What was that noise?
The noise came from a test flight of three military planes soaring over Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Friday afternoon. The pilots were practicing for the flight they will take shortly after the national anthem at today’s football game against Louisiana State University, said Will Pantages, the assistant director of athletics communications.
What were the planes?
The three planes are Air National Guard F-16s from the 100th Fighter Squadron based in Montgomery, Alabama, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said.
Who are the pilots?
The flight will be led by a 2002 UF graduate, Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Proctor, Orlando said. His wingmen will be Captain Christopher Coenen and Captain Cy Eckhardt.
Did UF tell anyone this was happening?
UF Public Safety on Thursday sent out a tweet inform people of the 3 p.m. practice run, said University Police spokesperson Major Brad Barber.
What was UF President Kent Fuchs doing?
Fuchs tweeted that he almost dropped his coffee as the jets flew over campus. But, he was referencing a scene from the “Top Gun” movie, Orlando said. In the film, a commanding officer spills his coffee when Tom Cruise’s character makes high-speed pass by the control tower in a plane.
What did students think of it?
Jack Nix wasn’t surprised when he heard the three jets thunder over the back of Weil Hall on Friday afternoon because he read about it on Twitter.
“I want to build stuff like that,” said Nix, a 21-year-old UF aerospace engineering senior.
Nix’s classmate, Gregory Hill, said he was in awe of the practice run.
“Anything that flies at high speeds is pretty awesome to see,” Hill, a 21-year-old UF aerospace engineering senior said.
