SEELEY — While the sight of Blue Angels jets soaring through the desert sky is common to the Imperial Valley, about 40 people boarded the famous “Fat Albert” C-130 aircraft to get a much more rare view of what the Blue Angels do.
The group was a mix of reporters, photographers and military riders from Naval Air Facility El Centro.
Together, they experienced a nine-minute tactical flight demonstration featuring moments where the aircraft pulled two Gs (force of gravity), went 370 miles per hour at 60 feet above the ground, and reached zero Gs, or zero gravity.
At this time in the flight, Blue Angels personnel excitedly floated through the air as their strapped-in passengers watch in amazement.
“We’re flying this Lockheed Martin C-130 to its absolute limits, and it’s pretty much a demonstration of what we do in the fleet,” Blue Angels Capt. Mike Van Wyk said. “We do it in a compressed time so we can do it in an air show and really demonstrate what the air crews can do and what the aircraft can do as well.”
The ride is the same one people will view in the air show today, and passengers were in a mix of emotions before the flight.
U.S. Navy AD2 William Ewing said he wasn’t scared or nervous, but just excited to be invited on the flight.
“I feel privileged to be asked,” he said. “It’s probably a once in a lifetime experience.”
People are invited to experience Fat Albert in hopes that they’ll share the experiences with others.
“One of the missions as the Blue Angels is to be able to credibly represent the Navy and Marine Corps aviation to the public who we’re serving,” U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Terrence Siren said. “It’s very unique, an incredible experience. The sort of maneuvers that the pilot and the crew are doing are maneuvers that all crews and all Marines who pilot the C-130 are training to do, but it’s very rare to find them doing all those thing in one performance. It’s something that civilians don’t usually get an opportunity to experience.”
There are medical limitations on who can go on the ride, and an average of at least one person per flight gets sick. Riders are handed little bags just in case they get sick in flight.
Faces in the group visibly changed during the nine minutes Friday with some becoming increasingly excited while others began to look worried and change color.
Reporters and photographers faced unique challenges to reporting the experience as they struggled to hold their cameras and video cameras during the flight or even just to hear their subjects with jets flying overhead afterward.
When you two Gs, your body weight doubles, and movement becomes laborious.
U.S. Navy AD2 Tyler Hintzsche was surprised by the force of the ride.
“It was a little bit more intense than what I thought it was going to be,” he said. “It was great. I hope I get to do it again sometime in my naval career.”
Afterward riders were also able to have their photo taken with the flight crew, who stood proudly by the Fat Albert aircraft that is still used in combat as tactical transport.
U.S. Navy Master at Arms, Petty Officer 2nd Class Emily Kunis walked away from the experience happy Friday.
“I’m terrified of flying and it was amazing. I’ve always been terrified of flying so I was completely mortified and thought I was going to die but I didn’t die so it’s a good day,” she said. “It’s a really cool opportunity, and I’m glad I did it. Not everyone out in the world, not even everyone out in the military, gets to do this.”
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
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