The Bandit Flight Team, a North Carolina-based group of formation pilots, will perform a flyover of multiple towns in Moore, Richmond, Hoke and Lee counties on Saturday, May 16 to honor area healthcare and emergency services workers. The flyover will start over the Sanford area at 11:45 a.m., then proceed to Pinehurst, Rockingham and conclude over Raeford. The tribute flight was organized by the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the organizers of the annual Festival D’Avion.
The Bandit Flight team flies vintage aircraft to preserve the military Warbird heritage and as an opportunity to salute our returning war veterans. Typically, a maximum of six planes fly in demonstration formations.
“Like the many tribute flights we have seen across the country and in North Carolina, we wanted to do something similar for healthcare and emergency services workers, and everyone else on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Phil Werz, president and CEO of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen CVB. “If people go outside to see the flyover, we simply ask people have fun, take pictures and videos, but do so while social distancing. ”
The flyover will start in Sanford as the formation passes over Central Carolina Hospital at 11:45 a.m. From there, the Bandit Flight Team will arrive over First Health Moore Regional Pinehurst at noon, then over the Pinehurst’s Village Hall, and the police and fire departments before proceeding over the Carolina Hotel and Pinehurst Country Club. The formation concludes the flyovers over First Health Regional Health facilities in Richmond County (Rockingham) and Hoke County (Raeford).
Here are the approximate flyover times:
11:45 a.m.: Central Carolina Hospital Sanford
12:00 p.m: First Health Moore Regional Pinehurst
12:01p.m.: Pinehurst Police and Fire Departments/Pinehurst Resort
12:12 p.m.: First Health Moore Regional Hospital Rockingham
12:30 p.m.: First Health Moore Regional Hospital Hoke County
For questions, contact CVB President Phil Werz at 910-692-3330 x234.
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