never passed out... never got sick. Impressive!!!

This would be a dream come true. What an honor to be able to fly with the Blue Angels.

This Pilot is an EXPERT! Great job with a first time passenger.

Huge Kudos to the pilot for the way he interacted with his female passenger. It seemed like he made her feel very safe and secure the entire time.

When you brought your Dad's picture I nearly lost it. What a poignant moment. You're a good daughter.

She did a heck of a job! She was definitely paying attention in the pre-flight brief with regard to her hooking. Such a great video.

When shes watching the airshow shes gonna have so much more respect for what theyre doing

Marcella Lee flying in an F-18 is the awesomest thing I've seen in a long time - she didn't pass out!

Definitely the pilot was awesome calm collective professional. You are a soldier. I appreciate your service, sir.

FLY NAVY 🙏 What an honor to ride in these beautiful birds! Grew up in hawaii at end of Nam. Grew up watching these kids practice off Maui's Makena coast, off beach as we played was their practice island called Kahoolawe. Battle ships with their big guns going off launching VW beattle size shells, cruisers and PT boats fire at high speed in and out around the island. Then came in the amazing jets dropping destruction, as their wing men strafing the leftovers. Fell instantly in love! Also then when air shows started to be big, NEVER missed a show, there for first Blue Angel flights around Maui and everyone since first show of the Angels is what made it exciting and addictive. Thanks to all whom risk EVERYTHING to entertain us and amaze the eyes of youth, encouraging them to do their best and see first hand the rewards. FLY NAVY👉

She was great! Even had the presence of mind to ad lib her spots for later. I love the bravado of showing her empty barf bags. Outstanding job with a great pilot.

I watched the whole thing with a smile on my face. Marcella did a great job!

Living vicariously through Marcella and this video. She was well briefed and champed it.

Incredible opportunity, and she made the best of it. My rides in a T-37 and a P-51 were unforgettable.

My wife had the privilege of “THE RIDE” back in the eighties while writing for World Airshow News…what a priceless experience..

Marcella, you did awesome. Loved your enthusiasm and transparency, what a great segment. Lt. Cmdr. Griffin Stangel well done sir and thank you for your service.

"REA--DY--HIT-IT!" I love it!

Hearing those ATC calls coming off Miramar sends chills down my spine, makes me feel like im right back there with VMM-363 in 2013-2015. Its almost relaxing hearing similar voices, departure/approach routes and callsigns. Its the best blast from the past and its refreshing to hear once again.

I don’t know if they get training for cool pilot voice, but “Reaaaady, hit it!”…

That would be a thrill of a lifetime for me since my husband was assigned to the blue angels crew in the sixties.

What an amazing pilot!!! And kiddos to the reporter who hung in there...Thank you Sir..🇺🇸

She is a trooper! 7g's that's amazing and with out passing out. Great job to the pilot for the comfort of walking her thru it all. A+++

I was so glad to here her say that.. I often wonder if they can appreciate that they are getting to ride in a F-18

This is the luckiest person in the world! What a dream come true!!

That was so cool to watch you have so much fun, I was touched when you honored your father. I lost my best friend and father also but I lost dad to pancreatic cancer from the time they detected it to him passing was 2 weeks. Sure miss dad. But thank you for sharing the story about your father Sean B Vancouver B.C. Canada 🇨🇦

My father was in WW2 on a submarine he'd b so proud of the blue angels!!!!! U in the air him in the sea!!!!! He was in the navy. He talked about his experiences all the time!!

This is absolutely AMAZING! And until you see the smoke trail it doesn't even looking like they're moving! LOVE me some Blue Angels!!!!

This TV babe is amazing. Good for her. All my respect and appreciation to her. And that smile, those teeth! You go Grrrrlllll!

that last maneuver was beautiful. best BA flight video ever.

Loved her enthusiasm! Best ride-a-long flight with the Blue Angels I've seen yet!

That was awesome! That Made me proud… to see the canopy operating correctly! I worked for 22 years for Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems… We assembled and tested the single/dual seat (canopy actuator) systems….for all F-18s! I was over all of the lab test equipment Calibration…. to make sure everything worked correctly. Our test rig ….simulated the canopy opening, closing, and locking in place for flight! These units went through strenuous test, repeating cycles ….to make sure they would stand up , before they were shipped!

She did great. Many would lose their stomach.

Amazed how quiet it is

Marcella, what an opportunity you experienced! ✈👩🏻‍✈

With some 3500 hours to my belt, this one made me very happy. Your smile and laughter. Great Captain! Thank you all for taking us along.

Looks like she is having a awsome flight.

smiling the whole time. ... too bad you didn't get the unrestricted departure. well done.

what a ride ! sure wish I had been there. Go Blue Angels

SWEET - I was in Pensacola (going through Aircrewman and Rescue Swimmer Schools) when they transitioned to the F/A-18 from the Scooter. Then I flew the area this video was filmed for 12 years - though at no higher than Angels 12 and a LOT slower (I was in the Seahawk helicopter) - recognized some of the navigation calls. Had to land at Miramar a half dozen times when NAS North Island would close due to the June-Gloom. Brings back memories just listening to the pattern and rhythm of ICS and radio talk.

THIS IS MY DREAM.......JUST SAW THESE GUYS FLY A FEW DAYS AGO AND I CRIED THE WHOLE TIME❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ i miss my granddaddy and my dad❤

Very well done Marcella.. You did *GREAT* Contratulations on being one of just a few civilains to fly with our Armed Forces !

Very nice flying! Outstanding. Old RAFVR pilot, here. Best wishes to all service aviators.

I’ve watched some of these videos but this was an absolute thrill to experience this flight with Marcella and that awesome professional pilot. What a perfect job Marcella did and what a little doll the way she conducted herself. The pilots flying these aircrafts in the Blue Angels are nearly super human. Awesome video.

I was breathing heavily watching you!! You did awesome! Would so love to do that before God calls me home.

And I had a smile on my face the whole flight. The experience of a lifetime. Perhaps one day you will be flying as one of the Blue Angels, Marcella. Thank you.

The pilot was amazing, so patient and a great leader. She is a rockstar! So brave. She did awesome.

Wow! Girl power! You go! So proud of you! In my day you couldn’t have got near a cockpit! So very very proud!!!!

What a lucky lady. The skipper is awesome also

Truly and always representing why the great men and women who serve in our U.S. armed forces are the best of the best, prayers for all fellow US service members, thank you for sharing this wonderful video, and hats off to Marcella hanging in there like a champ 🙌🤛🇺🇸

Awesome pilot coaching his passenger along with this amazing adventure! So jealous!

G-MONSTER! well done ma'am

Congratulations. Awesome ride. Was stationed at Miramar and miss the base often.

Oh my My MYMY MY MY!!!!!!!!!! How AWESOME is that to FLY with a BLUE ANGEL!!!! Thank you to both of you and the US NAVY and CBS SAN DIEGO for letting us (me) go on the ride with you both. Thank you Marcella Lee for doing something the rest of us only dream about.! WHAT AN AWESOME RIDE !!!!!!! 😂

In 1977 when I was a US Marine company commander at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe in Hawaii, I had the opportunity to get a back seat (RIO) ride on an F-4 on a live ordinance drop under simulated combat conditions. My first impression was how incredibly hot it was in the cockpit while taxing. If the F-4 had any air conditioning, it didn't work. On takeoff, it felt like I had a rocket strapped to me. Once we reached altitude, the cockpit cooled off. When we approached the target area, the pilot dropped down to just above the ocean. When the pilot hit the Initial Point (IP) he pulled up into a vertical climb and then rolled 180 degrees in order to acquire the target. He then rolled over and did another 180 degree roll to dive onto the target. Simulating anti-aircraft fire, he was jinking violently left, right, up, and down so that my helmet was bouncing off the canopy like a BB in a jar. He dropped his ordnance and then pulled hard G's with violent jinking to simulate avoiding anti-aircraft fire. At this point because of the G's my head was between my legs and I couldn't move and at the same time I became air sick from all of the maneuvering. As soon as was able to sit up, I vomited into my vomit bag. When we landed, the entire squadron was waiting for us to arrive. I held up my barf bag to the applause and yells of delight of the squadron personnel. I later learned that my pilot's call sign was "Puke". It was then I realize what his real mission was on that flight--to make me puke. It was all in good fun and I had the ride of my life. I never again criticized pilots for having a cushy life and hot chow every day. As a grunt in combat for 1-2 months at a time, I preferred being on the ground than whatever perks the pilots had.

This made me smile the whole time watching. She did an amazing job. Their is some FOD in the cockpit..lol

Good for her. What a great job taking the Gs!

It's like anticipating the sling shot ride take off !

She did really good, very impressive!! Bravo

LooooL ..... Her beautiful Lil' smile was so big white and shinning at first. And how slowly it diminished LoL I Love it... She did good tho. No bobble head or B-Bag. Awesome Flysafe all.

I wish it was me flying with the angels. How cool it would be.

She is absolutely awesome. That smile the whole time. The G strain perfect. Sooo amazing

That's one heck of joy ride!😄

Not a pilot, but I worked aviation maintenece in the Navy and worked as an f-14 flight simulator technician upon retirement. We had simulator domes with 360-degree visuals, complete with target projectors, land and air targets (Used to put a Russian Bear up every night during systems operational checks and blow it out of the sky). Anyhow, I understand the feeling of flying that the aerial views present.... such an exhilarating feeling. Great post, TY.

Out of all of these videos that I’ve seen with these riders, she has the best hook technique.

That was incredible. Great job Marcella. Easy for everyone to say they could pull those Gs but you did it. That’s not easy at all! Great focus. Nice touch with your Dad’s picture! Those pilots are elite athletes! Congrats. Memories for a lifetime.

She handled that like a champ. She did better than a lot of men that I have taken up.

Great job by the pilot! The news reporters was so tough & brave, Her dad has to be really proud of her! Fantastic video!

Love it ❤️ She's the best back seat rider❤ GOD BLESS US ALL ALWAYS 🙏 ❤️ Once in a life time experience, Thank Youuuu for Sharing 🇺🇲

Marcella….You look a natural. You were Born to Fly girl!!! Great video! I was stationed at Miramar 30 years ago! VF 213 Fighting Blacklions! Loved Miramar!

A very kind pilot flying the aircraft so gently for her comfort....what an awesome experience. Wonderful responsiveness of the fighters controls.....and well done young lady for holding it all together. Not sure I could! 🙂

My Kind of Woman!!!! No Fear!! Well Done

The respect that you guys show your military is so moving, gets me every time. A great video, thanks for sharing. 🤙🤙

Just came across this video. Oh, you were so lucky to get to do a fly-around. I'm so envious. You rocked it! I've never seen the Blue Angels in person, I lived 3 blocks south of the Santa Monica Airport and I loved watching the planes take off. This was awesome.

You deserve credit for your courage. As an ex Marine I had to conjure up courage too, at times, but it takes skills too, and your flights offer that.

Oh gosh you are so lucky ma'am i am so jealous. Happy flying with such an awesome pilot ❤️🙏

It's cool to the her enjoy the flight, but even more amazing is the pilot. Such skill and a great "bed side manner" with his passenger. Great stuff!

Keep hearing mission bay VOR Morse code playing in background! Pretty cool!

I love how the pilot told her to look up. The last time I remember was when I went skydiving with the Marines. Jump mattresses no matter where you point your head is where you're going. Don't look down!😂 Cool what a thrill.

At 35:10 you can tell the g’s were distorting her face slightly. She was a real trooper. Well done. 😎👍

Wow, Marcella, you did great! And what a professional. You never lost your game face!

What an awesome experience 😻

She is a champ too!

That was absolutely awesome, a very lucky young woman to experience. The pilot, amazing

She crushed it. Especially for a first timer

Fantastic video, really gives you a sense of what a pilot experiences during flight. I commend the pilot for being so professional during the flight.

I loved the times where she turned her reporter voice on to get the shots for editing lol. Professional and a total baddie!!

she did very good .so many g.sssss . .the blue angels have been in the netherlands long time ago and i was riding on my honda cbr 1000 f dcbs . a long the afsluitdijk to leeuwarden and saw them flyining by . i had to give more throttle . and have al lot of andrenaline .. in mine body so i speed up but they were faster offcourse . and later at the airport i have seen the airplane show . still i was so glad happy that i went to the show .first i thought i stay at home but than i will not seen the blue angels . and now i have a very good memory of . . like she has now a very good memory of the flight . als want to say the quality of the film was great . thanks to show it . greatings ron from the netherlands .

Very well done I would have lost my lunch at several times.

I would love to do that... That looks like so much fun...

I'm from the UK and of course I admire our Red Arrows RAF display team. That said we use the Hawk T1 a very much seat of the pants type jet it being also quite small and highly manoeuvrable BUT in performance it is quite underwhelming and outside of display work you couldn't really describe it as anything other that an early stage fast jet trainer. We used to have beefier kit like even back in the 1950's we used to have a 22 jet formation (Black Arrows) with the venerable Hawker Hunter! A substantial larger and beefier jet all round. Blue Angels using Super Hornets - which are better than many nations front line jets. It's a pity we got rid of our jaguar jets as I know they are very good a lower level flights - I hear they were much loved by the pilots who flew them and I suspect would have been agile enough for the task. I must also express my appreciation for the pilot and how sensitive and professional he was with the novice passenger . Marcella's enthusiasm was also very infectious and I found myself cheering for her as she expressed her joy at achieving some impressively high G maneuvers.

Great Job Marcella. Such a trooper to go with it all. Professional pilot and professional journalist. That was an entertaining and informative ride. Lucky you!

Wow! Felt like I was there. What an experience! Great job!

You did great!😃 Your flying with the best ! Blue Angels are the best!

Jets! I saw the Angels a couple times back in the 70s. I got an adrenalin rush just watching them maneuver through the air in formation. Got to be a rush to be a jet pilot. 😂

What a professional gentleman.

If I went on that ride I’d want to become a fighter jet pilot too! Amazing the amount of automation and engineering that goes into that aircraft to make it even possible for humans to fly in

She smiled the entire video. Love it !!!

Great job Marcella. So lucky to enjoy that speed by the most skilled pilots in the world.

How lucky she is, I would give everything I own just to be able to do that one time! It always been a lifelong dream to someday be able to fly in a military jet like that!

Agreed with previous comment about how Lieutenant Commander Griffin Stangel handled his guest flier and she was equally amazing. I had the priveledge recently of flying on a gorgeous day in Denver on an Acrobat Prop plane and that talented and patient pilot was equaly as kind. He taught me to do a basic roll! Information is key... just as the pilot's important interaction with the tower and various ground control traffic controllers. (how do they do that?... I can barely understand a word...) We have the best airways and the best military including the Navy Air Force in the world! Praise God for the USA and God Bless our Military! And a hats off for our Newscasters like Marcella and CBS 8 who report good things like this and show the greatness of the USA! Thank you Marcella...you lucky girl... you earned some stripes on that flight!