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Going To The Fort Lauderdale Air Show This Weekend? Here's What You Need To Know

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will be doing what they do best above South Florida skies this weekend, as they headline this year's 2021 Fort Lauderdale Air Show.

Organizers urge those headed to the show to stay hydrated, arrive early, and maintain social distancing.

The show, which will be held on Saturday, May 8th, and Sunday, May 9th., kicks off at around 11:45 a.m. and runs until about 3 p.m.

Organizers say the show will encompass a range of two miles, with the show center being Birch State Park. The show extends from NE 19th Court to Las Olas Blvd.

If you go, organizers say, this will be the best area to view the event on the beach. As always, ear protection is recommended for children under 5.

For safety and security reasons, spectators are prohibited from setting up chairs on the street along the closed-off area on A1A.

Those who want to see the show as it was meant to be enjoyed, are encouraged to purchase tickets to the Drop Zone area.

You can still see the show for free anywhere north or south of the event on the beach.

Boaters will also be able to see the show, as the U.S. Coast Guard has established a Safety Zone to keep boat anchors from damaging the coral reefs offshore.

Organizers remind you to remember to wear your mask in public areas, except while seated viewing the show separated from other groups by at least 6 feet.

If you are driving to the event, there are three public parking locations on the beach:

  • Fort Lauderdale Beach Park (700 Seabreeze Boulevard)
  • North Beach (east side of A1A from N.E. 13th Street to N.E. 18th Street)
  • North Beach (south end - east and west side from Sunrise Boulevard to N.E. 13th Street)

As always, you could take public transportation, take a taxi or use your favorite ride-share app.

Once you get there, relax and get ready to enjoy the show.

The Blue Angels performance in Fort Lauderdale will be one of the first in the F-18 Super Hornet. The team is transitioning from the legacy Hornet, an aircraft they have flown for three decades.

The F-18 Super Hornet is larger and has 40 percent more power than the legacy Hornet.

The team's four-jet diamond performs precision formation flight with the aircraft wingtips as close as two feet apart while performing loops, inverted rolls, and even high-performance turns. The team's two solo jets will perform high-energy maneuvers together and from opposite directions and close in on each other at almost 1,000 mph.

Joining the Blue Angels in the performance lineup will be the F-16 Viper Demo Team. The F-16 is the "Sports Car" of the U.S. military fighter jet community. A single-engine, single-pilot jet, it is sleek, highly maneuverable, and fast.

In addition to the Blue Angels and the F-16 Viper Demo Team, the show will also include the Geico Skytypers, the Red Bull helicopter, aerobatic pilots Mike Wiskus and Kirby Chambliss, and the U.S. Special Operations Command Parachute Team.

The Fort Lauderdale Air Show will once again take place under a series of "Stay Safe and Separate Initiatives" to ensure the safety of guests and spectators at this year's event.

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