Cherry Point, North Carolina handed the spring air show circuit one of its best human-interest moments of the season last week. Ahead of the MCAS Cherry Point Air Show — scheduled for May 9–10, 2026 — the Blue Angels put two civilians in the back seat of Blue Angel 7: a News 12 reporter and community influencer Holly Tolston.
The pilot for both sorties was Lt. Ronny Hafeza. Call sign “Downy.” Blue Angel #7. This season he serves as the team’s Narrator and VIP Pilot, flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet — the two-seat trainer variant the Blues keep specifically for media and Key Influencer rides. Hafeza is from Redondo Beach, California, and came to the squadron from VFA-122.
What It Felt Like — 7 Gs at Cherry Point
Ride day was Wednesday, May 6. It opened with a detailed briefing — G-force management, proper breathing technique, body bracing, what happens when a fleet-grade fighter actually goes to work. Both riders got the full walkthrough before suiting up.
Tolston flew first. She’s the Career and Technical Education Director for Craven County Schools and was selected for the Blue Angels’ Key Influencer program — a deliberate choice, not a raffle win. Her flight ran just over 30 minutes, and when she recovered to the flight line, family, colleagues, and media were waiting. Hafeza turned the jet around, refueled, and launched again.
That second sortie started the way these things tend to start: full afterburner, high-performance takeoff, zero to 10,000 feet in seconds. The flight ran more than 40 minutes. At the peak of the maneuver package, the News 12 reporter sustained more than seven Gs — seven times body weight, pressing everything into the seat.
“We don’t only showcase teamwork and professionalism. We also hope to inspire that service to country.” — Lt. Ronny Hafeza, Blue Angel #7
Tolston, after landing, expressed deep gratitude for the experience and encouraged others to push outside their comfort zones — which is exactly the point. The Key Influencer program is built to carry that message back into local communities through people who already have an audience there.
The Show — Lineup and Stakes
The weekend itself didn’t disappoint. Eastern North Carolina got one of the more stacked performer rosters on the spring circuit, anchored by the Blue Angels flying their full six-ship F/A-18 Super Hornet demonstration. This is the squadron’s 80th anniversary season — fully certified since the team completed qualification at NAS El Centro on February 23.
“Earning this certification is always an honor, but it carries special weight this year as we prepare to celebrate the squadron’s 80th anniversary.” — Capt. Adam “Gilligan” Bryan, Blue Angels CO
The military side of the lineup was serious. The USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon Demo Team, the U.S. Navy F-35C, the USMC F-35B — and an AV-8B Harrier II Level III demo, which in 2026 qualifies as a genuine rarity. The jump jet is running out of public appearances before it exits service. The MAGTF demo closed out the tactical package with the multi-platform assault sequence the Marines do better than anyone else on the circuit.
Civilian performers included Randy Ball in the MiG-17 Fresco, Marco Bouw in the Sukhoi Su-31, Aarron Deliu in the Extra 330SC, Steven Covington in the GB-1 Gamebird, Robert “Rooster” Schmidle, RJ Gritter, Tom Larkin in the SubSonex, Wingwalker Sam Tryggvason, a P-51 and F4U Corsair pair from Class of ’45, The Chuters parachute team, and Wicked Willy’s Jet Car. Luke Carrico announced.
Show organizers also came in with significantly revised traffic management. The 2024 edition drew estimates of up to 150,000 attendees and backed traffic all the way to James City — a problem they clearly didn’t want to repeat. General admission stayed free; a base pass was required for entry and parking.
“The MCAS Cherry Point Air Show is more than an aviation event — it’s a celebration of American excellence and a tribute to the strength, innovation, and freedom our nation has stood for over two and a half centuries.” — Col. Brendan “Cletus” Burks, CO, MCAS Cherry Point
What’s Next
The Blues arrived at Cherry Point carrying some momentum built through a busy early season. From here, they continue through a 66-demonstration season built around America’s 250th anniversary and the squadron’s own 80th milestone. The Blue Angels’ official schedule has the next show nearest you.
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