Whether you’re hoping to get a sneak peek of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels ahead of next weekend’s big National Cherry Festival (NCF) airshow, or simply trying to plan your mid-week work calls around noisy planes, we’ve got you covered. The Ticker reached out to NCF representatives to get the full Blue Angels itinerary for the coming week – along with some other tidbits about what to expect from this year’s airshow. Here’s what we learned.

The Itinerary

Tuesday, June 25
>10:30am: The first of the Blue Angels, Blue Angels #7, arrives in Traverse City.
>1-4pm: Blue Angels #7 flies “intermittent familiarization flights” in local airspace.

Wednesday, June 26
>4:30pm: “Fat Albert,” the nickname for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules responsible for carrying key maintenance and support equipment from one Blue Angels show site to the next, lands in Traverse City.
>5:10pm: The rest of the Blue Angels squad, #1-#6, touch down in TC.

Thursday, June 27
>9-11am: It’s “circle and arrival” practice day, with two separate morning sessions to keep an eye out for. First up are Blue Angels #1, #2, #3, and #4, which will be in the air from 9-10am. Blue Angels #5 and #6 will then fly their maneuvers from 10-11am.
>3-4:30pm: The full squad comes together for another circle and arrival practice.

Friday, June 28
>1-4pm: The Blue Angels fly a full airshow practice – their “dress rehearsal” for the real deal on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, June 29
>1-4pm: The Blue Angels and other aircraft take to the skies for Day 1 of the NCF airshow.

Sunday, June 30 
>1-4pm: Locals get a second chance to see the spectacle, with Day 2 of the airshow.
>5:55pm: All seven Blue Angels depart Traverse City.
>6:10pm: Fat Abert departs Traverse City.

While this itinerary will hopefully hold throughout the week, Mandy De Puy – marketing and communications manager for NCF – stresses that the schedule is “extremely fluid” and could change at any point, especially “in case of inclement weather, fueling, or mechanical issues.”

Since The Ticker’s initial inquiry early last week, NCF has sent out a press release notifying the public of this schedule and issuing a blanket warning about airshow noise.

“The National Cherry Festival Airshow is committed to ensuring the safety and enjoyment of all spectators,” the press release states. “The airshow will generate noise due to the low-flying jets and other aircraft. Residents and visitors are advised to take necessary precautions for pets, young children, and individuals sensitive to loud sounds. Ear protection is recommended for all attendees and available at each event location.”

The Other Aircraft

Beyond the Blue Angels, this year’s airshow will also feature a variety of other aircraft – and a slew of unique stories, according to Airshow Director Christian Smith. That list includes:

>An airshow helicopter lineup, including a UH72 Lakota, a UH60 Black Hawk, and a CH-47 Chinook, all from the Michigan Army National Guard; an MH-65 Dolphin from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit; and several MH-60 Jayhawks, a Michigan State Police UH-1 Huey, and a North Flight Aero Med Sikorsky 72, all from Coast Guard Station Traverse City. “The only helicopter that will make noise beyond what we're used to in Traverse City is the MSP Huey UH-1,” Smith shares. “That's a Vietnam-era helicopter with two blades, which makes a lot of noise compared to the local USCG Jayhawks and North Flight Sikorsky.”

>A lineup of civilian pilots, including Michael Goulian, a U.S. National Aerobatic Champion and Red Bull Air Race pilot; Michael Terfehr, who will be flying what Smith describes as a “fast and unique Soviet MiG-17”; RJ Gritter, who Smith says is “redefining decathlon aerobatics with his patriotic red, white, and blue paint scheme”; and Nathan K. Hammond, who will “bring aerial skywriting back” as part of the NCF airshow. “Skywriting first debuted during the 1935 festival, and Nate returns this exceptional art nearly 90 years later to entertain our community once again,” Smith tells The Ticker.

>Several U.S. Air Force aircraft, including Air Combat Command’s A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo Team, a long-time “crowd favorite” at the NCF airshow, per Smith; and the Horesmen Flight Team, a trio of North American P-51D Mustangs. According to Smith, this year marks “the final air show season…after more than 40 years in operation” for the Thunderbolt team. “It is truly an honor that Traverse City and NCF were chosen for their 2024 Farewell Tour,” he says.

>Two other Navy aircraft: an E2 Hawkeye, described by Smith as “a turbo-prop reconnaissance aircraft”; and a fleet-based F/A-18 piloted by Traverse City native Meagan “Ronda” Garcia. “Ronda lettered in soccer at Traverse City Central High School in 2004 and earned her private pilot license with the Northwestern Michigan College aviation program shortly thereafter,” Smith notes. “She is currently assigned to the VFA-151 Vigilantes squadron on the USS Abraham Lincoln, with nearly 1,000 F/A-18 Rhino flight hours and over 300 carrier arrested landings. We are thrilled to welcome Ronda back to participate in her hometown air show.”