Andrew Morgan, a firefighter at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity over the weekend.
He took off in the backseat of an F-16 with Thunderbird Major Jason Markzon as his pilot. Prior to the flight, he was showed the ropes by Thunderbirds and given a brief training session. "It was surreal. It gave me a different perspective, obviously, from everything I'm used to and see on a daily basis," Morgan said. "To be able to do those maneuvers and what the guys are capable of is mindblowing."
Firefighter Morgan is already a real-life hero. He made a daring rescue back in October, bringing three painters to safety at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. They were hanging 375 feet above the ground after a scaffolding broke.
Morgan reportedly repelled down the building, strapping one of the men to his body. The other two were hauled to the roof by the rest of his team.