BATTLE CREEK (WKZO-AM) — Both the Navy Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds are in Michigan for the 4th of July weekend this year.
The five remaining Blue Angels are at the Cherry Festival in Traverse City, making their first appearance anywhere since losing a pilot in a crash on June 2nd in Tennessee.
The Thunderbirds are headlining the Field of flight in Battle Creek, and for the first time since they also lost a plane on that date, they have all 6-planes participating in the show again this weekend. Their pilot ejected and survived a plane malfunction in Colorado.
They have finally been able to get the balloons off the ground in Battle Creek at the Field of Flight Airshow and Balloon Competition after three flights had to be cancelled Thursday and Friday.
The competitive balloons have some points to pile up, many tasks to complete and a few more launches before they declare a winner.
While there was too much wind in Battle Creek Friday for the competition, the lack of wind on Lake Michigan brought the boats in in the annual Queen’s Cup Yacht Race from Milwaukee to St. Joseph to a crawl on Friday.
Hours after the race was expected to be over Saturday morning, only two boats had arrived at the finish line in Berrien County.