FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - The roar of fighter jets will once again fill the skies above Broward County this weekend, as tens of thousands of people get ready to attend this year’s Fort Lauderdale Air Show.
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds, a crowd favorite, will return for another round of exciting maneuvers. “We have a very tight formation of nine aircraft,” said Canadian Air Force Maj. Craig Sharp. “Just the sheer fact that we’re flying nine jets three to four feet apart is extremely thrilling.”
Pilots train for months in the red and white jets to perfect the formations and stunts. “You’re gonna see a lot of high-energy maneuvers with the two solos, so it will be myself and [pilot] number 8,” said Sharp. “We do high-speed passes at over 800 miles per hour, and we miss by only 15 feet, so a lot of jaw-dropping tech maneuvers.”
The show is scheduled to take place from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. “It’s a very family-oriented event, and it’s free if you don’t want to buy VIP tickets,” said spokesperson Chris Dirato.
The U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet will also take to the skies with its female pilot, along with U.S. Air Force F-16s.
“They’ll fly as low as 300 feet, accelerate until 15,000 feet, fly as fast as 650 miles an hour, just under the speed of sound,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Michael Cossaboom.
Area residents are bracing for traffic congestion and road closures. A1A will be closed in both directions, from Sunrise Boulevard to Northeast 14th Court. North of that, there will be limited access for residents.
Show organizers are advising attendees to arrive early. There will be a no fly zone for those thinking about bringing drones to the beach. There is also a no boating zone and no anchoring zone marked off with buoys.
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