Detroit's Alex DeBrincat experienced a high-flying thrill ride with the U.S. Navy’s elite Blue Angels pilot team in new video.
The Detroit Red Wings posted a video to YouTube on Thursday featuring forward Alex DeBrincat trading in his skates for a flight suit. This past June, he joined the U.S. Navy’s elite Blue Angels pilot team for a high-octane airshow experience in Metro Detroit. The team captured the thrilling ride in a cinematic YouTube video, styled like the blockbuster film Top Gun, complete with aerial loops and sky-high drama.
DeBrincat climbed aboard an F/A-18 Super Hornet with Navy pilot Major Scott Laux for the unforgettable flight. Soaring through the skies at speeds reaching 600 mph and pulling up to 7.5 G’s (which is 7.5 times the force of gravity) the Red Wings winger experienced the kind of ride that usually only fighter pilots and action heroes see.
On the ground, his wife and two young children watched proudly as DeBrincat zipped through the sky above Southeast Michigan, including a scenic flyover of the iconic Big House at the University of Michigan.
During the flight, Major Laux guided DeBrincat through special breathing techniques designed to keep him conscious and alert during the most intense moments of the flight. At extreme speeds and sharp turns, the body can struggle to pump blood to the brain, which can lead to fainting, something DeBrincat admitted he came very close to at points.
DeBrincat’s ride included barrel rolls, steep climbs, and thrilling loops, all captured for Detroit faithful to see. The plane weaved through layers of cloudscape, revealing stunning views of the region and resulting in one of the most unexpectedly stunning videos the Red Wings have ever created.
At the end of the flight, a smiling and slightly exhausted DeBrincat handed Major Laux a custom Red Wings jersey as a thank-you for the unforgettable ride.
