THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 27, 1995 TAG: 9509270418
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
The Navy is expected to decide today the fate of the rest of the Blue Angels show season, after the team's commanding officer decided Saturday to cancel a performance at Oceana because he lacked confidence in his skills.
Cmdr. Donnie Cochran, 41, the commanding officer and flight leader, canceled Sunday's performance at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach. He had flown on Saturday in front of nearly 150,000 spectators there.
Cochran cited personal training difficulties and a need to hone his proficiency, rather than risk the safety of the six-plane team.
If Cochran cannot continue as commanding officer, the Blue Angels could call back the team's former skipper. But he, too, would have to undergo training, perhaps a week or two, before the performances could resume.
If that option doesn't work, the team will have no choice but to cancel the rest of the season.
Those are decisions a group of senior Navy officers is expected to make in Pensacola, Fla., today. Seven shows remain in the Blue Angels' 36-show season.
They are scheduled to perform Sunday in Alexandria, La., and then every weekend through Nov. 11, when they wrap up in Pensacola.
Sunday's cancellation is not the team's first this season. It had to forgo at least two shows when Cochran asked a pilot to step down because the pilot couldn't handle some of the maneuvers.
Another time, Cochran temporarily grounded two pilots who had violated a rule prohibiting alcohol consumption 24 hours before flying. The pilots voluntarily told Cochran they had violated the rule. The public performance was held as scheduled, but a rehearsal day had to be canceled.
Pilots who become Blue Angels team members are considered the best the Navy or Marine Corps have to offer. A total of 16 officers are assigned. Each year, about three new tactical jet pilots, three staff officers and a Marine C-130 pilot are selected to relieve departing members. To be considered, each jet pilot must have at least 1,500 flight hours and come with high recommendations. The fliers aren't paid extra.
Specifically, Cochran's problems are with his proficiency in certain maneuvers, say officers familiar with the issue.
``He's gotten uncomfortable with his own performance, and I guess the team has, too,'' said one naval officer who asked not to be identified.
``He decided it is better to see if he can rectify the problems he is having with his own flying, rather than put the team at risk.''
Cochran returned with his team to the Blue Angels' base at Pensacola on Saturday and has been involved with ``intensive'' training since.
``What's bad about this,'' the officer said, ``is after a week of training he says he's still not comfortable. What do we do then?''
Although Cochran's decision has been described as unusual and possibly unprecedented for a squadron leader, it also has been described as commendable.
``I really admire the skipper for saying, `I am not happy with my performance, and we will stand down,' '' said the officer.
Specifically, Cochran was having problems hitting some of his marks while coming out of the formations. The team's precision flying relies on flying mostly by reference points, such as a water tower, or a specific building.
``If he misses that mark, he throws everybody off,'' said the officer.
Split-second timing and close-quarter formations are at the heart of what makes the Blue Angels' performances thrilling and dangerous.
In the case of airfields such as Oceana, the team members examine aerial photographs of the field taken several weeks earlier. The pilots pinpoint ground references in preparation for a show.
Cochran, a graduate of Savannah State College, has been an aviator since 1978.
He has accumulated more than 4,630 flight hours in several types of naval aircraft and completed 888 carrier landings. He has served in operational fighter squadrons aboard the carriers Nimitz, Ranger and Enterprise, and commanded Fighter Squadron 111, an F-14 squadron. He initially flew with the Blue Angels, flying one year in the A-4 Skyhawk as left wing No. 3 and two more years in the F/A-18 Hornet, as left wing and as slot pilot.
He rejoined the Blue Angels in October 1994 as its commanding officer. He is the first Blue Angels pilot in more than 20 years to return as its leader. He also is the first African American to become the team's skipper.
Next year the Blue Angels will celebrate their 50th anniversary. Since their inception in 1946, they have flown for more than 257 million spectators. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Tight formations are a hallmark of Blue Angels shows. The commander
was having trouble hitting his marks while coming out of formations.
The team flies largely by ground reference points.
by CNB