Navy pilot Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Zimmerman speaks with Erik Erazo, who was buckled in for a flight on the Blue Angels jet on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, at New Century AirCenter in Gardner, Kansas. Erazo, a lowrider bike club founder selected as the Key Influencer for the 2023 Garmin KC Air Show, was honored with a flight in an F/A 18 Super Hornet. “I only passed out once,” said Earzo, who briefly passed out when the aircraft hit 7 Gs. (Tammy Ljungblad/TNS)
GARDNER, Kansas (Tribune News Service) — Erik Erazo knows how to ride in style.
The Olathe School District administrator is the founder of the Olathe Leadership Lowrider Bike Club. The custom rides he inspires students to build are bicycles that take styling elements from lowrider car culture.
On Wednesday, Erazo took a ride that was anything but low.
He strapped into one of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet jets at New Century AirCenter in Gardner for the Garmin KC Air Show and went for a wild ride high in the sky.
The ride was meant to honor Erazo for creating programs that have transformed the lives of dozens of students, all who’ve gone on to graduate. Along with founding the bike club, Erazo serves as executive director of student and community engagement for the Olathe School District and is founder of The Spot, a free after school program.
The U.S. Navy picked Erazo to be honored as the Key Influencer for the 2023 Garmin KC Air Show.
After a short briefing on flight and safety instructions, Erazo, 42, was buckled into the blue and yellow jet as many of his family members and lowrider bike club students looked on. The aircraft, piloted by U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Zimmerman, commands a top speed of 1,190 miles per hour.
Erazo’s three children and wife watched from a grassy berm as at Zimmerman guided the jet down the runway and blasted off into the skies and into a 360 degree aerial maneuver.
“First I was like, okay, it’s not going to be that bad,” said Erazo. He said he watched videos of other Blue Angel passengers before his flight. He also admitted to watching Top Gun.
“We did, you know what, three, four or five, six G’s,” he added. “Everything’s good to about seven, seven and a half, and then I just passed out,” Erazo said with a laugh.
“That was the weirdest experience I’ve ever had, I think because, I was dreaming or something, but it was all really great.”
“This is a huge blessing and I’m super excited,” Erazo said.
Erazo said the flight was important for him to show the kids that they can do just as much he can do.
“It’s a huge honor and I think, you’ll see the kids outside, they’re all wearing their club shirts,” he said. “And to me, this flight just means that we’re being recognized, that people see us.”
The Garmin KC Air Show is August 19-20 at New Century AirCenter featuring the Navy Blue Angels., F-22 Raptor Demo Team, and many civilian performers.
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