You stare through a gold tinted visor, as sweat stings your eyes and blurs your vision. Over the background engine and airflow noise, you hear through your headset, "Up we go, a little more pull!" as you ease back on the stick in the $30 million high performance jet fighter you're flying.
Your eyes remain glued to the formation of five other aircraft merely inches away; your ears are tuned in to every word and syllable spoken. Years of training and preparation have taught you to rely on all your senses to make continuous corrections and maintain control of the aircraft as it exceeds 400 miles per hour.
Your muscles become fatigued from fighting the 35 pounds of force you are countering on the stick, and the fluctuations of the g-force imposed on your body throughout the show. You can not let up. You must burn through the ever present distractions and sensations.
The physical strain doesn't compare to the mental exertion required. Your blue flight suit is soaked with perspiration from the intense focus required to perform and survive. The aerial maneuvers you perform in a six-plane formation, wing-tip to wing-tip, exceed what other aerobatic pilots struggle to perform solo.
Most people think of the Blue Angels team as six shiny blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets that take to the skies, thrilling millions. But, like all successful organizations, what goes on behind scenes is what drives the Blue Angel's success. The dedication of the support personnel and maintenance crew is what keeps these high performance machines in the air.
While I enjoyed the rewards that come with being a Blue Angel pilot, numerous other men and women with advanced skill sets sacrifice countless hours on the road, away from their families, to ensure the team's success.
In more than 60 years of existence, the Blue Angels have never canceled a show for maintenance reasons - a phenomenal feat! To see these dedicated professionals in action, day after day, represents the true power of teamwork. Live with Passion.
Your eyes remain glued to the formation of five other aircraft merely inches away; your ears are tuned in to every word and syllable spoken. Years of training and preparation have taught you to rely on all your senses to make continuous corrections and maintain control of the aircraft as it exceeds 400 miles per hour.
Your muscles become fatigued from fighting the 35 pounds of force you are countering on the stick, and the fluctuations of the g-force imposed on your body throughout the show. You can not let up. You must burn through the ever present distractions and sensations.
The physical strain doesn't compare to the mental exertion required. Your blue flight suit is soaked with perspiration from the intense focus required to perform and survive. The aerial maneuvers you perform in a six-plane formation, wing-tip to wing-tip, exceed what other aerobatic pilots struggle to perform solo.
Most people think of the Blue Angels team as six shiny blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets that take to the skies, thrilling millions. But, like all successful organizations, what goes on behind scenes is what drives the Blue Angel's success. The dedication of the support personnel and maintenance crew is what keeps these high performance machines in the air.
While I enjoyed the rewards that come with being a Blue Angel pilot, numerous other men and women with advanced skill sets sacrifice countless hours on the road, away from their families, to ensure the team's success.
In more than 60 years of existence, the Blue Angels have never canceled a show for maintenance reasons - a phenomenal feat! To see these dedicated professionals in action, day after day, represents the true power of teamwork. Live with Passion.
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