Great State Of Maine Air Show Cancelled!

This September's Great State of Maine Air Show has been cancelled due to federal mandatory budget cuts.  As of April 1st, the Pentagon will officially cancel things like stadium flyovers, parachute jumping demonstrations and unfortunately civilian air shows like the one in Brunswick.

The Navy's Blue Angels were scheduled to perform at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station, the site of the show.  The Blue Angels normally fly for over 11 million spectators a year at a cost of $40 million. Stopping the shows as of April 1st will generate a savings of about $28 million.

The show was scheduled for the weekend of September 14-15. Normally "tens of thousands" of people attend the show.

According to members of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, the group that puts on the show, the event costs about $750,000 to produce.  Without a big draw like the Blue Angels, it's just too risky to put the show on anyway.

John Moncure, chairman of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority, said there is no air show without the Blue Angels. "This was a Navy town and a lot of people love to watch the Angels."

The Army's Golden Knights Parachute Team and the Navy's F-18 Demonstration Team were also scheduled to appear this year.