The Blue Angels: Heroes in a Different Kind of Sport

What do you think of when you think of a sports hero—someone who drives in the winning run in the seventh game of the World Series, hits the winning shot in the seventh game of the NBA finals, scores the winning touchdown in a Super Bowl or NCAA championship game? Anyone who would accomplish any of those tasks would be considered a sports hero. You might not think of someone who operates fast moving machinery. Those who race hydroplanes, drive in a car race, or drive snowmobiles might tell you they are professional athletes too. Members of the Blue Angels, who fly aircraft in acrobatic maneuvers at incredible speeds and up to 6 G's of force, might tell you they are athletes too.Jim

JHorsleyley, a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander, who once flew with the Blue Angels, is just such a persoHorsleyley has flown an attack aircraft like an F/A-18 Hornet through a series of acrobatic maneuvers at 350 knots at up to 6 G's of force. He might say that such maneuvers actually require athletic ability, timing, and strength. Some might say that not just anybody would have the physical capability for such maneuvers.

Just like few people have the ability to become professional athletes, not many become Blue Angels. Only 213 professional pilots have ever been chosen to fly with the Blue Angels. All potential pilots aprepre-screened, and that brings the number of potential Blue Angels to 60. That number is then reduced to just several.

The Blue Angel season runs from March to Thanksgiving, but the pilots spend six weeks in training camp before that. They have to practice their maneuvers and fly twice a day, just like a football player might do "twice a days," for the whole training process. Some might compare the training to a preseason camp for a professional athlete.

Don't think the maneuvers are easy. Six planes are flown during a show so close that they are only 36 inches, or one yard aparHorsleyley said pilots have to have "nerves of steel" and "ice in their veinsHorsley