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To all you Super Hornet NFO

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This is to all you Super Hornet NFO, can you guys do any flying from the back seat. I know the aircraft has dual controls but they can be removed in the back as well. Does most of the sqaudrons leave them in or do they take them out. If you do get some stick time is it few and far between. The reason that I ask this question is because most of the pictures that I see show F/A-18F with the controls removed, but the Airforce F-16 and F-15E have duals controls. I do believe Airforce WSO fly backseat in the F-15E. I have the vision for NFO only as far as the Navy goes but have not looked into the Airforce as of yet.
 

Brett327

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A&P wallis said:
This is to all you Super Hornet NFO, can you guys do any flying from the back seat. I know the aircraft has dual controls but they can be removed in the back as well. Does most of the sqaudrons leave them in or do they take them out. If you do get some stick time is it few and far between. The reason that I ask this question is because most of the pictures that I see show F/A-18F with the controls removed, but the Airforce F-16 and F-15E have duals controls. I do believe Airforce WSO fly backseat in the F-15E. I have the vision for NFO only as far as the Navy goes but have not looked into the Airforce as of yet.
The G model Hornet will not have aft flight controls.

Brett
 
UI navy I posted this question because we had a F model super hornet in L.A last year and the NFO told us that he had 200 hours in the jet already. This was a trainning sqaudron but I don't know which one. By the way the guy that I spoke to was getting out of the Navy I think he had like 12 or more years in.
 
dude the man told me he had actual time flying the aircraft from the backseat. I am not posting this question to see if NFO are pilots which I know they are not I am simply asking if they get some stick time from time to time, I know the airforce does this with their WSO types in the 16 and 15 thats all. I am just curious to know as well why a G model hornet would not have dual controls like a F models does. The hole idea of not having any and i mean no controle of the aircraft that you are in especially when theirs one pilot in the front is a little scary.
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
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Just because you see a "stick" in the backseat, doesn't mean it's for flight controls. I know some weapon systems use a stick to control them.
 

EODDave

The pastures are greener!
pilot
Super Moderator
There are no wso's in a 16. The only dual seat 16's are for training purposes. In the Navy as an NFO, you will get a little stick time in primary. And I mean "little". In the fleet, you wont get stick time in a 18F or G due to the fact that there is not stick in the back. I agree with your comment on being in the back with no controls. I couldn't be a NFO. Control freak here thats not very trusting. Basically dont plan on getting any stick time going NFO.
 
You are right about NFO's and no flight time thats why i asked the guy this question and his reply was I got 200 hours in the jet so far he came from tomcats. I asked him do you guys meaning NFO's in the new superhornets get stick time hear and then His reply when they put the duals in for trainning and I guess cross countrys. As far as the stick for the weapon systems go their were two one on each side the one on the left was were the trottle quad would have been. I have also seen this in every picture of an F-15E their flight controls and the two sticks which control the weapon systems. I ask this because I may have to go NFO because of the vision thing and was just wondering if NFO in strike / fighters get some time since they have these new aircraft which are out, I know the airforce guys get some time in F-15E. And as far as having no control in the backseat I base this on the fact that i work in aviation and have seen were a pilot had a goose come through the windsheald and dame near take his head of the one thing that save him was the guy sitting next to him who only had like ten hours in an airplane.
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
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Don't hope on stick time being an NFO, like everyone else has said. If you want to be a pilot, and can't do it in the military because of vision, get some laser or go to a civilian aviation school and try your luck there. Not trying to be a dick, just realistic.
 

SteveG75

Retired and starting that second career
None
A&P wallis said:
dude the man told me he had actual time flying the aircraft from the backseat. I am not posting this question to see if NFO are pilots which I know they are not I am simply asking if they get some stick time from time to time, I know the airforce does this with their WSO types in the 16 and 15 thats all. I am just curious to know as well why a G model hornet would not have dual controls like a F models does. The hole idea of not having any and i mean no controle of the aircraft that you are in especially when theirs one pilot in the front is a little scary.

The F does not have dual controls like stated above. One reason for the F-15E to have dual controls is the long range (transoceanic) flights that the USAF does. That way, the WSO can spell the pilot. The F-16 does not have dual controls for the simple reason that it is a single seater (excpet for some trainers).

Scary is:
1) Pilot instructor flying right seat in a EA-6B (no controls) with a student pilot.
2) Flying night tanker in A-6E and falling asleep. Woke up to look over at pilot (to ask why he let me fall asleep) to see him asleep. :sleep_125

Besides if anything happens to your pilot, it was probably bad enough to cause you to eject anyway.
 

Fly Navy

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pilot
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SteveG75 said:
T2) Flying night tanker in A-6E and falling asleep. Woke up to look over at pilot (to ask why he let me fall asleep) to see him asleep. :sleep_125

WHOA! That's a bit scary!
 
Hey fly Navy regardless of weather I join the Navy or Airforce and am a backseater I will be a pilot. I am curently working on that since I have 18 months left of school. I have ways said I know NFOs are not pilots I simply ask if they got some stick because I know the Airforce guys do and was wondering if the navy was the same way and why. I do want to fly in the military mostly Navy if I have to then I will do in the back so be it but flying outside the military it's a done deal. I recently found out my vision was not on board with Navy standerds which I do agree with but that is anouther thread.
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
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Fly Navy said:
WHOA! That's a bit scary!

There are varying degrees of scary ... I used to let my B/N's fly around the pattern and do FCLP. Just turn on the auto-throttles and let the boy go ....... a couple could have got the aircraft on the deck -- field, not ship -- no doubt.

Do any of you B/N's or other NFO's know the story of Brian Westin? As in Navy Cross -- Lt Brian Westin? That was one B/N who did the flying when he was most needed.
A-6 B/N Navy Cross
nc3%20copy.gif
va85sq.JPG
 

SteveG75

Retired and starting that second career
None
A4sForever said:
There are varying degrees of scary ... I used to let my B/N's fly around the pattern and do FCLP. Just turn on the auto-throttles and let the boy go ....... a couple could have got the aircraft on the deck -- field, not ship -- no doubt.

Do any of you B/N's or other NFO's know the story of Brian Westin? As in Navy Cross -- Lt Brian Westin? That was one B/N who did the flying when he was most needed.
A-6 B/N Navy Cross
nc3%20copy.gif
va85sq.JPG

That is a great story. Fortunately, all I had to do was reach over and smack the "stick" and wake him up.

Seriously, though, it was great when we at least got command eject. You probably remember the story about the crew that had a dual gen failure on fly-off, canopy cracked open, pilot went hypoxic and the B/N could not get the pilot's O2 on. B/N ejects at about 5000 feet, pilot rides it in.
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
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SteveG75 said:
Seriously, though, it was great when we at least got command eject. You probably remember the story about the crew that had a dual gen failure on fly-off, canopy cracked open, pilot went hypoxic and the B/N could not get the pilot's O2 on. B/N ejects at about 5000 feet, pilot rides it in.

:( That is an awful pain to live with.
 
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