Inweekly has been told that the Blue Angels are bringing back Lieutenant Commander Frank Weisser to flow solo with the team.
Weisser will join the Blue Angels next week and will begin flying dedicated training sorties with the team when it returns from Boeing Seafair Air Show in Seattle in early August. The Blue Angels are expected to be ready for six-jet show in time for the Cleveland National Airshow, Sept. 3-5.
According to Blue Angels Wiki, Lieutenant Commander Frank Weisser is a native of Atlanta, Ga., and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2000. He reported to NAS Pensacola for aviation indoctrination and completed primary flight training at NAS Whiting Field. He then transferred to NAS Meridian, Miss., for intermediate and advanced flight training. He received his wings of gold in November 2002.
In April 2005, he reported to Strike Fighter Squadron 87 (VFA-87), the “War Party,” where he deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in August 2005. During this deployment, Frank flew 34 combat missions over Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Weisser joined the Blue Angels in September 2007. He served as the Narrator and VIP Pilot in 2008 and as the Opposing Solo pilot and NATOPS Officer in 2009. His decorations include the Strike Flight Air Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and various personal and unit awards.
He was serving in Germany when he received to the call to rejoin the Blues. He and his wife Bethany were featured in the book “Fly Navy: Discovering the Extraordinary People and Enduring Spirit of Naval Aviation” by Alvin Towny.
I originally attached to this post a photo from the Navy of Lt. Cmdr. Weisser, but as you can tell from the comments, the Navy mislabeled the photo. It was Weisser.
Here is an interview with Weisser when he last was with the Blues:
Interview with Blue Angel Pilot Frank Weisser from My South TV on Vimeo.