THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509240076
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Today's scheduled performance by the Navy's Blue Angels was canceled Saturday night after the performance team's leader decided he was not satisfied with his skills.
Cmdr. Donnie Cochran, 41, the commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels, made the decision to cancel the show after Saturday's performance at the Oceana Naval Air Station.
``Cmdr. Cochran felt he was not fully prepared to fly,'' Lt. John Kirby, a spokesman for the Blue Angels, said Saturday night from the Angels' base in Pensacola, Fla.
Cochran cited ``personal training difficulties and a need to hone his proficiency,'' Kirby said.
As a result, after dominating local skies for several days, the blue and gold jets will streak into the sky early today and head south to Florida for a week of ``intensive training,'' Kirby said.
Despite the Angels' departure, the Navy promised that there will be an air show as scheduled at 3:30 this afternoon - weather permitting.
Base officials were scrambling late Saturday night, making plans to replace the Blue Angels.
``We'll put together a show with Oceana's aircraft,'' Troy Snead, a base spokesman, pledged late Saturday. ``We're already working on that.''
The cancellation caught almost everyone off guard, but Cochran was not faulted for his decision.
Just the opposite.
Kirby said the pilot did exactly what he was supposed to do if he had any doubts whatsoever about his ability.
``If any member of the team isn't fully ready to perform. . . for any reason, the team has to adapt accordingly,'' Kirby said. ``If you are the flight leader and you can't fly, the team can't fly.''
The is no margin for error, Kirby said, given the nature of a Blue Angels' performance where high-speed aircraft pass each other with but a breath of air between them.
``It's a pretty demanding routine,'' Kirby said, ``and safety is the main issue and our paramount concern. And we take it very seriously.''
Cochran, as team leader, flies the No. 1 jet in the six-aircraft group.
He's been in charge of the Blue Angels for a year.
``This is unusual,'' Kirby conceded Saturday.
``It's not unusual for a demonstration pilot to face problems,'' he said, ``But it's unusual for a flight leader to experience problems.''
It's also unusual for problems to pop up in the midst of a show.
Kirby stressed, however, that there were no incidents in Saturday's show that prompted the decision.
``It was just an overall proficiency concern, so he'll come back home and conduct some intensive training flights to address the difficulties he is experiencing,'' he said.
Kirby said the Angels are scheduled to perform next weekend in Alexandria, La.
If necessary, a decision on whether to cancel that show would be made Wednesday. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
HUY NGUYEN/Staff
Emily Thompson covers her ears as she and sisters Laura, left, and
Mickelle, and their father Mike watch the Blue Angels at the NAS
Oceana Air Show Saturday. The Thompsons are from Chesapeake. Bad
weather cut short the performance.
by CNB