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Police officer gets to fly on F-16 fighter jet ahead of Fort Lauderdale Air Show

Air show runs on Saturday and Sunday; police officers close State Road A1A to traffic

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Fort Lauderdale police officer switched his uniform for a flight suit on Friday. It wasn’t just any suit. It was a G-suit worn by aviators and astronauts facing high acceleration force.

Officer Pascal France trained to fly with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, a demonstration squadron assigned to the 57th Wing based at Nellis Air Force Base, in Nevada.

Chris Dirato, of the Fort Lauderdale Air Show, said they were honoring France’s heroism during a shooting in March that left a gunman dead and a police officer injured.

“There is a few different methods that the team doctor went over,“ Dirato said about France’s training to prevent him from passing out during his flight on an F-16 fighter jet.

Aside from the Thunderbirds, the Fort Lauderdale Air Show performer lineup on Saturday and Sunday includes the Ghost Squadron, and A-10 Thunderbolt II, and U.S. Navy F-18 Rhino demo teams.

The show’s lineup, sponsored by the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, includes the US Special Operations Command’s Para-Commandos, a Coast Guard SAR Demo, Kevin Coleman, and the Red Bull teams.

As of Friday afternoon, the ticket options ranged from about $190 “Flight Line Club” private boxes for up to four people, and the $37.50 “Drop Zone Beach” area with access to food stands and restrooms.

State Road A1A will turn into a pedestrian-only road. There will be public parking at the Galleria Mall on Sunrise Boulevard areas. The U.S. Coast Guard is setting a “Safety Zone” for boaters.

The gates, at 3109 E. Sunrise Boulevard and 1900-2000 N. Ocean Boulevard, open at 10 a.m., on Saturday, and at 9 a.m., on Sunday. For more information, visit the event’s page or call 954-241-7937.

TRAFFIC ALERT

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The show will be along Fort Lauderdale Beach. A1A will be closed from Sunrise Boulevard north to Northeast 14 Court starting at 9 a.m. on both days, with aerial performances from 11:45 a.m. to about 3 p.m.


About the Authors
Trent Kelly headshot

Trent Kelly is an award-winning multimedia journalist who joined the Local 10 News team in June 2018. Trent is no stranger to Florida. Born in Tampa, he attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he graduated with honors from the UF College of Journalism and Communications.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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