That was too close. Two jets from the Navy Blue Angels touched during a practice at Naval Air Station Pensacola, according to a report in the Pensacola News Journal.
No one was hurt and the the damage was limited to just a scratch during the Wednesday incident, according to a Navy statement to the paper.
Lt. Michelle Tucker, a spokesperson for Rear Adm. Daniel Dwyer, chief of naval air training told the News Journal the No. 3 jet’s cockpit canopy made contact with the underside of the No. 1 jet’s outer wing during the team’s Diamond 360 maneuver.
While the team leader called for the flight team to stand down, after finding only a “minimal scratch” on the No. 3 canopy, the team is still set to perform this weekend at an air show in Chicago, according to the report. The two jets involved in the incident will not be used in the show.
The Blue Angels made Florida visits several times this year already with shows in Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Lakeland and Pensacola Beach. Their fall stops are at the Jacksonville Sea and Sky Spectacular Oct. 26-27 and their annual Blue Angels Homecoming Airshow at NAS Pensacola on Nov. 8-9 to finish their season (naspensacolaairshow.com).
The preliminary schedule for the Blue Angels in 2020 has the team making four visits. Stops include MacDill Air Fest at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base on March 28-29, the Vero Beach Air Show on April 25-26, Pensacola Beach Air Show on July 11 and Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola on Oct. 16-17.
Read more at pnj.com.