June 30, 2004
Courtade captures Angels
West High School graduate photographer for Navy Blue Angels flight team
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
It's a posting almost beyond dreaming about.
But for Ryan Courtade, getting a coveted position with the Blue Angels as a photographer is a reality he has been living since November of 2003.
A 1999 graduate of Traverse City West High School and an Eagle Scout with Troop 27, Courtade is a Photographer's Mate 2nd Class with the team. Heading to boot camp just after graduation, this petty officer now accompanies the Blue Angels on their tours around the country and helps with a range of public relations duties.
The ones nearest to his heart are completed behind the viewfinder of his camera. He has a number of published team photos to his credit, though no aerial images yet. To snap aerial images used in a range of publications, the team photographer rides in the second seat of the number 7 plane, the only two-seater in the group.
"I've got the camera in one hand and the garbage bag in the other," said Courtade, an aircrewman with 2,000 flight hours. "The Blue Angels do not wear G suits. In combat you wouldn't be as close, with somebody sitting on your shoulder but we fly less than three feet apart."
"It's quite fascinating, they give you the ride of your life," he said. "The pilots have nerves of steel."
Before joining the Blue Angels, Courtade was stationed in Brunswick, Maine. He met and married his future wife there and completed a lot of research and development work for the Navy related to anti-submarine warfare.
"We take what's out there and make it apply to the Navy and test it in a real world situation," Courtade said. "My duties were I flew T3s, patrol squadron planes."
Before joining the Navy, Courtade shopped around to all the service branches, determined to pursue a photojournalism career in the service. He credits Martha Fox, an art teacher at West High School, with awakening and nurturing his passion for photography. He also notes the opportunities provided by the school by having a darkroom and a photography department.
"I took a lot of art classes and was her assistant for a year," recalled Courtade, who was photo editor of the yearbook his senior year. "If she didn't have a lot for me to do, she let me work in the darkroom and would critique my photos."
"It was a lot of one on one and it kept me in the photography world," he continued. "She pushed me to cover and cover and cover [events], that's why I'm here now."
Courtade also credits his parents, John and JoAnne, and Rev. Jerry Micketti of St. Patrick's Catholic Church with his success as an adult. Twelve years in the Boy Scouts and achieving Eagle Scout rank also helped build a strong foundation for accomplishment.
"My father is the dad that everybody loves to have, his policy was, 'If you plan it, I'll do it,'" Courtade said. "I was senior patrol leader and running the troop, but my dad was always there. Probably one of the reasons I made Eagle Scout was I always knew he was there."
Dave Bathje, a Long Lake Township resident, was assistant scoutmaster of Troop 27 when Courtade was a member. Bathje noted that Courtade was an exemplary scout, exhibiting leadership, mastering the skills and always willing to help out.
"His success does not surprise me, not at all," said Bathje. "With Ryan, everything had to be the best. That's why he was such a good teacher to the kids, he wouldn't sign the kids off on a skill if it was half-baked."
"He's just a really cool guy, I'm just really pleased to see him go where he's gone," he added.