Blue Angels over Brunswick

Living near a former naval air base, we always knew when the Blue Angels were in town. The pilots practiced aerial stunts over our house, roaring like thunder. In a mixture of irritation and glee, I'd abandon my work to watch the jets barely clear the white pines in our yard.

As a young boy, my son (right) found the jets too loud, but home from college, he wanted to watch the Great State of Maine Air Show in person. To avoid the notorious traffic, we biked to the Brunswick Executive Airport, where we met up with his childhood friend. Both boys are majoring Physics so it was as interesting listening to their commentary as the announcer's. 

It was also fascinating looking inside the nearly windowless transport jet. The nose of the plane tilted up so that tanks could drive off like exiting a ferry boat. The ladder leads to the cockpit.

There were a lot of people, but the crowd was as well mannered as a kids' soccer tournament. Cadets in camouflage fried up delicious steak and cheese sandwiches. Beer was served, but no one was drunk or loud, at least not compared to the jets. The show opened with slow older planes, and I quite enjoyed the biplane. The stunts reminded me of Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein.

The Blue Angels were the climatic act. Captain Higgins is the first female pilot to fly for the Naval squadron. This veteran of the war in Afghanistan pilots Fat Albert, the transport plane. Only men fly the F/A-18 Hornets (in a diamond formation 18 inch apart!) Oddly enough, they sounded louder from my house. Maybe that was the din of glasses rattling in our cupboards.

The show ended with a five jet nose dive, separating into a gorgeous Fleur de Lis. It was a ballet in the sky.

I wish that combat jets flew only for entertainment and not for war, but this is the world that we live in now. I'm grateful to the men and women who serve our country while my son is at college. Maybe one day he'll design a spaceship that doesn't burn so much fossil fuel.