Jennie Runevitch flies with the Thunderbirds - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

One of the highlights at the Indianapolis Air Show is the Thunderbirds. From the ground, their skill is stunning.

But if you've ever wondered what it's like to experience an F-16 firsthand, Eyewitness News reporter Jennie Runevitch takes you aboard.

I am not a daredevil. Although lately, I play one on TV.

First, an exhilarating ride in the IndyCar two-seater with Mario Andretti in May, then this week's phenomenal flight in an F-16 with the Air Force Thunderbirds.

I'm not quite sure how I snagged the sweet gigs, but they've been experiences of a lifetime!

When I learned I'd be flying with the Thunderbirds, I was so excited...then suddenly petrified.

Could I do it? Would I barf? Even worse - black out?

There was no going back, though. I couldn't turn down such an amazing opportunity, even with a major case of the nerves.

Preparations for the flight started the day before, or more precisely, two days before, since my flight was delayed a day.

I received an email from the Thunderbirds telling me to drink water, lots of it, then drink some more.

Hydration helps to prevent airsickness, and I knew I didn't want any part of that. So water-logged I was, for two days straight. I also couldn't have my morning cup of coffee, since that would reverse all the hydration I'd accomplished. Two days without java? Not fun.

But again, I wanted to do this thing right.

The Thunderbirds advised me to eat light.  So when flight day arrived, I had a banana, some peanut butter and toast, and drove to the USPS facility at Indianapolis International Airport to meet with the team.

Mouth dry (despite all that water) and hands shaking (despite no caffeine), I went inside and got down to business.

Pre-flight lessons lasted three hours.

First up, was the Thunderbirds Flight Surgeon, Major Michael Carletti. He schooled me on how to avoid losing my lunch and avoid blacking out. The two most important things to remember, he told me: breathing and g-strains. G-strain is a fancy term for clenching your muscles really tight.

The G-suit I wore has packets, or "bladders" in the legs and abdomen, which expand automatically when g-forces increase, but they're not enough to protect you from the pressure when you pull serious G's.

So I learned that squeezing my leg and glute muscles would give me that extra protection.

(And yes, I'm very sore from those now.)

Maj. Carletti also showed me how to breathe during the G-pulls.

Basically, you have to take one deep breath in, hold it in your throat, then do a series of short exhale-inhale bursts to keep oxygen flowing to the brain. You sound a little silly doing that, but it was key to keeping me safe.

Maj. Carletti was also kind enough to point out that many people who fly with the Thunderbirds do get sick.

He said there's no shame in it and calmly showed me where the barf bag would be located on my suit - three of them actually - in case the spins got the best of me.

"You're just gonna drop your mask, and use your motion sickness bag. Tie it. Tuck it. Reload and mask back up," he told me. The banana started doing barrel rolls in my stomach after that conversation.

But, it was onto fittings.

I got my flight suit, my Thunderbirds patches, the G-suit, and helmet with oxygen mask. Plus, I got a primer in worst-case scenarios: how to bail out with the ejector seat if something went horribly wrong. Thankfully, I never had to put that information to use!

My pilot was the extremely talented Captain Michael Fisher, aka "Drago." He's the voice you hear narrating at the Indy Air Show. He reviewed the breathing techniques, explained g-forces and went over all the maneuvers we'd attempt in the air that day.

At that point, it was starting to feel real.

I was starting to get more nervous. But before I knew it, we were headed out onto the tarmac toward the F-16.

What an awesome aircraft - and the canopy actually had my name on it. How cool is that!?

After a few photos, I suited up and got inside, seated behind my pilot, careful not to touch the "eject" handle positioned near my knees.

When the engine fired, my fear that had reached fever pitch, suddenly started to fade. The excitement was back.

"You ready?" Capt. Fisher asked. "Let's do this," I responded.

The takeoff for the Thunderbirds is simply incredible. You know the feeling as you're about to crest the hill of a big roller coaster? This was ten times that thrill.

We did what's called an unrestricted climb.

There's no gradual takeoff. It's immediate - straight up 12,500 feet. I clenched muscles like I'd never clenched before and watched the sun fill my field of vision. It honestly felt like we were in a rocket bound for the moon.

It was fast. It was freeing. It was an amazing rush of adrenaline.

When we hit high altitude, I finally was able to look down and what a beautiful sight. The view from an F-16 is simply spectacular.

Capt. Fisher flew out to some unrestricted air space over Columbus, Indiana to do the aerobatics he'd told me about.

There were clover loops, barrel rolls, inverted passes, 8 point rolls, basically every trick you see at the Indianapolis Air Show.

They were fun and exciting - and so far - I wasn't getting sick! That's when Capt. Fisher said, "You ready for the g's?"

It was time. All the lessons, the breathing, the muscle strains had to be done correctly right now. "I'm ready," I said nervously. The aerobatic maneuver made us pull 6.4 G's.

How does that feel? Imagine a big blood pressure cuff squeezing your entire body. Hard.

That was the experience.

It drains you, as if you'd just had a tough workout, but it's also really impressive. I couldn't believe I didn't black out.

Full disclosure, I did start feeling a bit queasy after the last few spins we did toward the end of the flight.

That's when I gave myself an extra shot of oxygen and told my pilot - I think we'd better fly straight and level for awhile.

So after a cruise around downtown Indy, circling the Circle City, we got back to the ground.

But what a thrill. 45 minutes in an F-16, skimming the clouds and spinning through the sky at hundreds of miles per hour. It's something I will never forget.

After landing, a group of Airmen greeted me, shook my hand and thanked me for taking part.

Honestly, it's the Airmen who deserve our thanks. The Thunderbirds are a dedicated, talented team.

They not only wow families at air shows across the country, but also share the stories of the U.S. Air Force.

They execute pride, precision and professionalism every day. Having flown with the elite, this reporter respects their skill now, more than ever.

And even if I'm not a true daredevil, they dared me to try.