2024 Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow - USAF Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds (‪@afthunderbirds‬) made their final public airshow on Saturday with this FANTASTIC high show performance over the home of the ‪@USNavy‬ ‪@USNavyBlueAngels‬ at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Technical difficulties with audio took place at the beginning of the ground show, but I want you all to scroll to 20:08 into the video as Thunderbird #1, LtCol Nathan "Sheik" Malafa, in his short speech before flying, pays tribute to airshow announcer Rob Reider, who announced his last airshow at NAS Pensacola. Even Thunderbird #10 acknowledged this at the end of the video, if you can hear it over Fat Albert's engines. Check out the high alpha pass!

Typically the Thunderbirds would close out their airshow season at another show site or at Aviation Nation at their home base of Nellis Air Force Base, but seeing as Nellis wasn't hosting Aviation Nation in 2024, the team was to fly their last airshow in Fort Worth, TX at Alliance Airport. That fell through and plans were put in place to close out the season in Pensacola.

This is the first time I have ever seen the final public show of the season for the Thunderbirds. The team headed back to Nellis on November 4 and will fly one final airshow for their friends and family over Nellis AFB on November 5, 6, and 7; a demonstration that is closed to the public. Saturday's demonstration at NAS Pensacola was also the first time I've done a joint airshow where the two teams were back-to-back in the schedule. A short intermission took place after the Thunderbirds concluded so that the Blue Angels maintainers could head out to the jets and prep them for their display.

The 2024 Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow took place on November 1-2, 2024 at Naval Air Station Pensacola (KNPA). This year's Homecoming Airshow is special as it is the first time both the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds appeared at NAS Pensacola and it is also the final airshow for veteran airshow announcer Rob Reider. This video was shot on Saturday November 2, 2024.

MUSIC DISCLAIMER: Please keep in mind that any music in the video was played through a public address system and ZINGER AVIATION MEDIA does not have any control over what music is being played during an air show. Over the years, the music industry has increased its concern to ensure they are paid when copyrighted music is played. Therefore, according to Air Combat Command Aerial Events, any U.S. air show, civilian or military, hosting an Air Force aircraft performance which includes music, secure the necessary music licenses for broadcast of pre-recorded copyrighted music over public address systems. For the 2024 airshow season, the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) has negotiated a deal that will allow issuance of music licenses for ICAS member air shows for all three US music licensing organizations: ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. Each ICAS member air show is eligible for a single package of the three music licenses for one air show at the cost of $650 for a one (1) day air show; $950 for a two (2) day air show; $1,200 for a three (3) day air show; $1,450 for a four (4) day air show; $1,700 for a five (5) day air show, $1,950 for a six (6) day air show; and $2,200 for a seven (7) day air show. The rate applies only to music broadcast over the public address system during the air show portion of the program and does not provide the air show with the right to use pre-recorded music at concerts or other non-air show special events held in conjunction with the air show.

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