JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The NAS Jax Air Show is back this weekend. Organizers expect the show to draw a quarter of a million people.
Thursday was the first round of fly in practice for the Blue Angels and another major flight crew joining them for the first time.
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It’s the 80th anniversary for the Blue Angels, which were founded at NAS JAX in 1946. For the first time ever the Thunderbirds will be joining the airshow.
Action News Jax’s Zion Decoteau saw them practice today.
It was a taste of Top Gun in Jacksonville.
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After taking off into the cloud filled sky, the planes left behind a cloud-like trail.
Stevie Wonder sang of a ribbon in the sky, the Angels made one of their own.
The sextet of twin engine fighter jets landed and lined up in formation like soldiers, on the NAS Jax tarmac.
Blue Angels power plant worker Bryce Waterman, a Jacksonville native, spoke about how special it is to be back in Duval for the Angels’ 80th birthday.
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“It’s amazing, especially growing up from here my dad used to take me to the shows all the time so growing up being upside the fence and now being on this side, it’s surreal,” Waterman said.
The Angels and Thunderbirds will be flying together at NAS Jax for the first time. So what’s the difference between the two groups, anyway?
“F-18 super hornet and it’s a little bit better at slow speed handling, so a lot of our demonstration maneuvers are a little bit slower a little bit tighter in front of the crowd,” Major Scott Laux, Blue Angel #6, said.
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“I think you’re gonna find more similarities and differences between the two teams and differences. And that’s a reflection of how these teams work together and learn from each other,” Major Sam Larson of the Thunderbirds said.
As for what you can expect to see on Saturday, Captain Adam Bryan gave us a preview.
“Our six pilots are going to jump in these aircraft. They will fly for about 45 minutes starting with our diamond and solo maneuvers separately,” Bryan said.
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As the planes fly away, maintenance crew Lt. Commander Natalia Luchetti said she hopes the flights inspire.
“We are hoping to inspire our culture of excellence and service to the country. That’s what we want. We want the generation that is coming after us to feel like anything they put their mind into, they can accomplish it,” she said
On Friday, the crews will be taking to the skies again for another practice round for base members’ families and school groups.
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