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Golden Knights back in Ariz. for practices

YUMA, Ariz. — Yuma skies will be filled with black and gold later this month when the Army’s precision parachute team returns to the southeastern Arizona city.

The Golden Knights, which began in 1961, will begin winter training Jan. 20 at Yuma Proving Ground’s Cox Field.

The Knights use colored smoke and intricate moves to link up and form various shapes — all while barreling toward the ground at 120 mph.

The public is invited to watch the team’s daily jumps through March 7. Last year, more than 5,000 people went to Yuma Proving Ground to watch the Knights, Yuma Proving Ground spokesman Yolie Canales said.

The team practices from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, weather permitting, and it’s free to the public. Visitors can sit in bleachers or on their own chairs or blankets.

Yuma’s clear blue skies and nice weather bring the team back from Fort Bragg, N.C., every year, Canales said.

In North Carolina, “it’s too cold, too windy, too wet, too snowy,” Canales said.

After the Knights complete training in March, the team will be busy on a world tour that includes stops in all 50 states and 47 countries over the coming year.