Blue Angels Pay Visit to Nellis

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:14 am

Apparently the 1, 4, and 7 jets made a visit to Nellis to go flying with the T-Birds.

Some pics I've found online...

Someone getting a ride in #4.

"Walleye" (BA #5) flys with "Face".

Post by **Ray** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:17 am

Very cool! That must be neat experience to fly a different aircraft and talk shop with another formation demo team.

I wonder what the Blue's think of the force sensor stick base in the F-16?

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:20 am

Ray wrote: I wonder what the Blue's think of the force sensor stick base in the F-16?

More like "Where's the stick?"

STRIKER · Post by **STRIKER** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:13 pm

More like "What's this oxygen mask thingy again?"

Grab · Post by **Grab** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:14 pm

You want me to wear what when I fly?

Post by **Lawndart** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:59 pm

Thunderbirds soar with the angels

takeone · Post by **takeone** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:47 pm

Well... I guess this is as good a time as any to ask a dumb question.

I've always wondered why the Blues DON'T wear O2 masks?

Great photos... cool seeing the gold helmet and mirrored visor in the back seat!

Post by **Gunner** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:04 pm

takeone wrote:Well... I guess this is as good a time as any to ask a dumb question.

I've always wondered why the Blues DON'T wear O2 masks?

Not a dumb question!

The Thunderbirds wear O2 masks during demonstrations (when they wouldn't be flying at altitudes requiring O2) because the F-16 is equipped with an emergency power unit (EPU) that in the event of engine failure is powered by hydrazine.

Hydrazine, or H-70, is fine for powering EPUs, but it's toxic, nasty stuff, and the masks protect the T-birds (and any other Viper pilot) from breathing it in case of engine power loss. Not sure what the F-18 uses, but I read somewhere that the F-16 is the only fighter that uses H-70.

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:04 pm

takeone wrote:Well... I guess this is as good a time as any to ask a dumb question.

I've always wondered why the Blues DON'T wear O2 masks?

Great photos... cool seeing the gold helmet and mirrored visor in the back seat!

They DO wear O2 masks, just not during the demo.

NATOPS requires masks when aerial refueling. I've been told, that under a load of G's a mask will make it harder to breathe out. Having worn a SCBA fire mask/bottle/pack I can tell you it's easier to catch your breath without the darn thing on (I can guarantee Redeye has more experience at this than I do, maybe he can chime in here). I can imagine it's the same flying a jet.

Post by **Lawndart** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:51 pm

It's generally harder to exhale than it is to inhale wearing an oxygen mask, but it also depends on the type of system used. While my memory is sketchy from back when I did my smoke dives during my training as firefighter in the Swedish Air Force, IIRC the equipment worked much like the pressure-demand system found in most high-altitude airplanes.

In a pressure-demand system, oxygen in the mask is above ambient pressure, permitting breathing above 30K feet. Because the pressure inside the mask is greater than the pressure around the body, inhalation is easy, but exhalation requires more effort. Pilots are trained in pressure-demand breathing in altitude chambers.

I recall one of the former Blue Angel pilots answer the question about using only helmets and microphones a few seasons ago when someone asked, why they fly without O2 masks, the pilot replied without hesitation:
"Because we can".