Blue Angels to perform at Fly-In

LAKELAND — The Blue Angels will demonstrate the prowess and discipline of U.S. naval aviation at the 2017 Sun 'n Fun Fly-In in what may be the last chance for the local audience to see the team perform in its "legacy" F/A-18 Hornets.

Lt. Brandon Hempler and Lt. Dave Steppe landed at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in their iconic blue Hornet on Thursday morning to scout ahead of the demonstration team's performance in April and to meet with airport and Sun 'n Fun organizers.

Hempler, flying Blue Angel No. 7, will narrate the show. Steppe, a naval flight officer and No. 8 on the roster, is the event coordinator. Both men joined the squadron this year.

Lakeland is one stop in the squadron's 35-event tour in 2017. The Blue Angels last performed at the Fly-In in 2014.

The high-speed maneuvers with planes inches apart demonstrated in the six-jet program are based on the training and tactics required of all naval aviators, Steppe said, but taken to another notch.

Prior to joining the Blue Angels, Steppe flew as part of an electronic warfare squadron equipped with E/A-18 Growlers, a specialized version of the Super Hornet, the Navy's frontline fighter.

Hempler has more than 2,100 flight hours and has made more than 320 carrier landings as a Super Hornet pilot.

Though the Hornet and Super Hornet share the F/A-18 designation, the Super Hornet is larger, more powerful and has a longer range.

The Navy has a contract with Boeing to upgrade the Blue Angels to the Super Hornet, replacing the aircraft that ranks among the longest-serving airframes in the military branch. The Blue Angels have been flying variants of the Hornet since 1986, the current variants since 2010.

The Navy hasn't set a date for the switch, but it's likely any appearance in Lakeland after 2017 will feature the Super Hornet.

But the old birds have got moves their pilots will demonstrate with close maneuvers approaching 500 miles per hour.

"We're thrilled beyond belief," Sun 'n Fun President John "Lites" Leenhouts said of the upcoming Blue Angels performances. "They represent the very best of United States aviation."

Leenhouts was a naval aviator for 28 years and flew the Hornet, the F-14 Tomcat and A-7 Corsair II.

"It's a huge boost to our advertising because they have such a great following around the world as one of the premiere military demonstration teams," he said.

"They command a large audience draw, which in turn helps Sun 'n Fun to create opportunities for the youth in Polk County and improved educational opportunities that lead to great career chances," he said. "The bottom line is, when the Blues come to town, they improve opportunities all around Polk County for the futures of thousands of young men and women."

Each year, the Sun 'n Fun organization spends about $2 million toward its educational mission, he said.

"That's the only reason we put these shows on."

The air show will feature other military aircraft as well, with a demonstration of the Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcon and next generation F-22 and F-35 jets.

— Christopher Guinn can be reached at Christopher.Guinn@theledger.com or 863-802-7592. Follow him on Twitter @CGuinnNews.