Channel 9 reporter Sam Martello got a rare glimpse of life in the sky when he joined the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team for a training session ahead of the Cocoa Beach Airshow. The experience, arranged through the team’s media outreach program, gave Martello a front-row seat to the precision maneuvers that will later thrill crowds on the Space Coast. 'It’s one thing to watch them from the ground,' Martello said. 'But being up there, feeling the G-forces, that’s something else.' The airshow, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Brevard County Fairgrounds, is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to the beach town. The Blue Angels, based at Naval Air Station Pensacola, conduct hundreds of flight demonstrations annually across the country. Their training sessions, which Martello attended at a private airfield near Melbourne, involve rigorous practice in formation flying, aerobatics, and emergency procedures. 'They’re pushing the limits of what planes can do,' Martello said. 'It’s a mix of skill and trust between the pilots.' The airshow will feature not only the Blue Angels but also other military and civilian aviation groups, including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. Local businesses have already begun preparing for the influx of visitors, with hotels and restaurants reporting increased reservations. 'This event is a big deal for our community,' said Cocoa Beach Mayor John Tiner. 'It brings people here who might not otherwise visit, and it showcases what our area has to offer.' The Blue Angels’ appearance is part of a larger effort to promote STEM education and military careers. The team plans to host youth outreach events during the airshow, including a STEM fair and meet-and-greet sessions with pilots. For Martello, the experience was both professional and personal. 'I’ve covered airshows before, but this was different,' he said. 'Being in the cockpit, feeling the plane’s power—it’s a memory I’ll carry for a long time.'