Studer Community Institute

2014 Year in Review: Blue Angels made a comeback

December 30, 2014
/ Reggie Dogan
/ government

The Blues are back. After the Navy cancelled the high-flying aerobatic team’s season because of automatic federal budget cuts, ever-popular Blue Angels roared back in 2014 to appreciative fans and a grateful community. The budget cuts, known as sequestration, grounded the Blue Angels in 2013, saving more than $20 million. After a year hiatus, the precision flight squadron drew record crowds in March, as more than 25,000 people attended the team’s first practice in 2014 at Pensacola Naval Air Station. And it was pure aviation excitement when the Blues flew over Pensacola Beach in July, attracting tens of thousands to the sugary sands and emerald waters for the annual beach show. The 2014 show marked the 68^th year of Blue Angel performances. In November, the Blue Angels made its grand appearance in the friendly blue skies for the NAS Pensacola Homecoming Show, as thousands witnessed the power and felt the thunder of the earth-defying, skydiving squadron. The grounding of the Blue Angels because of federal budget cuts wasn’t the only news the flight team made. The Navy also announced that a former commander of the elite squadron, Capt. Gregory McWherter, had been relieved of duty for alleged misconduct. Complaints from a former member in an internal documented accused McWherter of overlooking and tolerating sexual harassment within their ranks. The internal controversy, however, did little to dull the excitement or diminish the huge crowds of delighted fans. The blue skies in 2014 greeted the Angels in a welcomed return to another year of death-defying loops and flips that the flight demonstration has made famous at home in Pensacola and across the proud land of the free.

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2014 Year in Review: Blue Angels made a comeback

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