Five

THE MANEUVERS

When tasked with creating a flight exhibition team to exhibit naval aviation, Butch Voris relied on what kept him alive during World War II in the Pacific. In First Blue, Voris explains, “My idea was to take the most acceptable risk I could. I broke it down into two types of maneuvers. Those that were ultra-high risk like the blind rolls, the inversions at one hundred feet. Those were meant to impress other aviators. The loops and V rolls were for the general audience to say oooooo, look at that. But the risk was reduced.”

Voris’s motto was “Get it up—get it on— get down.” His 1946 concept also included, “Keep it in front of the crowd, high impact opening; high spirit, camaraderie and mutual trust & respect; close pilot, crew & industry relationship; balance safety & performance; BE THE BEST!” The maneuvers included V-formation, blind roll, loop up, split S, Cuban 8, reverse echelon roll, and the Zero routine.

Today’s McDonnell Douglas F/A-18s have much greater power and maneuverability than the Hellcats and Bearcats of the 1940s. The pilots who fly them have “aircraft carrier qualifications and a minimum of 1,250 tactical jet flight-hours,” according to the Blues Angels Public Affairs Office. Flight demonstrations showcase the skills that fighter pilots throughout the fleet perform. They include the slower, 400-mile-per-hour formations performed by jets Nos. 1 through 4 (referred to as the diamond), such as the delta and echelon formations as well as the faster maneuvers by the lead and opposing solo planes, Nos. 5 and 6, which demonstrate the more extreme maneuvers at almost supersonic speeds.

What the spectator will see during a Blue Angels performance is dictated largely by meteorological conditions: According to the Blue Angels, “to be able to perform, the Blue Angels must have at least three nautical miles of visibility horizontally from centerpoint, and a minimum cloud ceiling of 1,500 feet.” At these minimums, the Blue Angels can perform a limited number of maneuvers in what is called a “flat” show. When the ceiling is at least 4,500 feet and visibility at least three nautical miles, a “low” show can be performed, which includes some rolling maneuvers. With a minimum ceiling of 8,000 feet and visibility of three nautical miles, the Blue Angels can perform their “high” show, with all maneuvers.

Butch Voris’s original sketch shows his idea for the show opening, where he hoped he could quickly catch the attention of the audience. The original formation featured only three pilots performing a loop into a Cuban 8; the show lasted a brief 17 minutes.

The Blue Angels began flying less than a year after the end of World War II. One of the purposes of the team was to showcase what naval aviation was capable of, hence the demonstration of a dogfight and shoot-down of a Japanese Zero.

Preparing for a show in the 21st century, a team member inspects points on the jet’s wing in 2013. As Blue Angels pilot Capt. Keith Hoskins (from 1991–2001) put it, “Spectators see a fortyfive-minute show. What they don’t see is the work that goes into the previous twenty-four-hours behind the scenes.” Pneumatics, lights, hydraulics—everything is carefully checked. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Here is why those planes gleam and glint in the sunlight: they are washed down regularly by team members. Besides keeping them looking great, the wash prevents corrosion, which is detrimental to all the steel, aluminum, brass, and copper fittings as well as the avionics. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Members of the maintenance crew move in the same precision as their planes as they move out from the final check before launch during winter practice at NAS El Centro, California, in 2016. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The crew chief moves smartly away from the Hornet after the final check before the 2014 Deke Slayton Airfest in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The relationship between the plane captains and their aircraft is a very special one. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The crew chief offers a final salute before launch as one of the solo pilots rolls out at Naval Base Mayport, Florida, to perform at the 2015 Jacksonville Sea and Sky Show. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Cleaned up, lined up, and ready to roll, these six F/A-18s in blue and gold waxed to a blinding shine have been carefully checked by their crew. The pilot and crew chief shake hands; No. 5 pilot Ryan Chamberlain describes that handshake as a “sacred thing,” which shows the relationship of trust between the pilots and the maintenance crew. That handshake signifies to the pilot that the plane has been thoroughly checked and is flightworthy. Then the canopies will close and the crew chief will signal ready to launch. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Smoke on! Even the takeoff down the runway is carefully orchestrated, as the diamond fires up the smoke cannons while the pilots prepare to roar into the skies. The Blue Angels practice weekly throughout the season, which is typically March through November. Millions throng each year to see the Blue Angels thrill, amaze, and inspire. (Photograph by the authors.)

And they are up! This photograph was taken at one of the midweek practices at Sherman Field at the Blue’s home base of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, where visitors can watch the practice behind the museum and, on most Wednesdays during the show season, meet and greet the Blues in the atrium of the museum. (Photograph by the authors.)

In true Voris tradition, the Blues like to grab the attention of the crowd right off the bat, as they do with the diamond loop, shown at right over NAS Key West in 2004. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Below, the loop is performed at 2015’s Chicago Air and Water Show, a Chicago tradition since 1959. Visitors flock to the shores of Lake Michigan along Chicago’s lakeshore each August to enjoy this free exhibition of precision flying. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Now it is the opposing solo’s turn. Blue Angels Nos. 5 and 6 surge down the runway in tandem during a Pensacola practice at Sherman Field in 2015. All Blue Angels pilots engage in a culture of fitness that provides the core strength to undergo the high gravitational force, or g-force, that they will experience during flight, sometimes as high as 7.5 g’s. Take one’s body weight and multiply it by the g-force to get an idea of what the pilots feel. (Photograph by the authors.)

USMC pilot Maj. Len Anderson performs the section high alpha pass in Topeka, Kansas, in 2003. From just a few feet off the deck, Major Anderson will angle the nose up 60 degrees and rocket up into the sky. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

This is another view of the section high alpha pass at the Family Freedom Day Air Show in Topeka. Major Anderson will experience at least 5 g’s, or five times the press of gravity on his body, while performing this maneuver. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Next comes the diamond 360, a graceful circle around the show area. Another modification of the Blue Angels’ Hornet is a weighted spring on the stick to give the pilots greater accuracy in tight formations. (Photograph by the authors.)

The diamond is framed by the angled vertical stabilizers of No. 7. The Blues performed from Boca Chica Field at NAS Key West in 2016 at the Southernmost Air Spectacular. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Things get ramped up a bit when the two solos perform the knife-edge pass, seen here. It is a bit of a trick of the eye, as the nearer of the two aircraft is just a little lower than the farther, which gives the impression to the viewer on the ground of the planes being exactly opposite each other. This knife-edge pass was performed at the Oregon International Air Show in 2004. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The diamond is setting up to perform the diamond aileron roll, where each plane will simultaneously roll on its long axis. An aileron is the back, or trailing, part of the wing that is hinged and controls side-to-side balance. These maneuvers showcase the skill and trust each pilot has within the group. (Photograph by the authors.)

For visitors to Pensacola, there really is no bad place to watch a practice. From the beaches of Santa Rosa Island to the parking lot of the National Naval Aviation Museum, the Blues seem to be everywhere in the skies as they set up the diamond formation around the museum. (Photograph by the authors.)

The solos performing the fortus are lined up to create a mirror effect. Flying with landing gear extended and hook down as if in preparation for carrier landing is referred to as a “dirty” maneuver, which significantly alters the feel and handling of the aircraft. (Photograph by Derek Stewart.)

In a “cleaner” pass with gear up, the opposing solos present a neat mirror image in this photograph from the Coastal Carolina Air Show at Wilmington, North Carolina, in 2005. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The diamond dirty loop is performed in Pensacola in 2004. Flying with the gear down increases drag, or the pull of air, on the jet—the greater the speed, the greater the drag. The landing gear of the Hornet was designed to handle increased drag, because landing on a carrier is described as a “controlled crash,” as the pilots must come in at full speed in case they get waved off. A wave-off means that the landing has to be aborted for whatever reason, and the pilot will have to fly around and get lined up again. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

As the name implies, it is difficult to get a shot of the sneak pass as it surprises the crowd from behind, with the plane at a mere 50 feet above the ground and flying at about 700 miles per hour. (Photograph by Derek Stewart.)

At 200 feet above the deck, the opposing solos perform the opposing four-point roll. Each pilot will roll his jet on its axis, while pausing briefly at 90, 180, and 270 degrees, all the while flying directly at the other. (Photograph by Derek Stewart.)

Another amazing maneuver by the solo pilots is the inverted to inverted roll. Flying upside down takes a special skill set because up is down and right is left. As the pilots approach each other at show center, they will perform a 360-degree roll back to inverted flight and climb to the show’s ceiling. (Photograph by Derek Stewart.)

The pilot who survives a dogfight is the one who possesses the greatest aerobatic skills. One of those skills is to be able to perform tight turns, as one of the solo pilots does here, in a minimum radius turn, which is 390 degrees. (Photograph by the authors.)

This historical photograph of the first-ever double farvel performed by boss Comdr. Bill Newman, No. 1; Capt. Fred “Stank” Stankovich, No. 2; Lt. Mike “Nordo” Nord, No.3; and Lt. Comdr. Bruce “Squire” Davey, No. 4. According to Davey, “The team developed the maneuver, tested the difficulties (jetwash, positioning, what would hit what on each aircraft, etc.), and started flying it all at winter training in 1979. Before that it was just the leader inverted, and was called the Farvel.” (Courtesy of Bruce Davey.)

The diamond performs the double farvel, where planes No. 1 and No. 4 will fly inverted, all while maintaining their formation and flying in a flat pass 200 feet above ground level. As easy as they make this look, keep in mind that in inverted flight, everything is switched. It takes tremendous practice and concentration to perform these maneuvers—qualities that keep pilots alive in combat. (Photograph by the authors.)

At the Rhode Island Air National Guard Open House at Quonset Airport in 2003, the diamond performs an echelon parade, where four planes fly in laddered formation a mere 18 inches apart. This air show was a one of many celebrations of 100 years of powered flight, when the Wright brothers of Dayton, Ohio, made their famous flight on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The maneuver seen here is the right echelon, performed during a practice at Pensacola in 2015. The most important thing to remember about the maneuvers, from Butch Voris to today’s team, is that they are not stunts, nor are the pilots stunt pilots. These are well-trained, highly skilled naval aviators performing the same maneuvers they might in combat in the fleet, protecting American interests around the globe. These are America’s Blue Angels. (Photograph by the authors.)

Here come the opposing solos again, this time performing the opposing horizontal roll. The two pilots will fly head-on, all the while corkscrewing their aircraft 720 degrees. This photograph was taken at the Spirit of St. Louis Air Show in May 2016. Pilot No. 6 was Capt. Jeff Kuss, who was tragically killed the following month during a practice in Tennessee. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

At the 2013 El Centro Air Show, the diamond displays the left echelon roll, where the four transition from the diamond to echelon, then climb to about 4,000 feet, roll the formation 360 degrees, and reform into the diamond. They make it look so easy, but like anything else, it is the result of many hours of practice. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The vertical roll is performed by one of the solo pilots. He flies in low above the crowd from behind. He will then pull his nose up 85 degrees and roll vertically until he disappears from view. (Photograph by the authors.)

The line abreast loop is performed at a practice at NAS Pensacola in 2015. Aircraft Nos. 1 through 5 line up, perform a 360-degree roll as high as 10,000 feet; No. 5 will break away, and the diamond will reform. (Photograph by the authors.)

The smoke trail leaves behind the evidence of a nice, high loop in this photograph from a 2015 practice in Pensacola. Spectators should be prepared to crane their necks at a Blue Angels air show. (Photograph by the authors.)

Here is the pilot’s-eye view of the line abreast loop as sky becomes land and land becomes sky. This was performed at the Oregon International Air Show in 2015. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The No.3 pilot goes vertical during this loop at the 2014 Vectren Dayton Air Show in Ohio. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

In front of the crowd, the diamond will climb from show center to as high as 6,000 feet and split apart in the diamond vertical break, to the delight of spectators. (Photograph by the authors.)

This is a ghostly view of the diamond break from the MCAS Miramar (California) Air Show in 2015. The air show at Miramar is one of the largest air shows in the nation and typically coincides with San Diego’s Fleet Week. San Diego has a long history with Marine Corps and Navy aviation; the Marine Corps was putting on air shows as far back as 1950. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The opposing solos perform the vertical pitch. They approach each other from opposite sides, pull their noses up 65 degrees, roll 180 degrees, and cross at show center. Again, this requires tremendous practice and trust between the pilots. This maneuver was performed at the 2005 Seattle Sea and Air Show. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

In preparation for a diamond vertical break, the diamond climbs high into the Topeka, Kansas, skies, still in close formation. This was at the 2003 Wings Over Topeka Air Show. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

At the 2004 air show at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, the diamond performs a tuck-under break. Coming from the crowd’s right, the planes will climb vertically, roll over, and just as they pass show center, break apart in four different directions. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

These planes were built for speed, but part of a pilot’s skill is the ability to handle the aircraft at any speed. The opposing solos perform the section high alpha pass during a practice in 2015. Alpha, in fluid dynamics, refers to the angle of attack as it applies to the object and its movement through the air. (Photograph by the authors.)

The low break cross maneuver is performed at the NAS Key West air show in 2016. From show center, each individual pilot will execute an individual break turn and exit the flight line in a separate direction. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

This spectators’ view of the low break cross is from the Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan, in 2016. Since 1925, visitors have flocked to northwest Michigan to the shores of Grand Travers Bay to enjoy all things cherry. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

In this photograph, the Blues perform the break at the 2014 Selfridge (Michigan) Air National Guard Open House. In 2017, the Selfridge Air National Guard will celebrate 100 years since it was established as a training camp during World War I. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

In echelon formation, plane Nos. 1 through 4 set up for the diamond tuck-under break during San Francisco’s Fleet Week in 2003. This maneuver is one of the most graceful of the Blues’ routine. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The Blues are finishing the tuck-under break at the Oregon International Air Show in 2004. From 300 feet, the echelon will roll up and over in a rippling movement, quite like the sail of a ship under weigh. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The delta roll garners a lot of oohs and aahs from the crowd as all six planes in formation will roll 360 degrees in unison as they streak into the sky to about 4,000 feet. (Photograph by the authors.)

Here, the diamond rolls over Pensacola Beach during a practice in 2014. Visitors to Pensacola come for the history, the beaches, and aviation. NAS Pensacola was established in 1914 as the world’s first naval aeronautic station and is considered the cradle of naval aviation as well as the “Annapolis of the Air.” (Courtesy of US Navy.)

During the practice, one of the solo pilots makes a high-speed pass in front of the crowd on the beach. In the background can be seen the famed Pensacola Beach Ball. It was originally one of two water towers. No longer in use, they were set for demolition. Fortunately, one was saved because of its representative image of Pensacola Beach and is now owned by the Santa Rosa Island Authority. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Another crowd-pleaser is the graceful fleur-de-lis, seen here at a Pensacola practice in 2015. All six aircraft fly in formation, climbing as they approach show center. Just before center, they will split in six different directions. The solos will perform a roll, and the diamond will reform. (Photograph by the authors.)

The beautiful fleur-de-lis is seen with a backdrop of sky and clouds over Kaneohe Bay in 2015. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The loop break is visually stunning as the six aircraft will loop upward as high as 8,000 feet, begin a descent with smoke cannons on, and slowly separate in different directions. (Photograph by the authors.)

Another perspective of the Loop Break, this time from the 2015 NAF El Centro Air Show. The brilliant blue California sky in the background makes the aircraft sparkle and the white smoke stand out. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The Blue Angels perform the loop break at the Chicago Air and Water Show in 2004. These moves are performed at rates of speed approaching 400 miles per hour. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The six-plane cross is a breathtaking maneuver, as all six planes maneuver into show center from six different directions and from a height of over 7,000 feet; by the time they cross at show center, they are between 150 to 450 feet above ground level. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The delta formation is one of the most iconic in all of aviation. As the planes fly in close formation, vortices, or swirls of air, are created at their wingtips, giving the formation more lift as a unit. This delta flies over MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, in 2004. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The delta flat pass is pictured over New York City in 2014. The delta formation is a standard for ceremonial flybys. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

A graduation ceremony at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, typically features a Delta flyby, like this one in 2004. Many of the Blue Angels are themselves graduates of the academy. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

With smoke cannons on, this delta formation swoops over Nantucket Sound while flying at the 2004 Nantucket Air Show. This show was of special significance to the 2004 boss, Comdr. Russ Bartlett, who spent part of his childhood on the island. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Although every Blue Angels plane comes directly from the fleet, there are a few modifications made to the jets for the Blues. The armament is removed to lighten the jet. Then a smoke cannon is installed. The “smoke” is actually a wax-based, biodegradable oil. This smoke has two functions: first, it makes the path of the planes more easily traceable for the viewer, especially the higher they go; secondly, it assists the pilots by making the paths of the opposing planes clearer. This delta formation glides through the skies of Pensacola during a practice. (Photograph by the authors.)

Formation flying is important in combat flying, for reasons of protection from the enemy as well as each other; it is much easier to keep track of members of a group when they are in formation. Here, a group of Skyhawks comes in for a landing in the delta formation. (Courtesy of “Boss” Denny Wisely, ’80–’81.)

In 2010, the Blue Angels put on a show for the sailors and marines of the USS Enterprise (CVN65). Leading the delta formation here is Fat Albert. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

In delta formation, the Blues sail past the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) in 2014. There are 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, which are, according to the Navy, “the centerpiece of America’s naval forces.” In addition to combat support operations, carriers serve as a deterrent and are also prepared for “disaster response and humanitarian aid response.” (Courtesy of US Navy.)

Another ceremonial flyby in Pensacola came in 1998 when the Blues celebrated the arrival of the Spanish naval ship Juan Sebastian Elcano. Pensacola has close ties to the Spanish, who were the first to settle the area in 1559.

Past meets present as the Blue Angels fly in delta formation over the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor in 1997. The Constitution, known as “Old Ironsides,” is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and is still crewed by active-duty sailors and officers. She got the nickname “Ironsides” when cannonballs would bounce off the sides during a broadside from a British ship during the War of 1812. The wood used in the Constitution’s construction is live oak from south Georgia and north Florida, which is one of the densest of oak varieties. Also in the photograph are the USS Halyburton (FFG-40, center) and the USS Ramage (DDG-61, right). (Courtesy of US Navy.)

From close formation to far away in seconds, the powerful GE engines carry the Hornets apart at the Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular air show in 2015 during a delta breakout. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The delta breakout is better than fireworks. All six aircraft begin in the iconic delta formation and then split in six different directions, as seen here over Disney’s Cinderella Castle in 2015. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The Pensacola Beach show is one of the most popular events of the year in Pensacola. Here, the Blues perform the delta breakout to the delight of the crowds on the beach in 2016. The Coast Guard ship seen just to the right of center marks the show’s center point for the pilots. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The boss lands his No. 1 jet after an excellent practice in Pensacola in 2015. Practices are great times to watch the Blue Angels fly, because the crowds are much smaller. An added bonus is that if the boss does not like the way the maneuver was performed, the pilots take it around again. Visitors to the midweek practices are treated to commentary from docents at the museum, who point out which way to look for the next maneuver and features to watch for. (Photograph by the authors.)

After all six planes have landed safely, they taxi, still in formation, down the runway in front of the crowd. People in the crowd shows their delight with cheers and waves, and the pilots respond with equal delight in waving back. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

In keeping with their mission of community outreach, Blue Angels pilots and team members often meet and greet audience members after shows. Here, the Blues sign autographs in the atrium of the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, where their popularity is evident. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

After winter training, the Blues kick off the air show season with a show at NAF El Centro, California, including an impressive “Wall of Fire,” seen here in 2014. (Courtesy of US Navy.)

The Wall of Fire is also a special treat during the Blues Homecoming Air Show at Pensacola in November, wrapping up a long season of shows around the country. The show is a huge event in Pensacola, as the citizens of Pensacola are extremely proud of their Blues and consider them family. (Photograph by the authors.)