Navy, Air Force pilots make historic joint Super Bowl 60 flyover

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A joint Navy and Air Force team just made a historic flyover at the Super Bowl, which marked the first time the two branches conducted the aerial display together.

The flyover featured a mix of aircraft, including a B-1 bomber from South Dakota, F-15s from the Fresno Air National Guard, Navy F-18s and two Navy F-35s, flying in a coordinated formation timed with the national anthem. Pilots involved said the moment still felt surreal before it happened.

“Excited, very excited, a little nervous,” Lt. Caleb Champion with the US Navy told Seattle’s KING5. “But like, I think excitement is the word — the word to use for that one. Just excited to do the fly. We’re excited to see the game, so ready for it.”

Navy Lt. Darren Sanchez said the magnitude of the event may not fully register until it happens.

Both Lt. Sanchez & Lt. Champion are with VFA-97 Warhawks based at NAS Lemoore. 

“I feel like once it actually happens is like when it’ll hit,” Sanchez said. “Like when we’re actually flying over Super Bowl, or actually at the game after.”

The crews recently received a commemorative patch created specifically for the flyover, something they say will stay with them throughout their careers.

The flyover is unique not only because of its timing over one of the world’s largest sporting events, but also because of the aircraft involved and the coordination between services.

“I think the first thing that comes to mind is it’s the first joint flyover,” Sanchez said. “So it’ll be the first Air Force and Navy joint flyover there, so we’re pretty excited to take part in that.”

He added that flying alongside Air Force aircraft is uncommon.

“Flying formation with the Air Force is pretty rare, pretty unique, especially a B-1,” Sanchez said. 

The planned formation placed the B-1 bomber at the center, flanked by two F-15s, followed by two F-18s, with the F-35s on the outside.

The aircraft delivered a powerful presence over the stadium.

“It’s pretty loud,” Sanchez said of the F-35. “But probably the loudest jet in the flyover is going to be the B-1 for sure. They got four F-15 engines on it. Going to be pretty loud, pretty cool.”

Preparation for the flyover began months ago, with extensive coordination required across units and airspace.

“The team started getting assembled like mid-December is when all the coordination really started,” Champion said. “There’s definitely a long process to make sure that the airspace is good and that all the planes that are going to take part — like where they’re coming from — just a ton of coordination to make it happen.”

Now assembled in the Bay Area, crews conducted practice flights ahead of game day.

Beyond the flyover, pilots also took part in a community event, displaying their aircraft and speaking with local residents.

“It was great seeing the young generation, the future, and how much interest there still is in aviation, let alone military aviation,” said Navy Cmdr. Mike Jennings. “They asked a lot of good questions. They were very interested.”

For pilots who spend long stretches away from home, the assignment carries special meaning.

“Being part of this flyover is going to be awesome,” Sanchez said. “Going to see the Super Bowl is something I just never imagined that actually, like, we get to do.