Unprecedented rain grounds annual B-2 bomber flight over the Rose Parade, disappointing some fans
The skies were cloudy. The rain was coming down. Bystanders and Pasadena were prepared to hear the thunder, but not from the weather, rather the B-2 bomber flying over to signify the start of the annual Rose Parade.
However because of the first rain in 20 years on the parade, the B-2 bomber was a no go.
The B-2 bomber moment is typically just a matter of seconds for those who know it’s coming, and packs a huge punch as it roars echo through the Colorado Boulevard corridor, which is most of the parade route.
For years, the giant stealth bomber’s flyovers have became a Tournament of Roses tradition, as they roared over Colorado Boulevard, leaving spectators awestruck.
The last time the B-2 didn’t fly was the 2023 parade, when the Air Force grounded the fleet out of safety concerns.
The change stemmed from “a safety pause,” officials said, that was to allow base personnel to inspect the fleet after a Dec. 10 incident in which a B-2 Spirit was damaged on the runway at Whiteman AFB after successfully completing an emergency landing.
Arnold Gomez, 30, of Watts was disapppointed the B-2 was a no show. “You’d think it’s so high-tech a little rain won’t hurt it,” he said. “Even if we just hear it, it would have been ok.”
The planned Thursday mission was to be flown by airmen from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, requiring split-second timing, extensive coordination and careful navigation through some of the busiest airspace in the country.
This year’s flyover was set to come at a different moment for the Air Force’s 509th Bomb Wing, which operates the B-2 fleet. It caps one of the busiest operational years in recent memory and marks the first Rose Parade flyover under U.S. Air Force Col. Joshua D. Wiitala, the wing’s new commander.
Much of the past year has been marked by frequent deployments as the wing carried out global deterrence missions. In June, B-2 bombers were part of a major U.S. strike on nuclear facilities in Iran — the largest B-2 operational strike in US history.
“It has been a very busy and very consequential year for the 509th Bomb Wing,” Wiitala said in a recent interview. “We’re really looking forward to this flyover as a chance to just connect with the American public, connect with the Tournament of Roses team down there and just showcase what this team is capable of and celebrate what this team has accomplished this year.”
The typical Jan. 1 plan is that the wing is set to execute two tightly-timed flyovers — one for the Rose Parade and another for the Rose Bowl.
To make that possible, two B-2 bombers are deployed for the mission: one serving as the primary aircraft and the other as an airborne spare. Between them, the wing carries out both flyovers.
After the parade route, the aircraft continue on a carefully planned path that includes additional training before returning to Southern California for the Rose Bowl –– this time synced to the national anthem before kickoff.