In this morning's email inbox I found an amazing HD video a friend sent of a US Navy Blue Angels routine from the pilot's perspective. It's really spectacular, and you can see it here if you're interested in that sort of thing.
I have a love / hate relationship with the Blue Angels. As pilots they're incredible. As people you'd like to hang out with, they're a__holes. I know this because for 18 years I traveled all across the country working at airshows in the capacity of "Ramp Boss". When the planes were in the air they followed instructions from the "Air Boss" (usually a current or retired air traffic controller), but when they were on the ground they followed my instructions. 'Course, the flight demo teams had their own people for that, so I just coordinated with them and worked around them. "Peaceful coexistence" I called it.
I've worked with the Canadian Snowbirds (great guys!) and the RAF Red Arrows (ditto!) as well as the USAF Thunderbirds (a little stiff, but still OK people). The Blue Angels, however, seem to revel in being pricks. They're just demanding, whiney people. At one show I was at the Blues called an emergency meeting for 6pm on Friday evening, then made all of us wait until 7 before they made their entrance. They sat ramrod straight while #4, their Safety Officer, read off their list of gripes.
One was they didn't like their allocated ramp space. I raised my hand and told them I was getting mixed signals, that I had worked out "my ramp" and "their ramp" in detail with their senior enlisted man when they first arrived. (Their enlisted crew are all nice guys. It's just the pilots who were abused children.) #4 glared at me and said, "You and I can discuss this further after this meeting!" A friend leaned over to me and said, "Do you know what you just did? You embarrassed him in front of his Squadron Leader." Apparently nobody questions a Blue Angel.
Later #4 and I met in the airport manager's office where we looked at the ramp map and divied the real estate into "yours" and "mine". It was the same agreement I had worked out with their enlisted guys two days earlier! Haha! We both left smiling and back-slapping happy. Then he went back outside and put on his "I'm a Blue Angel pilot and you're not" face.
But then the show began and all that was water under the bridge. Damn they're good! ;)
S
Interesting. Don't you love outing assholes on your blog?
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that these swollen egos can fit into such cramped cockpits. My dad used to drive all over California to see them. They are good, but I think the Thunderbirds are equally entertaining.
ReplyDeleteWe have air shows every other year here and the Blue Angels have put the thunderbirds to shame. I don't have to deal with them personally, so I don't care about that, but I can imagine how that would sour your image of them. And maybe it's budget considerations, but the Blue Angels were in the air all day cruising around our city. I'll never forget some of the passes they made over my house. The thunderbirds were up for just an hour and then down. LAME.
ReplyDeleteNaval and Marine Aviation has a long and storied history and I think these guys have alot to live up to, hence the arrogance. Alot of it is for show methinks.
I've seen the Thunderbirds perform, but not the Blue Angels.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a rule that once you become famous you have to become a bit whiney and conceited? They are just following the rules...