Move Follows Dramatic Reduction In Plans For Navy Event

The Santa Rosa Island Authority Board has scrapped plans for a Veterans Day Weekend air show just two weeks after the board agreed to spend $170,000 for the event.

The reversal came after the board learned the Pensacola (FL) Naval Air Station significantly scaled back plans for a four-day "Wings Over Pensacola Air Festival."

Santa Rosa Island and the Navy had informally discussed working together on the civilian and military events and share some of the costs. But in the light of sequestration, the Navy base decided to put on a three-act air show and concert, rather than the four-day event, according to a report in the Pensacola News-Journal.

The show at the Naval Air Station would normally have been to welcome the Blue Angels back to their home base after the air show season. But since the Blues have been grounded for everything except proficiency flights this year due to sequestration, the chances of the Blues even doing a flyover for the event were put at "zero" by Island Board member Dave Pavlock.

But there was a very slight glimmer of optimism. Island Authority executive director W.A. "Buck" Lee said at the meeting that he would keep an airspace request placed with the FAA open "just in case."

FMI: http://sria-fla.com