by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
At 5:30 in the morning Wednesday Celine McArthur insisted she wasn’t nervous. Nine hours later, McArthur was anxiously hopping up and down, just moments from climbing into a Blue Angel for 30 minutes of thrill, terror, exhilaration and every other emotion that surely comes with breaking the sound barrier and doing turns while 6.5 Gs are being exerted on your body.
An hour later, McArthur — a morning news anchor at Ch. 47 — had two words: “Holy crap.”
McArthur was one of three locals chosen to take a demonstration flight in a Blue Angel as part of this weekend’s Sea & Sky Spectacular. The others were Washington Nationals catcher Brian Schneider and Chris Farkas of the Baker County Standard. McArthur has flown in military jets before and figured she was as prepared as anyone. While she didn’t throw up and she didn’t pass out — many do both on several occasions while turning at 300 miles and hour — McArthur said the flight was more than she expected. Soaked in sweat and with what amounts to sea legs, McArthur climbed out of the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet looking as of she just ran the Boston marathon.
“I feel like throwing up, but, yes, it was fun,” she said. “The best part was landing, the worst part was the Gs. I have never done anything like this.”
McArthur, Schneider and Farkas all went through a thorough briefing from Staff Sgt. Deo Harrypersaud and Petty Officer 2nd Class Austin Armstrong. They were all given flight suits to wear and during the briefing heard about everything from how to prevent passing out to how to safely eject from the plane. Harrypersaud explained how to make their ears pop, a necessity during rapid ascents.
“Chew, swallow, yawn,” he said. “If you blow out an ear drum it is very painful. It takes about two months to recover. During negative Gs, everything flows up, including the contents of your stomach. Take slow, deep breaths.”
Neither McArthur nor Schneider passed or suffered what’s known as G-lock: gravity induced lack of consciousness. They were all taught the “hick” method that’s used to prevent G-lock.
“You use the muscles in your lower body to keep the blood in your upper body,” said Harrypersaud, as he taught the three to try and stand in their seat while saying the word “hick.” Because passengers are strapped in so tight, this method is actually very difficult and requires a lot of strength.
Schneider is a left-handed hitting catcher and has faced left-handed pitcher and former Cy Young winner Randy Johnson before. Johnson, especially for left-handed hitters, is considered one of the most feared and dangerous pitchers in baseball. Schneider said the flight Wednesday was much scarier than any Johnson fast ball.
“At least I am conscious for an at bat,” he said. “It was great and I am just happy I was able to stay awake. It was very close. You can feel yourself about to pass out.”
Everyone flew with Maj. Nathan Miller
“We pulled 6.1 Gs and she had a smile on her face,” said Miller of McArthur.