F/A-18F Super Hornet Launch at NAS Lemoore, CA

USNSCC Advanced Airman cadets spent 2 weeks learning how to be a navy plane captain. This was the culmination of our training.

[@laguir95]

It must be nice to have shade now.....when i did my time w vfa102 n vfa 41. Shit we got lucky if we got a decent breeze, it gets hot as balls in Leemore.

[@notthatdonald1385]

As a civilian contractor with Grumman I worked on F-14's as an engine mechanic. And once in a while I got to be with the ground crew. It was awesome.

[@MegaRaptor22]

I became qualified as an F/A-18A Plane Captain in 1983 with the first operational strike fighter squadron, VFA -125, N.A.S. Lemoore... looks similar to the old ones, APU start-up, etc. Captain Palmer C.O., Col. Jerry Caddick XO. Must be a computer program flight surface check pre-flight, hand signals much different...30 years makes a difference!

[@donj.2948]

1992- 2000 VMFA-321 - Yes there is an "automated flight surface check"; in my day termed a "wipe out." - The flight surfaces are also checked manually prior to final checks.

[@mattchristie2145]

MegaRaptor, since you were there, with VFA-125, in ‘83, you probably crossed paths with my dad. He was a flight scheduler, at that time. Now, I’m roaming the same halls of Hangar One, as a civilian contractor PC, for VFA-122. 😎. Best.Job.Ever!!😎

[@po2mapp804]

There doing it again but with the super hornet

[@laguir95]

I remembered doing my 90 days of TAD with the fuel skid civilians. It was fucking awesome

[@gpgoss]

mark4565: They had to shut it down so they could check the hydraulics, I don't think it matters, otherwise that pilot would not have done it... and it was just a qualified PC and me, a 18 yr old sea cadet running the launch, no mech trainee was there

[@avamoore4135]

Bro the other one so short

[@austaft5261]

That's Pintor! I worked with them.

[@westeg12]

You dont shut shut the apu down to check hyd, it auto shuts down then you close flaps and send the fc in, if they need serviced you just give the pump or bleed and hands off hold.

[@salsbery32]

Lot of "experts" here. Chill guys.. read the description.. "2 weeks" Can't even be an expert in masturbation after 2 weeks, let alone a plane captain.. shit Looked like a good experience

[@TheFlyboy6541]

YEAH look at that AO running the show! IYAOYAS!!

[@gpgoss]

How was there no military bearing!?!? And yes there was a tailhook drop...

[@petebuck9889]

Why is the colour scheme different

[@NovaScotiaNewfie]

Could be an aggressor squadron that plays the role of foreign nations so that US Navy and Marine pilots learn their tactics.

[@gpgoss]

There wasent one. This was an instructor leading a training flight.

[@waterhead001]

What is the process to become a plane captain?

[@FrostyyShooter]

flying eagles

[@lenyfreeman3807]

This is ridiculous, why does it take so fucking long to launch and aircraft. This was VA122, a training group, OK fine. Are all these politicians in DC dictating how to do a fucking launch?

[@sandiego4211]

I live in SD now, we have better air shows in my opinion. But its a good thing theres no psychiatrist room in my area unlike the hospital one in Lemoore. But Lemoore one was not that bad i liked it.

[@laguir95]

Give this PC a break, he is bn trained you can tell. Hope he wasn't getting QA cause if he was he probably failed

[@gpgoss]

They don't have to fly with a WSO

[@ethanlong9102]

was this filmed on a Samsung?

[@Enid2Sacramento]

Oh, no, not "Sail..."

[@court854]

No military bearing...and why no tailhook drop?

[@mark4565]

First mistake i saw was telling the pilot to shut down the APU. The APU is on a auto shutdown 1 minutes after the second engine gets online so it can cool down. Let it shut down on its own! Over time it will damage the APU and the mechs will have to change it. Duhh a mech is the trainee...

[@mikemartin1709]

mark4565 could be a mech, airframer, or AE

[@nobodyhome7334]

IMPOSSIBLE , WITH ALL THAT CAMO PAINT . MUST BE A HAND ME DOWN FRM A MARINE CORPS SQUADRON

[@shawnryan5737]

Nobody Home no it's Top Gun . They don't have enough airport jets so they're swapping jets to use. This is an FRS so they need jets to remain pilots

[@TheseRightHereBitch]

Couple more years of school until I join the Navy :D

[@XLIVLP]

TheseRightHereBitch how did that go? You end up going in or still in?

[@canopy9244]

This is a good question.

[@donaldhampton1311]

We still want to know.