Sat, May 28, 2011
Lower-Than-Normal Maneuver Leads To Cmdr. Dave Koss' Request To
Be Relieved
The commanding officer of the Naval Flight Demonstration
Squadron was relieved of command by chief of naval air training May
27.
Cmdr. Dave Koss requested that Rear Adm. Bill Sizemore relieve
him of his command following a lower-than-normal maneuver during
the team's last performance at the Lynchburg Regional Air Show May
22.
"With deep personal regret I shared with my command today that I
will be voluntarily leaving the greatest flight demonstration
team," said Koss. "I performed a maneuver that had an unacceptably
low minimum altitude. This maneuver, combined with other instances
of not meeting the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the
exceptional organization that it is, led to my decision to step
down. I have the utmost respect for the Sailors and Marines of the
Blue Angels organization and all that they embody. The reason this
team is so successful, brings thrills to millions of fans across
America, and represents the U.S. Navy so superbly, is because of
the absolute commitment to safety and perfection by every member of
the team. I am honored to have been a part of this organization,
and I look forward to watching its success in the future."
Koss will be replaced by the previous Blue Angels' commanding
officer, Capt. Greg McWherter, for the duration of the season.
This move requires the cancellation of the Blue Angels'
scheduled performances at the Rockford Airfest June 4-5, and the
Evansville Freedom Festival Air Show June 11-12. The Blue Angels
will remain in Pensacola for additional training and air show
demonstration practice. Any potential changes to the team's future
schedule will be announced at a later date.
The Blue Angels regret any inconvenience and look forward to
continuing to represent the Navy and Marine Corps service members
serving around the world.
More News
Maximum Authorized Altitude A published altitude representing the maximum usable altitude or flight level for an airspace structure or route segment. It is the highest altitude on >[...]
Aero Linx: Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) The Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) is the Training and Safety arm of the Soaring Society of America (SSA). Our mission is to provide ins>[...]
From 2013 (YouTube Version): Dracula Lives On Through Kyle Franklin... and We're NOT Scared! ANN CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Jim Campbell speaks with Aerobatic and airshow master, Kyl>[...]
“For Montaer Aircraft it is a very prudent move to incorporate such reliable institution as Ocala Aviation, with the background of decades in training experience and aviation>[...]
Also: ForeFlight Upgrades, Cicare USA, Vittorazi Engines, EarthX We have a number of late-breaking news highlights from the 2024 Innovation Preview... which was PACKED with real ne>[...]