Posted on 07/29/2016 6:20:24 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Boeing scored a $12 million dollar contract to transition the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron to newer jets. The Blue Angels, who have been flying the F/A-18 Hornet since 1986, are moving up to the bigger F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The Blue Angels currently fly a mixed bag of older Hornet fighters. They've got three of the oldest F/A-18A model, 10 of the newer -C models, and three two-seater models. The -A and -C models are all 20 to 30 years old. The Angels typically fly Hornets that are very much still functional, but too old to keep operating from aircraft carriers. The Blues' own website says their jets arrive from the fleet "at the end of their carrier arrest functionality".
According to AirShow News, the conversion to the Super Hornet should be complete by September 2017. It takes a bit because Jets bound for the Blue Angels have their 20-millimeter nose cannons removed and replaced with a smoke-fluid system for laying smoke trails during an air show. The planes also have a fuel pump inverted, a stop watch and adjustable constant-tension stick spring installed, and entire aircraft painted in the iconic blue and gold paint job.
The Blues have stated in the past they would rather stick with the older planes. The website used to state: "While the Super Hornet has more recent technology, the Hornet is more suitable to the needs of the current team due to its light weight and slick maneuverability." But older Hornets are getting tricky to maintain in the field. A combination of aging airframes that need more TLC, difficulty finding parts that are no longer manufactured, and budget cuts have left Navy and Marine Corps Hornet squadrons struggling. For example, as of April, only 87 of the Mariner Corps' fleet of 276 Hornets were in flyable condition.
In addition, the carrier version of the F-35 is nearly three years from entering active service. As a result, the Navy may feel it have no choice but to migrate to the newer planes.
While the Blue Angels may have preferred the Hornet over the Super Hornet, they'll adapt to the new platform. The team has flown jets with less power, like the A-4 Skyhawk, as well as planes that are bigger and less maneuverable, like the F-4 Phantom. Moving from an older to a newer Hornet is easier than moving to a totally new aircraft, and spare parts will be easier to source, too.
The team's September 2017 schedule is just a little bit light compared to other months, with June being another light month. Could October see an all-new fleet of planes gracing air shows nationwide?
Via AirShow News
Never saw them fly the F-4. That would have been a hoot, hard to imagine that big honker doing what they do. The little A-4 was not much fun for sound and spectacle, but they sure could fly tight and close.
The F-111 had a tail hook. The F-15 has a tail hook. The F-16 has a tail hook. The F-22 has a tail hook. All versions of the F-35A has a tail hook.
The difference is that the USAF tail hooks are not rated for carrier arrested landings (nor is the landing gear for that matter) but is used only for emergency runway overrun protection.
Next step would be to see if the majority were closer to the beginning, of the BA than today. Flight safety is better today than yesterday in theory, and then one would look at aircraft type to see if there was a particular type with a greater fatality rate than other types. Crewmember age and experience would be another factor as would weather. I would agree with you that in today’s world even based on the flight demonstration team concept, ten percent fatality rate is UNACCEPTABLE which is why I would try to narrow down contributing factors that might show improvement over the years.
Just a quick look 1980 to 2016 36 years five killed and if the numbers are right 1946 to 1980 remainder would be 37 killed over a 34 year period, considerably better stats for the later period without looking at other factors.
This is supposed to be a good thing? the Superbug has a worse thrust to weight ration than the original Hornet.
Interesting, and thanks for the further analysis.
One year a couple of us were atop a hill, resting from our campaign chores, stuffing mailboxes, and the Blue Angels flew over.
I waved LIKE MAD and one of them gave us a "wing wag."
Made my day year.
Makes me SO PROUD to be an American!
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