As a former RAG Flight Instructor/LSO and Training Command Flight Instructor, I'd be much obliged for recent news which might, just might, mind you, indicate that sex (and heavy Brass oversight) is not the flight grade determinant it was when I was involved in training the ladies to become Naval Aviators.
BTW, I thank both of you for sharing your Tomcat insights. Hellofanairplane! I was out of the business before the F-14 hit the Fleet -- our excitement was the Viggie!
I'm out too, but I can tell you that from what I am told by friends is that women are having a hard time hacking the Hornet. They can fly it fine (who cant fly a Hornet?), but their SA is lacking, their calls are slow, and above all else they lack the aggressiveness to use the airplane's advantages. This is a gross generalization of what I hear, but it does not look good for women as we transition away from the Tomcat.
For the women who did fly the Tomcat, it was a reverse situation, as SA stayed good due to the RIO, but they could not fly the beast. The good news is that the RAGs are quick washing these days on tendencies and not waiting for final grades most of the time. Also, almost no women are getting sent to the RAGs anyway without proven ability. Nobody is getting transfers these days except out of Tomcats.