10/29 — Hey, Jets fans! It’s Mandisa from the Flight Crew. Can you believe we’re halfway through our season?! Man, this year sure is flying by.

As a third-year veteran, I can’t help but take a step back sometimes and think about how far the Flight Crew has come. It feels like only yesterday when I received the phone call from Denise letting me know I made the team, which has ultimately changed my life! Since being on the Flight Crew I’ve gotten the chance to travel on our first military tour, be nominated as a Pro Bowl representative, experience new heights in my performance career, and make some lasting friendships with fellow FC members.

However, the most exciting recognition was being a part of the first edition of the New York Jets Flight Crew calendar!

I received the call that I’d been picked to participate in the calendar shoot the week after our intense final audition back in May. I was already excited about making it back on the team for a third season — and now I had the chance to be in a calendar?! This was surreal!

The preparation for our calendar shoot happened so quickly with us shooting two weeks after our finals. The calendar shoot was two days — first shooting at Jones Beach, Long Island, and then Belmar, NJ. I was glad the Jets decided to do a local shoot showcasing great beaches in our area because Belmar beach happens to be my favorite beach in NJ!

My morning started at 2:30 a.m. ... yup, it was rough! I had to leave myself enough time to travel to Belmar from Jersey City for my 4 a.m. call time. Once I arrived, I went straight to the trailer for hair and makeup. My shoot was scheduled right at sunrise and even though it was chilly, I was super excited to shoot. Once I arrived on location, our photographer, Steve Vaccariello, and his staff immediately made me feel comfortable, and before I knew it, I was on the beach — and even in the water at times — completely forgetting how chilly it was!

After my shoot, I stuck around and watched my fellow FC members shoot and I must say the ladies looked fantastic!

Now I’m sure you guys would have loved to be at either location to see our shoot, right?! Well, you’re in luck because the Flight Crew will be featured in our first-ever TV special set to air on Oct. 31 at 2:30 p.m. on WCBS 2!!! The special will feature scenes from our final auditions this past May as well as scenes from our calendar shoot. So you better be tuned in. I know I will!

The Flight Crew has been going strong so far this season and we intend to finish even stronger. First we expanded from 22 members last season to 29 this season, then our first calendar shoot and now our first TV special! I definitely can’t wait to see what’s in store for the remainder of the season and for many years to come.

We definitely would not have been able to get here without the support of the organization and, most importantly, our fans. We feed off the energy and excitement from you all and love every chance we get to perform on the field. Thanks so much for your continued support and appreciation — you guys rock!

P.S. And if you don’t already have a calendar, now is the time to definitely pick one up. Hint, hint.

— Mandisa