Jones Beach Bethpage Air Show 2024
Story by Daniel O. Myers, photos by Kevin Burke
Since 2004, the Bethpage Federal Credit Union has sponsored all seventeen Memorial Day weekend air shows at Jones Beach State Park, NY. Broadcast on local 104.7 FM radio, the 2024 beach extravaganza got underway with the U.S. Army Golden Knights jumping, Mike Goulian circling overhead and a David Windmiller opening teaser.
Every year the organizers invite local talent to participate, with the audience never seeming to tire of seeing them. The Farmingdale State College Flying Rams flew five of their twenty college-owned aircraft in a flyby racetrack trail formation. The pilots were all recent graduates, now employed by the college as Certified Flight Instructors working on accumulating the necessary hours in hopes of flying for an airline. Following were Republic Airport based American Airpower Museum Vintage WWII fighters, bombers and patrol planes. Also from Republic Airport was the Skytypers four-ship Team flying their WWII era U.S. Navy SNJ-2 trainers. Since losing their GEICO sponsorship in 2022, Jones Beach is the only venue in the country where the Skytypers can be seen performing.
From Long Island’s Francis S. Gabreski Airport, the 106th Air National Guard Rescue Wing, with two HH-60s connected to KING HC-130 refueling drogues, swooped into show center. The 106th Rescue Wing deploys worldwide, providing combat search and rescue coverage for U.S. and allied forces and may be best known for their October 1991 “Perfect Storm” rescue operation.
Thundering in from Long Island’s MacArthur Airport were two VFA-125 U.S. Navy F-35C’s. Separating behind the crowd, one of the pair peeled off to execute an all afterburner routine before being joined by his wingman. Together, the two jets in afterburner carried out a complex mission profile. Their flight syllabus was developed in 2019 by current VFA-125 pilot, John “Tip” Davis. For various reasons (time required to make changes and receive FAA approval) the routine rarely changes from year to year.
VFA-125 commits to flying at six or seven annual venues. Unlike the Air Force that performs at twenty sites a year, the Navy does not have a dedicated F-35 demonstration pilot. There are twenty VFA-125 squadron pilots, anyone of which is qualified to fly the demo. Of those, twenty-three have been selected by the squadron’s commander to execute the full demo with four additional pilots qualified to fly Legacy Flights.
The primary task of all VFA-125 pilots is to train for combat. Secondarily, the pilots provide an opportunity to exhibit the F-35C to the public and hopefully inspire new recruits. At the beginning of each year, new air show pilots are selected. They are chosen by the VFA-125 commander with recommendations and input by the current demo pilots.
After forty years of demonstrations performed by dozens of pilots at hundreds of air shows, 2024 will be the final season for the A-10C air show team. That decision comes as part of the U.S.A.F. divestment of the A-10C Thunderbolt-II aircraft. From the right, Major Lindsay “MAD” Johnson brought her Southeast Asia camouflage-painted “Memphis Belle” A-10C low-level down the beach. Popping flairs, “MAD” revealed the excellent maneuverability of the A-10 attack jet at low airspeeds and altitude. Since 1975, the A-10 with its 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun has been the U.S Air Force’s premier close air support aircraft and the first U.S.A.F. aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces.
Jones Beach was only one of twenty locations for the A-10C Team to appear in 2024. At the conclusion of her routine, Major Johnson joined on Jim Beasley’s P-51 for the Heritage Flight.
For the tenth time, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels have headlined at Jones Beach. The precision flight team, in their gleaming blue and gold Super Hornets, thrilled the crowd as usual. The 2024 Memorial Day Weekend drew 353,000 attendees to the beach where they heard veteran air show announcer Rob Reider make known his retirement. Rob has been announcing alongside Air Boss Wayne Boggs at Jones Beach since 2006.
