Thousands of people will look to the sky this weekend and marvel as a squadron of military jets perform an array of flashy aerial tactics at the Gary Air Show. But few, if any, will know the person inside any of the jets. Navy Commander Ryan Bernacci will be one of the six.
Bernacchi, the commanding officer of the Blue Angels squadron, will lead the Navy’s prominent daredevil pilots as they perform maneuvers in the skies the weekend over the southern shores of Lake Michigan and Gary’s Marquette Park. The prestigious military flight demonstration squadron arrived in Gary Wednesday afternoon ahead of this weekend’s performance.
He knows what it’s like to be looking up.
“I remember vividly watching the team fly in the A-4’s and F-18’s when I was out there with my dad as a kid,” Bernacchi said referring to the jets flown by the Blue Angels during performances. “That was something that inspired me to want to fly for the country.”
After serving as a pilot in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, Bernacchi’s childhood dream of being a Blue Angel didn’t materialize until two years ago. Bernacchi said he was motivated to join the Navy after watching the Blue Angels perform in air shows as a child.
The Blue Angels conducted a practice flight Thursday over Lake Michigan, giving some a preview of the show to come.
Bernacchi said the squadron began preparing for the air show over a year ago.
“We do an extensive amount of studies using charts and Google Earth,” Bernacchi said. “We really get a good feel for the layout: the specific lines we’ll fly, the headings and the maneuvers,” he said.
The Blue Angels, based in Pensacola, Fla., do three months of extensive training in California before starting their exhibition season, which runs from March to November. The team maintains a rigorous flight schedule throughout the year, Bernacchi said, adding that they fly six days a week and eights separate flights weekly.
Bernacchi said he is proud to be a part of one of the military’s most distinguished units.
“We get to represent the 700,000 sailors and marines out there all over the world and that’s quite a privilege and something that we take very seriously,” he said.
Before an air show, the pilots
begin a process called “chair flying,” Bernacchi said. The pilots sit in a chair, close their eyes to visualize themselves sitting in the cockpit of their jets and go through every maneuver they’ll perform in the air. Then they’re prepared for take off, he said.
“By the time we’re actually in the airplane and heading out, it’s very analogous to an athlete,” Bernacchi said. “We got our game faces on and we’re 100 percent focused and we maintain that focus until we’re back out of the jet. So it’s about an hour of very intense focus.”
Bernacchi said the pilots communicate with one another throughout their performance.
“We’re focused on communicating before each maneuver,” he said. “So instead of reacting, they can move with me. That’s how we’re able to fly so close and have it look like one airplane; six airplanes flying as one.”
Although the pilots receive the most attention, Bernacchi said it’s the teamwork of the entire squadron that helps the Blue Angels function at an optimal level. The Blue Angels squadron is comprised of is comprised of approximately 130 sailors and marines.
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“It’s just a really really invigorating environment to be a part of because the teamwork is such a powerful component,” he said. “It’s a very lean and efficient organization.”
After seven years of service, Petty Officer 1st Class Kyle McDaniels, said he’s never seen one unit be so cohesive and efficient.
“The camaraderie on the team is amazing,” said McDaniels, of Chicago. “I’ve been on deployments and I haven’t seen this anywhere else,” he said. “Everybody works as a unit to accomplish the bigger goal.”
As an aviation machinist’s mate, McDaniels is responsible for the maintenance of the jets the Blue Angels’ pilots fly. McDaniels said he’s tasked with fixing the engines, swapping parts and doing any necessary troubleshooting needed to keep the jets running efficiently.
“You never know when you’re going to go home,” he said. “If the jets work fine you’ll get home around 5 or 6 (p.m.). But if there are any issues you could be working well into the night.”
Despite the heavy workload, McDaniels said he loves doing air shows. “We work hard as a team,” he said. “But you see the pay off in the sky.”
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If you go:
The Gary Air Show will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Marquette Park. For more information, go to http://gary-airshow.com/