Here's How to Fly the F/A-18 Super Hornet to the Limits

[@verysilentmouse]

As an Aussie I've always loved the Hornet family as we have them too since 84.

[@avd1697]

Really proud to be one of the engineers producing this platform.

[@WardCarroll]

Thanks for your work!

[@danielmartin7838]

That’s awesome. Indeed, thank you.

[@Yxalitis]

The Super Hornet is amazing, somehow it snuck into production, and deployment, yet despite its appearance, is in fact a totally new airframe.

[@Jamez3l]

From what i know it was a stop gap measure while they were waiting for F-35 to come online.

[@v8packard]

​@@Jamez3lSome might have said that at one point, but the Super Hornet was in fact an almost complete new design with capabilities intended to cover assets being retired (A-6, F-14, and S-3) as well as growth potential allowing future technologies and mission sets as represented by the growth into the EA-18G. This was all planned, and has spread out over 30 years now. This is not at all interim.

[@xprettylightsx]

@@v8packardwell said , I agree

[@krostouin]

Almost 🙃

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Agreed, they tried to market it, as an extension of the original, but it is in fact, a large percentage a new design.

[@rael5469]

The mics worked GREAT. The conversation came through in spite of the airshow in the background.

[@jamesfuria3939]

Nice to see you chatting air to air with one of the jr. officers. It gives a nice base line of how things are in the fleet.

[@nickprusak8220]

Just met this guy at Cleveland National Airshow on Labor Day! Awesome man!

[@boomstick5884]

Love the interview Mooch , Keep them coming.

[@WardCarroll]

Lots more from the NAS Oceana Air Show to come over the next few days. Stay tuned.

[@robchapman5366]

Great interview, Ward. My bride and I really enjoyed meeting both you and Hozer yesterday. You guys are first class. Thanks for all you do.

[@AA-xo9uw]

Kevin "Hozer" Miller?

[@robchapman5366]

@@AA-xo9uw Yup, apparently I am still test driving these eyes. Guilty as charged on the spelling error. Thanks for the heads up

[@michaelmcconnell3777]

Mooch - You clearly were #1 in your class of "branding". Fabulous job.

[@ronaldkonkoma4356]

I like how you dug deep with that initial deflection on CQ Need more of that in reporting and interviewing

[@KyleCowden]

Some of my favorite memories as a wannabe, is the times I've sat down with aviators over coffee, including more than one Blue Angel aviator, and just geeking out over an airframe or some aspect of Naval aviation. @Ward Carroll videos are like those times for me.

[@EthanAbate]

On my way to Oceana now! Looking forward to the show today!

[@WardCarroll]

The show will be great, but unfortunately we won't be there. We had to change the schedule to to Mrs. Mooch needing surgery on her broken wrist tomorrow at Walter Reed. Sorry to miss you. We'll be back next year.

[@EthanAbate]

Hope she feels better soon!

[@simtaylor61]

WOW! Some great insights into the Super Hornet, and how the training pipeline works! Thanks much!

[@bodazaphfa]

Great interview Mooch.🫡 From a former Blacklion of the VF A/D era.

[@Citydell]

I was down here at this airshow, the long callsign caught me off guard.

[@bobsanders2230]

Great to see you Ward, would have stuck around to chat about the old days on indy with VF-14, but didn't want to interrupt you and your fans. Keep up the great work! BigOl Bob AQ Troubleshooter Safety Team VF-14 82-86

[@CLK15]

Best jet base and airshow in the world! Glad you got to interview some of the home team!

[@dadams5150]

Glad to see some love for VFA-22!!!! AO2 VFA-22, 94-96. Go Rudy!!!!

[@dennishayes65]

Went to Fentress one night in support of the VA-42 student pilots that were doing touch & go’s to fuel them. I was a plane captain in VA-42 from 1973 to 8/15/1975. I got to Oceana around 4/20/1972 after Aviation machinist mate A school in Millington, Tn.

[@xprettylightsx]

God Bless you and your family sir. Thank you for your service to this Beautiful country.

[@unlimitedhornetworks]

Great interview. It was great meeting you in person.

[@harrylime3.143]

Thanks!

[@markg813]

I watched the show yesterday. I wanted to say hello but didn't want to interrupt your conversation. Such a great show! First time on a Navy base.

[@WardCarroll]

Thanks for coming by and sorry I didn't get to shake your hand.

[@markg813]

@@WardCarroll No worries! And you're Welcome. If this is a yearly show, i'm looking to attend for years to come 👍

[@texhaines9957]

Great looking vehicle, Ward. I missed the Blue Angel's in Billings earlier but I saw them in Seattle with my oldest son decades ago (who is now in the Navy). I don't travel much anymore. Like your channel. Thanks

[@Tacticaldave1]

Great post Commander!

[@Mugdorna]

Thank you very much. I knew about the "rhino" name but didnt know where it originated from.

[@flyjarrett]

I dig this new feature of the channel. Hopefully we see Ward visiting more airshows and doing more interviews.

[@vxe6vxe6]

That antenna on the nose of the Superbug is called the Pizza Box.

[@steveturner3999]

Great interview Mooch. Hope to see them in Pensacola in November.

[@roderickcampbell2105]

Very enjoyable and informative interview. When I heard 85 kts I almost fell off my seat. Would have loved to have seen it. And Grouse is a cool cat.

[@johngeorgegately7402]

Thanks Ward. Always good stuff

[@bertg.6056]

Great presentation, Mooch ! I'm going to the Miramar air show next weekend, F-35B, U-2, and the Blue Angels.

[@WardCarroll]

Have fun!

[@rgray3173]

Can't wait to see what Mooch says about an F35 missing. Heads are going to roll at MAG-31 in Beaufort, SC.

[@MrCykedOut]

He was already interviewed by NPR.

[@ILSRWY4]

Cool! Awesome listing to "Grouse"

[@stevemartinez4180]

Lt is an excellent example of professionalism.

[@terry2rock]

Mooch, Knife fighting with great questions 😎🎸

[@CajunMarine33445]

So cool, always loved the Hornet

[@yes_head]

Ach, Ward nippin' Scott Manley's tagline there at the end!

[@stephencannon3140]

VFA-22 was our sister squadron on the Enterprise and Lincoln with CVW-11 80’s-90’s.

[@harrylime3.143]

Hope to make it next year, my daughter and son in law are coming to the DC area in January, from Japan.⚓💪

[@KristianWontroba]

Awesome video! ❤ I need to get my butt to an airshow soon! Great interview! 🤘🏼

[@timlawson7498]

Grouse is Aussie Slang for good. That was a grouse interview - Thanks!

[@amcds2867]

Great interview, a lot of positives.

[@ComdrStew]

Need to hear the story of how the guy got the callsign Peaches.

[@xprettylightsx]

Same

[@frednicholson]

Great job!

[@kayakutah]

8:40 What? Get your wings BEFORE qualifying at the boat? It is indeed a strange new world!

[@johnnyzippo7109]

This discussion reminds me of an interaction I had with Hornet Naval Aviators on the Pirate Drunk Bus from the one and only Flora - Bama. That week the “Red October” red flag training course had been released , I brought up the FA-18 Legacy Hornet departure , drag racing an E. Gurman MiG29 in the vertical , whoooooaaa buddy , one cat , so hype , fired back , yeah f that , super hornet , I fired back SU27 , his wingman fired back , “Combat Tactics Homeboy “ the level of aggression, confidence and pride beaming from these Naval Aviators . Yeah , I was pokin the Bear , but only because these muther f--rs were hype , and I liked it , Never Been So Proud of Our Nation . Incredible experience , never met em before , never saw em again , to this day , I think of them often and Love Them like Brothers .

[@CJInHI]

Hey Mooch. Have you ever met Frank Wagner? He was USNA ‘62 and a test pilot for Grumman. He has amazing stories about flight testing the F-14. He was my fathers classmate at the Boat school and a heck of a guy. Humble as pie and sharp as a razor.

[@mikewinslow1957]

Hey I got the chance to shake your hand at this show! Great to talk to you!

[@WardCarroll]

Thanks for coming by, Mike!

[@sjpeckham1]

great info guys; Ward keep on mining tactics for us DCS guys!

[@xprettylightsx]

Mr. Carroll it amazes me how many people pick apart along with being so negative about The beautiful US Military. Please never let these tyrants dissuade you from your continued NATIONALISM/PATRIOTISM. There is nothing wrong with being PROUD of YOUR COUNTRY. PERIOD.

[@darrencorrigan8505]

Thanks, Ward.

[@zz4748]

Dang I live 15 minutes from there and was out of town. Would have loved to meet you 😢

[@Stubog72]

Love the Rhino 🦏 and now knowing us Aussies are keeping a squadron well into the 2030s! The RAAF is basically now a offshoot of the US Navy with Rhino’s Growlers and F-35s!

[@rockjaw11]

Shy Ronnie, love the Lonely Island reference

[@Eirik36]

Damn I love the rhino

[@StarwaterCWS]

Sounds like it won’t crash. Amazing tech.

[@xprettylightsx]

ROFL

[@StarwaterCWS]

@@xprettylightsx or this scenario… Pilot sees immediate danger and pushes airframe to it’s max… airframe says ‘whoa partner’ and moseys along as it is shot down.🫨

[@billmadison2032]

Everybody loves the Tomcat. I loved the F18

[@chriswatts2096]

I love the harrier

[@Recklessness97]

@@chriswatts2096 I agree, the harrier is one cool jet along with the F-35B. Their vertical ability is darn cool.

[@Kimberly_11]

I love hearing about these powerful yet fast and efficient flying machines.. I just don't understand how one person can control the flying and all the weapons that you would use which is the sole purpose of these jet's.. 🤯

[@TurboHappyCar]

_Control_ by wire, autopilot modes, and practice. 😂 I've been learning the Hornet in DCS (Digital Combat Simulator) and after looking down at the targeting pod screen I'd look up and be flying off into nowhere. 1. Get at the altitude and bearing 90 degrees off of the target. 2. Engage autopilot altitude hold. 3. Engage auto throttle. 4. (Optional) Bank the airplane slightly to fly a large orbit. 5. Start messing with the targeting pod.

[@mattg5978]

Ward is a cool dude.

[@robertcross7734]

I think it’s funny that the birth of what would be the super hornet was at the F14 come into service

[@AB-bu8ti]

What is LT Marty "Grouse" Wilson's story? At what age did he join the Navy?

[@akintomeatloaf]

Video on the missing F-35 coming out soon???

[@byronbailey9229]

Those LERX means the Hornet is an energy bleeder in a dogfight. BVR rules!

[@unfurling3129]

Yeah but the speed with which it can point the nose anywhere it wants is massive

[@Watchandcutgearchannel]

Awesome 😎

[@duski1966]

He must of had some of that good ol' Navy coffee!

[@xprettylightsx]

What do you mean by Navy Coffee? I’m Curious

[@thecatdaddy1974]

Surprised to see the Banner on your truck, Do you have the Helmet with the Flag on it somewhere?

[@67tomcat]

Great interview and Channel! No doubt the Super Hornet is a well proven aircraft- underrated even? Does Oceana have a Tomcat they pullout for the Air Show, or no? There is at least one on the grounds, but just wondered if one is on the apron for display.

[@WardCarroll]

Negative.

[@Dave-yy9br]

I hope you can interview “Satan” sometime soon. 👍🏻

[@donbrutcher4501]

Sounds like the older Hornets would make good drone wingmen.

[@pkelly3463]

Get Lt.Amanda Lee #3

[@me109g4]

Are T45's going out to the boat again?l thought they stopped that

[@raiyu1985]

I enlisted in the Navy at 23, I didn't know how to become a pilot. I was just an errand boy as enlisted. I got out and went to try pilot school, and lo, the price of becoming a pilot is sky high. Post 911 is so strict about pilot schools which are not in my home state. I'm nearing 40s now and hasn't been onboard a Cessna 😢 God, I want to be a pilot so bad.

[@unfurling3129]

Unless u r in jail the only thing stopping u is how u think

[@Kneedragon1962]

Interesting. I am simply an (elderly) armchair spectator, but I hear conflicting reports about the Hornets. Some pilots love the Super, at all stages of the flight, but some say the Super is better at a BVR engagement, carries more stuff, but if things get low & slow & close, (like for example a training dogfight, where you fly directly at each other and then close for the merge) they actually prefer the legacy Hornet, because it's smaller and more sharply responsive, it at least FEELS much more agile and quick on its' feet. The things I hear about this are conflicted and contradictory. It seems like some people prefer a car that understeers and some prefer a car that oversteers ~ I also hear the Hornets (new or old) are a bit slow at high subsonic and transonic. Many other combat jets (F16, Eurofighter, several of the newer Migs & Soukois) will trounce an 18 at Mach 0.8 ~ M1.1. It's less a question of thrust or thrust-to-weight, it's a question of aerodynamics and shapes. An F16 (one example) is extremely well optimised for that speed range. An F/A-18 is less so.

[@benjaminperez7328]

37 years young? Is “Grouse” a Mustang? 👍🏼🐎🇺🇸

[@scottcooper4391]

That would be my guess.

[@Buzzdog1971]

Light Blue Angels.

[@michaelchristensen5421]

Still not the Rhino to me, that nickname belongs to the F-4 Phantom II. They need an original nickname.

[@andremichau2455]

I'm really not much of a fan of the F-18, it never impressed me much and felt it was just not a worthy replacement of the F-14. It's not a bad aircraft at all, but not my cup of tea.

[@robertfritz9916]

Modern aircraft are controlled by software engineers, most of whom have never flown. The pilots of aircraft like the F-18,135 16, should appreciate the ability of these people to interpret vague requirements into usable performance in these vehicles. The crew may be Sierra Hotel in the cockpit, but they are Tango Uniform without the skills of the software developers..I was involved in software on Tomahawk, F-14, P-3,RQ-$ and RQ-8.

[@john_smithchiropractor3931]

Doubt any other nation has this amount of acronyms in there naval aircraft communities.

[@xprettylightsx]

Wonderful job focusing on a non issue. What a patriot you are.

[@SUPERTOMCAT_21]

I guess Grumpy Old Man is too long for a callsign? 🤣

[@badhombre8383]

What’s up with this missing f35 ward?

[@bagoistvan3182]

👍🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺😁😁😁

[@badhombre8383]

Where’s the missing f35??

[@cipher8048]

Good but Tomcat is still better ^^

[@chriswatts2096]

Carries everything but the kitchen sink

[@applicablerobot]

I'm sorry, but the number of calculations per second are precisely numerable.

[@pimpdown2696]

This guy looks like Andy Stumpfs' little brother.

[@jeffmiller1568]

Hi Ward, I make sure my vehicles are 'American', yes Toyota may be made in America and are good vehicles but I would not own one.. just saying

[@xprettylightsx]

I agree I was thinking the same thing.

[@Recklessness97]

This isn't the 1940's. Japan is an ally and the Germans are too. No problem owning a vehicle made outside the Unites States. Plus American vehicles are junk with Fisher-Price plastic interiors, unreliable suspensions (Ford and Jeep death wobble), GMC terrible transmissions, GM wrong and underfilled transmission fluid on corvettes plus overheating, so many more problems across American brands. If the U.S. could make vehicles as reliable and bullet proof as the Japanese, maybe more Americans would buy American. Unfortunately we lost our manufacturing prowess awhile ago.

[@marbleman52]

@@Recklessness97 ...Good points...!!

[@WardCarroll]

Reliable as hell (owned them for years), and I can walk home from the dealership when I get periodic tune-ups. No waiting room required!

[@July41776DedicatedtoTheProposi]

so many acronyms, so little time.

[@kayakutah]

TMFA!

[@craigriddle-lb4uz]

The typhoon is much better jet

[@SoloRenegade]

BFM is a science. If you see it as an art form (which it can still be called art, since art is subjective, beauty is in the eye of the beholder), then you simply don't understand it well enough.

[@WardCarroll]

So the guy who is actually doing it doesn’t understand it? Got it.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@WardCarroll Was waiting for that response. Just because someone does something, doesn't make them a Master of it. I know few pilots who actually understand the aerodynamics of their aircraft. I know a lot of engineers who can barely be called such despite having 20+yrs experience because they still just don't get it. And most of the guys I served with in combat were also just going through the motions, they didn't truly comprehend how to win, many struggled with basic tactics. I guarantee neither of you two can give me the Proper explanation for how a wing produces lift, nor can you explain laminar flow to me (in terms of how is it created and maintained, and how to look at different parts of an aircraft, not just the wings, and identify opportunities for laminar flow locations, and how to adjust the design to improve laminar flow), among a myriad of other topics. Just because you can fly, cycle through menus on the avionics, and pull the trigger to fire a missile, doesn't automatically mean you know all the scientific underpinnings that would make you better at employing them. Just because he sees it as "art" doesn't mean it isn't scientific. And anything, literally anything, can be called "art" by someone. What makes it "art", exactly? Some of us can understand things, see things, and solve things at a higher level, and thus we see the science for what it is. Other see it as being too complex to be fully comprehensible, thus declare it "art". But that is not true for all of us. I turned warfare into a hard science in my years experience, and still to this day, guys I served with try to claim it was luck. But I could do everything I claimed, on command, and proved that many times over, and got unmatched results. They just couldn't comprehend it, they didn't have the same level of knowledge and understanding I had, and they couldn't see what I saw. And so they saw what I was doing, tried unsuccessfully to match it (only because they refused my offer to teach them how), and just gave up trying eventually and accepted thy could never match me. But I've had a conversation with more than a few fighter pilots over the years and they all loved me (in person) and valued my abilities and recognized what I was capable of. In text I could be anyone, you lose context of tone and inflection, and I can't demonstrate what I can do and understand to you effectively. Guys I served with constantly asked me, "why are you here?", as they understood how smart I was, and said, "people like you don't join the military.", and they were right, people like me go into Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, and other top tier professions. I've done this with teaching math to college students as well, aerodynamics and more to flight students, and solving engineering problems. I'm the guy in engineering they go to when a problem needs solved and no one else has any ideas how to fix it. Some of us just have higher IQs than others, and it's obvious to me the average fighter pilot is of average intelligence, often times knowing less aerodynamics, systems, and even aspects of warfare than I do (logistics, strategy, etc.). I know this will make you and others mad, but I don't care, I'm used to it. My mind is high functioning, has been since I was a child, I always finish top of my class (math, engineering, aviation, miltiary training, etc.), always graduate top of my class, and always back it up in the real world with actual results. Now, that being said, almost no one is like that in day to day life. People like me are rare. So for pretty much anyone else, your frustration at a comment like mine is understood and justified. But you frustration and indignation does not make what I said untrue. BFM is a science, not an artform. Feel free to try to prove me wrong. Explain to me why it's not science, and why it is art. I welcome and crave such debate (if done in good faith and abiding by the rules of debate, meaning no logical fallacies will b allowed if detected).

[@davidblochwitz5496]

IMHO, wouldn't using the science in a creative way make it art?

[@SoloRenegade]

@@davidblochwitz5496 that can absolutely be true. Art is subjective. Some people see abstract art as "art", I do not. I consider abstract art to be the work of lazy low skilled individuals hoping to cheat their way through life. People will disagree with me on that, because art is subjective. But BFM is 100% science, exists only because of science, is only possible because of science. They may see it as art, but that is a matter of opinion. Many see my personal handwriting as "art", and it feels like it to me at times as well. But handwriting on a typical day is nothing more than a daily task, a function necessary to doing my job. Creating an appealing PPT presentation can be an art. The more visually appealing and attention getting it is, and the simpler and easier and more effectively it communicates the necessary information, the more pleased the audience is with it. You could argue that is a bit of an artform. I get complements on my presentations periodically, but again, I am creating them by knowing the science and psychology behind a good presentation (I have even given presentations on how to give presentations in the past). People see them as art, but I'm pulling it off using nothing but science.

[@xprettylightsx]

@@WardCarrollROFL, good for you for standing up/tall for our Navy Aviators. God Bless you sir. You seem like one hell of a Patriot. I look up to you.

[@Oyakat88]

They're copying you

[@johnmorykwas2343]

Pilot in the cockpit does not fly the jet, the computer flies the jet. So why have a pilot? That's going to be the future of fighter aviation. Human Gs limit the maneuver of the jet.

[@toms1348]

Actually, the structural design of the airframe determines and limits the maneuverability of the jet. You typically need to push the modern fighter to its limit before having an effect on the pilot. By that point, the airframe is probably overstressed and in need of inspection. The Super Hornet tops out at 7.5G. A seasoned pilot can push 8g+. Not that one would want to pull 8gs on a continuous basis.

[@tylerdurden4006]

Lol, you gotta figure out why these f 35's keep crashing, the 5th one in the last year and a half just crashed. 😂😂😂😂 why do you keep calling them the best when they can't fly?

[@bennyhill5938]

russia is watching

[@RealRavi]

This guy is like the NASA channel. It makes space boring . This interview made the f18 boring. Stop talking about specifications and using big words. Tell us all how it feels to fly the damn thing. That’s what people care about.

[@xprettylightsx]

Your a child. Literally….

[@AA-xo9uw]

Admit it, the whole thing flew right over your grape, Hadji.

[@xprettylightsx]

@@AA-xo9uw exactly . Also I loved your wording.

[@masashikeen145]

Thanks for the amazing content @WardCarroll you never fail to get a like from me!

[@BCSchmerker]

+wardcarroll *Would NavAirSyCm allowed the Boeing F-18 Echo and Foxtrot a supercruise-worthy inlet.* Such an inlet would ramcharge the General Electric F414 to greater transonic and low- to mid-supersonic efficiency. Had the Navy pulled the trigger on Project ST21, Northrop Grumman could leverage lessons learned from Project Rhino to work the outer flaps and outer spoilers on the F/A-14 Echo and EA-14 Golf, provided that wing sweep ≤ 44°. (The quintuplex FBW would, of course, follow the tailerons and (hopefully) deeper twin rudders.)

[@drs4649]

👋👍💪👌