CAPE ONE OF ONLY 16 BLUE ANGELS SHOWS

Next week Cape Girardeau will host the undisputed "hottest" air show act in the nation when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform at Aviation Days May 9-10.

Mark Seesing, manager of the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport, said securing the Blue Angels for Aviation Days was a major coup for the city.

"I consider it a feat," he said. "They're only doing 32 shows all year long and 16 of those are in Europe.

"We're really kind of an elite, because most of the shows are on military bases. This is one of only a few civilian shows they're doing."

The famed squadron will perform aerobatic maneuvers in their high-performance, blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets. The Blue Angels last performed in Cape Girardeau in 1983, and Seesing said the 1992 version won't be substantially different.

"The biggest change is it's basically different aircraft," he said. "As far as a change in the show, it's the same general combat maneuvering they've always done."

Accompanying the Hornets, valued at $32 million each, will be "Fat Albert," the team's C-130 transport plane that carries maintenance and logistics support equipment and parts.

When the Blue Angels last performed here, they flew smaller, less powerful A-4, single-engine jets.

The Hornet strike fighter is a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft designed to replace the A-7 light attack jet and the F-4 Phantom fighter. In Navy and Marine Corps service, the Hornet is now the front-line aircraft in about 30 U.S. squadrons.

Because of its advanced avionics systems, the Hornet pilot can convert his plane from an attack to a fighter aircraft with the flip of a single switch.

At eye level is a "heads-up display" two clear glass plates through which necessary flight information is projected for the pilot's view as he looks through the canopy windshield. The pilot sees everything he needs to know about his aircraft and his target without ever taking his eyes off the target.

Though the Blue Angel F/A-18s can be made combat-ready within hours, the demonstration jets carry no weapons. The Hornets also have what engineers call "redundancy" back-up systems to take over in case something happens to the primary systems.

Seesing said the F/A-18s are impressive aircraft to see fly, but it's a real treat to see them perform the precision maneuvers demonstrated by the renowned Blue Angel pilots.

The airport manager said he expects next weekend to exceed the 1983 attendance of 25,000. "I'm anticipating somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000," he said.

"This is really one of only a few shows they'll do in the Midwest this year, so I think there's going to be a lot of interest from a wide area."

The Blue Angels also have shows scheduled in Chattanooga, Tenn., Indiana, Iowa, and Kansas. "The rest are all on the east or west coasts," added Seesing.

A total of 16 officers all volunteers for Blue Angel duty are assigned. Also, about 100 Navy and Marine Corps enlisted personnel are assigned to the squadron and given maintenance and support tasks.

The squadron was formed at the end of World War II, when Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Chester W. Nimitz ordered the formation of a flight demonstration team to keep the public interested in naval aviation.

The team temporarily disbanded in 1950 to report to the aircraft carrier Princeton as the nucleus of Fighter Squadron 191, "Satan's Kittens." The Blue Angels were reorganized the next year and based at Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Blue Angel air shows act as a Navy recruitment tool. In order to encourage media coverage of the event, three area media representatives will fly in a two-seat F/A-18 Hornet.

When the Blue Angel demonstration pilots arrive, they fly "circle and arrival maneuvers." While in the air, the pilots examine aerial photographs of the airfield and pinpoint ground references for the aerial demonstration.

But Aviation Days will feature much more than the Blue Angels, Seesing said. Several static aircraft will be on display, including T-34 trainers, T-38s, T-2s and T-34s, and Hughy and Cobra attack helicopters, he said. Civilian aircraft also will be on display.

Also included in Aviation Days this year is the Peterson-Krier All American Air Show from Ashland, Kansas. The air show will bring three different stunt aircraft to perform three times each day.

The event will include drops throughout the day by the local skydiving club, and a new attraction, hot-air balloon races.

Seesing said there will be balloon races Friday evening, May 8, and Saturday and Sunday morning and evening, May 9-10.

Also scheduled is an A-10 Warthog aircraft demonstration and an F-117 stealth fighter fly-by.

As usual, Aviation Days will include radio-controlled, model aircraft hobbyists with their planes, he said. The Cape Girardeau Jaycees will handle concessions at the event.

Tickets are $3 per person, ages 5 and older. Tickets are available at Schnucks, JCPenney, and the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce office on North Kingshighway. Tickets purchased at the gate on the days of the show will be $5 each. Gates will open at 10 a.m.

Seesing encouraged visitors to arrive by noon or sooner Saturday and Sunday to assure a good vantage point for the show.

"There will be all types of concessions there," he said. "Just be sure to bring your lawn chairs and umbrellas."