I don’t often find myself jealous of celebrities and the trials and tribulations of being world famous. That was until I found myself watching all 28 minutes and 11 seconds of Dutch producer and DJ, Martin Garrix, sky high in an F-16 fighter jet for the latest episode of his YouTube vlog, and boy did my teeth grind with jealousy.
As a guest of the Dutch Air Force on secondment with the US National Guard in Arizona, the 26-year-old nabbed himself the backseat in a two-seater F-16 Fighting Falcon. But this was no ordinary celebrity joy flight, nor was it a quick in-and-out photo opportunity.
Garrix began the lengthy process at an Air Force base in the Netherlands, where he had an orientation with the jet and the team that supported it, followed by a medical that cleared him to fly. He then travelled across the pond to 312 Squadron at the Morris National Guard Base out in the desert of the southern United States, linking up with his Dutch comrades for g-suit calibration, ejection basics, and a flight briefing.
As for his time in the air? Even a TOP GUN: Maverick cast member would have been impressed with his aerobatics, which included a canyon fly through at a surprisingly low altitude and banks of up to 9Gs. The real kicker, though, was his brief time at the controls. Confidently throttling the power up full send and rolling the jet multiple times under the supervision of his pilot.
Watch the madness above, and then check out all the action from our time in Las Vegas with Martin Garrix and JBL.
