Former Penn State football linebacker Michael Mauti is set to fly with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels on Friday, May 22, Air Dot Show Central PA officials announced today.

Mauti will be in the backseat of an F/A-18 Super Hornet for a 45-minute flight. The Nittany Lion will get the full Blue Angels experience, doing loops, rolls, and turns.

“I saw the Blue Angels fly for the first time when I was 10 years old,” Mauti told Air Dot Show Central PA. “That kid never imagined he’d get to climb into the cockpit. The trust these pilots have in each other and the elite standard they hold themselves to is what makes them the best in the world. It’s the same standard that holds any great team together. I’m honored to be selected and look forward to learning from them.”

The current associate director of development for Penn State athletics was selected to fly as part of the Blue Angels’ “Key Influencer” program, which honors deserving local people. He was recognized for his leadership, resilience, and longstanding service to his community, according to an Air Dot Show Central PA press release.

The former Penn State linebacker played for the Nittany Lions from 2008 to 2012. During the 2012 season, he earned consensus All-America honors, was named Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, and served as team captain.

Mauti was later drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 7th round of the 2013 NFL Draft, but moved to the New Orleans Saints two years later.