A sure sign of Spring is when the Blue Angels return from their winter practices in California

NAS Pensacola, Fla - (OBA) - Excitement is building as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels prepare to return to their home base of NAS Pensacola from their winter training base at NAS El Centro, California.

Although the exact date and time of their return from the west coast are uncertain, we're expecting them back on Monday, March 20th. (Spring arrives on March 20th at 4:24pm.) As always, we will be monitoring chatter to give our best guess forecasts for timing.

As the Blue Angels make their way back to NAS Pensacola, the local community is eagerly anticipating the possibility of "Beach Buzzes" again for the 2023 season. Beach Buzzes involve the Blue Angels flying low over the beaches, usually between Pensacola Beach to Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, thrilling spectators with their high-speed passes.

To help locals and visitors stay informed about the Blue Angels' possible Beach Buzzes, the OBA Community Website will be, as we have for the last 15 years, forecasting the possible dates and times of the Beach Buzzes. These forecasts are based on previous years' patterns, chatter, and the Blue Angels' flight schedules. We will provide our best guess on timing on Sundays, where we'll post our timing estimates on our OBA Facebook page.

Blue Angels Beach Buzzes have become a tradition here on the Alabama/Florida Gulf Coast. Sometimes they fly as low as 250 feet above the water, creating an exciting arrival that is both impressive and awe-inspiring. Many locals and tourists flock to the beaches to witness the Blue Angels' returns, making it a significant event for our community. The Beach Buzzes generally take place when the Blue Angels are on their way home from certain air shows.

Their first air show was at Naval Air Station El Centro, CA on this past weekend.  This year they'll perform a second west coast show at NAS Point Mugu, CA next weekend, before returning to NAS Pensacola on March 20th (estimated). After their return to NAS Pensacola, the Blues first air show will be at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. We are hoping for a Beach Buzz on March 26th, as they return home.

The Blue Angels are an important part of Pensacola's history and culture, and their return from winter training is a highly anticipated event. As the community waits for their arrival, excitement is building, and people are preparing to catch a glimpse of the legendary flight demonstration squadron.

Blue Angels Practice Schedule:

The Blue Angels Practice Schedule has not yet been published. When we get the practice schedule we will publish it on our OBA Blue Angels Schedule page.

About the U.S. Blue Angels:
For anyone who doesn't know, the Blue Angels are the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron, renowned for their precision and breathtaking aerial displays. The Blue Angels formed in 1946 at NAS Jacksonville. On June 25, 1950, the Korean War started, and all of the Blue Angels pilots volunteered for combat duty. The squadron and its members were ordered to "combat-ready status" after an exhibition at Naval Air Station, Dallas, Texas on July 30th. The Blue Angels were disbanded, and its pilots were reassigned to a carrier.

On October 25,1951, the Blues were ordered to re-activate as a flight demonstration team, and reported to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1954 the Blue Angels relocated to their current home base of Naval Air Station Pensacola. Since then, Pensacola has become synonymous with the Blue Angels, and the squadron has played an important role in the community's culture and identity.

Dates for POSSIBLE Beach Buzzes

We have put estimated times in for possible Beach Buzzes on some of the dates based on previous year's timing. We will update these times as the dates draw nearer and we get additional information.

This is not a complete list of the Blue Angels Air Shows. It is only a list of the ones were we may see a Beach Buzz.

Blue Angels Complete 2023 Air Show Schedule