Ask a Hornet Driver

[Orion]

Actually, two, in fact!  One ex-Navy guy, and his son, who's a current pilot in the Navy.  A friend mentioned he knew them and said they were open to answering some questions.  So, post your questions here within the following week, and I'll forward them along.

[Victory103]

This might be great for Jose in the "Legacy" thread. I also have access to a high school bud that went from "stoner" to Super Bug pilot. He left Meridian teaching guys in the T-45 to complete his MBA last year, but I'm sure he remembers his Rhino numbers. Most of the tech stuff can be found online, I have both Bug's NATOPS , but unclassified SOP stuff would come in handy for the general flight simmer, for those that want to "fly by the numbers". That seems to be just about everyone on these forums!

[SpazSinbad]

Both varieties and more Bug NATOPS here - for free:

http://publicintelligence.net/u-s-navy-f-18-natops-flight-manuals/

[Joeairplane79]

Concur with what Victory said. I'd like to know SOP stuff like info for planning fuel ladders, how much fuel they plan to have on board when they recover, etc. Also, how often do the real pilots use mark points? If possible, I'd also like to learn more about the tactical systems of the F/A-18, stuff like CAS procedures, A/G attack profiles, assuming it's declassified for the F/A-18. An ANG pilot gave me the attack profiles for the A-10C at an airshow (Dive angle, altitude, airspeeds, TOF, etc), and I'd love to see the associated info for the Hornet.

[Victory103]

As far as the tactical side goes, there is only so much you can discuss and not have any OPSEC issues. Fuel ladders are pretty easy just a technique, but here's an example I've been using for a couple of years now posted by a legacy Hornet guy on that "other" payware Super forum:

The real climb schedule in a Hornet would look like this.

For all: Takeoff in full AB and stay in AB until reaching 230KTS then throttles to MIL where they will stay until level off.

Climb at 300KTS till reaching 10,000FT (I know someone is going to say 250 because of FAA rules, but we have a letter of agreement for NATOPS limits, so climb at 300.)
@10K accelerate to 350KTS till .82Mach.

Climb at .82M till level off.

This is the kind of info I can use in the sim, or you can just do unrestricted "burner" climbs all the time.

[SpazSinbad]

'Joeairplane79' asked: "...how much fuel they plan to have on board when they recover..."

From my experience in an A4G now a long time ago in the RAN I would suggest that any Naval Aircraft returning to a carrier - especially - would like to have the maximum available fuel just under the maximum landing arrest weight. Depending on unexpended weapons and empty stores to bring back, this 'other weight' will subtracted from the maximum fuel (within limits - otherwise some 'stores' might be dumped perhaps).

Todays aircraft have a large 'bringback' weight, unlike aircraft years ago. That bringback helps a lot to manage fuel, with tankers being available above the carrier usually. However a fast jet pilot will sweat the fuel throughout to maximise the allowable weight at the ramp. Dumping excess fuel above that weight during the run in to the break was a common sight.

During 'blue water ops' without a diversion field within range then plenty of fuel (with a tanker available) can account for any deck hiccups, forcing a wait in the landing stack or waveoff etc. Still and all a pilot will sweat the fuel.  

[Victory103]

Here's a quick one on fuel ladders, again pulled from a RW site

But it's easy math...

Figuring fuel flows for example.


2000# per hour per side (2 engine jet)

Equates to 4000# per hour, 2000# in 30 minutes, 1000# in 15, 500# in 7.5, and about 375# every 2-3 minutes....

Use that for fuel ladder to track your fuel in a flight. If you're above where you need to be to make it back with max trap or min on deck, you got gas to play with

So for a non-combat hop, you take off on your cycle knowing how long you have until the recovery cycle starts, pretty easy for the Hornet due to the constant gas issues. That's normally a set time, so if I go out and do some ACM and then get tasked to go look at a surface contact, based on my time I should have x lbs of gas remaining, if for example I'm over 500# on my ladder, I've "made" gas.

[Joeairplane79]

'Joeairplane79' asked: "...how much fuel they plan to have on board when they recover..."

From my experience in an A4G now a long time ago in the RAN I would suggest that any Naval Aircraft returning to a carrier - especially - would like to have the maximum available fuel just under the maximum landing arrest weight. Depending on unexpended weapons and empty stores to bring back, this 'other weight' will subtracted from the maximum fuel (within limits - otherwise some 'stores' might be dumped perhaps).

That's what I've been told before, yet in PBS Carrier, I could have sworn they showed a PPT slide that said they were planning on recovering with 4.3 Day/5.0 Night, at least for Arabian Gulf operations. Hence my question, to see which is true.

[SpazSinbad]

'Joeairplane79' it has been awhile since I have seen PBS 'Carrier' and don't recall that briefing but from what you have mentioned I would guess you see the Minimum Fuel on that slide. The plan would be to return for Charlie Time with no less than that minimum fuel. Pilots would work backwards from that to depart the Operating Area with sufficient fuel. Now I could be mistaken but that is one way to look at those figures (or others) with the larger fuel amount for night ops for the longer approach cycle via instruments.

I would imagine that there are other figures for 'Bingo to a Land Airfield' and which one etc. Carrier pilots today are likely to provide more details but I can only generalise about Hornet Ops.

Depending on cirumstances you will sweat the fuel constantly adjusting to be back with no less than required amount at the required time (if that is known).