Pilots that are invited to join the US Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team are among the most experienced and skilled flyers in the world. US Navy (USN) and Marine Corps (USMC) pilots can apply to join the team only after they have logged at least 1,250 flight hours in a tactical jet aircraft. To join the flight crew of “Fat Albert,” the jet-assisted (JATO) C-130 , Marine pilots need 1,200 hours.
That’s just to get started. The Blue Angels train together as a team or on the road, performing shows over 300 days a year, so a good fit is very important for both applicants and the team. The process includes interviews and attending briefs at air shows for applicants to introduce themselves to the active team.
As the official application guide says, “ the bottom line is: if you are not having fun and being yourself, you are probably not doing it right. ” The best of the best The people that compose the flight demonstration team are handpicked from the finest enlisted and officers of the Navy and Marines . They serve in two- or three-year rotations, traveling around the country and the world together.
The exceptionally refined air show routine is performed for millions of spectators every year. Selection is intensely competitive every year, with only 17 officers and around 100 enlisted personnel making up the Blue Angels roster. Team members and squadron pilots are all meant to be representations of their counterparts in the fleet, with a well-rounded backgroun.
