Blue Angels, Thunderbirds To Fly Over Bucks Co.: See Flight Path

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Parts of Bucks County should get a good look at the Blue Angels and Thunderbird jet squadrons as they fly over the Philadelphia and New Jersey area on Tuesday.

The Navy and Air Force squadrons are scheduled to buzz over the Trenton area for about 10 minutes at 1:45 p.m. and Philadelphia and its suburbs for about 20 minutes starting at 2 p.m.

The jets' flyover pattern, released by the Blue Angels, shows the jets flying directly over the Levittown area shortly after their 1:45 p.m. takeoff from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakenhurst, then again as they head from New Jersey toward Philadelphia.

Their approach to Trenton will take them up into Bucks County and near the Montgomery County line around Warminster, then through the Yardley and Bensalem areas on their return to Pennsylvania.

You can see the flyover pattern below:

Residents along the flight path can expect a few seconds of jet noise as the aircraft pass overhead, along with the sight of 12 high-performance aircraft flying close in precise formation. Officials are discouraging people from traveling to landmarks and hospitals or gathering in large groups to view the flyover.

Each flight squad costs at least $60,000 per hour to fly, according to The Washington Post.

The flyovers are meant to show national unity and be a thank you to first responders, essential workers, and others still working to keep people heavy and America running amid the pandemic.

"We are truly excited to take to the skies with our Navy counterparts for a nation-wide tribute to the men and women keeping our communities safe," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Caldwell, Thunderbird 1 and mission commander for the flyover. "We hope to give Americans a touching display of American resolve that honors those serving on the frontline of our fight with COVID-19."

However, the costs associated with the flyovers has been scrutinized by some who say the government should be spending money on fighting the virus and helping struggling Americans and businesses.

Task and Purpose, an online publication mainly focused on military coverage, blasted the flyovers in an opinion piece last week.

"What Americans need right now is tangible help, from personal protective equipment and ventilators to economic relief," writes Task and Purpose Deputy Editor Jared Keller. "And while the flyovers, announced under the uber-patriotic moniker of 'Operation America Strong,' reflect a noble sentiment in honoring the heroes who are working day and night to beat back the spread of the deadly virus, there's a problem: they are, fundamentally, b******t."\

The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds will also fly jointly over Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Austin, over the next few weeks, The Post reported. The squads will also perform individual shows in more than 20 other U.S. cities.

The Navy and Air Force have partnered with local governments and media outlets to help ensure spectators follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines. Both teams are also implementing various measures to maintain personnel and community safety. This includes air-to-air refueling during transit and no scheduled stops en route to reduce potential exposure to the virus.

Patch's Max Bennett contributed to this report.