Blue Angels return to Milwaukee for the first time since 2017. But there's more going on behind the scenes.

Maverick may be back, proving he’s got a need for speed, but there’s more to flying than what meets the eye.

That was the theme Thursday as the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels geared up for their weekend shows in Milwaukee. What the public will see is the end product, and just the most visible feature, of months of training, countless hours of preparation and a team of people on the ground that makes it work.

“There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to get just one pilot and one jet airborne,” said Lt. Griffin Stangel, a native of Madison who narrates the Blue Angels show.

Stangel, a pilot by trade, will be one of those key people on the ground at this year's event. Wearing a headset, he gets audio cues from one of the pilots and translates them into descriptions for viewers, announcing what the pilots are doing and what maneuvers are coming up. In between, he shares some history of the Blue Angels. 

The performance is the capstone each day of the Milwaukee Air & Water Show on the lakefront.

“I’m happy to be back in Wisconsin,” Stangel said. 

Behind-the-scenes action

What crowds won't see this weekend is the same thing missing from "Top Gun: Maverick." 

Stangel acknowledged he enjoyed the summer hit. "It was a great movie," Stangel said.

But away from Hollywood, critical work involving a host of people happens long before the Super Hornets leave the runway.

Katlin Forster, a maintenance engineer for the Blue Angels, serves as one of the behind-the-scenes experts. She specializes in maintaining the jet engines, fuel systems and smoke systems.

"It’s a lot like working with a car," said Forster, who is also a pilot. Any type of oil change or part replacement needs to be taken care of to make sure the safest jet is being sent up each flight. 

Then there's the pre-show ritual.

“We have our own little hype-ups when (the six demonstration pilots) first start walking down to the jets,” Forster said. 

Once in the air, Stangel said, pilots need to be focused 100% while flying. 

They don’t even get to enjoy the view.

"There's not a ton of time to put your head on a swivel to (observe) the scenery,” he said.

First show in five years

The Blue Angels haven’t done a show in Milwaukee since 2017, due to a combination of pandemic and weather-related challenges.

“It’s been good coming back to show sites that we haven’t been to in a few years,” Forster said. “It seems like the locals are really excited for us to be here. It seems like these air and water shows are getting even bigger.”

Stangel will be up in the air next year for the 2023 shows, which will be in Milwaukee July 22-23.

Next year’s show also will feature the first woman demonstration pilot for the Blue Angels, Amanda Lee.

While women have served on the Blue Angels squadron in other roles — including this year's flight surgeon, public affairs officer and maintenance officer — this will be the first time a woman will fly a Blue Angels jet.

Lee's selection was announced Monday.

Special challenges

Rigorous training and experience are needed to be selected, and it’s an honor to be in the squadron. But with all that experience, coming to a site like Milwaukee still poses special considerations.

Since the majority of their shows are over airfields, pilots need to prepare and think a bit differently when flying over water, Stangel said.

Then there’s navigating a jet through the city itself after they take off from the Air National Guard's 128th Refueling Wing at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.

“Flying right downtown with the towers and buildings does present some other challenges," he said.

Still, Stangel said, the energy and enthusiasm the pilots bring to each show is infectious.

And as for the flying itself, Stangel — who's call sign is "Push-Pop" — compared it to riding a roller coaster.

"And then magnify that feeling 10 times," he said.

More:Milwaukee Air & Water Show 2022: When the Blue Angels perform and everything else you need to know

What to see, hear

The Blue Angels pilots will be practicing in their F/A-18 Super Hornet jets at noon on Friday.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Milwaukee Air and Water Show will take place between McKinley and Bradford beaches on the Lake Michigan shoreline. It starts at noon; the Blue Angels go up at 3 p.m.