SAFETY WILL BE FOREMOST FOR ANGEL SHOWS

When the Navy's aerobatic flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, perform their high-speed maneuvers in the sky over the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport in May, some of the most stringent safety and security measures ever taken at the airport will be in effect.

The flight safety requirements by the Federal Aviation Administration will require the closing of three roads north and south of the airport and evacuation of some residents from their homes along one of the roads during the Blue Angel's aerial performance.

Details of the team's appearance were announced Friday during a planning meeting of the Aviation Day steering committee and an advance team from the Blue Angels. Lt. Cmdr. Randy Duhrkopf, events coordinator, and Lt. Dave Stewart, Blue Angels show narrator, landed at the airport Friday morning, en route from McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas.

The Angels will perform aerobatic maneuvers in their high performance, carrier-based, blue and gold, F/A-18 Hornets on May 9-10. In addition, they will also present a practice show for special guests on May 8.

The flying team will begin practicing its aerial maneuvers shortly after arriving at the airport shortly after noon on May 7.

This is the first time the Blue Angels have performed here since 1983. A lot has changed in nine years.

"It's a new show and new aircraft," said Duhrkopf, noting the last time the Blue Angels were in Cape Girardeau, they flew A-4 jets. This time it's F/A-18s.

Because of more stringent flight safety requirements by the Flight Standards Office of the Federal Aviation Administration, portions of Route M and Nash Roads, north and south of the airport, will be closed during the Blue Angels show. Interstate 55 will remain open.

In addition, T.D. "Tim" Moon, aviation safety inspector with the FAA's Flight Standards District Office at Lambert St. Louis-International Airport, said no one will be permitted to enter or leave the airport grounds while the Blue Angel performance is under way.

In addition to closing the roads, Moon said the FAA requires the evacuation of residents who live along Nash Road, west Scott City to the intersections of new Route M and Old Route M, east of Rockview, while the Blue Angels are performing.

Mark Seesing, airport manager and chairman of the Aviation Days steering committee, acknowledged the safety precautions are going to require a lot of work and coordination, but he said the excellent performances by the Blue Angels will make it worthwhile.

Seesing said tentative plans are to close Route M, from the west Scott City limits to the second intersection with old Route M, east of Rockview, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on May 7. That's when the Blue Angels will be doing their aerial orientation and checkpoint flights around the airport.

At the same time, Nash Road will be closed to all traffic from I-55 westward to a point near the General Sign Company building on Nash Road.

Seesing said the remainder of Nash Road west to Biokyowa, and the blacktop road that extends between Nash Road and old Route M, will remain open. This will allow traffic to move between Chaffee and the west end of Nash Road.

Seesing said the airport access road, from Nash Road to the airport, will be closed to all vehicular traffic when the Blue Angels are flying.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 8-10, the same roads will be closed to traffic from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Seesing said all times are tentative and that the roads might not be closed for the entire time period.

Seesing explained the unusual safety precautions are necessary because the homes and farm houses along parts of Route M, and the businesses on Nash Road, are located within a "sterile box" of airspace in which no one but the Navy pilots and their aircraft will be allowed in the air, or on the ground for safety reasons.

Seesing emphasized the unusual safety requirements will not be required for the rest of the air show. Current plans are to have the Blue Angels perform as the last act of each day's air show.

Seesing said those impacted by the road closures and residential and business evacuations should contact his office, 334-6230, for additional details.

The closure of Route M on that Thursday and Friday will also affect the Scott City School District because some of its rural buses run along the highway. School dismisses at 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

In addition, the FAA wants to be notified of all Cotton Belt or Union Pacific freight trains that pass through the safety zone during the Blue Angels performances.

The appearance of the Blue Angels in Cape Girardeau is one of 32 shows the Naval aviators will put on in the United States this year, plus 10-11 more shows in Europe.

Accompanying the F/A-18 Hornets, which are 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. Some of the ground crews and the officers will travel by van to Cape Girardeau.

Seesing said additional details and word on other air show acts will be announced after the first of the year.