The Navy's Blue Angels: Incredible Precision at High Speed

Blue Angels taxiing after airshow in Pensacola, FL.
A stop in Pensacola, FL, on a road trip in October 2016 from Dallas, TX, to Tampa, FL, turned out to be far more exciting than planned. Wife Ute and I had scheduled a visit at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL.
National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, FL, viewed from nearby lighthouse.
We arrived at the museum on a Tuesday shortly after 10 am, anticipating a visit of several hours. A surprising number of people parked at the same time, then proceeded to walk toward the adjacent runway of the Navy base. "They must know where to go," we thought, and just moved along with them. Shortly we joined a queue. Asking a neighbor in the queue, we found out that there was to be an airshow. "Oh well, why not take the time and watch it," we said. "There will be plenty of time to visit the museum afterwards."

 Listening to announcements of volunteers managing the queue, it finally dawned on us that the Navy's Blue Angels were to perform. Indeed, around 4,000 spectators were expected. Luckily, we were among the first 100 or so who got a front row seat at the rope separating the crowd from the taxiway.

 The Blue Angels fly six F/A-18 Hornet jets. Most of the maneuvers are flown in very tight diamond formation; at one time, the wingtips are just 18 inches apart. During our visit, four planes flew instead of six. For us, it was just as exhilarating.
Four Blue Angels in tight formation.
One of the volunteer guides, a former Air Force Black Hawk helicopter pilot, gave us lots of technical information about the Blue Angels. We finally got an explanation why the Blue Angels performed here. Every week on Tuesday and Wednesday, from mid March to early November, they put on an airshow in Pensacola as a practice run. Then they fly to some other location to perform there on the weekend. How lucky that we came on a Tuesday to visit the museum and thus could see them in action!

 Afterwards we visited the museum. Unfortunately, the huge Hangar Bay One was being renovated, and many aircraft had been temporarily crammed into the museum building. Planes were hard to see, and there was little information about them. But we toured everything and took some pictures.

 A large sculpture in the entrance hall depicts Navy aviators of WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm.
Entrance hall of  National Naval Aviation Museum
The Navy-Curtiss Flying Boat was designed to patrol the Atlantic during WWI and guard against the German U-Boat threat. 
Navy-Curtiss Flying Boat of WWI.
Among rarely seen planes are the WWII German Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter jet and the Japanese Zero.
Me 262 jet.
Japanese Zero.
The courtyard features four jets of the Blue Angels.
Blue Angels in courtyard.
A huge wall picture tells the story of the aircraft carriers.
 US Navy Aircraft Carriers
The museum's IMAX movie theater offers three movies. We made an excellent choice, selecting the movie "The Magic of Flight." It is mainly about Navy flying: Takeoff and landing on carriers, high speed maneuvers, and then, in great detail, the training of the Blue Angels and their breathtaking performance at airshows.

 What a day!

 The final event of the day was a visit of the Pensacola Lighthouse, which is almost next to the museum. At 191 ft, it is unusually high. The view from the top is impressive, as are the large Fresnel lens and the delicate yet sturdy cast iron staircase.
Lighthouse, Pensacola, FL
Looking up inside: Fresnel Lens.
Looking down: Cast iron staircase.
If you go there, spend a few more days to visit the nearby pristine beaches of Destin, FL, and at least one of the secluded freshwater springs of central Florida. If you are brave, like my wife and me, you will even swim in the crystal clear 70-72 deg F water.
Manatee Springs, Chiefland, FL.
Within a day's drive is the Tampa Bay area. The enchanting Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, FL, has stunning orchids.
Orchids of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, FL . . . 

A calming waterfall with mermaid invites meditation.
Waterfall with mermaid sculpture, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Finally, you may want to drive to Anna Maria Island, walk along its beautiful beach, swim in the usually calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and almost every evening enjoy an otherworldly sunset.
Sunset on Anna Maria Island, FL.
If all this sounds like an advertisement obtained at a Florida Welcome Station, don't worry. Just go and have a wonderful time. In October, the summer tourists are gone, the snowbirds of the north haven't arrived yet, hotels and restaurants are half empty and eager to serve, and the weather is just perfect. On top, the performance of the Blue Angels is breathtaking.

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