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A video showing an extremely low pass over a beach near the home of the US Navy aerial demonstration team, the Blue Angels, has gone viral with controversy over dangers it presented to bystanders. The altitude of the fighter jet has been estimated around 40 feet (12 meters), well below the typical minimum safe altitude of 1,000 feet (305 meters) normally expected for any aircraft, military or civilian plane.
When the Blue Angels 
Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet flew over Pensacola Beach, Florida, on July 15, its turbulent air wake blew sand across the beach, knocked down umbrellas and canopies, and sent hats flying. Yet, in just about 24 hours, the pilot has been cleared of any potential reprimand, with the Navy promising no consequences.
Pulling A Maverick Over Pensacola Beach
The Blue Angels operate under Federal Aviation Administration exemptions, which grant them permission to perform aerobatics, but it comes with caveats. Even when the Federal Aviation Administration grants airshow waivers to perform maneuvers below MSA and in excess of normally regulated aircraft speed, the exemption only applies within designated spaces and time frames.
Inside the area where the jets can freely maneuver, they are restricted from doing so directly over the heads of a crowd. The low pass on Wednesday looked like a scene from The Top Gun movies when Maverick defies air traffic control to ‘ buzz the tower,’ which any Navy flight instructor will tell you is a fast way to get grounded in real life.
The special operating freedom of the Blue Angels does not immunize them against reckless operation that damages property or harms members of the public. Although no one has come forward yet, there is much speculation that hearing damage could have resulted from the extremely low pass. Speculators express special concern over the presence of many children in the crowd at the ‘Breakfast with the Blues’ event.
Despite the numerous points of concern stated about the jet’s extremely low ‘buzz’ over the beach, the pilot has been celebrated by the White House, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao. Cao was quoted by the US Naval Institute, saying:
“Flight debrief complete. No reprimands. No firings. No problem. That’s the sound of freedom! Semper fi and Hooyah.”
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Naval Air Station Pensacola: The Cradle Of Naval Aviation
It is highly likely that many members of the crowd were former naval aviators themselves and likely considered the low pass an exciting close-up rather than a dangerous maneuver. The squadron calls NAS Pensacola home base, and the surrounding area is home to one of the largest concentrations of military air traffic and flight training activities in the world.
During the active season, the squadron practices frequently in the sky over Pensacola, and the jets can often be seen flying at low altitude around the base. Still, Wednesday’s low pass was not a routine event. It has not been publicly released which member of the Blue Angels was flying the aircraft in question.
The squadron itself did state that it is performing an internal review, saying that “The safety of our hometown community, spectators, and our pilots is our highest priority.” Even so, rather than allowing the Navy’s traditional, methodical safety review to take place, top political leaders immediately hijacked the narrative. “The flyovers will continue until morale continues,” Hegseth tweeted Thursday morning, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
The Department Of The Navy Makes An About-Face On Safety
A similar and less hazardous incident occurred in 2011 during the Lynchburg Regional Air Show. In this case, the Blue Angels momentarily dipped below the authorized MSA safety floor during a diamond barrel roll maneuver.
Following an intense safety review and investigation launched by the Navy, the team’s commander voluntarily stepped down. There was no property damage or injury as a result, and the overall jeopardy to the aircraft and their surroundings was not as severe as Wednesday’s rogue flyby.
Commander Koss showed great dignity and grace in putting the service above himself. Instead of defending his career, he chose to protect the dignity of the uniform and the absolute sanctity of safety regulations. Koss admitted to leading the jets in unacceptably low-altitude stunts and stated that his choice to step down was made after assessing his own performance as unsatisfactory during his tenure as leader of the famous acrobatic team.
