The largest air show in North Carolina is back after 4 years.
This year’s Wings Over Wayne show at Seymour Johnson Airforce Base takes place over two days, Saturday and Sunday, and features the Blue Angels, an elite flight demonstration team for the U.S. Navy.
The Blues will showcase military aircraft in action and precision flying techniques. They performed at Wings Over Wayne in 2017, attracting more than 200,000 people.
Commander Alexander Armatas leads the team. They arrived yesterday and are practicing today.
“For us, practice is almost identical as a flight demonstration,” he said, “We want to come to these show sites and put on the best possible show, and make sure we know the show site as well as we possibly can.”
During the show, he’ll be at the front of the Blues’ signature Delta formation in Super Hornet #1.
“They’ll take off, we’ll split into a diamond formation with 4 aircraft and two soloists. You’ll see the diamond formation come by showcasing precision flying and teamwork within the diamond, and then you’ll see the soloists come by and showcase the high-performance capabilities of the F/A-18 as well as their pilots.” Armatas explained.
Founded in 1946, the Blue Angels were formed to display U.S. military aircraft to the public. This is the first season to have a female pilot. Lt. Amanda Lee joined the elite squad this year and will be flying Super Hornet #3
Wings Over Wayne usually takes place every two years, but previous shows were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical constraints.
Flight demonstrations begin at 11:00 each day this weekend. Attendees are asked to bring ear protection.
Non-aerial activities include a Blue Angels-themed kids' zone, a beer garden, and a 40,000-square-foot hangar filled with hands-on science and tech exhibits.
