Developers from RORTUS and the Navy joined forces to create a new app for the iPhone and Android that allows the player to fly like a Navy Blue Angel in a flight simulator at real air show locations.
The app, “Blue Angels – Aerobatic SIM” released on July 15 and allows players to go into the cockpit and steer a virtual Navy Blue Angel F/A-18 Hornet or a C-130 Fat Albert and conduct real Blue Angel maneuvers such as the aileron roll, which is when the aircraft does a full 360 degree revolution about its longitudinal axis.
RORTUS and Naval Air Training Command as well as the Office of Naval Research collaborated on the project to get an official licensing agreement, according to Joel Bouve, CNATRA’s associate counsel and resident trademark expert, Navy Times reported. Developers made several trips to Pensacola, Florida, which is the home of the Blue Angels to determine how accurate the game was.
“We are grateful for the pilots and the whole team of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels who provided an accuracy verification that allowed us to create an exciting simulator for a unique and engaging gaming experience,” RORTOS CEO Roberto Simonetto said in a press release, Sunday.
Bouve said when looking to authorize a trademark, it has to follow the Navy’s mission to promote the service and educate the public.
“All of those things and the graphics associated with the apps we’re putting out coincide with that mission,” Bouvé told Navy Times, “to get kids interested in aviation, in flight.”
The game has two tabs. One tab allows the player to find information about the team aircraft show and learn more about the Navy Blue Angels, such as the officers in the team, the shows schedule and the Navy Blue Angels mission. The other tab lets you play the game.
The game also has a creative feature that allows the player to create their own maneuvers as well as organize their own air show.
The Navy decided to award the developers a three year deal for the imagery as well as the Blue Angel name for the game.
