The flyover, similar to salutes over Northeastern and Southern cities, will begin in Detroit on Tuesday morning. “We salute and thank all healthcare workers, first responders and other essential personnel serving on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19,” the Blue Angels said in a tweet.
The flyover will begin in Detroit with a 21 minute flyover, beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT. The salute will continue to Chicago for 15 minutes beginning at 11:45 a.m. CDT. The flyover will conclude with an 11 minute salute in Indianapolis beginning at 2:10 p.m. EDT. Residents of each city can watch the salute safely by looking out their windows, going on terraces, roofs, etc. if they are in the flight path. For those not near the route, the Blue Angels’ Twitter and Instagram accounts have been sharing photos and videos from each salute.
Founded in 1946, the Blue Angels are the navy’s flight demonstration team. Their mission is to demonstrate professionalism and teamwork within the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and inspire people through their demonstrations and community outreach.
Residents are encouraged to enjoy the flyover from the safety of their own homes and maintain social distancing protocols. “Residents should observe the flyover from the safety of their own home-quarantine and should refrain from traveling to see the flyover,” the Blue Angels posted on Facebook. “Social distancing should be practiced at all times. Stay home and stay safe!”
The Tuesday salute is the latest in a series of flyovers that the Blue Angels have participated in to show support for healthcare workers. Past flyovers included Jacksonville, Miami, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, New Orleans, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia and New York City.
The Blue Angels have posted a number of videos from their previous flyovers. A recent video showed a pilot’s point of view during the Texas-New Orleans flyover. “It was an honor to fly over Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and New Orleans as part of America Strong yesterday, May 6, 2020. #AmericaStrong #InThisTogether #HealthCareHeroes,” the video description said.
Along with flight routes and promotional videos, the Blue Angels’ Instagram account has posted some close-up photos of the Blue Angels during their flyover, including the ones below, which were shot during the Miami-Jacksonville salute.
Commander Brian Kesserling previously said that showing support for healthcare workers and community outreach were just as much a part of the Blue Angels’ mission as flight demonstrations are.
A post shared by Blue Angels (@usnavyblueangels) on May 9, 2020 at 5:52am PDT
“We thought, when we got together with the Thunderbirds, this was a way that we could reach out and maybe touch those lives,” Kesserling said in a promotional video. “It’s nothing more than neighbors looking out through their window pane at each other together and watching a couple flight demonstrations teams fly by and maybe increase morale and have a visible show of support.”
