Jacksonville high school science teacher flies with Blue Angels

Alexis Crouch says she got high-flying lesson to share with her students

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Blue Angels officially fly into town Thursday, ahead of the Navy's much anticipated, annual air show.

Thousands are expected to pack Naval Air Station Jacksonville to watch the famous flight demonstration squadron and others, but Wednesday, there was a special showing for a select few.

Among the privileged few chosen to fly Wednesday with the Blue Angels was a local teacher, who describes her experience flying high -- simply beautiful.

High school science instructor Alexis Crouch teaches at Edward H. White Military Academy of Leadership in Jacksonville.

Crouch was one of several local residents nominated to take a test drive as the Navy's flight demonstration squadron prepares for this weekend's annual air show at NAS Jax.

Crouch said at times she literally got lost in the clouds.

"A couple other times, I was like, 'Oh! Wait, I was upside down for the last 30 seconds? Oh! OK!'" Crouch said.

Crouch's airborne stomach crunches allowed her to experience some serious gravitational force.

"Max g-force that I was able to pull was 7.3, and I didn't pass out," Crouch said.

Watching from the ground, the jets zipped by so quickly that guests had a better chance of catching all the action with their camera's "unwavering eye."

In the end, Crouch said has she got a lesson for her students.

"The science, the math, you think you don't need it? But if you want to do anything like this, you're going to use it," Crouch said.

Crouch told News4Jax that she and another guest were nominated through the Navy's underwater robotics program called Sea Perch.