DoD Announces Aerial Demonstration Teams Schedules

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23, 1997 – Defense Department aerial demonstration teams kick off the new season in March and perform through November.

The Navy Blue Angels will perform at 35 events in 22 states and Canada. The Air Force Thunderbirds will perform at 37 events in 22 states and Canada. The Army's Golden Knights schedule will be released soon.

Teams received about 200 requests to perform. The number of requests is limited by the length of the season, travel and training requirements, operational considerations and seasonal weather conditions.

DoD selects sites to support its objectives and the interests of the armed services with safety as the primary consideration. Performances greatly assist the recruiting and retention goals of the services, enhance esprit de corps among service members and demonstrate professional skills and capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces to the American public and U.S. allies, Pentagon officials said.

Following are schedules for the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds:

Blue Angels

March 14    NAF El Centro, Calif.
   21-22     Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
   28-29     NAS Kingsville, Texas
April 4-5   MCAS Beaufort, S.C.
    18-19   Barksdale AFB, La.
    25-26   NAS Norfolk, Va.
May 2-3    Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
   9-10    Chattanooga, Tenn.
  16-17    Andrews AFB, Md.
  20,22    Naval Academy, Md.

     24    NAS Meridian, Miss.
  30-31    NAS/JRB Fort Worth, Texas
June 6-7   Coney Island, N.Y.
   13-14   Eau Claire, Wis.
   20-21   Grissom ARB, Ind.
   27-28   Niagara Falls ARS, N.Y.
July 4-5   Traverse City, Mich.
      11   Pensacola Beach, Fla.
   18-19   Dayton, Ohio
   25-26   Latrobe, Pa.
August 1-2   Hanscom AFB, Mass.
       8-9   Seattle
 14-16   MCAS Miramar, Calif.
     22-23   Chicago
     29-30   Offutt AFB, Neb.
September 5-7   Chesterfield, Mo.
        12-13   Halifax, Canada
        19-20   Robins AFB, Ga.
        26-27   Reading, Pa.
October 3-4   Stockton, Calif.
      10-11   San Francisco
      17-18   Houston
      24-25   NAS Jacksonville, Fla.
     31   NAS/JRB New Orleans
November 1   NAS/JRB New Orleans
        7   NAS Pensacola, Fla.

Thunderbirds

March 28-29   Punta Gorda, Fla.
April 4    Luke AFB, Ariz.
  18-19    MacDill AFB, Fla.
  25-26    Point Mugu NAWS, Calif.
May 2-3    Knoxville, Tenn.
   9-10    San Angelo, Texas
  16-17    Fairchild AFB, Wash.
     23    Kelly AFB, Texas
 27   Air Force Academy, Colo.
 30   Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
 31   Eielson AFB, Alaska
June 6-7   N. Kingstown, R.I.
   13-14   Portland, Ore.
   20-21   Santa Fe, N.M.
   27-28   Davenport, Ind.
July 4-5   Battle Creek, Mich.
   11-12   Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y.
   18-19   NAWS Whidbey Island, Wash.
      22   Cheyenne, Wyo.
   25-26   Selfridge ANGB, Mich.
August 1-2   Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
       8-9   Abbotsford, Canada
     15-16   Big Flats, N.Y.
    29   Minot AFB, N.D.
        30   Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
September 5-7   Cleveland, Ohio
        12-13   Westover ARB, Mass.
    19-20  Durango, Colo.
        26-27   Salinas, Calif.
October 3-4   Sioux City, Iowa
      11-12   El Paso, Texas
  17-18   Muskogee, Okla.
       24   Columbus AFB, Miss.
     25   Little Rock AFB, Ark.
     31   Victorville, Calif.
November 1   Victorville, Calif.
       7-8   Lake Charles, La.
 14-15   Lake City, Fla.
 

(From a DoD release)