Augusta, GA
Blue Angels will soar over Augusta this weekend. What to know for the show
After a week off, the Blue Angels are back at it this weekend at the Air Dot Augusta Air Show in Georgia.
The air show will be held at the Augusta Regional Airport and it will feature the Blue Angels along with Buck Roetman, the SOCOM Para-commandos and several other performers.
Augusta Air Show tickets are on sale for a discounted price until 11:59 p.m. on Friday.
Here’s what to know about the Blue Angels and the Augusta Air Show.
When is the Augusta Air Show 2025?
The Augusta Air Show will take place on April 26-27 at the Augusta Regional Airport, located at 1501 Aviation Way, Augusta, GA.
Augusta Air Show 2025 tickets
You can grab general admission tickets for the Augusta Air Show on Saturday and Sunday for 25% off until 11:59 p.m. on Friday. Tickets will be $33.50 for adults and $25 for children ages 6-12 afterward.
Some preferred seating, ramp/lawn boxes and Flight Line Club VIP tickets are still available. You can find more information on the website.
What is the Augusta Air Show schedule?
Here is a look at the schedule for the Augusta Air Show schedule this year:
- 9 a.m.: Gates open
- 11:30 a.m. to noon: Opening ceremonies
- Noon to 2:30 p.m.: Flight performances
- 2:30 p.m.: The Blue Angels
The schedule is the same for Saturday and Sunday.
Who are the Blue Angel pilots in 2025?
Here is a look at the 2025 Blue Angel pilots and their roles:
- #1 | Cmdr. Adam Bryan | USN — Flight leader and commanding officer
- #2 | Cmdr. Jack Keilty | USN — Right wing
- #3 | Maj. Brandon Wilkins | USMC — Left wing
- #4 | Lt. Cmdr. Wes Perkins | USN — Slot
- #5 | Cmdr. Thomas Zimmerman | USN — Lead solo
- #6 | Lt. Connor O’Donnell | USN — Opposing solo
How did the Blue Angels get their name?
During the winter, Floridians lament the influx of snowbirds from places like New York, but the state is actually somewhat responsible for how the Blue Angels got its name.
Right Wing Pilot Lt. Maurice “Wick” Wickendoll came up with the name after he read about the Blue Angel nightclub in “The New Yorker” magazine. Wickendoll through the suggestion out to his superiors, and the name stuck.
What planes do the Blue Angels fly?
In 2021, the Blue Angels transitioned from the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, which the team has flown since 1986, to the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. The new Super Hornets are 25% larger, can fly 40% further and remain on station 80% longer.
How fast do the Blue Angels fly?
The fastest the Blue Angels fly during an air show is 700 mph during its Sneak Pass maneuver. The slowest speed is around 120 mph during the Section High Alpha maneuver.
How close do the Blue Angels fly?
The diamond formation the Blue Angels fly in during the Diamond 360 maneuver has the jets flying about 18 inches from each other.
How low do the Blue Angels fly during an air show?
Not every air show is the same, and because safety is paramount, the range of maneuvers the team performs depends entirely upon the conditions at the time of the show. That said, in general, the infamous Sneak Pass is the closest they’ll get to the ground. During this maneuver, the Lead Solo will “sneak” up on the crowd from behind and pass only 50 feet above it. Earbuds are recommended to protect your ears, but nothing will save you from the rumbling you’ll feel in your chest as it passes overhead.
What is the most impressive move the Blue Angels perform?
The Blue Angels allow media and other selected civilians to participate in rides ahead of some shows. Anyone selected to participate has to pass a physical exam and get a sign-off from their doctor. During these rides, it’s not uncommon for the rider to pass out at some point. All of this is to say that it’s demanding enough just to sit in the cockpit. All of the maneuvers performed by the Blue Angels are impressive.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It could be at least three more months before the Augusta Canal trail fully reopens after Hurricane Helene left it debris-strewn on Sept. 27.
Not having the trail fully reopened is a bummer for some – especially heading into a holiday weekend and the summer.
Crews are not cleaning this Memorial Day weekend, so it’s fine to kayak and canoe in the water.
But there are some areas to stay away from, like the pumping station.
Leaning trees and cracks in the embankment are hazardous, too.
Augusta Utilities Director Wes Byne says the cleanup process is lengthy and costly — totaling $10 million, including $2 million out of the city’s budget.
Also this holiday weekend, the downtown Riverwalk is still closed due to debris cleanup.
Pendleton King Park is also still closed.
Outside Augusta but stlll popular with local residents is the newly reopened West Dam recreational area at Clarks Hill Lake.
The day-use area has been closed for months for Helene cleanup but reopened Friday.
The park is missing some amenities and structures, such as tables and grills, that were damaged by the storm, but is now safe for visitors.
The reopening makes 40 of 51 Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas at the lake that have at least partially reopened since Helene.
There is still debris remaining in most parks and potential hazards remain, so visitors must use caution and avoid closed areas.
To check the status of Army Corps facilities at teh lake, visit https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-and-Offices/Operations-Division/J-Strom-Thurmond-Dam-and-Lake.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The FBI confirms that it’s been at the Augusta-Richmond County Municipal Building this week.
The agency said special agents have been at the building “conducting law enforcement activities.”
The FBI isn’t saying what that law enforcement operation might be.
We do know, however, that the city has caught the federal government’s attention in recent weeks after more than $6 million in grant money wasn’t repaid in a timely manner after it wasn’t spent, as required by law.
The money was meant to fund COVID-era programs to help people in need avoid eviction.
However, when it wasn’t used, the federal government said it wanted the money back from the Housing and Community Development Department.
It was months before the city’s top brass learned of the problem, and ultimately the money was paid back from its funds.
But not before Housing and Community Development Director Hawthorne Welcher was suspended.
City officials also decided to conduct an audit of the department.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of the 2500 block of Lumpkin Road regarding a deadly shooting Wednesday evening.
The sheriff’s office located one male on the scene with at least one gunshot wound, who died after being transported to Wellstar MCG, according to Coroner Mark Bowen.
The coroner’s office identified the victim as 26-year-old Jaquavious Watkins.
Homicide investigators were on scene as of 8:43 p.m., and no further information was released, the sheriff’s office says.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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