history

A gas turbine is a device with a series of angled blades attached to a central hub. When air flows past those blades, they spin at very high speeds. In the case of a jet-engine-powered car, the turbine powers an electrical generator first—and then an electric motor that drives the wheels.

A turbine is a device with a series of angled blades attached to a central hub, like the fan on a boat motor. When wind or water flows past the blades, they turn, which turns the hub and powers whatever is attached to it. A turbine can be used in lots of different ways:

• Motor: Water flowing through a pipe can power turbines that spin generators to make electricity.
• Propeller: Wind turbines have propellers that are powered by wind instead of an engine. The spinning motion of the propeller creates energy that can be used for electricity or stored until it’s needed.
• Generator: A turbine spinning inside generators creates electricity through electromagnetism.
• Engine: Turbines are also engines! Francis taught us how turbines can power engines, including jet engines.

In the jet engine, these blades are mounted on a long shaft and spun at high speed. The spinning shaft is housed in an airtight case that has an air intake at one end and a nozzle to exhaust hot gases at the other.
In the gas turbine engine, these blades are mounted on a long shaft and spun at high speed. The spinning shaft is housed in an airtight case that has an air intake at one end and a nozzle to exhaust hot gases at the other.
The air that enters through the intake goes through a compressor (a series of turbine blades, similar to those on the shaft) that squeezes it together into high-pressure air.

When you observe the jet engine, it is easy to see that air enters through the intake. What happens to this air once it enters?

Once inside, the air goes through a compressor (a series of turbine blades, similar to those on the shaft) that squeezes it together into high-pressure air. The squeezed air continues and reaches a section where fuel is injected and ignited with spark plugs. The hot gases produced by this combustion process expand rapidly in the combustion chamber and rush out through nozzles at an increased velocity. This causes the thrust to be created by Newton’s 3rd law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

From there, it goes into a combustion chamber where fuel is squirted in and burned by tiny jets of burning gasoline that poke into it from all directions, creating more heat and pressure — about 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (538 degrees Celsius) and 1,200 pounds per square inch (83 bar).

The hot, high-pressure gases coming from the combustion chamber are directed through a turbine, which powers all of the moving parts in an engine (like its compressor). The gas then exits at supersonic speeds through a nozzle. This creates thrust for an airplane: As it pushes out of the back of the engine, it pulls the plane forward in much the same way that water pushing out of a fire hose makes it move.

Although we can thank a man by the name of Vannevar Bush for this device, Britain had earmarked the invention during the Second World War in an effort to hasten its end. In 1939, RJ Mitchell of Supermarine began work on a project code-named Type 3001 to create the first military aircraft design with a pure-jet engine. Due to the weight and SFC of piston engines at that point in time, the project was torpedoed due to its inefficient design. Aside from Germany which had saucer-style designs in place, it wasn’t until 1942 when Germany’s Dr. Hans von Ohain began work on an axial-flow turbojet design equipped with an afterburner where it would serve as an alternate powerplant for Luftwaffe aircraft.

However, it wasn’t until late 1944 that turbojet-powered aircraft finally began appearing on the battlefield with the Me 262 and Gloster Meteor. This type of engine is extremely common. Almost any airplane that you go on uses it in some capacity, whether it be to move the aircraft forward or to increase its speed. They have been refined over several decades and will continue to be refined until the end of time. It is important that the jet engine continues to develop, as well as that we continue to make new innovations with this type of engine so that planes will continue to travel at top speeds safely.

Early aircraft were designed for sports and military purposes. In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright created the first sustained, controlled flight with their Wright Flyer. During WWI, aircraft became a vital part of warfare strategy. The United States’ first military plane was built in 1909 by Glenn Curtiss and named the Pilot one.

It may seem hard to believe but, since their development by the Wright brothers in 1903, aircraft have grown in size, speed, and complexity. The first flight was short and slow. In fact, the plane was so unstable that it was more likely to crash than fly. Still, despite these difficulties, military pilots wanted to improve the performance of aircraft.

In 1909 U.S. Army Lt Thomas Selfridge flew a plane built by Wilbur and Orville Wright for the first time. And during World War I (1914-1918) fighter planes became a vital part of military operations around the world. After World War I, airplane designers began experimenting with different types of engines and materials such as aluminum alloys and stainless steel that would make airplanes lighter and faster than ever before. However, not much progress was made until after World War II (1939-1945).

The first military plane was used for training air cadets. During World War I, military planes were used to provide additional firepower to aid ground troops. The first military aircraft were used in reconnaissance missions and spotting artillery, but soon force was added to the arsenal. Bombs could be dropped on enemy positions, and machine guns could be mounted onto the top of airplanes. Many early fighter pilots shot using a pistol or rifle while flying; if they wanted to attack an enemy from below their plane, they held their gun outside of the cockpit and shot upwards at an angle. This tactic was refined further as designs allowed for the installation of a machine gun that fired downwards through the propeller arc. Pilots became more able to target enemies both above and below their aircraft.

In World War II, the emphasis shifted away from firepower and toward speed and maneuverability. The development of radar had made it possible to detect enemy aircraft before they could spot their targets, and the more nimble aircraft were better able to evade incoming fire. Fighting style tactics also changed during this time period; combat was no longer a line of fighters shooting at one another head-on. Instead, dogfights involved tight turns and tightly choreographed formations of fighter planes known as squadrons. It was crucial that airplanes be able to attain high altitudes in order to avoid ground fire (and even anti-aircraft missiles).

The Cold War led to the development of fast jets capable of supersonic speeds. The United States Air Force (USAF) wanted a jet fighter that could reliably outmaneuver its opponents. The requirement for such an aircraft was defined by the US Navy and USAF, who recognized that in air combat between two equally skilled pilots, the pilot with the faster and more maneuverable aircraft would win; this concept would later become known as the “Energy-Maneuverability Theory.” Seeking an edge, both militaries looked to design new fighters which would allow them to gain air superiority at all altitudes and in all conditions.

The first designs purporting to meet these requirements were produced by McDonnell Aircraft with the F2H Banshee becoming operational in 1949. It was a huge twin-engine jet-powered by Westinghouse 19XB turbojets which gave it a top speed of Mach .92 (1,200 km/h) at 30,000 ft (9,100 m). However, it proved to be a disappointment mainly because at lower speeds it was not very maneuverable. On top of this, there were teething problems with its engines which overheated frequently.

The X-15 was an experimental plane that reached 4,519 mph in 1967 and set a world record at the time. The X-15 was one of the first military aircraft to be designed with a focus on aerodynamics and speed. The plane is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

The X-15 was the first plane to be designed with a focus on aerodynamics and speed. The X-15 set the standard for military aircraft design and paved the way for the development of the supersonic jet. The SR-71 Blackbird was designed for intelligence gathering purposes during the Cold War and reached speeds of Mach 3.2 at altitudes of 80,000 feet.

Today, aircraft are designed for many different purposes including aerial reconnaissance, combat, surveillance, search and rescue, and transport between cities, states, and countries. Most military aircraft are jets propelled by one or more engines. As the geopolitical situation changes, so do the demands placed on military aircraft design. For instance, if a country fears that it will be attacked by another country with superior air forces, the first country will want to develop new aircraft technology to defend itself from attack. Similarly, advances in propulsion technology may also lead to improvements in military aircraft design. While most modern-day combat fighters are supersonic (able to fly at faster than sound speed), future wars may involve hypersonic fighters that can fly at speeds of Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound).

Future developments in design and technology call for a new aircraft that can achieve better results than the F16. An aircraft with stealth capabilities is needed to avoid the advances in radar technology. The large swing-role fighter concept is one solution, but mainly with VTOL technology, it can be achieved. Stealth, extremely low RCS (Radar Cross Section), low IR signature, maneuverability around the battlefield including vertical flight, and superior avionics are required capabilities to make such an aircraft competitive against the current generation of fighter aircraft.

The Blue Angels are a team of highly trained pilots who demonstrate the skills of the United States Navy. These pilots undergo a rigorous training program to learn how to fly in formation, and they perform these maneuvers at air shows to show off the capabilities of the Navy.

Their plane, a Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets, is painted with a blue and gold color scheme that is symbolic of both strength and grace. It’s equipped with missiles, bombs, and guns for combat purposes if necessary.

As the leader of the Blue Angels, Commander Ryan Bernacchi is in charge of a team that includes 125 enlisted staff members and officers from several different Navy and Marine Corps job specialties, along with 30 civilians. He has been a pilot for 18 years, flying 25 different types of aircraft.

Before becoming a Blue Angel, Bernacchi was a F/A-18 pilot during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He flew 45 combat missions and spent more than 250 hours in flight while deployed. Bernacchi is also the first Naval Academy graduate to lead the Blue Angels and said it’s been great to come back to Annapolis after being away for so long—he graduated in 2001—and take part in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium events like commissioning week and Army-Navy football games.

While the jets are the main attraction, there’s another aircraft that must travel with the team. It’s a large prop plane called a C-130 cargo aircraft. This plane is nicknamed “Fat Albert” and it carries all of the spare parts for each jet as well as their maintenance equipment.

The C-130 is also used to transport any personnel who can’t fly on the jets, including pilots who are out with injuries or illness. The most important thing about Fat Albert is that it’s painted in Blue Angels colors. Even though there are many other C-130s in use by the United States Navy, this one is unique because of its paint job and unique insignia.
Although several of the pilots have civilian jobs (like being airline pilots), there’s an entire support staff that flies on Fat Albert to make sure that everything runs smoothly at air shows and events throughout the year. The plane can hold up to 74 passengers, or even more if seats are removed from its cabin area to allow room for additional cargo.

The Blue Angels consist of 140 people. They’re split into two groups: a show group and a homegroup. The show group travels to put on the acrobatic routines that wow crowds around the country. The homegroup stays in Pensacola, where they work with engineers and aircraft mechanics to keep everything running smoothly.

The team includes eleven demonstration pilots (of which six perform each show) as well as their support team members like Lee Brooks, who’s been with the Blue Angels for 13 years and is about to hand over his role as the head of maintenance for the Blues’ flight suits. All of them are part of either the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Marine Corps and have served in different capacities before coming together under one elite banner dedicated to keeping America safe and reminding citizens what our armed forces do every day—and sometimes four times a day during weekend performances from March through November.

How old are the Blue Angels’ planes?

Blue Angels pilots are never as old as their planes, which may be more than 60 years old. The Blue Angels themselves maintain the aircraft and perform necessary upgrades when required. These planes aren’t your average lightweight, go-fast jets; they were built to last.

One of the most common questions the team gets is whether or not they worry about the age of their aircraft. The answer: not really. The team is incredibly proud of what they do and how they do it—they don’t just keep these historic aircraft in tip-top shape, but they also put on one hell of a show year after year.

The schedule

The Blue Angels, who fly F/A-18 Hornet jets, perform at about 35 shows per year across the U.S. The team trains for each show in a two-hour window. The day before the performance is set aside to make sure their newest member—“Fat Albert”—is ready and able to execute his solo maneuvers. Fat Albert, as previously mentioned, is a C-130T Hercules that transports the support team and ground equipment from base to base around the country. It is not just any plane, though; it has been modified with four Allison T56 turboprop engines and can reach a speed of 337 miles per hour and an altitude of 30,000 feet. While not involved in the actual performance, it does carry out its own air show complete with impressive takeoffs and landings before being spotted by either an F/A-18 or a KC-130 tanker plane so they can connect and refuel.

Becoming a pilot takes a lot of work and patience. You must be aware and in control of your body at all times, so staying fit is crucial to being an effective aviator. You also need to know how to communicate with every member of your team, as well as the ground crew and any other relevant personnel that you’ll be working with on a daily basis. Finally, always practice, practice, practice. It will take plenty of time and effort before you can even think about flying with a squadron like the Blue Angels, but if this is your calling, don’t give up!

You have to have at least 1,500 hours of flight time, which can take months or even years to obtain. To get started, you’ll need about $10,000 for training and certification. After getting your license with a private pilot rating, you can start logging hours by taking up clients. The pay isn’t great—as little as $20 an hour—but every hour counts toward experience.

One perk of being a pilot is that you never stop learning new things. There are advanced ratings to pursue like instrument flying and multi-engine certifications. Classes like these help pilots fly in more challenging conditions like severe weather and at night when visibility is low. More advanced certifications also open the doors for career-advancing opportunities: Commercial airline pilots must have an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license before they clock in for their first shift.
It’s hard work, but flying jets is an awesome job.

If you’ve learned how to fly smaller planes and want to take your skills and career to the next level, there are lots of paths you can take. You may be able to join a flying club in your area, which will require some more work on your end, but it could be well worth it. If you’re looking for a more hands-on experience that will give you free flight training (and then send you off into the world), consider joining the U.S. Air Force Academy or the Navy and Marine Corps as an officer candidate.

The Blue Angels aren’t just a group of fighter jets, nor are they simply a symbol of American military might. The team of remarkable men who fly these jets represents far more than that. For starters, they’re an integral part of military recruiting and public relations. They inspire future generations to dream big, take risks, and achieve the unimaginable. Their shows also honor the sacrifices of men and women who serve in the armed forces, past and present. And their technical flying skills continue to ensure that America’s aerial superiority is maintained for years to come.