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Jonathan Gordon

72erikdolores_2026-07-02-06-43-45

America 2, 50 festivities continue all weekend here on Long Island. Yes, the four leaf Air show is at Jones Beach. It's finally back, moved from Memorial Day weekend now to the Fourth of July weekend to celebrate the nation's 250th. Our Jonathan Gordon is live at Republic Airport in Farmingdale this morning with a preview of everything the show has. Jonathan. Yes, Erin, Rich, you know this is, as you said, it's something they do every year at Memorial Day weekend. It's been moved this year to Fourth of July weekend to celebrate America 250, and it's a really special event. It's really a highlight of the summer here on the island, and it's a great opportunity and that brings in a huge amount of crowds, and so we're expecting the same thing this weekend when it happens. On Sunday and Monday and we'll get into the logistics of that in just a second, but I want to bring in Sergeant First Class Eric Dolores, who is with the US Army Golden Knights, uh, and you're jumping, uh, this weekend, and this is the first time you're doing this air show in particular. So talk to me about what that means for you, it being, you know, with the Army here on Long Island 250. What's going through your mind, uh, today? Uh, I'm actually super excited to be here, especially celebrating our country's birthday, the 250th birthday. Uh, it's just an absolute pleasure. I never realized I would actually come to this point in my life. So tell me, what, what can people, they, they love the, the Golden Knights. They love seeing you guys jump. So what can people expect from the show and, and any surprises you want to reveal today? Uh, they'll be, the people can be seeing us in freefall. We'll have red smoke canisters to show exactly where we're at. Uh, we'll also have the UK's Red Devils with us this year, so this will be a first for them also. What is it like behind the scenes trying to, you know, put that together, you know, you're working with an entirely different, you know, organization and, and to be able to kind of combine together and put on a special show like this. What goes behind the scenes to make that work? A good bit of training and uh coordination goes into it to make this work uh a lot of trust and confidence in our in each other's abilities so we trust that they're able to keep up with us and we can keep up with them. I think it's gonna be a great show. Everyone's looking forward to it. Best of luck this weekend. Thank you so much for for chatting with us and so, uh, obviously you know we're here at Republic. You can see that the Blue Angels here behind me. You have, uh, some of these historic, uh, you know, uh, memorial cars that are going by and some of the. Army tanks, it's a really, you know, it's sort of the celebration of America and its history and so that's sort of what we're doing here today as it pertains to the actual air show tomorrow you have the practice rounds. Then on Saturday at 9:30 they're doing a fireworks display over at Jones Beach. It's going to be a really big thing and then the actual air show will take place Sunday and Monday 10:00 to 3. So still opportunity to obviously get out there. It's going to be a jam packed weekend here for the Fourth of July. We're in Farmingdale in Suffolk County. Jonathan Gordon, News 12.

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72ribsuarez

Yes, Rich, it's going to be awesome, you know, normally this air show is done. Uh, during Memorial Day weekend, but instead Fo Leafs putting it together on the Fourth of July weekend because we're doing it for America 250. Uh, it's gonna be really cool, and we're here with Rob Suarez from Four Leaf, uh, Credit Union. Rob, you know this is a really great opportunity, uh, and really special. You're doing it this year, um, and you're, you're rolling in, you know, in style today. Talk to me about, um, what this means for you guys, uh, to be able to organize it this weekend and, and just why it's so special. It's a special 250 year celebration of freedom. Uh, first of all, you know, it's a celebration for the summer, Fourth of July weekend. Come on out, enjoy the show. But more importantly, it's also an opportunity for us to all pay our respects to the men and women who served for our country and for our freedom over 250 years, and for the currently for the people who are serving the men and women who are serving now as well too. So it's, uh, you know, paying our respects and at the same time a celebration. It's and it's going to be a big celebration that spans several days here. So we've been kind of talking to. About explain to people sort of how this is going to work and I know you have a lot of different things going on. So starting, I guess we'll start with tomorrow, what do people expect over the next several days here? Spectacular show, I'll tell you to start. Friday, the Blue Angels will be performing, having a practice run on Friday. Saturday we'll have fireworks. Come on out and enjoy, and Sunday and Monday we'll be doing the air show about 10 o'clock. Get here early because you know we're expecting a good number of people attending this weekend. But more importantly, I think. Like I said, it's come on out and enjoy the beautiful beaches of Long Island, and it's so, uh, Four Leaf is, uh, you know, committed to giving back to the community. We're so excited to be part of this, uh milestone of history that we're all celebrating this weekend. So a lot of things going on this weekend. So come on out, enjoy, have some relaxation time here at Joe's Beach. Sounds great. It's gonna be a really great weekend. Thank you so much, Tony Johnson. Thank you so much for coming out and covering it as well too. We appreciate it. We love to do it. We really do. It's so special. It's a great opportunity. It's going to be a ton of fun this weekend. Uh, so again, make sure you're making your way out to Jones Beach again, uh, I mean, take a look. I mean, so much going on here today just as we get into the lead up. It's, it's really amazing. So, uh, we'll continue speaking with guests, getting you everything you need to know throughout the rest of the morning show. For now, Aaron Rich will send it back to you guys.

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72scottclyman_2026-07-02-06-48-23

Erin, Richard, it's going to be an incredible weekend. I mean, obviously we're dealing with the heat, so it's something to keep sort of, you know, on the front of the forefront of your mind here, but beyond that it's going to be really special, and we'll lay out in just a minute sort of the schedule of events here, but we're have a great opportunity here. You have the Blue Angels behind me. We're here at Republic Airport where, you know, the prep. Preps are underway for what's going to be just an incredible uh weekend and I want to bring in Scott Kleman with the American Air Power Museum and, and Scott, you know, we were talking before, you know, you guys are sort of the, the stewards of, of sort of history, you know, aviation history here on Long Island. So you combine sort of that experience with the 250. And everything that kind of comes with sort of the fanfare and excitement here, what does it mean to you sort of from the historical standpoint and sort of, you know, the museum standpoint? I, I think it's uh for us being the custodians of history of aviation history because we still fly our aircraft, uh, our oldest being almost 85 years old, uh, a kind of a nice, uh, kind of a generation, you know, bridges that gap to what you see behind you with the Blue Angels and such. Uh, it's gonna be an amazing weekend. They be able to kind of celebrate the history of Long Island aviation as well as the 250th in the same year is such a great honor and privilege and uh most of our pilots are former military, so to be able to take that opportunity to salute the nation and salute our veterans at the same time and those still serving, uh, it's gonna be an amazing weekend. So obviously the planes you fly a little different than the, the ones we're seeing behind us here. So talk to us about what makes them so special compared to what everyone else is flying and what can people expect from your show, uh, this weekend. So one of the big standouts for what we bring to the show is we are that living history experience for the show. So we're bringing World War II aircraft and some from the Korean conflict, and that kind of showcases, you know, aviation through the ages and to be able to show that to the crowds and the folks on Jones Beach during the air show, obviously, but even on a regular basis here at Republic, which is a hallowed ground aviation, formerly of Fairchild Republic, a big manufacturer here on Long Island back in the day. Uh, is a great opportunity to kind of like really kind of teach history, but also have a lot of fun and kind of showcase, you know, the capabilities of the airplane. We're going to basically put many of the airplanes through their through their paces and do aerobatic demos at the same time, so it'll be kind of both a history lesson and just something fun and entertaining to watch. I think everyone's going to be very much looking forward to it. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. Really appreciate it. And just to kind of to outline really quick just sort of the weekend and then you know, tomorrow you have the practice session, so you get an opportunity if you can't make it for the full weekend to see that. And then sort of the big 3 day event Friday there's at 9:30 a big fireworks display over at the beach. It's gonna be, uh, really, really special. It's something that a lot of people here, the organizers are really looking forward to. And then after that Sunday, Monday, that's when the actual air show takes place from 10:0 to 3. So it's really, really great. It's a really special opportunity to have it on July 4th weekend. So, uh, I know there's a lot of energy today. It's only gonna build as we go throughout the next couple of days as well here in Farmingdale in Suffolk County, Jonathan Gordon news off.

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72jon7am_2026-07-02-07-04-20

Yeah, Rich, you know, we have been out here this morning talking about the air show, obviously very special with America 250, with Fourth of July. I mean, it's a really great opportunity. Normally it's Memorial Day weekend, but they really wanted to sort of coincide everything, and I think what's really great is you have all these really, you know, the Blue Angels you mentioned, right, the Golden Knights, they come in here. Um, but we also have some really local, amazing local talent from Farmingdale State College with the aviation team, and I want to have everyone introduce themselves really quickly, but everyone here, some have flown before, some have not been in the stairs before, but I'll have everyone introduce themselves, and then we'll talk to John in a second. So your name is? I'm Sam Alvarado. Sam, I'm Matthew Schweit. Spencer Chan, David Vxenfeld, and so this crew here and John I'm getting to you, this crew here, uh, they're all gonna be flying this weekend in the air show, which is really awesome. It's a really great opportunity because it's such an amazing local town and we have John Finelli here who is, uh, the flight instructor, uh, at Farmingdale State College. So John, uh, talk to me about what this. Means for you. You told me you've flown in the show before, but you have some first-timers here. But obviously, you know, you guys are local and you get to be in this amazing local show that draws, you know, tens of hundreds of thousands of people. What does it mean for you? Yeah, so this is a, it's a very special experience for all of us being the 250th anniversary, uh, flying in this show this year. Uh, I personally have been going to the show every year since I was a kid, so it's, it's definitely special to be in this show. And represent the college for, you know, all of Long Island and, you know, all over the world as well. Talk to me about the, the program at the college and how it gets you, you all to this point where now you're, you're performing at such a high level. Yeah, so Farmingdale State College, it's a 4 year program with the aviation degree. Um, we take you from the ground up all the way to your CFI. And from there puts you in a good position to progress into a career towards the airlines or military all over. What can people expect to see in your performance this weekend? So we're going to be flying 5 aircraft this weekend in a racetrack pattern around the around the beach, uh, showcase 5 of our training aircraft. Nothing too crazy, but um. You know, it, it shows everybody the, you know, training capabilities that they can take part in for the next generation pilots that are inspiring. That's awesome. It's gonna be really cool and I'm sure you're gonna be inspiring also these next generation, these younger kids too that wanna see some young people doing some really amazing things here in the aircraft. So it's gonna be a great opportunity. Best of luck to all of you. Uh, the practice rounds will start. We'll see the practice session tomorrow, and then there's a big firework display will take place on Saturday. Actual air show at Jones Beach that'll take place Sunday and Monday. It'll be from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. We'll send it back to you guys.

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72seangarell_2026-07-02-07-45-24

Yeah, Erin, Rich, it's gonna be an amazing weekend, uh, and you know we're really excited for the opportunity to kind of preview and all morning we've been talking to just different groups, organizations, teams that will be performing and participating, and it's, uh, it's really special and I think what's really great is when you have just, you know, local Long Island groups that will be participating in it, and I think that sort of adds to sort of the, uh, fanfare of the weekend when you have, uh, the 250th, you have 4th of July, and of course. Is already on its own would draw it draws in so many people. So I want to bring in from the 106th rescue Wing based in West Hampton, uh, Colonel Sean Garre. Colonel, talk to me about, uh, you know, for you, um, local, obviously, and the organization made up a lot of local members. So why is that so meaningful for you when you're doing something like this? Well, Jonathan, we have about 1100 members as part of the rescue weighing out in West Hampton Beach. Little known fact, most of them are your doctors, your nurses, firefighters, your police officers, your airline pilots, they're your neighbors, your friends. So it's really important for Long Islanders to see Long Islanders participating in this weekend's events. And I know this is, you know, something you participate in, you know, all the time. What, what can people expect to see from you guys this weekend and. What do you hope they take away? Well, you're going to see a really, really great aerial demonstration. It's going to be a combat search and rescue demo involving an HC-130, a couple of HH 60s, and our para rescue specialists. We're going to go through a simulated survivor scenario where. You'll see a low altitudes search from the HC 130. The helicopters will perform air to air refueling, and then you're going to see the helicopters come in just over the water and insert our para rescue team. They're going to rescue the survivor, bring him out of the water, and then go off into the take him to that higher level of care. We'll then have one of our. Helicopters return back to Jones Beach and perform alert for the rest of the rest of the day, the rest of the air show. Should be a really exciting couple of days for you guys. Thanks for joining us here this morning. We'll have more as we go throughout the morning previewing the four leaf air show and all the excitement that it has to offer. We'll send it back to you too for now.

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The practice session will take place on Friday, followed by a fireworks show on Saturday night and the actual FourLeaf Air Show on Sunday and Monday.

More Stories

Schedule of events

Logistics

The show

SFC Erik Dolores U.S. Army Golden Knights

Rob Suarez of FourLeaf Federal Credit Union

Scott Clyman of the American Airpower Museum

FSC Flight Instructor, Air Show Pilot John Finelli

Colonel Sean Garell, 106th Rescue Wing

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