This page was last edited on 2 October 2010, at 13:33. Popularly called Fat Albert, various versions of the C-130 Hercules have provided logistics support to the Blue Angels for more than 50 years. Navy). Rushes are asked to tell a joke prior to the brief, and graded by the team as part of the rigorous selection process. Naval Air Forces, is strapped into an F-A-18 Hornet, assigned to the U.S. Na.jpg, US Navy 110215-N-IR859-015 Vice Adm. Allen G. Myers, commander of U.S. Introduced in 1962, the Double Farvel maneuver had both the flight leader and slot pilots fly inverted. Naval Air Forces, walks with members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration s.jpg, US Navy 110416-N-IR859-030 The Blue Angels performed at the joint reserve base as part of the 2011 show season and in celebration of the Centennial.jpg, US Navy 110417-N-IR859-087 The Blue Angels performed at the joint reserve base as part of the 2011 show season and in celebration of the Centennial.jpg, US Navy 110417-N-YM440-006 Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class Jeff Harper, assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Bl.jpg, US Navy 110506-N-ZL585-030 Lt. Jason Smith, center, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class John Mocek visit with young patients at Children's Hospital New.jpg, US Navy 110614-N-BA418-014 Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Curt Metzger, from St. Petersburg, Fla., assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demo.jpg, US Navy 110614-N-BA418-053 Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Schweitzer, from Orlando, Fla., assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squ.jpg, US Navy 110626-N-IR859-042 Capt. Craig Olson.jpg, US Navy 080907-N-0411D-023 Blue Angel Plane Captains run from the runway as part of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team The Blue Angels performance at The Great State of Maine Air Show.jpg, US Navy 090502-N-9712C-001 Lt. Manuel Sanchez, a maintenance officer assigned to the Blue Angels, administers the oath of enlistment to delayed entry program recruits from the New Orleans area.jpg, US Navy 090530-N-1928O-163 Vice Adm. Dirk J. Debbink, Chief of the Navy Reserve, receives a gift of appreciation from Marine Corps Maj. Drew Hess, and crewmembers of the Blue Angels C-130 Hercules.jpg, US Navy 090829-N-1928O-113 A Sailor assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, prepares for take-off during the Defenders of Freedom Air Show at Offutt Air Force Base as part of Omaha Navy Week.jpg, US Navy 090916-N-6220J-003 Cmdr. F8F Bearcat "Beetle Bomb" (National Naval Aviation Museum). They also represent the US Marine Corps. The "Blue Angels" currently fly a total of 11 jets: 9 single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet, two 2-seat F/A-18F. Only six are used during demonstration flights (normally single-seat versions) and the rest are used as spares, if one of main aircraft is unserviceable and cannot be repaired before the show begins. Before the Blue Angels perform at an air sh.jpg, US Navy 101122-N-0092J-018 Lt. Dave Tickle, narrator for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, and Lt. Todd Royles, events.jpg, US Navy 101122-N-0092J-025 Before the Blue Angels perform at an air show site, the team's narrator and events coordinator fly to each proposed show.jpg, US Navy 101203-N-0092J-196 Sailors and Marines assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, carry bags of toys to Nava.jpg, US Navy 110215-N-IR859-005 Vice Adm. Allen G. Myers, commander of U.S. until 0400 est. Lt. Amanda Lee, the first female to join the US Navy Blue Angel's as a fighter pilot. She earned her commission in 2013 the same year she graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. A second plaque was later added which bears the inscription: |IN HONOR OF COMMANDER DONNIE COCHRAN, U.S. NAVY THE FIRST BLACK NAVAL AVIATOR TO COMMAND THE BLUE ANGELS FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION TEAM. DIVE! Marine Maj. Frank Zastoupil, of Kingwood, Texas. Cochran later assumed command of the Blue Angels in 1994. Hundreds of women representing the Navy and Marine Corps have served with the Blue Angels during the last 55 years, according to the 76-year-old unit. Blue Angels Grumman F9F Panthers (National Naval Aviation Museum). Lee grew up in Mounds View, Minnesota and later attended the University of Minnesota at which point she decided to enlist in the Navy. For Captain Cochran, it meant another year flying the number 3 jet in 1987 and a normal rotation to the number 4 jet as slot pilot in 1988. I first served as an Enlisted Sailor. Donnie L. Cochran is a former United States Navy naval aviator and was the first African-American aviator to be selected to the Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels in 1986. He graduated from Central Washington University in 2010. After leaving the Blue Angels, Cochran served as the commanding officer of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Unit (NROTC), at Florida A & M University with cross-town enrollment with Florida State University from August 1996 until July 1999. Plan. Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA. She graduated from Old Dominion University in 2013. Her relief on Monday raised eyebrows because the Air Force had announced only two weeks earlier that Kotnick would take command of the Vipers. We've received your submission. Please check our Hours of Operation page before planning your visit. He made his first deployment flying RF-8G on board the USSNimitz(CVN-68) to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. With the exception of ahandful of new names, next year's team looks very similar to the2020 team that had its entire 2020 air show season wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic. (Cochran was the last commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 1 the Wolfpack). Tucker said that the investigation is not linked to the Jan. 22 emergency landing of an unnamed Blue Angels pilot at El Centro. He was the first African American pilot to fly with the Blue Angels and flew for three seasons (1986-87-88). Blue Angels Grumman F11F Tiger (National Naval Aviation Museum). The mission of the Blue Angels is to showcase the teamwork and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps through flight demonstrations and community outreach while inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country. Following three years of flying with the Blue Angels, Captain Cochran was assigned to the Bounty Hunters of VF-2 for department head tour as the squadron's maintenance officer. That means that they have been, and are, fighter pilots. Brian Kesselring, commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels. Three months after establishment in April 1946, the flight exhibition team's first performance took place on June 15. From 1952 to 1954, the Blue Angels flew a single TV-2 Shooting Star. Those are the six aviators currently five from the Navy and one from the Marine Corps who perform in the airshows. Over the years, two former Blue Angels were killed in action. Higgins flew the teams C-130 Fat Albert transport plane from 2014 to 2016. He serves as a KC-130J Hercules pilot with the Sumos of Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 and is a 2014 graduate of Indiana University. Lt. Amanda Lee will be the first female demonstration pilot for the Blue Angels, the Navy announced Monday. She first worked as an aviation electronics technician and was selected to participate in the Seaman-to-Admiral Commissioning Program. Blue Angels McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms (National Naval Aviation Museum). Tucker declined to say whether the member of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron the units official name is a tactical aviator or part of the support and maintenance crew but the removed person does not appear to be a numbered pilot. All team members, both officer and enlisted, pilots and staff officers, come from the ranks of regular Navy and United States Marine Corps units. They transitioned to the aircraft beginning in 1954 during their first winter training carried out at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California. His next assignment was as an instructor pilot at the F-14 Replacement Air Group Squadron (RAG) VF-124. read more, Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Cody Hendrix | The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announced officers selected for the 2022 air show season July 10. The Blue Angels resumed flying the Panther when they reformed following that combat deployment. They are seriously some of the coolest people you will ever meet because being a blue angel is more than just being a bad ass pilot, its about being a bad ass person. [1] He is a 2022 inductee to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. Flight surgeons serve a two-year term, and act as the team recorder during air shows, and help oversee emergency response planning with the various air show planners. The only aircraft operated concurrently by both the Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the F-4 was the platform the team took to the far corners of the globe, touring South America, Asia, and Europe during the four years the Blue Angels operated the powerful aircraft. To make room for the Special Forces Helicopters, VFP-63 Detachment 5 was flown to the USSCoral Sea(CV-43) for the remainder of the deployment. Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA. They are flying the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. The Dirty Loop maneuver, introduced in 1969, allowed aircraft landing gear and flaps to be left down as they climbed directly into a loop. For the latest information regarding the Blue Angels and the 2021/2022 show seasons, be sure to stay tuned to our social media, website, and mobile app. We look forward to training our fantastic new team members, passing on the torch, and watching the incredible things this team will accomplish in 2023.. We look forward to training our fantastic new team members, passing on the torch and watching the incredible things this team will accomplish in 2023.. When team members lose sight of their purpose and values, they often engage in hidden agendas, deception, and narrow-minded pettiness. The selected 2022 officers include: Blue Angels Grumman F6F Hellcats (National Naval Aviation Museum). Captain Cochran was directly responsible for developing and grooming over 100 future naval officers for the navy and United States Marine Corps. [2], Donnie L. Cochran was born July 6, 1954, on a farm near Pelham, Georgia. Brian Kesselring, the commanding officer and flight leader of the team. Alternating crews of about 45 team members travel to each airshow, according to the Navy. In January 1986, the navy announced that the Blue Angels would be transitioning from the A-4F to the F/A-18 Hornet. The team makes selections at the conclusion of that week. The 2021 air show season, the 75th in Blue Angels history, is slated to begin April 10 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The team operated both the short-nose and long-nose versions, and when the F-4 Phantom II replaced the Tiger after the 1968 show season, the F11F Tiger marked the end of an era as the last Grumman-built aircraft flown by the team. James Haley, of Canadian, Texas. Cochran was assigned to fly the RF-8G Crusader due to his excellent performance during carrier qualification as a student pilot. New National Museum of the U.S. Navy-October 2020, New National Museum of the U.S. Navy - October 2022, Exhibits: New National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Exhibits: New National Museum of the U.S. Navy - Main, The American Revolution and the French Alliance, The Forgotten Wars of the Nineteenth Century, Civil War: Securing the Seas for Union Victory, Education Resources (Lesson Plans and Class Activities), Education Resources (Lesson Plans and Class Activities) - Main, Sailor's Life at Sea & Poetry (Grades 4-6), DIVE! She graduated from Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois in 2007, according to the U.S. Navy. Follow us on Facebook: @USNavyBlueAngels, Instagram: @USNavyBlueAngels and Twitter: @BlueAngels. -LT Christopher Kapuschansky, of Yorktown, Virginia, is an F/A-18 pilot currently assigned to the Gladiators of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106. The officer selection process requires pilots and support officers (flight surgeon, events coordinator, maintenance officer, supply officer, and public affairs officer) wishing to become Blue Angels to apply formally via their chain-of-command, with a personal statement, letters of recommendation and flight records. Erich Hartmann: Best fighter pilot of all time? To his German countrymen, he was known as the Blond Knight of Germany.. His Soviet enemies referred to him as the Black Devil of the South.. German fighter pilot Erich Alfred Bubi Hartmann flew approximately 1,456 missions during World War II. He is said to have engaged in aerial Blue Angels Douglas R5D Skymaster (National Naval Aviation Museum). The demonstration pilots and narrator are made up of Navy and USMC Naval Aviators. On May 10, 1991, Savannah State University dedicated a static display A-4 aircraft on the university's campus in honor of Cochran's achievements. This year offered an exemplary group of applicants from around the fleet, making our selection process very difficult, said Cmdr. The first female Blue Angel flight surgeon was LT Tamara Schnurr, as a member of the 2001 team. After serving with the Blues, members return to fleet assignments. The Blue Angels will complete the 2022 season with a homecoming show in Pensacola, Fla., in November. -Marine Corps Maj. Joshua Soltan, of Spokane, Washington, is a C-130 Hercules pilot currently assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252. The Blue Angels select finalists to interview at the teams home base of Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, during the week of the Pensacola Beach Air Show each year. MOUNDS VIEW, Minn. For the first time in the history of the famed U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron Blue Angels, a woman has been named as a pilot for the team. The history and Technology of Submarines (Grade 5), To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond (Grades 5-8), The Date that Lives in Infamy: Pearl Harbor (High School), Codes and Signals: Breaking the Spy Games of World War II and Vietnam, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Blue Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Green Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Family Art Workshop: Kites and Observation, Talk: The Washington Navy Yard During the Civil War, A Conversation with Historians Dr. Regina Akers and Dr. Eddie Valentin: From Benjamin Drummond to Doris Miller: Race, Identity, and the Struggle Against Discrimination in the U.S. Navy, Virtual Book Talk: When Giants Ruled the Sky: the Brief Reign and Tragic Demise of the American Rigid Airship, with John J. Geoghegan and Curator, Gordon Calhoun. The famed squadron selected two F/A-18E/F demonstration pilots, an events coordinator, a C-130J Super Hercules pilot, an aviation maintenance officer and a flight surgeon to replace outgoing team members, according to the unit. By the time his assignment with VF-213 was completed, he had flown over 2,000 hours and made 469 carrier landings in fighter aircraft. The first Blue Angels pilots were Naval Advanced Training Command flight instructors with wartime experience flying the F6F Hellcat, so it was a natural fit for the exhibition to team to fly the venerable World War II fighter in its early exhibitions. Navy), Lt. Amanda Lee, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106s Rhino Demo Team, maneuvers an F/A-18E Super Hornet at the 2022 Oregon International Air Show in Hillsboro, Ore., May 21, 2022. The number 3 pilot moves to the number 4 (slot) position for his second year. Cochran at the dedication ceremony for the A-4 static display on the Campus of Savannah State University on May 10, 1991. When in a leadership role or command, you cannot accept or accommodate any behavior, comments, or actions that undermine your authority as the leader. Deo Harrypersaud, before taking a ride in a Blue Angel.jpg, US Navy 080203-N-9641C-002 Members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, The Blue Angels, are on the field during the third quarter of Super Bowl XLII (cropped).jpg, US Navy 080203-N-9641C-002 Members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, The Blue Angels, are on the field during the third quarter of Super Bowl XLII.jpg, US Navy 080808-N-3271W-037 Lt. Cmdr. Lt. Amanda Lee will soon train for the 2023 air show season. 66 PENSACOLA, Florida (NNS) The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announced officers selected for the 2022 air show season The History of Blue Angels Aircraft: A Photo Essay. WebUS Navy 040327-N-7559C-001 The Commanding Officer for the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team Blue Angels, CDR Russ Boss Bartlett, of Nantucket, Mass., talks to Blue Angels Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet performing the sneak pass during a training flight over Naval Air Station Pensacola. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2012. Theodore J. Steelman, assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, awaits the cue to exit his F-A-18A Hornet.jpg, US Navy 050507-N-0295M-052 The pilots assigned to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team, line up at parade rest prior to the start of their demonstration.jpg, US Navy 050916-N-0295M-186 A crew chief assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, performs a post engine run-up inspection on the top surfaces of one of the Blue Angel's F-A-18A Hornets.jpg, US Navy 060514-N-8374E-002 Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 2nd Class Desiree Phillips, assigned to Maintenance Control on the Blue Angels enlisted team, autographs memorabilia for enthusiastic young fans.jpg, US Navy 060514-N-8374E-003 Members of the Blue Angels enlisted team autograph memorabilia for enthusiastic young fans.jpg, US Navy 060522-N-5390M-001 Members of the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, attend a dedication ceremony at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.jpg, US Navy 060522-N-5390M-002 Members of the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, attend a dedication ceremony at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.jpg, US Navy 060522-N-5390M-003 Members of the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, attend a dedication ceremony at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.jpg, US Navy 060813-F-7049H-045 Crew chiefs with the United States Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron stand at attention as the Blue Angels prepare to disembark on their aerial performance.jpg, US Navy 060909-N-2218T-132 Blue Angel pilot Lt. Cdr. Kevin J. Davis' flag-draped casket is carried by Naval Air Station Pensacola's Honor Guard as his fellow Blue Angels salute.jpg, US Navy 070425-N-7559C-003 Lt. Cmdr. Im humbled to have come full circle, and now fly the very aircraft I used to work on as a maintainer, Lee said. The Navy began to reduce the number of F-14 Squadrons out of the fleet and VF-1 was disestablished. (Paul Archer/U.S. The teams new flight surgeon will be Lt. Philippe Warren of Williamsburg, Va., a flight surgeon for the Fighting Griffins of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266. The Blue Angels on Monday announced their official officer and pilot lineup for the 2021 air show season. Greg McWherter, the commanding officer of the U.S Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, and Lt. Jim.jpg, US Navy 101023-N-1776T-136 Al Taddeo, the oldest living former pilot of the U.S Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, gives a thumbs.jpg, US Navy 101122-N-0092J-002 Lt. Todd Royles, events coordinator of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, and Lt. Dave Tickle.jpg, US Navy 101122-N-0092J-010 Lt. Todd Royles, the events coordinator before leaving for preseason visits. Lee is one of six new officers to join the Blue Angels team for the 2023 air show season. "And because of that, we're going to retain a little more experience going into the 2021 season, just to make sure that we have a good pass-down within the team, and we retain that high level of excellence we've come to enjoy.". An estimated 11 million spectators watch the squadron perform every year throughout the country and in Canada. You cannot lead anyone who will dishonor you! Mariner that equal opportunity wont be in our vocabulary in future generations.. It remains the winter training site to this day. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Schumaker). The squadron selected two F/A-18E/F Super Hornet pilots, an events coordinator, a C-130J Super Hercules pilot, an aviation maintenance officer, and a flight