Professor of aeronautics and astronautics at UW Jim Hermanson enjoyed a flight Wednesday morning on a U.S. Navy Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet — commonly recognized as one of the Blue Angels.
Around 9 a.m., the Blue Angel aircraft with Hermanson soared above the UW campus. Once back safely on the ground, Hermanson shared that he appreciated conversing with the pilot and experiencing firsthand the various levels of gravitational forces — G-forces.
“The actual maneuvers are truly remarkable,” Hermanson remarked. “We reached up to 7.5 Gs.”
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Video clips and soundbites of Hermanson’s experience with the Blue Angels
Hermanson is recognized for his extensive research in jet and spacecraft propulsion, yet this was his inaugural experience flying at approximately 700 mph in a Navy aircraft. Throughout his tenure at UW, Hermanson has been a strong advocate for Navy initiatives on campus: He has welcomed high-ranking Navy officers and assisted in presenting numerous career opportunities within the Navy for students.
During Wednesday’s flight, Hermanson informed the pilot that he educates students on acceleration, wing loading, and additional principles, but his experience with the Blue Angels will impart a more profound insight.
“I will be able to describe to students what it actually feels like,” Hermanson explained.
The most recent UW faculty member invited to fly with the Blue Angels prior to Hermanson was former UW President Mark Emmert, who departed from the UW in 2010.
The Blue Angels are in Seattle for the annual Seafair Weekend Festival and the Boeing Seafair Air Show.