Blue Angels

The Blue Angels is the United States NAVY Flight Demonstration Squadron, representing also the US Marine Corps.

The Blue Angels currently have 10 jets: two single seat F/A-18 A models, five single seat F/A-18 C models, one 2-seat F/A-18 B and two 2-seat F/A-18 D models. Only six of them fly during demonstration flights, principally one seat versions, while the rest are spare, if some of the main airplanes gets damaged and cannot be repaired till the show begins. The squadron also has one permanently appointed cargo plane C-130 Hercules called "The Fat Albert" which is used for transportation of the ground staff, spare parts, etc.

The members of the US NAVY Precision Flying Team are altogether 126. 16 of them are officers and the rest of them are sergeants. The commander and the leader of the squadron are selected by the chief of the Naval Center of Air Training. He must have at least 3000 flying hours on a jet fighter and must be a naval squadron commander. He flies on the plane number 1.

On the planes with numbers from 3 to 7 fly the naval pilots. The pilot from US Marine usually flies on the plane number 2. To become a part of the squadron, the pilots must have at least 1350 flying hours on a jet fighter. The pilot number 7 is a deputy coordinator of the shows. After serving one year on that position he becomes a demonstration pilot. Number 8 is also a naval pilot and officiates as a show coordinator and a show commentator. He also must have at least 1350 flying hours on a jet fighter. Every one candidate for a Blue Angel must have a perfect record and excellent recommendations from the commander of his unit. Every one candidate for US Navy aerobatic team is a volunteer.

The pilots of C-130 are from the US Marine and must have at least 1200 flying hours and to be crew commanders.

Every one new squadron's member is selected individually after an interview with the present members of the squadron from his specialty, on a base of his professional qualities, his military behavior and his capabilities to work in team. All rookies start train formation flying with the team from November till March at El Centro airbase (winter Blue Angel's home), while at the beginning of March they are almost ready to the show season.

The demonstration pilots, the show coordinator, the support commander, the medic and the ground staff serve at the squadron 2 years. The rest of the squadron serve 3 years. After finishing their military service at the Blue Angels team every one of them returns to his former unit.

The following teams in the Blue Angels cover every single show:

• Support crew - every one plane has a separate crew of technicians who take care of its good condition. Every singe crew has its own commander who is in charge to the support commander.
• Administrative crew - it is in charge of the official correspondence, the sustenance of workplaces, the documentation, the payment and the squadron's travels.
• Supply crew - it is in charge of the spare parts and other deliveries needed by the team.
• Public relations (PR) crew - it is in charge of distributing every public information, preparing of printed materials, coordinating local, national and international media, fan correspondence and supporting the squadron's webpage.
• Show coordinators - except of numbers 7 and 8 who fly on two-seated F/A-18B, with them on place some days before the show come another two assistants who settle up everything needed before the whole squadron arrives.
• Security crew - this crew is a liaison between the Blue Angels and the US Navy Security Center, as well as with the local police and fire departments.

 

The Show

The air performance of the NAVY Flight Exhibition Team Blue Angels lasts about 40 minutes. To perform the show, there must be a visibility at least 5500 meters (6015 yards or 18 045 feet) from the show center. If the lower limit of clouds in less than 450 meters (492 yards or 1476 feet) the Blue Angels postpone the show. If the limit is between 450 meters (492 yards or 1476 feet) and 1050 meters (1148 yards or 3445 feet) they perform a show with limited number of figures, mostly in a horizontal plane, i. e., without formation loops and rolls. That kind of show is called "flat". If the lower limit is between 1050 meters (1148 yards or 3445 feet) and 2450 meters (2679 yards or 8038 feet) they perform "lower" show including barrel rolls but without loops. If the lower limit is above 2450 meters (2679 yards or 8038 feet) the Blue Angels perform their full show. The minimal distance between airplanes is between 1 meter (3.3 feet) and 1.5 meters (5 feet).

If one of the pilots is sick for the time of the show, the rest of pilots fly without him. If the commander is not capable of flying the show is postponed. The Blue Angels (as well as much of other aerobatic teams) have not stand-by pilots because it is very hard for a pilot to learn to fly in every single position of the formation.

During the air show the Blue Angels do not use G-suits, because they are very well trained and know haw and when to get into and out from certain maneuver. From the other side, the usage of official flying clothing gives the pilots a bigger attractively when coming to and entering the airplanes.

For one year the Blue Angels use up approximately 14 000 000 liters (3 076 920 gallons or 3 698 410 US gallons) of fuel.

Up to 2000 year the Blue Angels has been watched by almost 400 millions of people all around the world.

 

The Aircraft

The main differences between the F/A-18 Hornet airplanes used by the Blue Angels and the usual combat ones are three (not counting the coloring). First, the gun has been removed. Second, the airplanes used by the Blue Angels are equipped with smoke generators for better highlight of figures, as well as for better tracking of one plane form another. The smoke generators works on following principle: through the special burner placed on the outlet of the exhaust pipe (in that case - on the left exhaust pipe) in the jet of the engines is injected some oil on paraffin base. It causes immediate formation of steam, i. e., the known white smoke. The third difference is in the presence of a device which pressures with strain of 16-kilogram the control stick. This eliminates the possibility of an occasional or accidental movement of the stick which, bearing in mind the distance on which the aircrafts fly, would inevitable lead to a crash.