Scott Laux Blue Angels suspended: Did controversial beach flyover, with Navy jets sending tents and umbrellas flying, play a role?

Scott Laux suspended: Days after Major Scott Laux, the opposing solo flying jet No. 6 and second-year member of the Blue Angels, was removed from the flight demonstration squadron, it has emerged that he defend the controversial beach flyover. This happened months before Scott Laux was dismissed. According to a report in Pnj, the pilot had previously spoken out in support of the squadron’s low-flying displays after a controversial performance over Pensacola Beach, Fla. in July. During the team’s annual “Breakfast with the Blues” flyover, Navy jets flew at extremely low altitude over the shoreline, sending tents, beach chairs and umbrellas flying as clouds of sand swept across the beach.

“We appreciate the trust in support and it’s our privilege to be able to perform in that way. We’re gonna keep bringing the heat and continue doing it safely,” Scott Laux had told Rolling with Madrina when asked about the incident.

The “Breakfast with the Blues” annual flyover sent sunbathers into a frenzy as the specialized US Navy jets flew terrifyingly close to the shore, reported WEAR News. Tents, beach chairs and umbrellas were tossed around by the thrust from the jet’s engines and some of the gear reportedly hit several people, according to videos posted to social media.


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Why was Scott Laux removed from Blue Angels?

The US premier flight demonstration squadron fired a pilot Scott Laux for "underperforming in his role" and relieved a public affairs officer for unknown reasons. Blue Angels pilot U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Scott Laux and Marine Capt. Danielle Cribb, who served as the team’s public affairs officer, were fired in two separate incidents and are not connected to each other. “Blue Angels #6 was removed from the team for failing to uphold the standards expected of members of the Navy flight demonstration squadron,” the Navy said, referring to Laux.

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Danielle Cribb, who was described in one social media post as Laux’s mentee, was dismissed on a separate occasion, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, reports The Navy Times. “She was removed and it was unrelated to the major,” the source said. “They had nothing to do with one another.” Cribb was removed prior to Laux’s dismissal, according to the source.

"Blue Angel #6 was removed from the team for failing to uphold the standards expected of members of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron and will not participate in the team's remaining performance this season," CNATRA's public affairs office said in an emailed statement.

Who is Scott Laux?

Scott Laux, who hails from Chantilly, Va., graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese before completing Marine officer training and an extensive flight-training program. He earned his wings in 2015 and went on to fly F/A-18 Hornets, later transitioning to the F-35C Lightning II. His military career included deployments to Japan and aboard the USS Nimitz.

Scott reported to the Blue Angels in September 2024. He has over 1,300 flight hours and 169 aircraft carrier arrested landings. His awards include two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, as well as multiple unit awards.

In 2013, Laux got married to a fellow Naval Academy cadet. He was absent from the squadron’s NAS Pensacola Homecoming Air Show in Florida on Friday and Saturday, which celebrated the naval air station’s 200th anniversary.

Laux and Cribb were photographed together in April at a minor league baseball game in Pensacola, home to the Blue Angels. In a social media post, Laux was described as Cribb’s “mentor” and presented her with an award recognizing her recent promotion before the game. The Navy has not revealed when Laux was removed from the team or what prompted the decision. His photograph and biographical profile have also seemingly disappeared from the Blue Angels’ official website.