list of blue angels pilots

His awards include the Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting on the military, a first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Governor of Indiana presents a certificate declaring the Blue Angels as Honorary Hoosiers.jpg, US Navy 070908-N-9134V-044 Cmdr. Introduced in 1962, the Double Farvel maneuver had both the flight leader As has been the case throughout the history of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the demonstration pilots adjusted the show routine to take advantage of the new platforms capabilities. Higgins flew the teams C-130 Fat Albert transport plane from 2014 to 2016. It remains the winter training site to this day. read more Captain Cochran made one deployment on board the USS Ranger (CV-61). Blue Angels Vought F7U Cutlass jet fighters (National Naval Aviation Museum). Greg McWherter, commanding officer of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, is interviewed by a TV.jpg, US Navy 100321-A-4584J-010 Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, center right, and Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan army Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, pose with members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team,.jpg, US Navy 100516-N-8732C-274 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus congratulates Cmdr. Cochran led the team for 16 months until May 1996. in May 1996, Cochran made the decision to step down as flight leader[This quote needs a citation] to minimize the safety risks to the team and spectators. The selected 2022 officers include: He graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2012. Lt. Amanda Lee will join the elite Blue Angels flight demonstration team this fall as its first female fighter pilot. What this meant for the 1986 team, they would get an extra year on the team. Simonsen, the ^6 pilot and opposing solo for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, give.jpg, US Navy 110706-N-DI587-095 Blue Angels plane captains strap William Gordon, executive director for Orange County public schools, into an F-A 18 Hor.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-IR859-007 Members of the U.S. Navy Fight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-IR859-039 Members of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-IR859-041 Members of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-NT881-144 Members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, greets the public and signs autographs after a Blue.jpg, US Navy 110831-N-DI587-003 A Sailor applies a Navy Energy Security logo to a Blue Angels F-A-18.jpg, US Navy 110901-N-JM744-077 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announces conducting demonstration flights with a 50-50 mix of biofuel and JP-5 aviation.jpg, US Navy 110901-N-ZZ999-002 Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus speaks during a press conference at Naval Air Station Patuxent River about the.jpg, US Navy 110910-N-IR859-010 Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Nathaniel Stuart, crew chief for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue An.jpg, US Navy 110910-N-IR859-012 Capt. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. With these fantastic new additions to the Blue Angels team for 2022, we are all well equipped to head into our next show season.. James Haley, of Canadian, Texas. Lt. Cmdr. 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. Team members vote in secret on the next year's members, with no accountability to the higher Navy authority why an applicant was or was not selected. [citation needed] He was assigned to VFP-63 based at NAS Miramar in San Diego, California. This year offered an exemplary group of applicants from around the fleet, making our selection process very difficult, said Cmdr. Image: 071014-N-5476H-721: The Blue Angels perform their Delta Formation at the Bay Air Show at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, October 14, 2007. They have had 251 demonstration pilots, and 35 Flight Leaders/Commanding Officers. 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! The Blue Angels flew two versions of the Panther (the F9F-2 and F9F-5), the first jet operated by the team. He graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2012. 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 Through the 2006 season there have been 262 pilots in the squadron's history, giving the job a 10% fatality rate. Most, but not all, pilots and officers originally announced for the 2020 and 2021 seasons in July 2019 will be retained. Brian Vaught of Englewood, Colo., is the teams new events coordinator. Jim Cox, of During his final assignment, he served as the deputy commander of the Navy Recruiting Command, second in command of over 7,000 people at over 1,500 locations around the nation and abroad. Marine Maj. Frank Zastoupil, of Kingwood, Texas. Marine Corps C-130 demonstration pilots are required to have 1,200 flight hours and be an aircraft commander. By the time Captain Cochran completed his first deployment he and VFP-63 Detachment 5 had completed an around-the-world deployment during a nine-month cruise. Blue Angels Grumman F9F Panthers (National Naval Aviation Museum). 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. 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. 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 070509-N-0696M-040 Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Mullen visits Sailors assigned to the Blue Angels at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.jpg, US Navy 070704-N-2888Q-006 Carl Mack, executive director of the National Society of Black Engineers, receives a safety briefing from Staff Sgt. 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. From 1952 to 1954, the Blue Angels flew a single TV-2 Shooting Star. This year offered an exemplary group of applicants from around the fleet, making our selection process very difficult, said Cmdr. 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. February 15th, DVIDS Hub works best with JavaScript enabled, Version: 89f6906e9817dc7b192edf8e8d786e2b331150b5_2023-02-27T10:21:17. -Marine Corps Maj. Joshua Soltan, of Spokane, Washington, is a C-130 Hercules pilot currently assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252. It served in this role from 1956 to 1968. She previously worked with the House Foreign Affairs Committee as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow and spent four years as a general assignment reporter for The Record newspaper in New Jersey and the USA Today Network. The "Blue Angels" currently fly a total of 11 jets: 9 single Four of the five were announced by the Blue Angels in July, and the newest member,F/A-18 demonstration pilot and Navy Cmdr. 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. Brian Kesselring, commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels. He is a naval flight officer assigned to the Naval School of Aviation Safety and graduated from the University of Colorado in 2008. Lt. Cmdr. This story has been shared 163,713 times. The closest the diamond will fly to each other is 18 inches during the Diamond 360 He graduated from George Washington University in 2010. 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. -LT Scott Goossens, of San Francisco, California, is an F/A-18 Pilot currently assigned to the Flying Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122. Popularly called Fat Albert, various versions of the C-130 Hercules have provided logistics support to the Blue Angels for more than 50 years. Cochran later assumed command of the Blue Angels in 1994. [2], Donnie L. Cochran was born July 6, 1954, on a farm near Pelham, Georgia. | View Image Page, PENSACOLA, Florida (NNS) The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announced officers selected for the 2022 air show season July 10. WebMembers of the 2013 U.S. Navy Blue Angels are: Flying Blue Angel No.1, Commander Thomas Frosch, USN (Commanding Officer/Flight Leader) Flying Blue Angel No.2, 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. 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. Thanks for contacting us. 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. Because of this, Cochran transitioned to the F-14A at VF-124 at NAS Miramar. Cochran was assigned to fly the RF-8G Crusader due to his excellent performance during carrier qualification as a student pilot. 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. This began a practice that continues to this day of operating a two-seat aircraft for show support and VIP rides. Alfred 'A' Taddeo, an original member of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team.jpg, US Navy 101023-N-1776T-107 Capt. Greg McWherter, commanding officer and flight leader of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Ange.jpg, US Navy 111015-N-IR859-047 Members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, prepare to recover six F-A-18 Hornets.jpg, US Navy 111015-N-IR859-049 Capt. WebIn 1958, the Back-to-Back Pass and the first six-plane Delta maneuvers were added to the performance. Known for its nimble performance, the Skyhawk equipped the Blue Angels during the 19741986 show seasons, the latter the 40th anniversary of the demonstration squadrons establishment. The new team members will officially begin their training for the 2022 show season following the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Nov. 6. They also represent the US Marine Corps. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. Commander Greg McWherter (Head of the Blue Angels) Lieutenant James Tomaszeski. On January 27th, 1973, CDR Harley Hall was shot down over Vietnam. Kevin Mannix, commanding officer of the Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team, introduces the team during the Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show Beach Blast.jpg, US Navy 071031-N-8102J-019 Brian Schneider, catcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team, receives preflight instructions from the crew chief, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Each year, the Blue Angels selects finalists from an applicant pool and interviews them during the week of the Pensacola Beach Air Show. Brian Kesselring, of Fargo, North Dakota, Navy Lt. Katlin Forster, of Scottsdale, Arizona, Navy Cmdr. Police identify 3 victims, their killer and 'hero' bystand Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, US home prices just did something they haven't done since 2012, Kristen Doute supports Ariana Madix amid mutual ex Tom Sandovals scandal, Celeb-loved jewelry brand Dorsey drops dazzling new styles, White Lotus actor jokes about being hit on following shows success, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. 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. 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 Brian Kesselring, the Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader, said in a statement. The number 7 pilot narrates for a year, and then typically flies Opposing and then Lead Solo the following two years, respectively. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2012. The team makes selections at the conclusion of that week. WebFun facts about the Blue Angels: The first air show was performed at Craig Field, Jacksonville, Florida, on June 15, 1946. ", "Former Blue Angels pilot tells what inspired him to fly", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donnie_Cochran&oldid=1137292325, African-American United States Navy personnel, BLP articles lacking sources from November 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. WebList of Current Pilots. Blue Angel No.4 serves as the demonstration safety officer, due largely to the perspective he is afforded from the slot position within the formation, as well as his status as a second-year demonstration pilot. from around the world. Blue Angels Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (NA 330-CFD-DN-SC-85-00472) F/A-18 Hornet Flown by the Blue Angels for over three decades, longer than any other The 2021 air show season, the 75th in Blue Angels history, is slated to begin April 10 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Please check our Hours of Operation page before planning your visit. 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. 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 Watch What Happens! Presented here are historical images of some of these classic propeller-driven aircraft and thunderous jets flown by the Blue Angels. On Armed Forces Day in May 1954, the flight team performed for the first time with the U.S. Air Force's newly formed demonstration, the Thunderbirds. F/A-18 demonstration pilots: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Blue Angels Grumman F8F Bearcats (National Naval Aviation Museum). The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announced officers selected for the 2022 air show season July 10, just hours before they performed for their hometown crowd at the 2021 Pensacola Beach Air Show. The first performances simulated World War II battles with an SNJ-5 Texan repainted to resemble a Japanese A6M Zero. The team makes selections at the conclusion of that week. Cochran believes his lessons learned on leadership, team dynamics and individual performance are vital to anyone in a leadership role or a member of a high-performance team: This quote captures the essence why leaders must hold those reporting to them accountable for their performance, attitude, behaviors and actions. During his assignment at Air War College, Captain Cochran earned a diploma in International Security and a Masters in Human Resource Management from Troy State University. This page was last edited on 2 October 2010, at 13:33. Following his first operational deployment flying the Crusader, the navy began phasing the RF-8G out of service and the F-14A Tomcat was assuming the photoreconnaissance mission. Two new pilots, a new assistantmaintenance officer, a new events coordinator and a new flight surgeon will join the team ahead of 2021. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. -Marine Corps Maj. Joshua Soltan, of Spokane, Washington, is a C-130 Hercules pilot currently assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252. The new C-130 demonstration pilot will be Marine Corps Capt. This work, Blue Angels Announce 2022 Officers, by Member: 1321594, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. In August 1947, the Diamond Formation was introduced, soon followed with the Diamond Loop and the Diamond Barrel Roll. The venerable transport aircraft that made headlines with its role in the Berlin Airlift, the R5D Skymaster was among the aircraft used by the Blue Angels as a logistics aircraft transporting ground-support personnel to show sites. 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. Commanders have halted this unnamed persons activities with the Blue Angels while the team continues to conduct winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro for the upcoming show season, Tucker said. With its sleek lines and afterburner, the F11F Tiger proved one of the most popular show aircraft flown by the Blue Angels. Samuel Petko of Osceola, Ind. She earned her commission in 2013 the same year she graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. In January 1986, the navy announced that the Blue Angels would be transitioning from the A-4F to the F/A-18 Hornet. Navy Blue Angels flying F-4J Phantom II aircraft, they exhibit their maneuvering skills over Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, 23 March 1970. Tom Winkler, a Blue Angels pilot, autographs a ballcap for a young fan following a performance at the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show.jpg, US Navy 070823-N-3271W-001 The Honorable Becky Skillman, Lt. New team members will report to the Blue Angels in September for a two-month turnover period before beginning a rigorous five-month training program at the teams home base of Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., and the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, Calif. Officers typically serve two to three years with the team, according to the Blue Angels. 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. Supply Officer: All Rights Reserved. Steps to Becoming a Blue Angels Pilot Step 1. [4] He is also a graduate of the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, and earned a master's degree in human resource management from Troy State University. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. The Blues made "slight changes to the conventional officer rotation," as a result of the lost season, said Cmdr. The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announced officers 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. An estimated 11 million spectators watch the squadron perform every year throughout the country and in Canada. 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. -LT Christopher Kapuschansky, of Yorktown, Virginia, is an F/A-18 pilot currently assigned to the Gladiators of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106. It began flying in air shows toward the end of the teams first season in 1946 and was the first aircraft to have the team name painted on it. They serve three to four years in the squadron. When the Blue Angels transitioned to the F8F Bearcat, they painted one of them yellow to fill the role of Beetle Bomb. It continued to fly even when the teams transitioned to jet aircraft in 1949. He served in the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. When team members lose sight of their purpose and values, they often engage in hidden agendas, deception, and narrow-minded pettiness.

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