No civilian pilots performing in Sea & Sky Air Show this weekend

The Sea and Sky Air Show this weekend featuring the iconic U.S. Navy Blue Angels will have some noticeable changes.

The show will be significantly shorter because there will be fewer planes in the sky. The civilian acts that would typically perform in the show are not on the lineup card this year.

News4JAX learned that many civilian pilots who have been part of the show in the past opted out of performing this year because of a spike in insurance and liability costs.

One pilot who has performed in the air show in the past and asked to remain anonymous told News4JAX they received a contract to be a part of the show this year but decided not to perform.

The pilot said the standard insurance coverage in Florida for a show like this is $1 million, and they were concerned about what they called “restrictive and demanding” insurance clauses in the proposed contract.

The pilot specifically referenced what are called “indemnification clauses,” legally binding agreements between two parties specifying that one party will compensate the other party for any losses or damages that might arise from a particular event.

The way the pilot interpreted their contract was that if anything went wrong, whether it was the pilot’s fault or not, the pilot would be liable.

A spokesperson for the city said in a statement to News4JAX that “Premiums for all lines of insurance have increased over the last few years, including liability coverage for this event.”

News4JAX asked why the rates increased, and we’re still waiting for an answer.

Capt. Brian Binder, the commanding officer at Naval Station Mayport, said the show is a big deal for the area.

“I think it is just the community feel,” Binder said. “We are bringing the show to the community. There is no better show than the Sea and Sky over at the Jax beaches because it gives an opportunity to intermingle our military directly with its community out in Jax Beach. It is phenomenal.”