Page 54 - World Airshow News Autumn 2024

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The Blue Angels

By Ricky Matthews line flew by us as we gained speed. “Ready, jet climbed skyward. When I came back
t’s something you dream of when you hit it!” called my pilot, Blue Angel #7 and to consciousness, I knew what had hap-
watch the Blue Angels fly through the team Narrator Lt. Connor O’Donnell. pened, but it’s so crazy how you just blank
I skies at airshows – wondering what With that, we climbed from a few feet to a out that time and how fast the G forces
it’s like to feel those G forces and watch few thousand feet in just seconds. can get you. Having experienced that,
the world spin around you. Something Once offshore, Lt. O’Donnell started it gives you a real appreciation for what
very few get to experience. with a series of basic turns, to help me these pilots are doing during the display.
At this year’s NAS Oceana Air Show, get familiar with the G forces. Then, it After a few more moments in the air –
I was lucky enough to become one of was time to get into some aerobatics. We and a few selfies – it was time to return to
those few. As many readers may know, at started with a loop pulling 4Gs – demon- NAS Oceana and get back to earth. It was
each airshow, the Blue Angels take up a strating what the pilots feel during their at this point where my stomach decided it
“key influencer” and a media represen- delta portion of the display. It was quite wanted to come and play too, and I joined
tative, often from a local TV station, to shocking to me how many Gs they pull the many other riders over the years who
help promote the show and give viewers in a simple loop, since from the ground it have revisited what they’ve had to eat re-
a glimpse of what a Blue Angels demon- looks very calm. cently. Another memorable moment.
stration is like. My day job as a TV meteo- We flew inverted, did the delta roll, As the canopy opened and I stepped
rologist allowed me to do just that, show- and then it was time for some high ener- out of the jet and climbed down the lad-
ing my viewers what the Blue Angels go gy maneuvers. We did the minimum ra- der, my smile was as big as it could be.
through during their display by putting dius turn, which pushed me into the seat I came in with somewhat of an under-
my body through the same forces the pi- at 5.5Gs for over 25 seconds. Despite this, standing of what it takes to fly, and left
lots experience. I stayed awake – something I’m pretty with a new appreciation of the G forces
After a preflight briefing by the Blue proud of. As we turned 360 degrees, you these pilots go through. That’s something
Angels #7 crew chief, it was time to strap could see the vapor coming off the jet as I invite you to think about the next time
into the famous Blue Angels’ blue and we sliced through the humid air over the you see the Blue Angels display.
gold F/A-18 Super Hornet and take to the Atlantic Ocean. Photo: Ricky pulls some Gs in Blue Angel #7 (photo
skies. Today, we’d be flying over Virginia It was the next maneuver that really courtesy of the author).
Beach and off the coast ahead of Friday’s showed the G forces. Lt. O’Donnell ex- Editor’s Note: Ricky Matthews was a
airshow practice day. As the canopy closed plained we were going to set up for the World Airshow News photo contributor
and the jet came to life, the moment really Sneak Pass to vertical rolls, something while he was in college. He is now a meteo-
sank in. We headed to the runway, taking Blue Angel #6 does during the display. rologist for WAVY, the local NBC affiliate
the same taxiways that I’ve watched the Gaining speed, we approached the speed in Norfolk/Virginia Beach.
team take so many times at Oceana. of sound – and then pulled up, exert-
Our flight started with a maximum ing 7.4Gs of force on our bodies. What
performance takeoff and low transition. happened next, well, that’s a blank – as
Screaming down the runway, the show I passed out for a few moments as the

www.airshowmag.com 54 Quarter 4, 2024