TShow,he^2017 New^ York^ Air^ Angels,^ featuring^ the^ U.S.^ Navy^ Blue^

took^ place^ at Stewart^ International^ Airport^

JulyNew^ Windsor,^ New^ York^ on^ in^1 ‐2,^ 2017.^ A^ few^ days

beforehad^ the^ show,^ we^ the^ pleasure^ of^ attending^

toDay ‐ getting^ up^ close^ Media^ the^ Blue^ Angels'^ F/A‐^18

Hornets;^ meeting^ the^ Blue Angels^ Team;^ and^ exploring

aboutC‐^17 and^ learning^ the^ the^ capabilities^ of^ this^ aircraft

and^ its^ crew.^

Navy^ and^ MarinetoCorps^ officers^ volunteer^ Seventeen

serveOfficers^ as^ Blue^ Angels.^ typically^ serve^ two^ years

sothe^ Blue^ Angels,^ with^ each^ year^ three^ tactical/fighter

jetofficers^ pilots,^ two^ support^ and^ one^ Marine^ Corps

‐^130 pilot^ joins^ theCteam^ to^ replace^ departing^ members.

To^ fly^ Fat^ Albert,^ the Blue^ Angels'^ support^ plane,^ a^

Corps^ pilot^ must^ haveMarineat^ least^ 1,200^ flight^ hours.

Angel^ #8,^ theexperienceEvents^ Coordinator,^ requires^ Blue

asOfficer^ a^ Naval^ Flight^ or^ Weapons^ System^ Offi‐

with^ at^ least^ 1,250^ flightcerhours.^ Blue^ Angels^ #1‐^7 are

pilotedNavy^ by^ Marine^ or^ pilots^ with^ aircraft^ carrier^

1,250and^ at^ least^ qualifications^ flight^ hours.^ Blue^ Angels

#1,or^ the^ Commanding^ Officer^ "Boss,"^ must^ have^ a^

of^ 3,000^ tactical^ jetminimumflight^ hours^ and^ must^ have

commandedtactical^ a^ jet^ squadron.^

Ryan^ J.^ Bernacchi^ ofthethe^ U.S.^ Navy^ and^ Commander

currentjoined^ Blue^ Angels^ "Boss"^ the^ team^ in^2015

hoursover^ 3,500^ flight^ with^ and^600 carrier^ landings.

His^ impressive^ resume^ includes Top^ Gun^ training^ fol

‐

by^ a^ stint^ as^ alowedTop^ Gun^ Instructor^ Pilot;^ a^ Master's

Degree^ with^ Distinction^ from the^ Naval^ War^ College;^

as^ a^ Federal^ ExecutiveserviceFellow^ at^ MIT;^ two^ deployments

with^ the^ USS Abraham^ Lincoln;^ deployment^

Stenisthe^ USS^ John^ with^ for^ Operation^ Enduring^ Freedom;

and^ numerous^ commendation^ medals.^

to^ Bernacchi,^ inspired^ military^ become^ a^ Commander

aviatorshow^ after^ attending^ an^ air^ as^ a^ child,^ now^ has

inspiregreat^ opportunity^ to^ the^ other^ children^ to^ follow

in^ his^ footsteps.^ To hear^ Commander^ Bernacchi^ speak

withgreat^ pride^ of^ serving^ with^ the^ Blue^ Angels^ is^ like

seeing^ a^ child^ playing^ with his^ favourite^ toy^ on^ Christ

‐

 ‐ witheyes^ brightly^ open^ mas^ a^ twinkle^ and^ brilliant

smilebeautiful^ surrounded^ with^ a^ glow^ of^ Blue.^ Com

‐

Bernacchi^ explains^ thatmanderall^ the^ manoeuvres^ and

formationsshows^ performed^ in^ their^ are^ the^ same^ as

navalthey^ train^ for^ as^ those^ aviators ‐ just^ a^ bit^ closer

andThe^ lower^ to^ the^ ground.^ Blue^ Angels^ spend^ an^ im

‐

amount^ of^ timemensepracticing^ their^ routine^ hundreds

andStarting^ hundreds^ of^ times.^ in^ a^ loose^ formation,^

formationgradually^ bring^ the^ they^ closer^ and^ closer^ together

till^ they^ successfully^ reach their^ goal ‐ ^18 inches^

their (^) to canopy inwingtip tightest^ formation.^ from driving  700  milesImagineper^ hour^ while^ maintaining
less^ than^ an^ arms^ distance between^ you^ and^ the^ car
to^ you.^ Think^ you^ couldnextdo^ it?^ That's^ what^ the^ Blue
Angelsair^ do^ in^ the^ while^ performing^ perfectly^ timed
compensatingstunning^ manoeuvres,^ and^ for^ varying^ weather
and"Lots^ wind^ conditions.^ of^ trust ‐ teamwork ‐ 
recipepractice"^ is^ the^ and^ according^ to^ Commander^ Bernacchi.
about^ asked^ the^ "Boss"^ solos^ the^ breathtaking^ opposing^ I
how^ did^ they^ come ‐ up^ with^ those^ manoeuvres?^
“theyBernacchi^ explained^ Commander^ are^ tactical^ manoeuvres
of^ two^ fighters^ merging in^ a^ simulated^ dog^
 ‐ ^ just^ closer^ to^ thefightground^ for^ our^ viewing^ pleasure.”
Performing^ their^ manoeuvres^ the exact^ same^ way^ during
every^ practice^ and^ performance is^ essential^ to^ mini‐
must (^) variables theythe accommodate.^ mize Often during an air show^ we^ are^ allowed^ to^ listen^ over
the^ loudspeaker^ as^ the "Boss"^ rhythmically^ chants^ the
of^ their^ manoeuvre.^ I^ askedtiminghim^ if^ he^ is^ the^ only
one^ making^ the^ calls. The^ Commander^ explains^ that
all^ take^ turns^ makingtheycalls^ at^ the^ appropriate^ time.
Addcrew^ chatter^ from^ the^ ground^ and^ there's^ a^ lot^ of
theirgoing^ on^ during^ talking^ performance.^ It's^ an^ "invigorating
experience,"^ Commander^ Bernacchi^ explains.^
his‐one^ years^ into^ Commander^ military^ service,^ the^ Twenty
doesn't^ look^ to^ far^ into the^ future.^ While^ he^ antici‐
returning^ to^ The^ Fleetpatesafter^ his^ Blue^ Angels^ tenure,
hisflying^ current^ focus^ is^ on^ a^ great^ show^ each^ and^
time.^ Later^ in^ the^ morning,everywe^ met^ up^ with^ the^
OfficerAngels^ Public^ Affairs^ Blue^ who^ went^ through^ ex

‐

training^ by^ the^ militarytensiveto^ become^ a^ Mass^ Communication

Specialist.^

to^ become^ a^ Mass^ Communication^ Specialist.^ To^ date^

withhas^ flown^ four^ times^ he^ Blue^ Angels^ #7^ which^ has

flightsback^ seat.^ While^ these^ a^ were^ used^ for^ aerial^ photography,

the^ officer^ was^ also treated^ to^ the^ power‐

capabilities^ of^ the^ F/A‐^18 fulHornet^ and^ its^ pilot.^ He^

us^ of^ the^ thrilltoldof^ experiencing^ rolls,^ inverted^ flight

high‐speed^ passes^ atand0.8^ Mach.^ He^ explained^ that

theup^ Hornet^ is^ capable^ of^ pulling^ to^8 Gs^ (i.e.^8 times

ground^ force^ of^ gravitytheon^ the^ body)^ which^ causes

blood^ from^ the^ head^ to pool^ in^ the^ lower^ extremities,

blackout.resulting^ in^ a^ eventually^ The^ Blue^ Angels^ don't

wearthe^ g‐suits^ because^ suits^ would^ interfere^ with^

pilotsflying.^ Since^ the^ their^ are^ aware^ which^ manoeuvres

result^ in^ high^ Gs,^ they^ can fight^ the^ G^ forces^ by^ per‐

Manoeuvre"the^ "Hick^ forming ‐ tightening^ the^ muscles

inlower^ the^ abdomen^ and^ extremities^ to^ keep^ the^

blood^ their^ heads.^ in The^ Public^ Affairs^ Officer^ told^ us^ that^ on^ one^ flight,^ after

experiencingfive^7 Gs^ four^ or^ times,^ his^ body^ was^ so^

that^ he^ no^ longerexhaustedhad^ the^ strength^ to^ perform

theblacked^ Hick^ Manoeuvre^ and^ ‐out^ on^ the^ next^

‐UponG^ manoeuvre.^ high^ regaining^ consciousness,^ he

recalledif^ his^ body^ feeling^ as^ had^ just^ completed^ a^3

‐

wentgym^ workout.^ He^ then^ hour^ to^ his^ room^ and^ slept

forfrom^10 hours^ to^ recover^ the^ impact^ the^ Gs^ had^

on^ body.^ his We^ were^ later^ directed^ to^ a^ C‐^17 Globemaster^ III,^ assigned

toof^ the^ 105th^ Airlift^ Wing^ the^ New^ York^ Air^ Na‐

Guard^ located^ nexttionalto^ Stewart^ International^ Airport.

The‐^22 ‐year^ old^ C  17  we^ examined^ included^ nose^

of^ Captain^ America^ hoveringartabout^ a^ New^ York^ City

street^ scene.^ The^ nose^ art was^ proudly^ painted^ by^ a^

National^ Guardsman^ afterStewartgoing^ through^ a^ rigorous

approval^ process.^

17  cargo^ section^ of^ a^ C‐personnel^ can^ be^ converted^ from^ a^ The

carrier^ to^ a^ helicopter transporter^ to^ a^ mobile^

 10 in^ as^ little^ as^ hospital^ minutes.^ The^ cargo^ floor^ can

be^ outfitted^ with^ rollers^ to easily^ load^ metal^ pallets^ of

Missions^ performed^ bycargo.the^ 105th^ have^ included

transport^ of^ the^ Presidential limousine^ and^ a^ marine

with^ all^ their^ geardetachmentand^ Humvees.^ If^ a^ journey

is^ too^ far^ to^ fly direct,^ Army^ helicopters^ can^ be^

into^ the^ C‐^17 loadedand^ delivered^ to^ their^ destination.

The^ sides^ of^ the^ cargo area^ are^ outfitted^ with^ sidewall

 ‐ ^ enough^ for^54 seatsindividuals^ or^ paratroopers^ with

allseating^ their^ gear.^ The^ capacity^ increases^ to^102

the^ center^ of^ the^ cargowhenarea^ is^ fitted^ with^ seats^ that

are^ carried^ in^ the back^ of^ the^ plane.^