Osaka-native SDF pilot makes dream come true in Blue Impulse flights over Expo site
ASDF pilot Shoya Matsuura, 30, is from Suita, Osaka Prefecture, home to the iconic "Tower of the Sun," the symbol of the 1970 Osaka Expo. He saw the Blue Impulse team's performance about 15 years ago and decided to become a pilot. Making his childhood dream come true, Matsuura commented, "I've achieved a lifetime goal."
The team took the same flight route on both days, taking off from Kansai International Airport around 2:40 p.m., passing landmarks such as Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka's Naniwa Ward and Osaka Castle in Chuo Ward, before flying over the Tower of the Sun. From around 3 p.m., a 15-minute aerial display took place over the artificial island of Yumeshima, the Expo site.
The aircraft emitted white smoke, creating heart shapes and the number "8," and performed aerobatic flights, including ascending in a widening spiral.
"It was amazing," Matsuura said after the flight on July 12. Reflecting on flying over Suita, he commented, "I was happy to have the rare opportunity to see my hometown from the sky. I wondered if my friends were watching."
Before boarding the aircraft on the second day, the team held a briefing where pilots reviewed weather conditions, the runway at Kansai International Airport, flight altitude, scheduled performances at the Expo site and the flight route. Matsuura smiled while confirming the timing for the smoke release.
After successfully completing the momentous two-day stunt, Matsuura stated, "I hope there was a moment that moved the hearts of those who watched the flights. Flying over the area near the Tower of the Sun where I grew up was an unforgettable sight."
(Japanese original by Tadakazu Nakamura, Izumisano Resident Bureau)
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