Royal Canadian Air Force, Golden Hawks, plane arrives for the Thunder Over Utah to be held July 26-27, 2014, at St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
ST. GEORGE – Friday was arrival day for many of the airplanes that will be on exhibit at the St. George Municipal Airport with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Thunder Over Utah airshow. The morning weather Friday was perfect for flying but that changed by mid-afternoon.
At 2:15 p.m. Friday, storm clouds that had been building up opened up and briefly rained on spectators and crews. Strong winds blew over awnings and displays. Vendors scrambled to keep their displays in place.
Promptly at 3 p.m., five of the Blue Angels prepared for their last practice before they headline the Thunder over Utah air show. But lightning and more severe weather north and west of the airport forced the Blue Angels to scrub the practice.
Thursday had also proved to be a challenging day for both pilots and crews. Mechanical issues required three Blue Angels to take emergency measures and repairs. Unofficial sources said that one of the planes had engine trouble and had to fly to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nevada, for repairs using only one engine while another had minor hydraulic issues. A third plane had braking problems and had to use the BAK-12 Mobile Aircraft Arresting System that had been specially installed at the airport for such event.
“Everything functioned the way we intended it to,” Public Affairs and Safety Officer Lt. J.G. Amber Lynn Daniel said Friday. “Everybody landed safely and are back up and running, except for the one jet that we are waiting on a part for. Everything seems to be up for tomorrow (Saturday).”
These jets are the oldest F-18s in the fleet and mechanical problems do occur. The crews are trained to make repairs fast and efficiently just as they would have to in times of conflict.
“Our biggest thing is we have to make sure the jets are safe before they fly,” Daniel said.
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Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before World War II. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Beechcraft D18 Twin Beech is reported as one of the most popular aircraft ever designed with thousands of military bomber and transportation pilots receiving their multi engine training in a Beech D18. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The T-33 is an American designed plane developed by Lockheed. The prototype T-33 first flew in 1948. Carrying a crew of two in tandem, it was designed to train pilots or for armament training. Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before World War II. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Golden Knights Army Parachute Team's Fairchild F-27. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Douglas A4D Skyhawk is a single seat carrier-capable attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Beechcraft D18 Twin Beech is reported as one of the most popular aircraft ever designed with thousands of military bomber and transportation pilots receiving their multi engine training in a Beech D18. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Douglas A4D Skyhawk is a single seat carrier-capable attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Golden Knights Army Parachute Team's Fairchild F-27. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Beechcraft D18 Twin Beech is reported as one of the most popular aircraft ever designed with thousands of military bomber and transportation pilots receiving their multi engine training in a Beech D18. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The North American AT-6 SNJ Texan. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The BAC Jet Provost, originally built by Hunting Percival, was a British jet-powered trainer aircraft used by the Royal Air Force from 1955 to 1993. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 is a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB for the Soviet Union. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Beechcraft D18 Twin Beech is reported as one of the most popular aircraft ever designed with thousands of military bomber and transportation pilots receiving their multi engine training in a Beech D18. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
The Beechcraft D18 Twin Beech is reported as one of the most popular aircraft ever designed with thousands of military bomber and transportation pilots receiving their multi engine training in a Beech D18. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Old and new: A North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. This one takes off over the Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Practice flights for Thunder Over Utah to be held July 26-27, 2014, at St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Boeing F-18A Blue Angels. Pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
Amidst some winds and rain, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and other specialty aircraft, pilots and crews practice and prepare for Thunder Over Utah, July 26, 2014, St. George Municipal Airport, St. George, Utah, July 25, 2014 | Photo by John Teas, St. George News
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Originally from Iowa, John Teas transplanted to Saint George in 2012 from New Mexico. John is a photojournalist and feature writer for several automotive publications, educational media and corporate public relations as as St. George News.
“I have a degree in life experiences and a love of all that is outdoors,” he said.
Would be wonderful if your pix had individual captions instead of the vague overall ones repeated over and over. The pictures are good enough to deserve a caption.
Would be wonderful if your pix had individual captions instead of the vague overall ones repeated over and over. The pictures are good enough to deserve a caption.