The weather in Florida has delayed and could force the cancellation of Gov. Peter Shumlin’s trip to Eglin Air Force Base to hear F-35 fighter jets that could be based at the Vermont Air National Guard in South Burlington.
The governor is headed to the base Wednesday on a flight chartered by the Greater Burlington Industrial Corp. to compare the sound of an F-35 with that of the F-16 that already flies here.
The flight has been postponed from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. because of rain in Florida. The F-35s won’t be making their morning training runs because of rain in the forecast, so the group aims to catch an afternoon takeoff, said GBIC President Frank Cioffi.
Cioffi said he’ll learn Wednesday morning before leaving whether the F35s are expected to fly in the afternoon. If not, the trip will be canceled, he said.
Also going are Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, Winooski Mayor Michael O’Brien, Vermont Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Steven Cray, Cioffi, GBIC board member Ernie Pomerleay and two pesky reporters, including me.
According to the National Weather Service, the forecast for nearby Valparaiso, Fla., is for a “chance of rain before noon, then a slight chance of showers after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.”
