The Blue Angels’ First F-18 Ejection: a Comprehensive Account with David Anderson

You aren't allowed to use retreads on the front tires of commercial vehicles, but they put them on the nose gear of a multimillion dollar plane...

Great stories, loved the video. Brave man, and I wish he had the proper ejection seat so he could reach the ground safer.

I know were he's coming from. I was a troubleshooter who's main job was solving problems and negative outcomes were likely. But I wasn't flying a mulit-million dollar plane at low altitude that could kill me.

My Father, Cdr. Harry Leslie Devoe USN&USNR flew F-9F Cougars and was one of the first Squadrons to transition to the A-4 Skyhawk (VA-106) Gladiators. In my childhood I got to see at Ceisel Field The Blue Angels fly F-11 Tigers, F-4 Phantoms, A-4 Skyhawks, NAS Willow Grove and many other places.
In the spring of 1987 I was 3rd Mate on the Schooner Appledore II. I We had just docked in Ferindino, Florida. I read in the morning paper that the Blue Angels were going to do, please correct me if I'm wrong, the debut show of the F/A-18. At first I was somewhat resentful. I asked for a 12 leave and hitchhiked to NAS JAX. The show was undeliverable. You guys are as you well know are the BEST. Thank you. Sadly I was at the MCAS Beaufort in '05. I remember that the Naval Aviator, who sadly died during the show was from Wakefield, Mass. I was also at Buffalo NY, '85 for the high Arch collision. Your Sacrifice is not unnoted.

Retreads should be outlawed. If they're not destroying planes they're destroying cars on the highway.

What an INSIGHTFUL interview. Thank you for your service Commander.

The old A-4 was our ‘test hanger queen aircraft’ when I went through AMH ‘A’ School at NAS Memphis (Millington) back in 1977-1978

BZ Dave !!

It just blows my mind that when I went to see the Angels fly in ‘04 the Hornets the Angels flew then were the oldest in the fleet….. think about that. It blew my mind when the Boss told me that & the fact they didn’t preflight the jet either. They laid complete trust in their crew chiefs that the jet was setup & ready to rock a full show each and every day. I’m sure it’s still the same if not faster but he said he was sitting down, strapped in, they were taxing in 4mins total. I’ve always been stuck on the fact that even in 2004 the Navy couldn’t throw out some more millions and get the most exciting air show crew some shiny new jets instead of hand me downs from the fleet!?

If only the team would get on board with the Navy's DEI policy and replace them all with black transsexual lesbians.... shame.

...I was El Centro Navy Base Photographer that rode with Base Security to the crash site and documented the landing (burning) site for the Navy...

Dang I feel for this guy's bad luck lol but glad we're still alive I'm a recovering addict and alcoholic sober 5 years and clean almost 8 years from drugs

What An Lesson Learned.

Great Interview

Thank You Sir For Everything You Done For Our Country

You Were Dedicated and Fearless, Eager To Learn and Get The Job Correct.
You Are Truly Awesome Sir.

You and Gill, brother

The Courage

"Learning by doing" on a different level. Good story. Thank's for sharing. Regards from Europe.
No Blue Angels Super Hornets over here, just stone aged Red Arrows Hawks, Patrouille de France Alphajets and Patrouille Suisse F/5's... Would love to fly the F/A 18 .. and you could fly my 747-8 ...

Kinda on the fence on this one. Just being honest

I used to read Grampa Pettibone’s articles of aircraft safety and mishaps.

Really interesting lecture thanks

He said it in too nice a way, but essentially he discovered a fatal flaw in the F/A18, 2 if you count the rubbish parachute, that had the potential to cause an airshow disaster and was at best let off with a warning.Sometimes the military is a bit dense.

Retreads 🤦 Thats why they aren't allowed on steering axles on semis jeesh.

What an awesome video! First time I've ever heard an OFFICER admitting he screwed up, even though the test pilots wouldn't thoroughly do their job so he had to do it for them. In my opinion, any new high performance plane should never be allowed to do this kind of precision flying until it's been fully tested and flight characteristics fully understood! I'm not a pilot but I love high performance cars. I don't go balls out,in a race, in a new model until I learn it's limitations through testing. Isn't that what testing programs are for anyways? I'm GLAD that he wasn't REPRIMANDED and no one was KILLED!

Got to know what the plane can do in combat in a "controled" environment.~USAF Vet

Holy cow! How did the seat get you out with your huge canines weighing you down?! Self-made test pilot, loses both motors, points the jet away from populated areas, punches out, and then gets back in 2 days later. Not to mention the first dirty roll takeoff 3 weeks after and an engine blows up. I have 2,000 hours in the F-18, mostly super hornet time, and this is just crazy in the coolest way.

Second movie I ever watched was Touch The Sky featuring The Blue Angels taking up Christopher Reeve, this was the Pilot he got to fly with in the number 7 A-4. The A-4 has been my favorite airplane since. Glad to see this gentleman went on to have the career he did. Blue Skies, Sir

was the transition to F18s from A4s a contributing factor to that one pilot who crashed an at El Toro air show?

We lost an angel in El Centro when I was stationed there in the 70"s

Remember going to their air show in Miramar in 1986, right after Top Gun came out. I think it was one of the last times they flew the A-4. I loved that little plane, it was so maneuverable. I understand the Navy wanting to fly their newest planes with the Blue's, but I don't think there was a better plane for aerobatics than that A-4!

Had the pleasure to meet Mr. Anderson before he was a Blue Angel. I was at my stepbrother’s house. He, my stepbrother, was a A6 Intruder pilot with VA65. If I remember correctly, Mr. Anderson was a Flying Tiger also. I was only a E3 at the time with VF14. We were all stationed at NAS Oceana. In case you happen to see this Mr. Anderson, my stepbrother is Jim “Arnie” Palmer.

Sounds like they improved the airframe through a bit of destructive testing.

I know my next investigator! Nah the prevaricating ain't pilot shit usually

We need more men like David Anderson. It seems we're running out of them.

Semper Fi Sir!

Jessica Taarlov has drank WAYYYY to much of the Coolaid. I like her but I also like Howdie Doodie. Maybe I jus like clown shows.

Incredible story. Very interesting history on an incredible team.

I'll never forget being at NAS Willow Grove in the 90s when they dirty roll on takeoff happened and the solo came real close to hitting the house on the other side of the highway... enough so that a lot of dust and dirt was kicked up over the house.

Maybe , maybe, the natural transition would be from the phantom to the hornet because the sizes the two engines, the weight would make that change easier…. I mean , from a single engine, smaller that is the A-4 to a more heavy, large and twin engine as the hornet is that change I’m agree was harder to those pilots caught in the middle … marvelous interview .

Back in the 90’s I was on the Police Department Motorcycle Unit. I had honor to escort the Blue Angels from their hotel in Altamonte Springs FL to their Air Show in Orlando FL. It was amazing speaking with these men. One said to me he thought my job was far more dangerous driving a Police bike at high speed through traffic. He said his job was just math, haha. Just an amazing team … Outstanding organization. Thank you all for your dedication and service.

Outstanding account!

The support and leadership today Lol

So the early f/a-18s can't do negative g push over.

the limit speed of the tire is stamped on the sidewall, interesting trivia, it is also in miles per hour and not knots because the test equip is calibrated in mph.

What incredible stories. I’d love to fly with this guy!

ai anderson 1 god me one nation

How many tires does an engine cost?

If the safety standards that are required today were in place back then, our military pilots and astronauts would have never been successful. Back then they pioneered and made today possible.

Little know fact: Many Blue Angels pilots develop severe hip issues later in life due to the fact that they’ve spent a life time walking with their legs wide apart to make room for their enormous gonads.

Seating on the edge of my bed while watching this riveting recollection, a bit sad and a bit exciting. Thanks for sharing..

F18 is amazing, but sorry the A4 Skyhawk was perfect in that role the show with the A4 was better.

Sounds like a bunch of STUPID decisions by some people that should have been smart .

I’m not a pilot but can we appreciate the brain power at work here. The maturity of the man to take constructive criticism and continue to methodically push the envelope? That’s heady if you ask me.