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The Blue Angels hangar at Forrest Sherman Field, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
explained it, now imagine a volleyball between your legs that you are trying to pop with your knees. Congrats, you have accomplished step one.
Step two may draw even more attention to you sitting in the corner of the FBO reading this, but it is also something you can try practicing yourself. While under G-forces, it is inevitably hard to breathe, but you must keep oxygen flowing. Most call the breathing technique the Hook Maneuver, which basically results in you breathing in short spurts. Breathe in, say the word “hook,” and try to emphasize the “K” sound on your strong exhale. It’s tougher to explain without a demonstration, so perhaps this is a good video to look up when you can’t sleep at 2 A.M.
The tightening of the muscles and the breathing technique only gets you so far, though, as you must build a tolerance to G-force over time, build endurance, and really practice these techniques until they become second nature. When watching The Blue Angels documentary film, you will see that some of the newly selected Blue Angel pilots who are used to flying with G-suits pass out unconscious during their initial centrifuge G-force training – it is a challenging skill to learn for any level of aviator!
Flying With The Blue Angels
Just a short time after learning and practicing these techniques on the ground, I am now sitting behind the #7 pilot, Lieutenant Connor “Buddy” O’Donnell. After about 35 minutes flight time of being strapped into the backseat of the Super Hornet and undergoing several high G-maneuvers, we enter the highest G maneuver for the day: the sneak to vertical rolls.
Mindy in her flight suit on the flightline with the Blue Angels
We were 500 feet above the ocean and approaching the speed of sound. I saw the airspeed reach 600 knots as Buddy asked, “Mindy, are you ready to go?” I answered with a nervous but excited “Yes.” I didn’t technically lie, as I did think I was ready, but I turned out to be very unprepared for what was to come.
By the time we pull into this straight vertical climb, I am already totally exhausted from the flight that brought us to this point. Flexing your muscles so tightly over and
October 2024 / TWIN & TURBINE • 19