F/A-18 in Centennial Co. (KAPA)

[brownshoe]

I’m curious here. In my day, starting a Navy jet required all sorts of support gizmos. In fact the A4-B and C needed a special probe, E and later models had been modified, just a huffer was required. If my memory serves me, we had to stow a probe in the B’s and C’s when they went on a cross-country, even to military airfields. I know things must have changed since my day. But, do civilian airports have all of the necessary support equipment for military aircraft?

Hell, I once towed an A-4 from JAX to Cecil. A plane from our squadron had landed there with a few problems one evening. The next day, a decision was made that it would be easier for me to go and get it with a tow tractor, rather than to send all of the necessary stuff to JAX to get it into the air. (Interesting tow.)

Steve

 

[FLYTPAY]

My one and only S-3 ride came in '74 when VX-1 was sending one of our S-3s to VS-20something (VS-21?). Non-stop Pax River to North Island. I was going on emergency leave and the squadron took care of it's own...

Must have been summer and must have had a huge tailwind. I have never been able to do Jax to North Island without a fuel stop.....and that trip is about 200 miles shorter than Pax to North Island. Did it hit a tanker?

But, do civilian airports have all of the necessary support equipment for military aircraft?

Government contract gas is required to go to a civilian field, also, you do not go to place that cannot support you, or your security requirement. Hornets do not need any GSE to start up.

 

[HeyJoe]

Do VX aircraft eventually make their way to VFA/VAQ/etc. squadrons once the test squadron is done with them? Or are they permanently VX-attached? I don't know anything really about how the test squadrons work.

Depends on the VX squadron. The orginal VX Operational Test squadrons (VX-1, HMX-1, VX-9, etc.) are supposed to use aircraft exactly like those in the fleet to test them as a system to determine if they are operationally effective and suitable for fleet introduction. They cannot use early production protoypes hence Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) to to give OT squadrons a production representative configuration to conduct OPEVAL that supports the decision to go to Full Rate Production (FRP). On the other end, Developmental Test Squarons (VX-20, 21, 23, 30, 31, etc.) can and do use early protoypes and modify other aircraft to point they cannot be returned to fleet service (C-130 with E-2 radome, EA-3 with F/A-18 nose, etc.).

 

[brownshoe]

Government contract gas is required to go to a civilian field, also, you do not go to place that cannot support you, or your security requirement. Hornets do not need any GSE to start up.

Thanks! Obviously things have changed. But, do Hornets, and other modern Navy aircraft have an internal power source that allows for staring engines? Sorry for being dumb. I’ve been out awhile.

Steve

 

[FLYTPAY]

Thanks! Obviously things have changed. But, do Hornets, and other modern Navy aircraft have an internal power source that allows for staring engines? Sorry for being dumb. I’ve been out awhile.

Steve

Yes, we turn on the battery, turn on the APU, and fire em up.

 

[brownshoe]

Yes, we turn on the battery, turn on the APU, and fire em up.

Ah, easy livin'. I hated those A-4 probes.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Crowbar]

But, do civilian airports have all of the necessary support equipment for military aircraft?

Varies field to field.

But, do Hornets, and other modern Navy aircraft have an internal power source that allows for staring engines?

Steve

Prowler doesn't, we need electrical power and a huffer.

Oh, sorry. You said "modern".

 

[brownshoe]

Oh, sorry. You said "modern".

Steve

 

[Flugelman]

Must have been summer and must have had a huge tailwind. I have never been able to do Jax to North Island without a fuel stop.....and that trip is about 200 miles shorter than Pax to North Island. Did it hit a tanker?

Was early in the year, March or April IIRC. No tanker. Not sure what the fuel load was or even if it had drops installed. I do remember my butt clenching the first time I armed the seat with the "Head Knocker". Although I had gone thru the seat training at Cecil and rode the seat there, this was my one and only time to ride a live seat.

 

[brownshoe]

... this was my one and only time to ride a live seat.

Me too! Once in a TA-4F, AND I was punished... big time.

Steve

 

[FLYTPAY]

Was early in the year, March or April IIRC. No tanker. Not sure what the fuel load was or even if it had drops installed. I do remember my butt clenching the first time I armed the seat with the "Head Knocker". Although I had gone thru the seat training at Cecil and rode the seat there, this was my one and only time to ride a live seat.

It would have to have had drop tanks. The headknockers sucked.

 

[H20man]

VX-20...C-130 with E-2 radome.

I had to do a double take after taxing by it when I managed to get a ride in one of their T-34s.

 

[C420sailor]

2ndGen,
Instead of having to deal with the "red line of death" at BKF

You're talking about the large red box on the ramp right? What is that for? I almost taxied through one once and my instructor freaked. He never explained what it was for---he only said 'NEVER go in that box'.

 

[zipmartin]

Hell, I once towed an A-4 from JAX to Cecil. A plane from our squadron had landed there with a few problems one evening. The next day, a decision was made that it would be easier for me to go and get it with a tow tractor, rather than to send all of the necessary stuff to JAX to get it into the air. (Interesting tow.)

Steve, back in 1977 when I was going through VA-174, (the A-7 RAG for you youngsters), we had a jet that needed to be towed to NARF Jax. The squadron had a requirement that an officer needed to accompany the tow (somebody to hang if anything happened). I wasn't on the flight schedule that day so I got picked. I figured if I was going to be responsible, I might as well ride the brakes to be able to stop quickly if needed. Five hours later we delivered the jet to NARF, scratch-free. Definitely an interesting tow. Many quizzical looks from people.