If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to fly inverted at 7.6 g’s, the answer may surprise you.

“It feels like an elephant is sitting in your lap,” says Captain Tyson Dunkelberger of the legendary Blue Angels, the Navy’s fast-flying, bold blue jets that perform synchronized aerobatics at air shows across the country. “It’s definitely exciting, especially because we’re flying in ways that would get most pilots in trouble if they were caught,” Dunkelberger laughs.

Considering those F/A-18 Hornet jets are zooming by at speeds of more than 700 mph (and nearly eight times the speed of gravity) and cost $25 million dollars apiece, it’s no wonder the pilots, as well as the thousands of watchers on the ground, feel a rush of adrenaline as they scream by. To provide some comparison, Blue Angels jets fly at 7.6 g’s, when a race car or high-speed rollercoaster typically only reaches 2g’s.

History of the Blue Angels
The Blue Angels, headquartered in Pensacola, have brought thrills to crowds since their formation in 1946; they were founded to promote Navy and Marine Corps aviation and to inspire future generations to consider a piloting career in the military. Pilots who want to join the family (“once a Blue Angel, always a Blue Angel”) must have at least 1,250 flight hours under their helmets, with the hours increasing up to 3,000 flight hours to be considered “the boss” (the highest rank).

Blue Angels Pilots
Every spring, the Blue Angels “rush” the team and begin the process of reviewing potential new pilots. Between March and May, pilots are evaluated at air shows, and by June, 60 finalists are selected. By July, the number is down to 20; these pilots go through a series of interviews to see how well they interact with the public, as well as with the existing Blue Angels.

While the Blue Angels perform in nearly 70 air show performances each year, the pilots travel together for more than 300 days each year to speak at gatherings in schools and other public places about the thrill of flying.

Aviators selected for the Blue Angels team typically serve for two or three years, depending on rank and flight position. Each January through March, pilots arrive at El Centro Naval Air facility in California to refine their skills, working on inverted tricks and rolls. “Although every Naval aviator is well-schooled in formation flying, further training is required because we fly much closer than we would outside of air shows,” says Dunkelberger. Each pilot must participate in 120 training flights in decommissioned jets that have received special modifications to allow them to billow smoke, fly upside down without jamming, and have faster roll rates (all the better to entertain with) before performing in front of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which gives the Blue Angels final approval to perform before crowds.

Once the Blue Angels receive their thumbs up, it is show-time for those of us with our feet planted firmly on the ground.

Blue Angels Practices & Air Shows
The Blue Angels are one of the best Pensacola attractions and visitors can watch them practice from April through November outside the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola (call ahead for specific schedule details).

An even bigger treat awaits July 11-12, 2010, when visitors can watch the jets do flybys over the turquoise waters of the Gulf at the Pensacola Beach Air Show. The Blue Angels will top off the year with final performances at Naval Air Station Pensacola Nov. 12-13.

Learn more about the Blue Angels by visiting www.blueangels.navy.mil.