Blue Angels change maneuver

The Blue Angels modified a routine after an F/A-18 Super Hornet accidentally shook up a few buildings last year at Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., causing $180,000 in damage and injuring a dozen people. According to a recently-published story in The Seattle Times, the incident report says the damage was caused when a Blue Angels pilot flew a little too close to buildings and a little too fast during a “sneak pass” maneuver at the base on Jan. 21, 2021. The sneak pass involves flying as low as 50 feet at about 700 miles per hour, which is just under the speed of sound. The investigation found that the pilot was not the problem, since he had not deviated far from the team’s established safety boundaries. Instead, one of the top contributing factors was the jet. From 1992 to 2020, the Blue Angels flew F/A-18 Hornets. But starting in the 2021 show season, the team started flying F/A-18 Super Hornets, larger and heavier than the older Hornets, according to the Navy. the investigation recommended Blue Angels pilots stop sneak pass maneuvers if the flight path passes within 500 feet of the crowd line or within 200 feet of “any structure, vehicle or personnel. (Source: Task and Purpose, 07/07/22) Gulf Coast note: The Blue Angels are headquartered in Pensacola, Fla.