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106th Rescue Wing To Fly Over Long Island To Salute Coronavirus Responders

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The 106th Rescue Wing demonstrated a series of different rescue operations during the Jones Beach Air Show at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, N.Y. on May 23 and 24, 2009. (U.S. Air Force Photo/SrA Jose Diaz/Released)

The 106th Rescue Wing will fly over Long Island on Friday to honor first healthcare heroes, first responders, and essential workers battling the coronavirus pandemic.

The Westhampton Beach-based New York Air National Guard rescue squadron group will fly its HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue airplane and two HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters across Suffolk County and southheastern Nassau County.

“The flyover will begin approximately 12:15 p.m. near Riverhead and finish around 1 p.m. near Jones Beach,” the group said.

The flyover will pass over Rocky Point, East Setauket, Stony Brook, Holtsville, Blue Point, Sayville, Bay Shore, and Massapequa.

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A pair of HH-60 Pavehawk helicopters from the 106th Rescue Wing hover next to the USS Intrepid on the Hudson River during Air Force Week, 2009. (USAF / Senior Airman Christopher Muncy / released)

The flyover comes three weeks after the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performed a flyover across LI and the New York Metro area in April. The Farmingdale-based Geico Skytypers also recently performed a flyover in their vintage World War II-era planes.

“This is another way [of] trying to find rays of hope and inspiration during this dark period,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

The flyovers also come after the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach, the largest annual event on LI, was canceled due to coronavirus. The event, which normally occurs on Memorial Day weekend, has been replaced with a virtual air show at bethpageairshow.com

Officials urge the public to watch the flyover while continuing to stay at home to comply with social distancing orders to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

The 106th Rescue Wing flyover is subject to change due to weather or other conditions.

See the flight path below.97067052 3568007843225584 6908576322931392512 o

For more coronavirus coverage, visit longislandpress.com/coronavirus

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