Long Island News Post Published on April, 20th 2020
The Bethpage Airshow, more commonly known as the Jones Beach airshow has officially been canceled for 2020 as of April 17th, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Although the show was scheduled for May 23rd and 24th, it is still uncertain if the New York State Quarantine will be lifted by then.
This year's show would have been the 17th consecutive Jones Beach Airshow and although it is disappointing it had to be cancelled, it is understandable as up to 200,000 people have attended the Jones Beach Airshow on a given day in past years.
Last year, it is estimated that up to 368,000 people attended the Jones Beach Airshow. Having this many people gather on the beach surely raises the risk of creating a COVID-19 hotspot after New York has recently gotten over the peak of the outbreak.
We are deeply saddened that this year’s Bethpage Air Show will not take place, however, it is of the utmost importance that New Yorkers remain at home during the continued coronavirus pandemic. The Bethpage Air Show honors our nation’s military, so this year we ask our fans to also honor all those who are on the front lines fighting this deadly virus, including our health systems, first responders, essential workers, and the Military and National Guard for their unified support and response to the coronavirus.
I’ve Never Been To The Jones Beach Airshow, What Am I Missing?
The Jones Beach Airshow draws a massive crowd from all Long Island Towns. People gather to relax on the beach and watch 5 hours of amazing sky acrobatics.
The 2020 airshow was sponsored by Bethpage Credit Union and was set to include both Civilian and Military performances. The performers who were scheduled for this years show are listed below:
Military Performers:
- 106th Air National Guard Rescue Wing
- B-17 Yankee Lady
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels
- Golden Knights
- U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue Demonstration
- United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II
Civilian Performers:
- American Airpower Museum Warbirds
- David Windmiller
- Farmingdale State College Aviation
- Team Oracle: Sean D. Tucker and Jessy Panzer
Which Performer Is The Biggest Draw?
The airshow features different kinds of aircraft and pilots who are all incredible in a unique way. However, most people leaving the show remembered the United States Navy Blue Angel Planes whizzing by.
Blue Angel pilots are handpicked to join the Blue Angels Team and serve in two-three year rotations. This team performs several airshows for millions of spectators in the United States as well as around the world.
The planes flown by Blue Angels have progressed throughout the teams 72 years history. Currently, the Blue Angels fly the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet and the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft.
The team originally utilized a 4 member “Diamond” rotation before expanding to six aircraft to allow the team to further showcase their ability to fly in precise formations. In addition to their ability to fly in precise formations, Blue Angels are known to fly at incredibly high speeds reaching up to 70 mph during an airshow. This is just under Mach 1, which is a speed most people will never get to experience.
Will The Beach Itself Be Open This Summer?
This is the question that all of Long Island is currently asking itself. Although no one knows for sure whether the beaches will open for the 2020 summer, it does not look likely as of now.
On April 16th New York Mayor Bill De Blasio Announced that there is no plan to have beaches and pools ready for the start of the Summer season. The mayor explained how going from the current period of intense social distancing to mass gatherings at the beach is “not likely” and “not safe”, citing the thousands of people usually gathered at the Coney Island Boardwalk as an example.
Will There Be An Airshow In 2021?
Yes, the airshow is scheduled to return to Jones Beach next year when it is expected to be safe to gather in large crowds. The 2021 airshow is set to feature the United States Airforce Thunderbirds and will likely draw record crowds because of this year's cancellation.
On the bright side, plenty of time to get your earplugs ready for next year!
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Long Island News Post Updated April 20th, 2020
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