The thrill of flying with the Blue Angels ahead of Fleet Week

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Blue Angels have arrived for Fleet Week, and I got the opportunity to fly with them.

What it's like to fly with the Blue Angels

First person perspective:

It takes awhile for it to really set in that you are going to be flying in a Super Hornet. 

I felt excited, but I was also trying to keep calm and listen to all the super important safety instructions when I took a flight out of Oakland on Oct. 7 with Lieutenant Commander Ronny "Downy" Hafeza.  

When they strap you in, it really starts to feel real. There are 12 different seat belts.

Oh, my. 

On the runway, that's when you realize there is no turning back. 

It's hard to take it all in and mentally capture every moment while also fighting against the gravitational force.  

My vision began to narrow. I was told this would happen. But to experience it is something else. 

You have to push the fear out of your mind with your breath. 

You have to flex your entire body. It's like holding a plank and squatting at the same time for 45 seconds at a time. Then, imagine holding that pose and being violently shaken at the same time.

Being inverted in the plane helped. It actually sends all the blood back to your head. 

For this roller coaster lover, being upside down is easy.

The most difficult part is climbing from 1,000 to 15,000 feet in about 15 seconds with 7.5 Gs, a gravitational force equal to 7.5 times normal Earth gravity. 

It doesn't feel like real life but rather a dream. 

Flying over childhood home

Local perspective:

The crisp and clear images of the Golden Gate Bridge is something that will play in my mind forever. 

To fly over my childhood home, my apartment, suddenly all the sacrifices that have been made to get me to this point in my career seemed very worth it.  My parents got to watch the whole thing from the tarmac and we now have a family photo that rivals any holiday card. 

When I finally landed, and I heard, "Welcome back to Earth," I realized the significance of what I had just done. 

I wonder how weird it's going for me to feel when I fly commercial next. 

The pilot 

I learned that Hafeza joined the Blue Angels in 2025 and will be with the team until 2028. He's been in the Navy for nine years. 

"I’ve always wanted to be a fighter pilot and get close to space and be a part of something much bigger than myself," he said.  I’m first generation in the US and I’ve always wanted to give back to my country." 

Hafeza narrated my journey throughout the flight, including all the loops, rolls, and a 360-degree lap that ultimately broke the speed of sound. 

Hafeza said I did fantastic and was glad I did not pass out or get sick during our flight. 

Fleet Week