No more CQs?

[phrogdriver]

Apparently TACAIR SNAs won’t be doing CQs once the T-45 is replaced.

It seems like a reasonable premise, but it will be a hit to tradition.

Having seen the direction they went with on the helo trainer, CNATRA is definitely not wedded to the old ways, for better or worse.

 

[dirigibledreamer]

Rag has already transitioned to full PLM so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Strike SNAs cease CQ in the T-45 within the next year or two.

 

[nittany03]

There's a lot of "ifs" and "mays" in that article . . . those closer to the problem can talk to its feasibility, but it sounds like something that's still pre-decisional other than the RUMINT about Big Navy's decision to axe touch-and-go CQ.

It also seems to handwave away a lot of the burden that'd end up on VAW-120 and the E-2 squadrons, but again, I'll let folks who've actually flown an E-2 comment on that.

I will put on my old man hat and say that if the Goosehawk is now the toughest thing to bring aboard in the Fleet, you fuckers have it easy.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

The writing is on the wall. F-35s don't even fly manual passes at the field, and anything other than DFP is considered a "circus" pass. After a false start in November, PLM CQ is on for the dudes in -122. For the past few CQ classes in -125, two bolters or less total for the entire det has been the norm.

I know I appreciate my undergraduate CQ in the T-45 but from a pure cost standpoint I can understand why there's a push to eliminate it. I'm sure there's a benefit to seeing boat ops in a jet that doesn't begin with F, F/A or E/A but whether that's worth the $$$ of T-45 CQ is an interesting question.

 

[Farva01]

I am all for it.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

There's a lot of "ifs" and "mays" in that article . . . those closer to the problem can talk to its feasibility, but it sounds like something that's still pre-decisional other than the RUMINT about Big Navy's decision to axe touch-and-go CQ.

It also seems to handwave away a lot of the burden that'd end up on VAW-120 and the E-2 squadrons, but again, I'll let folks who've actually flown an E-2 comment on that.

I will put on my old man hat and say that if the Goosehawk is now the toughest thing to bring aboard in the Fleet, you fuckers have it easy.

Yeah, I'm only worried about future E-2 Bubbas. I'm sure there is a plan for way more FCLPs/etc. But I felt like at (my personal) E-2/C-2 CQ, it was hit or miss and you did need some help from the right seat IP (CAPC). And when you get to the fleet, you'll always have a CAPC with you before you're landing on it on your own. And you won't make CAPC until they are comfortable that you always will.

I remember having two main IP's during my E-2 quals... One would say "focus... FOcus... FOCUS!!!. while on the ball, and one that told me I was way over-controlling and needed to relax the stick (or control wheel) a bit. The second was WAY more helpful, as trust me, I was as fucking focused as I could be regardless of being told to be.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Rag has already transitioned to full PLM so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Strike SNAs cease CQ in the T-45 within the next year or two.

Not all of them have. Some (coughVFAcough) still have jets on the line that are non-HOL, don't have path, don't know how to standardize the variance between studs with rate only vs those with a choice, etc etc etc. At least so I have heard.

 

[dirigibledreamer]

Not all of them have. Some (coughVFAcough) still have jets on the line that are non-HOL, don't have path, don't know how to standardize the variance between studs with rate only vs those with a choice, etc etc etc. At least so I have heard.

True, but atleast at 106 most have been upgraded to V40 and the next boat the studs are straight PLM.

 

[Python]

The writing is on the wall. F-35s don't even fly manual passes at the field, and anything other than DFP is considered a "circus" pass. After a false start in November, PLM CQ is on for the dudes in -122. For the past few CQ classes in -125, two bolters or less total for the entire det has been the norm.

I know I appreciate my undergraduate CQ in the T-45 but from a pure cost standpoint I can understand why there's a push to eliminate it. I'm sure there's a benefit to seeing boat ops in a jet that doesn't begin with F, F/A or E/A but whether that's worth the $$$ of T-45 CQ is an interesting question.

I’ve done plenty of manual passes at the field in the F-35. They teach to use APC (rate equivalent), but they don’t prohibit doing it manually. Maybe it’s old gouge since I’ve been out of the game a little bit. That said, manual field approach/landing is as much of a nonevent as it would be in a F/A-18. All that aside, I agree with your points. (Sorry for the threadjack)

 

[wink]

So what's up with the E-2 concerns? Do they not have the magic, which I am completely unfamiliar with anyway so feel free to school me.

 

[Python]

So what's up with the E-2 concerns? Do they not have the magic, which I am completely unfamiliar with anyway so feel free to school me.

They don’t have it. They can’t. The magic is a control law in the fly-by-wire in the Hornet and F-35s.

 

[wink]

They don’t have it. They can’t. The magic is a control law in the fly-by-wire in the Hornet and F-35s.

Has the old fashioned ACLS gone away? In my day Hummers were the only guys that couldn't fly auto ACLS approaches either. Seems they are ways sucking hind teet.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

I’ve done plenty of manual passes at the field in the F-35. They teach to use APC (rate equivalent), but they don’t prohibit doing it manually. Maybe it’s old gouge since I’ve been out of the game a little bit. That said, manual field approach/landing is as much of a nonevent as it would be in a F/A-18. All that aside, I agree with your points. (Sorry for the threadjack)

Bad on my part, I should have said that we don’t train to it in the RAG during Transition or CQ. Everything is full up DFP and the last few flights at the field they let you explore APC only. Manual passes aren’t explicitly verboten in our SOPs or JTD but I wouldn’t exactly say encouraged either.

 

[Python]

Has the old fashioned ACLS gone away? In my day Hummers were the only guys that couldn't fly auto ACLS approaches either. Seems they are ways sucking hind teet.

ACLS is still here (although it has no connection to Magic Carpet aka PLM). That said JPALS won’t be here before too long.

 

[Pags]

Has the old fashioned ACLS gone away? In my day Hummers were the only guys that couldn't fly auto ACLS approaches either. Seems they are ways sucking hind teet.

When your flight control system is closer to what Doolittle flew over Tokyo (but with more rudders!) it's kind of hard to do a lot with it.