C420sailor

Eat my way out.

Okay okay. Story time!

I was fairly new in the squadron, and on my way back from one of our training areas, by myself. I was about 150 miles offshore, flying in some milky white clouds. The transit back from the working area is typically a time to relax, take some notes, enjoy the view, and maybe even take a piss. I suddenly saw a bright flash and heard the loudest boom of my life. Immediately, every display in my cockpit went blank, followed by dead silence. Following the obligatory "oh fuck", I nervously wiggled the stick---and the jet rocked her wings a touch to let me know she was still flying. I could feel the gentle vibration of the engines still running. Suddenly, the displays started coming back one by one, flashing 'STANDBY' as they powered back up. The fans came back on, and the jet started sounding normal again. Thank god. Then came the caution tone, followed by an aural 'flight controls, flight controls'. Fuck, here we go. I was met with a display full of cautions, including one that indicated the jet may be on fire. I looked back, trying to see if I was trailing smoke, but I couldn't tell in the thick clouds. I pushed the throttles up, started a climb to get on top of the weather, declared an emergency with ATC, and pointed my nose at home. I assessed that one of the flight control computers was dead, I didn't have basic flight instrumentation, and I may have a smoldering fire in the engine bay. Not good. I ended up doing a controllability check over the bay to see if I could land the jet safely, and came back for a field arrestment (like a carrier landing, but on a runway). Postflight inspection revealed that the lightning entered through the nosegear well (right under my ass), traveled down the center of the jet, and exited via the left vertical stab---blowing a corner of it clean off. That jet didn't fly for a year.

I kissed the ground after that flight.

I would LOVE to intercept and escort that airliner!

In order to become a Super Hornet pilot, you need to be an officer first. There are three primary means of becoming an officer: Naval Academy, NROTC, OCS. Once you have a four year degree and you're commissioned as a Naval Officer, it's time to go to flight school! You'll report to Pensacola to do IFS and API. IFS consists of about a dozen hours in a Cessna, and is a blast. API consists of four weeks of academics (Aerodynamics, Navigation, Meteorology, Engines/Systems, Flight Rules, Aviation Physiology) and two weeks of water and land survival. Upon completion of API, you'll do Primary. In Primary, you learn to fly the T-6 Texan II (I flew the old T-34C when I went through), and that takes about six to eight months. You'll learn basic airwork, basic instruments, aerobatics, radio instruments, and basic formation flying. If you have the grades, you'll move on to Intermediate Jet/Advanced Strike training, where you'll fly the T-45C Goshawk. This takes about 10 months, and this is where you learn how to fly a single engine jet, tactical formation, dive bombing, basic fighter maneuvers, and how to land on the ship. At this point, you get your wings of gold and go off to a Fleet Replacement Squadron to learn how to fly the F/A-18. This can take anywhere from eight to sixteen months, depending. Here you learn the basics of employing the Super Hornet in combat. Upon completion, off you go to your first fleet squadron for deployment.

I do not. That sounds like the Distributed Aperture System (DAS?) that the F-35 has. We have the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, which projects symbology on our visor, and slews weapon seekers and sensors. You can lock something up and shoot it without having to maneuver the jet---just by looking at it. It's pretty rad.