LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — The Blue Angels soared into Lakeland Thursday with a mission of inspiring excellence in the people who watch their gravity-defying skills.

“We just want whatever folks choose to do with their lives to do it really well and to do it with focus and excellence,” Lt. Connor O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell said he was first moved by the Blue Angels as a kid in Maine.

“That’s when I saw them first when I was about 10 years old, and that will stick with you as a kid, and that’s really what we’re hoping to do here,” he said.

He now flies Blue Angel #6 all over the country and, this weekend, at SUN ‘n FUN in Lakeland.

“I’ve heard it’s huge, and there’s tents,” O’Donnell said. “I’ve been looking for them. I’ve heard people camp out here on the fields.”

Flying at speeds over 500 miles per hour in tight formations requires months of practice and intense focus during the demonstration.

“You’re just focused on what you’re doing at that moment. Not really worried about the next thing, stay in the moment, trust the training,” O’Donnell said. “This is not a place you want to have a bad day. We’re all about not only practicing the demo itself but preparing our bodies so good rest, good hydration.”

At certain times in the demonstration, the F/A-18 jets come close to 18 inches from each other.

The planes are unique in that they can fly at high speeds while also maintaining maneuverability.

“You see the high speed stuff, that’s what excites us. But I think a lot of the aviation people around here understand that one of these planes can fly as slow as some of the prop aircraft around here,” said Cdr. Adam Bryan, commanding officer and flight leader for the Blue Angels.

This is Bryan’s first visit to SUN ‘n FUN.

“With an air show that’s essentially already begun, it makes it quite a unique place to come into. Seeing all the aircraft on the ground excited me a lot when I came in to land,” he said.

Bryan said his favorite move is the “Diamond 360,” which is the quintessential, tight maneuver that kicks off the Blue Angels’ demonstration.

Training begins in Pensacola, Florida, in November and then the teams spend 2.5 months in El Centro, California, practicing over the desert.

“We practice by doing a lot, a lot of repetition. You can think about it like being in the gym. It’s a lot of reps and sets over and over again,” Bryan said.

It’s all an effort to display excellence.

“Our job is to inspire those that are watching us to kind of reach for their highest potential,” he said.

The Blue Angels’ demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday during the daily air shows.

To see the schedule, visit