Interview with Nick Anderson on the F/A-18 Hornet

[@philcrockford5534]

An absolute pleasure to know and work with Nick a few years ago when he helped out with the local Air Cadets. A proper gentleman with many stories. Thank you for posting this interview!

[@TheDarwiniser]

And just look at that beautiful machine resting quietly behind. Amazing clips, more please !

[@martentrudeau6948]

Nick Anderson, a great fighter pilot, love those stories, especially his Aussie service, much appreciated interview.

[@gaviscon79]

These interviews are amazing! Could listen to them all day. Thanks...

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Gavin I'm glad your enjoying them

[@BuchoRULES]

As a kiwi boy growing up in the 80s we used to hear stories of how our lads would head off to go up against the Aussies, Brits, Yanks and others and do really well even in our bung old A-4s, but at the back of your mind you kind of suspect it's all a little bit of hype, so it's real nice to hear it from the other side that the RNZAF fighter chaps really were a handful even for an experienced fighter jocks with an FA-18 strapped to their arse.

[@greig15]

Sweet nice I'm nz

[@coma13794]

You just don't find this level of detail in many places. Absolutely fantastic....change nothing!

[@thelmaviaduct]

Great interview, very humble fella, top man.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers :)

[@PaRadiZer]

Great interview. And I really have to echo Clyde's earlier comment, this channel is a true gem. Nothing compares to hearing the stories and facts straight from the horses mouth. Thank's for sharing and keep up the fantastic work!

[@sullyman72]

Great to listen to these tails, especially re the RNZAF, i recall a number of times literally looking down on the A4's as they raided us at sea during my time in the RNZN (

[@DutchSteamboat]

"I wanted to be an airline pilot" *punts F-18s around*

[@TonyKitchen471]

Great to see Nick on here as Ive been following him on a few other Avation podcasts.

[@markwarwick2920]

Thanks for the great interviews. Really enjoying the content and broad range of aircraft. This is terrific to listen to anywhere. Great stuff.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers for the kind words.

[@Gman-109]

Great video again - with Digital Combat Simulator's release of their F/A 18 Hornet module this week, couldn't be more timely to have a great Hornet pilot talk about his experience in that (and other) aircraft.

[@davidewhite69]

Interesting that Nick mentions the possibility of damage from ricochets when strafing, exactly that happened to a 77SQN Mirage IIIO a few years earlier at the Salt Ash range, I think it was 1980

[@tonyledsham2810]

I lost an engine while strafing with an F-5. They found a 20mm hole in the engine fan, so I had to eat crow for getting “too close to my work”. A tech later told me a 20mm fastener had come loose from the gun bay and had gone down the intake…

[@MrKevinmorrissey]

bloody fantastic stuff mate. great uploads, great channel

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much Kevin, glad your enjoying the channel.

[@bret9741]

I’m medically retired from commercial aviation. This is another example of why I miss flying. I love airplanes, I love flying but I miss the people most of all. When your in an industry full of incredible people who love flying it really makes the long trips away from family ok.

[@mickleem]

These Aircrew interviews are brilliant and being lucky enough to get a back seat flight in a Tucano at Linton over the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District I got a very small experience on seeing what a great but difficult job they have. My time with the MoD is greatly missed. Keep up this great channel.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Michael Leeming really glad you are enjoying them, Michael. Well I am rather envious of that as I have not had the chance to get up in a military aircraft yet.

[@mickleem]

Thank you yes I was lucky but working for MoD we had this opportunity. I notice on the lightning pilots directory that we have a couple of ex lightning boys living in york. I'd love to meet them Thank you for great videos.

[@traildogisla]

A beautiful hangar and really interesting talk

[@WeeRosieOurFrenchie]

Yet again a wonderful and interesting interview.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers David, much appreciated.

[@jamesburns2312]

Very nice , professional personality- thank you very much for your stories. Times are changing so fast- this channel is doing great job👍

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers James.

[@simonrichardson5077]

Superb video,great pilot,a credit to the RAF

[@bwright925]

Everyone loves Captain Nick! He's a great man with LOTS of stories.

[@Aircrewinterview]

He is a top bloke.

[@captain-Dan]

some would say he's got a lot of tales to tell ;)

[@bwright925]

razgriz33 Indeed he does!

[@scott_crow]

Really good interview, Thanks!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers Scott.

[@distortedreality4603]

Another cracking video! Thank you

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks very much :)

[@warboyrb]

This channel is bloody awesome, love it. That story about Kiwis, great :)

[@Aircrewinterview]

Cheers mate!

[@jimbrown5268]

Great bloke. Thanks for this :)

[@rogerpattube]

27:00 '...been around since Pontius was a pilot' - excellent!

[@hoilst]

"I recently set alight to myself". Ah, British understatement at its finest.

[@HerrGesetz]

Great interview

[@Thetequilashooter1]

I only just recently learned about this channel, and now I am addicted. I learn something new from each video. I knew that the F-18 could turn its nose into any direction, but I didn’t realize how just an average pilot flying in it should be able to win most dogfights against the rest.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Glad you found us and I hope you enjoy our content.

[@whitefields5595]

What a nice bloke. Balls of steel with the manner of a vicar! Listen to his PLANE TALES podcast, really good short stories of real aviation events

[@thefrecklepuny]

A good job he was not posted to fly Australian F--111's then! All in all, a very informative interview. Have enjoyed several posted by you so far.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Much apprciated

[@sillyoldbastard3280]

Nothing wrong with the pigs. A few mates flew them and loved them.

[@rogerpattube]

I love this man.

[@finchleyflyer]

Brilliant again. Next!

[@Aircrewinterview]

Thanks Peter, the next one will be a USAF tanker pilot.

[@markusweichsel5494]

I love that Sea Vixen , I have to say.

[@robnunya572]

Holy crap it's Nick! I was wondering if you guys had talked to him.

[@Aircrewinterview]

+Rob Nunya I have indeed.

[@mspurrell5313]

If you like this you should listen to the APG podcast. Nicks Plane Tales are amazingly good week in week out, great guy with great stories.

[@korybeckwith834]

I know at the time Australia chose the F-18, it was the only true multi role aircraft that could also carry the beyond visual range radar guided Sparrow missile. Later on though the F-16 gained more capability. The F-15 at the time was strictly an air to air aircraft, until the "E" model came out.

[@alexanderryan-jones600]

Hey do you reckon you could interview "Serge"? I listened to a podcast interview- he had some interesting things to say about the F-35.

[@Aircrewinterview]

Its always a possibility. I hope to interview an F-35 pilot in the near future.

[@adamw2911]

Interesting that he didn't try to sugar coat the F3. Can see why it felt a little underwhelming when compared to the Legacy Hornet.

[@122ndcomposr9]

Are his legs not tired from standing for an hour?

[@hughoxford8845]

Did you deliberately position him so that his head has an empennage?

[@jabs767]

Nick (Pom), I hope you've worked out to light bar-b-ques by now?? I remember you arriving on course with us on the Hornet 35 years ago...... Many good stories mate.... You're looking much older now mate..... Jabs

[@davidewhite69]

I'm wondering if Nick left 77 before they went to Cope Thunder? Lots of dissimilar fighting at that exercise, F-15s, F-16s and even F4s and 75 (not 77) had considerable success against the USAF F-15s and F-16s in Cope Thunder 90. Also, its a shame Nick left 77 before the RMAF got Mig-29s, they became a much more formidable opponent than the F-5s, most exercises with the RMAF Mig-29s in 'within visual' fights the RAAF usually came out with a 1.2-1 'win' but it didnt always work out that way

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

(personal bookmark: 31:15)

[@bobbypaluga4346]

I had a running argument if it was possible to upgrade the F-18 and or F-22 instead of the F-35 which not only will be the most expensive to buy but most expensive by 4-5X times the hourly operating cost of the F-18, F-22. I also think the A-10 Warthog is too good to ever replace, what do you guys think?

[@AvengerII]

With all due respect, that's kind of a naive attitude. Everything eventually has to be replaced or grounded -- for good -- because of sheer age and fatigue! It is generally cheaper to buy a new plane than to dump good money into an old one once it gets past a certain age... They generally don't remanufacture/rebuild old planes unless it's significantly cheaper than buying a new plane and even then the practice of remanufacturing can come back to bite you! For instance, they "remanufactured" A-6s through the 1980s into the 1990s with new wings. The problem was that the new wings were too stiff and transferred their loads onto the fuselage so those planes were actually worn out quicker than they were being worn out before! There are aircraft that are "flightworthy" that can't be flown because of practical reasons -- lack of spare parts, lack of knowledge to maintain those planes, and lack of safety margin. They had to ground the Vulcans for good after the last flightworthy one failed the safety inspection. It was crazy to keep flying it! A pilot was killed in South Africa a number of years ago flying a British Lightning when the plane suffered a mechanical failure. It was traced back to improper maintenance! With an old plane, you don't necessarily have mechanics with the experience to maintain it anymore after a certain number of years. It's better to use people who were experienced maintainers in a military type than to rely on civilians unless the civilians were reservists OR contractors belonging to a company that serviced or built that plane in the first place! The F-18, F-15, and F-16 will eventually pass into history because they're past the original lifetime expectations. For a naval plane, that's particularly bad if it's not a Harrier. They're rated 6000 hours because of constant saltwater exposure and slamming onto and being catapulted off of an aircraft carrier. You can "sort of" get away with extending the lifespan of a land-based plane so long as you clean it regularly (they taxi the Hawaiian ANG planes constantly through "car washes" on the runway to clean off the saltwater spray that gets on them during flight), have the spare parts (big, big problem with limited-run production planes like fighters; cannabilization is more routine than people think!) and fly within advisable limits. They're NOT constantly flying F-15s and F-16s at 9G's and Mach 2+ to get past 8,000 hours with some (F-16) or most (F-15) of the planes still in service. They've been G-restricted (7-G or less) and speed-limited (Mach 1.5) to reduce wear and tear. Fact is, with the constant deployments and missions over the past quarter-century, they've been worn through faster than was initially estimated. There have been AT LEAST 2 F-15 break-ups that I'm aware of. Both planes were well past 20 years service and were C-models. They've "only" had access panels and wing flaps break off F-16s and F-18s during air shows! The due date for some of these planes is probably at least 5 years past safe retirement. It's crazy to keep them flying unless they get major rebuilds which is just not in the budget. I think they'll keep them flying until more of them break under routine exercises. It's sick but it's already happened and they've blamed the manufacturers for crack-ups that happened for planes that have been in service for longer than what was recommended!

[@Peorhum]

actually the latest F18 is as good as if not better then the F35. There is even talk of the F15 being put back in production to replace the F35 program but politics killed the idea. There was even talk about the RN buying Hornets instead of the F35 as it can use the ski jump but they would still need to land by hook and since BAE lied about the QE and Prince of wales being easily converted to wire trap system. the cost of switching to Hornets instead of F35s would be too great due to cost to modify the carriers.

[@DoctorShocktor]

Peorhum lol, no F-18 is nowhere close to the F-35. Stop believing internet whining and get the facts.

[@Peorhum]

actually it is...it is a smaller fighter but it can do all that the F35 except for having a smaller radar. Maybe you are just a f35 fanboy who ignores the truth...or you are ignorant of the truth

[@chrispotter3324]

Peorhum - The F-35 is superior in every single aspect to any 4th gen. fighter aircraft. The facts are in. Sorry to burst your bubble, dude.

[@PhantomMark]

Shame Nick didn't expand a little the differences between the Hornet and the Tonka......would have been interested to know where the biggest deficiencies were .

[@allin4395]

What is he standing on front of?

[@Aircrewinterview]

Sea Vixen

[@straywolf77]

If you want to start listening about his Aussie tour - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nH2rg5Zop6yperM

[@richardstory731]

F14 Tomcat??

[@sailordoc2007]

That's prob an ex- Saudi Lightning that he's standing next to, with Arabic lettering on her.

[@Idahoguy10157]

Comparing the first model F-16’s were short range sidewinder missile only aircraft. From the beginning the F/A-18 was equipped with medium range radar guided missiles. For air-too-Air fighting at longer than short range the alternative to the F/A-18 A/B would have been an F-15 not an F-16.

[@slayerdeth0705]

Ando.

[@pontiacGXPfan]

The Hornet is beautiful....just that giant tail and long, skinny nose

[@slayerdeth0705]

'Straya.

[@richparry2898]

Still think I'm a deluded idiot? Too late pal.