Maiznblu_757 From United States, joined Mar 2002, 5112 posts, RR: 59 Posted (5 years 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4035 times:
Just watching the Blues perform at Miramar on San Diego TV and Major Chandler Seagraves, the events coordinator said " I hope I am not overstepping my boundaries but they have told us we will be getting the Super Hornet around 2008".
My question. How will the Marine fliers on the team be able to fly the Super Hornet?
Unless he was talking about the Marines getting the Super Hornet by 2008????
Garnetpalmetto From United States, joined Oct 2003, 4717 posts, RR: 63 Reply 1, posted (5 years 3 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 3948 times:
Maizn - you don't have to originally be a pilot in the type that the Blues currently utilize in order to fly in the Blues. They've had F-14 pilots, including their current XO in the team before. It's just a matter of transitioning to the type once named to the team.
South Carolina - too small to be its own country, too big to be a mental asylum.
Navymidn From United States, joined Sep 2003, 188 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (5 years 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3696 times:
Think of it this way: the F/A-18E is a modified C model. Transition shouldn't be to difficult. Or think of it this way: they had initial training in a T-34, then advanced training in a T-45. No military pilot has ever flown only one type of aircraft. Most GA pilots and commercial pilots are able to fly multiple types of aircraft, why not military pilots?
Lehpron From United States, joined Jul 2001, 7027 posts, RR: 31 Reply 5, posted (5 years 3 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 3500 times:
Wouldn't that be a waste of money as those are stealthly warplanes, not your typical modern fighter. We might as well replace the F-16's in Thunderbirds with new F-35's: Voila! We will have STOVL stunts.
Are the current Angels aircraft combat ready? Have they seen any action?
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Navymidn From United States, joined Sep 2003, 188 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (5 years 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3438 times:
The current Blue Angels aircraft are combat ready. I don't know if the particular airframes have seen any action, but with what essentially amounts to a new paint job, they could be ready to.
The F/A-18E or F is what the US Navy plans on using to replace the F-14, previous F/A-18s, the A-6, the EA-6B, and others. The basic idea as far as I can tell is to go over to a single aircraft platform as much as possible on the carrier deck. So having the Angels fly the Super Hornet makes perfect sense, it will be the Navy's main fighter in the near future.
Garnetpalmetto From United States, joined Oct 2003, 4717 posts, RR: 63 Reply 8, posted (5 years 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3430 times:
The current Blue Angels aircraft are combat ready
Within 72 hours. The wrench-benders would have to remove the smoke-oil tank, mount the Vulcan, and probably swap out the stick. Redo the paint and voila - fully combat capable F/A-18A.
South Carolina - too small to be its own country, too big to be a mental asylum.
Maiznblu_757 From United States, joined Mar 2002, 5112 posts, RR: 59 Reply 9, posted (5 years 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 3374 times:
So having the Angels fly the Super Hornet makes perfect sense, it will be the Navy's main fighter in the near future.
I understand that pilots within the navy have flown other aircraft and then have gone to the Blues Hornets then back to their aircraft. Donnie Cochran being one of the more notable ones. He was a Tomcat guy. He then went to the Blues, he then went back to the Tomcat, CO of VF-111, then went back to the Blues as flight leader.
I would assume that before the Blue Angels switch to the Super Hornet, the Marines would have at least one operational Super Hornet squadron. I could be wrong.
SuperHornet From United States, joined May 2004, 89 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 2915 times:
Interesting when I mentioned this same topic last September no one believed me "My understanding is that the BA no longer have any backup birds and it is thought that they will soon be receiving early productions E & F models. Just a rumor I have heard a lot on both east and west coast. " Previous Post
Ftrguy From United States, joined Aug 2003, 347 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 2880 times:
The E/F transition from a A-D model is something like 10 hours of flight time. There doesn't need to be a Marine squadron of E/F's in order to have a Blue Angel fly one. The transition is simple, even for a Marine!! I also believe that to become NATOPS certified in a A-D model, when transitioning from any other aircraft, you only need 10 hours. I think I only had 12 hours or so before I got my NATOPS certification. Hopefully I'll get a ride in an F in the next few weeks and I'll tell you the major differences.
BAe146 From United States, joined Aug 1999, 137 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (4 years 11 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 2768 times:
I find it very unlikely that the Blue Angels will see Super Hornets anytime soon. The Blue Angels receive aircraft only after they've been rotated through the Navy, Marine Corps, and reserve squadrons. The Blue Angels fly the oldest planes in service, and will not see Super Hornets until all reserve squadrons have purged the F/A-18C's.
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From United States, joined Mar 2002, 5112 posts, 
Navy pilots tend not to have a problem being flexible. 
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