HOUSTON – The Blue Angels will be flying over Texas this week honoring frontline workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic, including one pilot with Houston-area ties.
Major Frank Zastoupil a U.S Marine Corps pilot will be flying over Houston Wednesday, including the downtown skyline twice with his two copilots.
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He graduated from Kingwood High School in 2005, moving on to Texas A&M University where he graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology in 2009.
Maj. Frank Zastoupil ‘09, an Aggie @USMC F-35 Lightning II pilot, has been selected to be a @BlueAngels demonstration pilot in 2020! #tamu @theeagle → https://t.co/bMD32W1lR9 pic.twitter.com/YxzULAQsbc
— Texas A&M University (@TAMU) July 31, 2019
In an interview with Bryan-College Station’s The Eagle, he said his interest in aviation starting when he was a junior in high school. It became his calling ever since.
Before graduating from Texas A&M, he signed his officer candidacy preparatory work to join the Marine Corps. Zastoupil “effusely” praised his time at Texas A&M.
He joined the Blue Angels in September 2019, accumulating more than 1,000 hours of flight time across three different tactical platforms. His decorations include three Strike Flight Air Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and various personal and unit awards.
First F-35 Pilot In The Blue Angels 🇺🇸
— Marine Corps Installations Command (@MCICOM_HQ) August 1, 2019
In 2020, @USMC Maj. Frank Zastoupil will be the first ever F-35 pilot to fly with the @BlueAngels.
Watch this video of Maj. Zastoupil as he talks about the F-35B Lighting II.
(Video by Sgt. Rene Lucerobonilla) pic.twitter.com/l2ej1huQSe