Blue Angels, Pensacola, Florida

“The sky is the limit, or “seize the sky”

Blue Angel pilot – LCDR Tom Winkler USN

  While we were visiting Pensacola last April, we were lucky enough to be spectators of two of the Blue Angels practices. They practice every Tuesday and Wednesday at the Naval Air Station so if you are ever there, you need to go see them. After their show on Wednesdays, they will sign autographs which is so awesome for the children and adults to see them up close and be able to speak to them. What a fantastic show they put on even though it is just a practice for them to get ready for the real thing. They bring in large crowds and all are excited about seeing their high performance phenomenal show.

On Tuesday, we went out on a boat with my brother, Harlan and his beautiful bride, Cathy to see them perform from on the Bayou Grande. Watching them soar overhead and do their crazy spins and outrageously maneuvers was such a treat. They went right over our heads from all directions and then straight up towards heaven. We had a great vantage point watching them come from a long distance off. They were so close at times that you could see the pilots. Since it was a beautifully clear day, they were able to do the high show. Wow. What a show.

On Wednesday, my other brother Howard and his beautiful bride arrived and wanted to see the show from the airfield where the Blues take off. Right after it rained we headed out to the airfield where we rented some chairs so we could be comfortable. Even with the large crowds, we got great seats. We were praying the show would go on and not be canceled. They delayed the show and sure enough some of the clouds dispersed just in time. They were able to preform and do their low show. We were thrilled. What a great experience to be at the airfield, listen to the announcements, hear their history, see them take off and

smell the jet fuel. It was a totally different experience than we had yesterday. Both were amazing. They did a flyover that was from behind and low where everyone jumped from the roar of the jet engines. They also did the maneuver where two jets are heading right towards each other and turn sideways as they passed each other. That was a nail biting experience. What an amazing group of pilots who are navigators from the Navy and Marines. If you can go to see them, go early and spend time in the Naval Air Museum which is a huge museum with all kinds of airplanes to see that are inside and a wonderful film of the Blues flying. You need a lot of time to see whole museum. You can see the Blues jets up close. What an incredible aircraft. I will post more on the museum later.

The pilots are currently flying the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The Blue Angels have flown eight different aircraft since when it was formed in 1946. They fly at 70 shows throughout the country at 34 locations and preform for over 11 million spectators. The Blues also visit more than 50,000 people in schools and hospitals during March through November each year. They were formed to inspire excellence and service to country through their flight skills and outreach missions. They fly as fast as 700 miles per hour and as slow as 120 mph andduring the show you get to see both. Their high show they go up as high as 8,000 foot and the low show they go up to 3,500 feet. The pilots do not wear G-suits because the air bladders inside repeatedly deflate and inflate interfering with that stability. The pilots use their own method by tensing their muscle to keep their blood flow from staying in their lower extremities which could make them become unconscious. These men are very skilled and brave as there is quite the risk factor by them flying. 27 Blue Angel pilots have been killed in air shows or training out of the 261 pilots in their history. That is about a 10% fatality rate. That is frightening to think about. Please keep all those pilots in your prayers.

The Blue Angels are very special and talented and it is a rare treat if you ever get to see them. If you see a show coming to your area, go or if you are in Pensacola on a Tuesday or Wednesday, go see their practice show. You will not be disappointed.