Photography courtesy of The Blue Angels
Lieutenant Matt Suyderhoud flies in formation, dazzling crowds with aerial acrobatics. See him and the Blue Angels at the Spirit of St. Louis Air Show, set for May 14 & 15 in Chesterfield.
• I was first inspired by the Blue Angels when I was a kid, and now I’m the one who gets to fly a jet. Being able to take that love for aviation to this point is a pretty awesome opportunity.
• The first time I saw the Spirit of St. Louis show was when I was in college at SLU, and I wondered if I’d ever be the one up there flying. St. Louis is where my aviation career started, so to come back here and showcase the U.S. Navy–Marine Corps is a great opportunity.
• My job this season is as the right wingman, so I’m paired with the No. 1 flight leader, known as “Boss.” He’s a senior commander of the squadron.
• During the training season and show season, we’ll fly two to three times a day, six days a week, and we spend over 300 days a year on the road. It’s like a road trip on steroids. All that put together, it makes for an arduous process, and it’s hard to maintain a strong, happy face.
• Depending on the weather—you can get more thrust on a colder day—we can take it up to 500 mph or faster during the show. But we won’t break the sound barrier.
• Flying these jets is equivalent to doing a 40-pound curl for 45 minutes. Every movement I make translates to a movement of the aircraft.
• Some days when we fly, we just don’t have it, and you come back, debrief for over an hour—and you go over the video footage frame by frame.
• We’re all type A personalities, so it can be difficult at times. You have to check your ego at the door.
• With the G-forces, all the blood in your head rushes to your extremities. You have to fight to not pass out. Most of the people who ride with us will pass out.
• Hopefully we’re inspiring people to take their dreams, wherever that may be.
• When I first started flying I noticed I would stop chewing my gum during the hard maneuvers, then start again once they were over, and just recently I noticed I was chomping away the whole flight. Now when I fly there is less nervous energy and more concentration on the details.
• When I’m done with my deployment with the Blue Angels, I won’t miss the schedule, but I’ll miss the camaraderie.
