Speculation about cutbacks to public air shows
put on by the Blue Angels, the Thunderbirds and the Army's Golden Knights
paratroopers spread as the Pentagon looks for ways to trim $450 billion over
the next decade. The popular military promotional demonstrations that account
for tens of millions of dollars, a small fraction of the Pentagon's $926
billion annual budget, could be curtailed.
Last year, the same fears existed but a measure of cuts and legislation pushed the deadline into this year. Congress successfully pushed the sequestration deadline to March. So suspense builds for some 30 air shows for the Navy Blue Angels, about that many for the Air Force Thunderbirds that their headline acts maybe no-shows. Reports from Washington are not promising for more budget postponements.
![]()
An absence of military jet teams at air shows is unimaginable. Fans have flocked to see these performances for over 60 years. Republican Congressman Jeff Miller, who represents the Pensacola base and serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said the popularity of the Blue Angels will keep the program alive. Fans hope he is correct.
Comments poured in response to the growing news reports of the possible suspension of military demos, a few notables:
- Resistance to change isn't a positive in my book. With the current state of the budget, they need to be thinking outside the aerobatic box.
- The narrator always gives the spiel about how quickly they could deploy to combat. I figure if we are so hard up that we need to send the demo teams, we've lost the war.
-Put a donation bucket at the entrance to the air show.
We will all know by March what the future holds. -B Meyer
Last year, the same fears existed but a measure of cuts and legislation pushed the deadline into this year. Congress successfully pushed the sequestration deadline to March. So suspense builds for some 30 air shows for the Navy Blue Angels, about that many for the Air Force Thunderbirds that their headline acts maybe no-shows. Reports from Washington are not promising for more budget postponements.
An absence of military jet teams at air shows is unimaginable. Fans have flocked to see these performances for over 60 years. Republican Congressman Jeff Miller, who represents the Pensacola base and serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said the popularity of the Blue Angels will keep the program alive. Fans hope he is correct.
Comments poured in response to the growing news reports of the possible suspension of military demos, a few notables:
- Resistance to change isn't a positive in my book. With the current state of the budget, they need to be thinking outside the aerobatic box.
- The narrator always gives the spiel about how quickly they could deploy to combat. I figure if we are so hard up that we need to send the demo teams, we've lost the war.
-Put a donation bucket at the entrance to the air show.
We will all know by March what the future holds. -B Meyer