(A first for radio)...This year the Festival of Flight will be broadcast on radio.

The Festival, featuring the Blue Angels is set for March 13. The Naval Air Facility El Centro will host the first-ever radio broadcast of its annual Festival of Flight from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The Festival will feature high-flying performances by a variety of military aircraft, including the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels. The decision to radio broadcast the air show in a virtual space on KXO FM 107.5 and AM 1230, instead of the traditional public audience in base allows Imperial Valley residents an opportunity to encounter US military aviation demonstration in a safe environment during the COVID 19 pandemic. They say the result will be a unique back-yard barbeque approach that can be experienced across the region in a more personal setting. NAF commanding officer Captain William Perkins says the Navy is approaching 75 years of flying in the Imperial Valley. This year's virtual sports desk performance on KXO is intended to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, while continuing th great tradition of celebrating the partnership of military aviation with the Imperial Valley community. The event has been held every year since 1970 and typically attracts more than 10,000 spectators, making physical distancing impractible during a conventional showcase.