Navy's Blue Angels roar into Republic for Jones Beach air show

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels loudly announced their arrival to Long Island on Wednesday, flying low with engines roaring above business parks and shopping malls on final approach before landing at East Farmingdale’s Republic Airport ahead of the FourLeaf Airshow at Jones Beach.

Hundreds of onlookers lined areas surrounding the airport, peering through chain-link fencing in many cases to get a glimpse of the Angels' gleaming navy blue F/A-18 Super Hornets with gold and yellow trim. Some marveled at the fighter jets as they completed a formation flyby and landed individually. Cameras and cellphones pointed to the sky to capture the moment for posterity.

For one of the Blue Angels' squad, crew chief Cody Farrell, being back on Long Island meant coming home. To a group of reporters, friends and air show officials assembled on the airport tarmac, Farrell, of Mastic Beach, said it was an "absolute honor and privilege."

Farrell's parents, Kathleen and Brian Farrell, told Newsday their son's role in the show is the culmination of years of hard work and resilience.

"It's an incredible situation," said Kathleen Farrell, "because it means a great deal, to from thinking about, 'oh, do I really want to be part of the Navy,' and then to become part of this."

The air show runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both Sunday and Monday. It will be the 11th time the Blue Angels have headlined the show, typically the unofficial kickoff of summer over the Memorial Day weekend. The show shifted to the July Fourth weekend this year as a tribute the nation's semiquincentennial. The Royal Canadian Air Force's Snow Birds are also scheduled to perform, as well as numerous stunt and precision pilots.

On New Highway in East Farmingdale, vehicles lined the shoulders. People peered through sunroofs, sat on top of their cars and brought ladders to get the best viewing angle.

"I’ll be here all weekend," said Kimberly Rinyu, 49, of West Babylon, who brought her school-age children to get their first-ever view of the Blue Angels.

"I avoid the beach," Rinyu said. "I’d rather be here. I want to be up close and personal. I like to watch them take off and land."

Rinyu said the best part is sharing her lifelong Blue Angels fandom with her children. It's a love, she said, that stemmed from when her father took her to Republic growing up when the precision squadron came to town. Rinyu said she'll return to the airport Friday for the squadron’s practice and Sunday to see them take off for Jones Beach.

Gabrielle Maccarino, 32, of Massapequa, took her children to the outside of Republic Airport’s main terminal to view the Angels land.

Maccarino said one of her daughters developed an infatuation with planes, likely because the family drives on New Highway near Republic frequently and aircrafts often fly low overhead.

"I’ve never been to anything like this. ... It’s like really cool to like see it so up close, and they look so small in the sky, but they're really huge," Maccarino said.

After landing, Navy Lt. Chris Houben, known as Blue Angel No. 3, said arriving at Republic Airport always feels like home.

"I can already tell within the first few minutes I stepped out of the jet ... this weekend is gonna be special," Houben said.