The Navy grounded the elite demonstration team and canceled air show performances in OH and NY after Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, a 32-year-old father of two, died when his F/A 18 jet crashed at a Smyrna, Tenn., air show June 2.
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Pictured: The Blue Angels back in the skies Thursday morning.
The Blue Angels will not appear at the Vero Beach Air Show, air show President Robert Paugh said in a news release.
The Navy’s elite demonstration squadron has ended its operational pause and is planning to replace the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, Naval Air Forces spokesman Steve Fiebing told Navy Times.
U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, announced it will begin training flights in preparation to resume the team’s Pensacola practice and air show season schedules, June 16.
“Their show is incredible every year and we have always loved them”, she said. Hubbell said the Navy has no additional information about how long the team might be grounded.
The Blue Angels, city of Pensacola and an association of former Blue Angels are marking the team’s 70th anniversary season with a series of special community events and appearances.
They flew in the rare “Big V” formation – with five aircraft instead of the usual six.
There’s been no specific announcement as to when the air show schedule will resume.
Lucinda May owns Airware Inc., a Pensacola company that supplies Blue Angels flags, shirts and other memorabilia for air shows.
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May said her biggest concern was for the pilot’s family and the Blue Angels team.
