A Blue Angels pilot has been removed from the Navy’s renowned flight demonstration team for failing to meet its standards.
Maj. Scott Laux, who was in his second year with the elite squadron, will not participate in any remaining performances this season, the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) confirmed to the Pensacola News Journal.
“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 Friday.
The Navy has not said when Laux was dismissed or explained what prompted the decision. His photo and biography also appear to have been removed from the unit’s official website.
Laux did not appear with the squadron at the NAS Pensacola Homecoming Air Show in Florida on Friday and Saturday. The event marked the naval air station’s 200th anniversary.
According to the outlet, the team performed with five jets rather than its customary six.
Before his removal, Laux had defended the squadron’s low-altitude displays following a controversial performance over Pensacola Beach, Florida, in July.
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During the team’s annual “Breakfast with the Blues” flyover, Navy jets passed extremely low over the shoreline, sending tents, beach chairs and umbrellas into the air 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,” Laux told Rolling with Madrina when asked about the incident.
Laux, a native of Chantilly, Virginia, graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese. He then completed Marine officer training and an extensive flight-training program.
He earned his wings in 2015 and later flew F/A-18 Hornets before transitioning to the F-35C Lightning II. His military career included deployments to Japan and service aboard the USS Nimitz.
Laux’s military awards include two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, along with multiple unit honors.
He joined the Blue Angels in September 2024 and served as the team’s narrator in 2025.
Founded in 1946, the Blue Angels are one of the Navy’s best-known flight demonstration teams, performing precision aerial shows across the country.