“Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby.”
These are the immortal words of Tom Cruise’s Maverick in Top Gun, moments before rattling the windows and spilling coffee in the air traffic control office. Beachgoers in Pensacola Beach had a similar experience this past weekend when Blue Angel #5, an F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet flown by Lt. Commander Mark Tedrow, came in low and fast enough to send beach umbrellas and towels flying.
The crowd cheered, of course, as one does when confronted with your nation’s superior firepower and aerial prowess. Here’s a look at the scene on the beach as captured on Instagram:
And here's the actual video. Feel free to hum Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” while you watch.
