one or more airshows , paid out of their own finances , and sit in on team briefs and post - show activities and social events . Rushes are asked to tell a joke prior to the brief , and graded by the team as part of the rigorous selection process . Team members vote in secret on the next year ' s members , with no accountability to the higher Navy authority why an applicant was or was not selected . Selections must be unanimous . There have been female and racial minority staff officers as official Blue Angel members , in support of the Blue Angels recruiting for the Navy and Marine Corps . The most recent minority Blue Angel pilot was LCDR Keith Hoskins on the 2000 team . Flight surgeons serve a two - year term , and act as the team recorder during air shows , and help oversee emergency response planning with the various air show planners . The first female Blue Angel flight surgeon was LT Tamara Schnurr , as a member of the 2001 team . The team leader ( # 1 ) is the Commanding Officer and is always a Navy Commander , who may be promoted to Captain mid - tour if approved for Captain by the selection board . Pilots of numbers 2 – 7 are Navy Lieutenants or Lieutenant Commanders , or Marine Corps Captains or Majors . The number 7 pilot narrates for a year , and then typically flies Opposing and then Lead Solo the following two years , respectively . The number 3 pilot moves to the number 4 ( slot ) position for his second year . Blue Angel No . 4 serves as the demonstration safety officer , due largely to the perspective he is afforded from the slot position within the formation , as well as his status as a second - year demonstration pilot . There are a number of other officers in the squadron , including a Naval Flight Officer , the USMC C - 130 pilots , a Maintenance Officer , an Administrative Officer , and a Flight Surgeon . Enlisted members range from E - 4 to E - 9 , and perform all maintenance , administrative , and support functions . They serve three to four years in the squadron . After serving with the Blues , members return to fleet assignments . Training and weekly routine . Annual winter training takes place at NAF El Centro , California , where new and returning pilots hone skills learned in the fleet . During winter training , the pilots fly two practice sessions per day , six days a week , in order to fly the 120 training missions needed to perform the demonstration safely . Separation between the formation of aircraft and their maneuver altitude is gradually reduced over the course of about two months in January and February . The team then returns to their home base in Pensacola , Florida in March , and continues to practice throughout the show season . A typical week during the season has practices at NAS Pensacola on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings . The team then flies to its show venue for the upcoming weekend on Thursday , conducting " circle and arrival " orientation maneuvers upon arrival . The team flies a " practice " airshow at the show site on Friday . This show is attended by invited guests but is often open to the general public . The main airshows are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays , with the team returning home to NAS Pensacola on Sunday evenings after the show . Monday is the Blues ' day off . History . 1940s . On 24 April 1946 Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Chester Nimitz issued a directive ordering the formation of a flight exhibition team to boost Navy morale , demonstrate naval air power , and maintain public interest in naval aviation . However , an underlying mission was to help the Navy generate public and political support for a larger allocation of the shrinking defense budget . In April of that year , Rear Admiral Ralph Davison personally selected Lieutenant Commander Roy Marlin " Butch " Voris , a World War II fighter ace , to assemble and train a flight demonstration team , naming him Officer - in - Charge and Flight Leader . Voris selected three fellow instructors to join him ( Lt . Maurice " Wick " Wickendoll , Lt . Mel Cassidy , and Lt . Cmdr . Lloyd Barnard , veterans of the War in the Pacific ) , and they spent countless hours developing the show . The group perfected its initial maneuvers in secret over the Florida Everglades so that , in Voris ' words , " . . . if anything happened , just the alligators would know . " The team ' s first demonstration before Navy officials took place on 10 May 1946 and was met with enthusiastic approval . On 15 June Voris led a trio of Grumman F6F - 5 Hellcats , specially modified to reduce weight and painted sea blue with gold leaf trim , through their inaugural 15 - minute - long performance at their Florida home base , Naval Air Station Jacksonville . The team employed an SNJ Texan , painted and configured to simulate a Japanese Zero , to simulate aerial combat . This aircraft was later painted yellow and dubbed the " Beetle Bomb " . The team thrilled spectators with low - flying maneuvers performed in tight formations , and ( according to Voris ) by " . . . keeping something in front of the crowds at all times . My objective was to beat the Army Air Corps . If we did that , we ' d get all the other side issues . I felt that if we weren ' t the best , it would be my naval career . " The Blue Angels ' first public demonstration also netted the team its first trophy , which sits on display at the team ' s current home at NAS Pensacola . The team soon became known worldwide for its spectacular aerobatic maneuvers . On 25 August 1946 the squadron upgraded their aircraft to the F8F - 1 Bearcat . In May 1947 , flight leader Lt . Cmdr . Bob Clarke , replaced Butch Voris as the leader of the team , he introduced the famous Diamond Formation , now considered the Blue Angels ' trademark . In 1949 , the team acquired a Douglas R4D Sky Train for logistics to and from show sites . The team ' s SNJ was also replaced by a F8F - 1 " Bearcat " , painted yellow for the air combat routine . The Blues transitioned to the straight - wing Grumman F9F - 2 Panther on 13 July 1949 , wherein the F8F - 1 " Beetle Bomb " was relegated to solo aerobatics before the main show , until it crashed on takeoff at a training show in Pensacola in 1950 . Team headquarters shifted from NAS Corpus Christi , Texas , to NAAS Whiting Field , Florida , in the fall of 1949 , announced 14 July 1949 . 1950s . The " Blues " continued to perform nationwide until the start of the Korean War in 1950 , when ( due to a shortage of pilots , and no planes were available ) the team was disbanded and its members were ordered to combat duty . Once aboard the aircraft carrier the group formed the core of VF - 191 , Satan ' s Kittens . The Blue Angels were officially recommissioned on 25 October 1951 , and reported to NAS Corpus Christi , Texas . Lt . Cdr . Voris was again tasked with assembling the team ( he was the first of only two commanding officers to lead them twice ) . In 1953 the team traded its Sky Train for a Curtiss R5C Commando . The " Blues " remained in Corpus Christi until the winter of 1954 , when they relocated to their present home at NAS Pensacola . It was here they progressed to the swept - wing Grumman F9F - 8 Cougar . The first Marine Corps pilot , Capt Chuck Hiett , joined the team and they relocated to their current home of NAS Pensacola in the winter of 1954 . In August 1954 , " Blues " leader LCDR Ray Hawkins became the first naval aviator to survive an ejection at supersonic speeds when his F9F - 6 became uncontrollable on a cross - country flight . In Sept 1956 , the team added a sixth aircraft to the flight demonstration in the Opposing Solo position , and gave its first performance outside the United States at the International Air Exposition in Toronto , Canada . It also upgraded its logistics aircraft to the Douglas R5D Skymaster . In January 1957 , the team left its winter training facility at Naval Air Facility El Centro , California for a ten - year period . For the next ten years , the team would winter at NAS Key West , Florida . For the 1957 show season , the Blue Angels transitioned to the supersonic Grumman F11F - 1 Tiger , first flying the short - nosed , and then the long - nosed versions . The first Six - Plane Delta Maneuvers were added in the 1958 season . 1960s . In July 1964 , the Blue Angels participated in the Aeronaves de Mexico Anniversary Air Show over Mexico City , Mexico , before an estimated crowd of 1 . 5 million people . In 1965 , the Blue Angels conducted a Caribbean island tour , flying at five sites . Later that year , they embarked on a European tour to a dozen sites , including the Paris Air Show , where they were the only team to receive a standing ovation . The " Blues " toured Europe again in 1967 touring six sites . In 1968 Skymaster transport aircraft was replaced with a C - 121J Constellation . The " Blues " transitioned to the two - seat McDonnell Douglas F - 4J Phantom II in 1969 , nearly always keeping the back seat empty for flight demonstrations . The " Phantom " was the only plane to be flown by both the " Blues " and the United States Air Force Thunderbirds . That year they also upgraded to the ' Lockheed C - 121 Super Constellation for logistics . 1970s . The " Blues " received their first U . S Marine Corps Lockheed KC - 130F Hercules in 1970 . An all - Marine crew manned it . That year , they went on their first South American tour . In 1971 , the team conducted its first Far East Tour , performing at a dozen locations in Korea , Japan , Taiwan , Guam , and the Philippines . In 1972 , the Blue Angels were awarded the Navy ' s Meritorious Unit Commendation for the two - year period from 1 March 1970 – 31 December 1971 . Another European tour followed in 1973 , including air shows in Tehran , Iran , England , France , Spain , Turkey , Greece , and Italy . In December 1974 the Navy Flight Demonstration Team downsized to the subsonic Douglas A - 4F Skyhawk II and was reorganized into the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron . This reorganization permitted the establishment of a commanding officer ( the flight leader ) , added support officers , and further redefined the squadron ' s mission emphasizing the support of recruiting efforts . Commander Tony Less was the squadron ' s first official commanding officer . 1980s . On 8 November 1986 the Blue Angels completed their 40th anniversary year during ceremonies unveiling their present aircraft , the McDonnell Douglas F / A - 18 Hornet , the first multi - role fighter / attack aircraft . The power and aerodynamics of the Hornet allows them to perform a slow , high angle of attack " tail sitting " maneuver , and to fly a " dirty " ( landing gear down ) formation loop , the last of which is not duplicated by the USAF Thunderbirds . Also in 1986 , LCDR Donnie Cochran , joined the Blue Angels as the first African - American Naval Aviator to be selected . He would return to lead the team in 1993 . 1990s . In 1992 the Blue Angels deployed for a month - long European tour , their first in 19 years , conducting shows in Sweden , Finland , Russia ( the first foreign flight demonstration team to perform there ) , Romania , Bulgaria , Italy , the United Kingdom and Spain . In 1998 , CDR Patrick Driscoll made the first " Blue Jet " landing on a " haze gray and underway " aircraft carrier , USS " Harry S . Truman " ( CVN - 75 ) . 2000s . In 2006 , the Blue Angels marked their 60th year of performing . On 30 October 2008 a spokesman for the team announced that the team would complete its last three performances of the year with five jets instead of six . The change was because one pilot and another officer in the organization had been removed from duty for engaging in an " inappropriate relationship " . The Navy stated that one of the individuals was a man and the other a woman , one a Marine and the other from the Navy , and that Rear Admiral Mark Guadagnini , chief of Naval air training , was reviewing the situation . At the next performance at Lackland Air Force Base following the announcement the No . 4 or slot pilot , was absent from the formation . A spokesman for the team would not confirm the identity of the pilot removed from the team . On 6 November 2008 both officers were found guilty at an admiral ' s mast on unspecified charges but the resulting punishment was not disclosed . The names of the two members involved were later released on the Pensacola News Journal website / forum as pilot No . 4 USMC Maj . Clint Harris and the administrative officer , Navy Lt . Gretchen Doane . Fat Albert performed its final JATO demonstration at the 2009 Pensacola Homecoming show , spending their 8 remaining JATO bottles . This demonstration not only was the last JATO performance of the squadron , but also the final JATO profile of the entire US Marine Corps . 2010s . On 22 May 2011 , The Blue Angels were performing at the Lynchburg Regional Airshow in Lynchburg , Virginia , when the Diamond formation flew the Barrel Roll Break maneuver at an altitude that was lower than the required minimum altitude . The maneuver was aborted , the remainder of the demonstration canceled and all aircraft landed safely . The next day , the Blue Angels announced that they were initiating a safety stand - down , canceling their upcoming Naval Academy Airshow and returning to their home base in Pensacola , Florida , for additional training and airshow practice . On 26 May , the Blue Angels announced they would not be flying their traditional fly - over of the Naval Academy Graduation Ceremony and that they were canceling their 28 – 29 May 2011 performances at the Millville Wings and Wheels Airshow in Millville , New Jersey . On 27 May 2011 , the Blue Angels announced that Commander Dave Koss , the squadron ' s Commanding Officer , would be stepping down . He was replaced by Captain Greg McWherter , the team ' s previous Commanding Officer . The squadron canceled performances at the Rockford , Illinois Airfest 4 – 5 June and the Evansville , Indiana Freedom Festival Air Show 11 – 12 June to allow additional practice and demonstration training under McWherter ' s leadership . Between 2 and 4 September 2011 on labor day weekend , the Blue Angels flew for the first time with a 50 – 50 blend of conventional JP - 5 jet fuel and a camelina - based biofuel at Naval Air Station Patuxent River airshow at Patuxent River , Maryland . McWherter flew an F / A - 18 test flight on 17 August and stated there were no noticeable differences in performance from inside the cockpit . On 9 April 2013 , the U . S . Navy released a statement that it was cancelling all remaining 2013 performances due to budget constraints , which ends the 2013 Blue Angels season after 2 of 35 scheduled shows were performed . The Navy also stated it continues to believe the value of inspiring future generations , and that the 2014 Blue Angels Schedule has not been subject to any cancellations . Aircraft timeline . The " Blues " have flown nine different demonstration aircraft and five support aircraft models : Show routine . The following is the show routine used on 17 May 2008 : Accidents . During its history , 26 Blue Angels pilots have been killed in air show or training accidents . Through the 2006 season there have been 262 pilots in the squadron ' s history , giving the job a 10 % fatality rate . Commanding officer . Cmdr . Tom Frosch relieved Capt . Greg McWherter as Blue Angel commanding officer / flight leader on 4 November 2012 . Frosch has more than 3 , 000 flight hours , 830 carrier arrested landings , and is a graduate of U . S . Naval Test Pilot School aboard NAS Patuxent River , where he subsequently was an F / A - 18 E / F Super Hornet test pilot with VX - 23 ( Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO THREE ) STRIKE TEST . His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal , two Meritorious Service Medal s , two Individual Air Medals with Combat " V " ( Six Strike Flight ) , three Navy Commendation Medals , one with Combat " V , " and numerous unit , campaign and service awards . Budget . November 2011 : The Pentagon spends $ 37 million for the Blue Angels as a fraction of the Pentagon ' s $ 645 billion annual budget , but cuts in defense spending might eliminate the aerobatic team . All tours after the Naval Air Station Key West , Fla . Southernmost Air Spectacular on 23 – 24 March 2013 have been canceled due to sequestration .