Red Wings' Glendening flies with Blue Angels

Wednesday, 08.26.2015 / 5:00 PM NHL.com

Detroit Red Wings forward Luke Glendening took his offseason to new heights Wednesday when he flew with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

The 26-year-old center flew in an F/A-18 Hornet with the famed aviation acrobats during a test run for their 2015 Thunder Over Michigan show, which will be Aug. 29-30.

Glendening told MLive.com that he blacked out briefly during the flight but otherwise enjoyed himself.

The Blue Angels fly at speeds approaching 700 mph and come as close as 18 inches apart during some maneuvers.

Glendening isn't the first Red Wings player to fly with the Blue Angels. Last year, defenseman Danny DeKeyser flew with them. DeKeyser had some advice for Glendening prior to him climbing into the cockpit.

"I just gave him a few pointers," DeKeyser told the Red Wings website Tuesday. "They tell you how to breathe and stuff; you've got to tighten up your legs and your abs and stuff so the blood stays in your upper extremities."

DeKeyser said he enjoyed his experience and hoped Glendening would as well.

"It's really exciting," DeKeyser said. "I'm glad that he's getting a chance to do it because it's really fun. I think if anybody has an opportunity to do it in their life, then they should at least try it once because it's one of those things that a lot of people don't get to usually just do on a regular, everyday basis. I just told him have fun with it. He'll have a good time."

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