FLEET WEEK

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T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 9 , 2 0 1 1

Blue Angels maneuvers

Diamond: Blue Angels 1 through 4 Solos: Blue Angels 5 and 6 Delta formation: All 6 aircraft

Opposing Horizontal Rolls

The solo pilots converge on centerpoint to demonstrate the rapid roll rate of the Hornets y-by-wire ight control system. Crossing centerpoint they complete two consecutive rolls totaling 720 degrees with a closure rate of 800 mph.

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T H U R S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 2 9 , 2 0 1 1

FLEET WEEK

Left Echelon Roll

The four diamond pilots establish a left echelon formation. Approaching centerpoint the ight leader will roll the formation 360 degrees into the three wingmen. During this extremely difcult maneuver, the outermost pilot will experience four times the displacement generated by the ight leaders aircraft.

Vertical Rolls Blue Angel #6

At just under the speed of the sound, the two solo pilots each perform sneak passes from behind and left of the crowd, completing the maneuver with a series of vertical rolls.

Line-Abreast Loop

THE EXAMINER

With the lead solo joining, the diamond moves into a line-abreast formation. Still maintaining minimum separation, the pilots align themselves by looking 90 degrees from their ight path toward the ight leader and climb straight up into the ve-plane Line-Abreast Loop. The two solo pilots now demonstrate the precision roll rate control of the F/A-18 Hornet. Approaching centerpoint they will roll their aircraft 360 degrees, pause after each 90 degrees of the roll, and cross centerpoint in the inverted position.

THE EXAMINER

Four-Point Hesitation Roll

Vertical Break

Solo
Diamond Tuck-Under Break
The four diamond pilots set up for one of the more difcult and dynamic rolling maneuvers, the Tuck-Under Break. Approaching centerpoint, in left echelon formation, each pilot will roll his aircraft 270 degrees in ripple fashion, take separation, and rejoin the ight leader in the diamond formation.

Diamond formation
Diamond Half Squirrel Cage
While in a Little V formation the diamond will accelerate to 150 mph, pull back on the stick and y the formation into the air. After liftoff, the No. 4 slot pilot will call for the landing gear and aps to go up while he slides into the slot position and the formation pulls into the vertical position to perform the Half Cuban Eight Maneuver.

Delta formation
Solo Minimum Radius Turn
Blue Angel No. 5 demonstrates the maximum performance turn of the F/A-18. Hell execute a 7 G afterburner turn and exit the ight line vertically, showcasing the Hornets slow-speed climb capability.

The four diamond pilots roll out in trail formation for a dynamic separation maneuver. Approaching centerpoint, they climb straight up into the vertical and shift back into the Diamond. Reaching 90 degrees nose up, the diamond will split and all four aircraft will exit the ight line in separate directions.

Low Transition/Split S on Takeoff Blue Angel #6

Echelon Parade

As the solos begin their takeoff roll Blue Angel No. 6 accelerates to takeoff speed, climbs to a low altitude, retracts gear and aps, then abruptly pulls into a steep climb to 4,000 feet and rolls his aircraft 180 degrees onto its back. He then pulls through the inverted maneuver, completing the Split S.

At 350 mph the four diamond pilots are stacked down and aft on a 45 degree bearing line to establish a right echelon formation for the Echelon Parade.

Vertical Pitch

The two solo pilots approach to demonstrate the tactical pitch rate of the F/A-18s. Crossing over centerpoint they execute a maximum performance climb with a Split S reversal, crossing their aircraft back over centerpoint. In front of the crowd, the ight leader rolls out the diamond for the Barrel Roll Break. Pulling into the vertical, he will roll the formation 90 degrees and commence a looping maneuver. Rounding out the backside, each pilot will perform an individual break turn and exit the ight line in a separate direction.

Delta Roll

Double Farvel

Dirty Roll on Takeoff Blue Angel #5

As the solos begin their takeoff roll Blue Angel No. 5 accelerates to 170 mph and climbs to an altitude of 50 feet. He will then roll his aircraft 360 degrees with the landing gear extended, performing the Dirty Roll on Takeoff.

Diamond 360

The Blue Angels diamond approaches from the right in relatively slow-speed ight to give the crowd a close look at the minimum 18-inch wingtip-to-canopy separation that exists between the four aircraft.

Performing one of their most difcult maneuvers, the ight leader and the slot pilot roll inverted and move into the diamond formation for the Double Farvel. Blue Angel No. 5 and No. 6 approach from behind the crowd in a line-abreast formation at 400 mph. Nearing centerpoint they roll their aircraft 270 degrees and cross with minimum separation, sustaining six times the force of gravity.

Barrel Roll Break

The ight leader calls for the two solo pilots to join the diamond for the Delta aerobatic portion of the ight demonstration. From the right, at 400 mph, all 5 wingmen maintain position on the leader as they roll 360 degrees over centerpoint.

Fleur de Lis

Opposing Minimum Radius Turn

Section High Alpha Pass

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Opposing Knife Edge

As they approach centerpoint and roll their aircraft into a 90-degree angle of bank and push forward on the stick, the two solo pilots experience the sensation of weightlessness, or ballistic ight, similar to that experienced by astronauts in space.

Diamond Roll

The diamond approaches for a crowd favorite. At 400 mph all four aircraft roll 360 degrees as one. The two solo pilots approach inverted from opposite directions and roll their aircraft 360 degrees, crossing over centerpoint in the Inverted-to-Inverted Roll. Speed: Mach 1.7-plus Crew: One Fuel Capacity: 11,000 Lbs.

Fortus

The solo pilots demonstrate the slow-speed handling characteristics of the Hornet in the clean conguration. They pass before the crowd, virtually standing Blue Angels No. 5 and No. 6 on their tails. At less than 120 mph, the stateof-the-art ight controls provide slow-speed handling second to none. The diamond approaches centerpoint from behind the crowd and each pilot performs a break turn, exiting the ight line in separate directions. Accelerating to 500 mph, each pilot performs a reversal turn back toward the ight line. The four aircraft converge on centerpoint.

In an aerial salute to our forward deployed forces, all 6 aircraft separate and perform individual 360 degree rolls, and the four diamond pilots rendezvous through a looping maneuver while the two solos position themselves to rejoin the diamond. The ight leader maneuvers the Delta formation through the top of a loop he calls Smoke on, ready break. As all six jets accelerate to 500 mph they each execute a Half Cuban Eight reversal back towards the ight line. All six converge on the centerpoint and cross with a combined closure rate of nearly 1,000 mph.

Loop Break Cross

Inverted-to-Inverted Roll

The two solo pilots now demonstrate the difcult transition from the cruise to the landing conguration as they approach from the right. With gear and tailhook down, No. 5 rolls inverted and they establish a mirror image formation called the Fortus.

Low Break Cross

Delta Break-Out

Diamond Dirty Loop

In front of the crowd, the Delta formation separates in dramatic formation for the Delta Break-Out.

F/A-18 Hornet
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Length: 56 ft. Height: 15.3 ft. Wingspan: 40.4 ft. Wing area: 400 sq. ft.

Diamond Aileron Roll

As the diamond approaches centerpoint all four pilots roll their aircraft 360 degrees simultaneously in the very precise Diamond Aileron Roll.

At 250 mph, demonstrating the slow-speed handling characteristics of the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet, the diamond congures their aircraft for a landing and executes a maneuver performed by no other jet demonstration team in the world today, the Diamond Dirty Loop.
ALL: GETTY IMAGES FILE PHOTOS, COURTESY PHOTO

Tuck-Over Roll

Delta Flat Pass/Pitch-up Break

From the right, the two solo pilots make their approach to the ight line. Approaching centerpoint, they simultaneously roll their aircraft 450 degrees.

After passing in front of the crowd, the team demonstrates the carrier approach. Each jet pitches up and breaks into a hard turn to bleed off speed and move into a landing pattern.
Source: www.blueangels.navy.mil

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