Blue Angels Visit, to Return for the 2023 Air Show

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s only November, but it’s never too early to think about July’s blue skies.

Monday, under our gray skies, a Navy F-18 fighter jet was a bright spot. The jet and its crew arrived Monday as a signal that the Navy jets will be returning for next summer’s air show.

In addition to entertaining the audience, pilots also hope they can inspire.

“This is my first year on the team, so still new to a lot of it. We joined the team back in September and traveled with them through the end. So, it’s all still new, but it’s all very exciting. To kind of see from the other side, and get to interact with, you know, kids of all ages, and even adults. You know, get to experience it all, and kind of hope to inspire them. You know just kind of tell them our stories and see where we’ve been and everything that we’ve accomplished. And hope, you know, the next day, somewhere in this crowd could be the next, you know, Blue Angels 2030 something. So, who knows?” said Lieutenant Commander Thomas Zimmerman, a Blue Angels pilot.

The Blue Angels will be the top gun so to speak, at July’s Duluth Air and Aviation Expo. During their closest maneuver, the jets are 18 inches apart while flying at 700 miles an hour.