Blue Angels in Fairbanks for the first time for weekend airshow

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - For the first time ever, the Blue Angels will be flying over the skies of Fairbanks. The US Navy Blue Angels are in the Golden Heart City for the ‘Arctic Lightning Airshow’ being held at Eielson Air Force Base this weekend. This is the 75th anniversary of the Navy demo team.

On Friday, the Blue Angels, F-35 Demo Team, a parachute team and others will be performing for Department of Defense members and their dependents. Then on Saturday and Sunday, the show will be opened to the general public.

Blue Angels Flight Leader Commander, Brian Kesselring, says that the Blue Angels came to Alaska for the show, but also to demonstrate the abilities of the US Navy and Marines to an area that doesn’t have those branches of the military near them.

“My first interaction with the Navy and the Marine Corps really was the Blue Angels and I tell you what, hopefully we can bring that representation here to folks in the greater Fairbanks area that haven’t had a chance to see their Navy and Marine Corps in action,” Kesselring said.

The Blue Angels are flying the new F-18 Super-Hornets for this air show season. They also have a new “Fat Albert” a C-130J support aircraft. Kesselring said it is unusual for the team to use two new aircraft in the same season.

Commander Kesselring says that the show will have a mix of old and new maneuvers.

During the air show, there may be delays of up to 90 minutes on the Richardson Highway; that would be between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. over the weekend.

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