
Blue Angels, Thunderbirds to soar over Long Island in essential worker tribute

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform above Jones Beach at the 2019 Bethpage Air Show. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds' highflying salute to health care workers and other workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic will soar over parts of Long Island on Tuesday afternoon.
The first of two flyovers will start at noon near the George Washington Bridge in Manhattan.
A formation of six F-16C/D Fighting Falcons and six F-18C/D Hornet jet aircrafts will fly south along the Hudson River and over parts of New Jersey before turning east toward Manhattan and Brooklyn, according to a flight path released Monday.
The jets will cross over Queens at about 12:20 p.m., travel through central Nassau, near Hempstead, before heading into Suffolk over Bay Shore at the Great South Bay, the flight path shows.
The flyover will then head north in the vicinity of Medford and Port Jefferson before turning west to Stamford, Connecticut, and White Plains and concluding near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge at 12:40 p.m., the map shows.
A second flyover Tuesday will begin at 1:45 p.m. over parts of Trenton, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware.
Residents under the flight path can expect to hear a few seconds of engines roaring and see the 12 jets flying in precision formation, officials said.
“We are truly excited to take to the skies with our Navy counterparts for a nationwide tribute to the men and women keeping our communities safe,” Air Force Lt. Col. John Caldwell, Thunderbird 1 and mission commander for the flyover, said in a statement. “We hope to give Americans a touching display of American resolve that honors those serving on the front-line of our fight with COVID-19.”
Viewers are encouraged to post photos and videos of the flyover to social media using the hashtag #AmericaStrong.
The Navy and Air Force are urging spectators to maintain social distancing guidelines while watching.