An Air Force veteran is urging the Navy to permanently cease the Blue Angels’ iconic air displays in Seattle due to excessive noise levels and pollution concerns. Dr. Breck Lebegue, a former Air Force flight surgeon with 30 years of experience, expressed his concerns in a recent op-ed for the Seattle Times ahead of scheduled demonstrations at the city’s annual Seafair Summer Festival. He highlighted that spectators attending the renowned air shows face an increased risk of hearing loss due to noise levels ranging between 100 and 110 decibels.
Lebegue pointed to a May study on F/A-18 plane takeoffs and landings at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington State, which found that over 74,000 people were at risk of adverse health effects, including heightened sleep disturbance. Furthermore, several schools within proximity to the airfield experienced noise levels posing a potential risk to childhood learning development.
The popular Blue Angels’ performances have also been criticized for their environmental impact. According to Lebegue, the jets would release 670 metric tons of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere over the weekend, contributing more to climate change than 30 cars embarking on a combined journey of 150,000 miles. This raises concerns in Seattle, which has set ambitious goals to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 58% from 2008 levels by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Lebegue suggests that the city should embrace “harm reduction” by parting ways with the Blue Angels, who have been performing since their formation in 1946 as a way to promote naval aviation and boost Navy morale. The Pensacola-based flight squadron is set to perform approximately 64 shows across 32 cities in the coming year.
While the Air Force also has its own demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, which perform around 75 shows per year using F-16 aircraft, Lebegue’s call for change highlights the potential impact of aviation on public health and environmental sustainability.
