Renton school Superintendent Mary Alice Heuschel had a first in her career Monday afternoon – she took to the air with the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Heuschel said after the 45-minute flight.
Nominated as a regional Key Influencer by the local Navy Command Office, she was given rare access as a ride-along passenger in an F/A-18 Hornet during a practice flight before Seafair weekend.
The scariest part of the flight was when they reached seven g-force, or a gravitational force, and did a dive bomb toward a target. Much of the flight she spent flying upside down, which was “like hanging from monkey bars,” she said.
She didn’t close her eyes once and saw the whole Olympic Mountain range upside down.
Heuschel said the experience is the most exciting she’s had in her career and will give her a new perspective when she watches the Blue Angels perform this weekend.
Although she got nauseous, she was able to remain steady during the entire trip.
The flight felt like running a marathon, said Heuschel.
To prepare in case she was selected, Heuschel increased her treadmill workouts to four miles a day, instead of her daily two miles in the last six months. It paid off, she said.
She was instructed to tighten different muscles as the pilot took her through many of the routines she’s seen the Blue Angels perform during Seafair. This proved to be a workout.
“You learn a lot about controlling your body,” Heuschel said.
Heuschel was the second flight up for the day and the anticipation did a number on her nerves.
She and the other two ride-alongs got a briefing at 10:45 a.m. from a crew member that takes care of the planes. Then they got to sign all the necessary paperwork – sign their lives away is how Heuschel put it.
After that they had access to the tarmac and pictures with the pilot.
“It was just an amazing experience, I was honored,” she said.
Heuschel said she would relax and recover the rest of the night. She will receive a recording of her experience in the jet in about a week’s time.
