Posted on 01/29/2006 9:20:41 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
Story Number: NNS060129-01
Release Date: 1/29/2006 2:20:00 PM
By U.S. Seventh Fleet Public Affairs
BRISBANE, Australia (NNS) -- A single seat F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25 and to Carrier Air Wing 14 was involved in a mishap while attempting to land on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) approximately 120 miles southeast of Brisbane, Australia, Jan. 28 at approximately 4:17 a.m. (PST).
The pilot ejected safely and was recovered. There were no injuries.
The name of the pilot will not be released until next-of-kin have been notified. USS Ronald Reagan and the embarked airwing remain fully mission capable and ready to respond as required.
VFA-25 operates from Lemoore, Calif. The F/A-18C is a single seat, twin engine, mid-wing, multi-mission tactical aircraft.
The incident is currently under investigation.
For more information about the Navy and Naval Aviation visit http://www.navy.mil.
AMARC has -C and -D models? Man that's just wrong. Of course also have about 1/3 of the B1-Bs, and are about to get about 1/3 of the remaining B-52Hs as well.
USS Ronald Reagan Makes Maiden Port Visit in Honor of Veterans' Day
Story Number: NNS031112-02
Release Date: 11/12/2003 8:20:00 AM
By Journalist 2nd Class Margaret A. Peng, Command Information Bureau Detachment
Ft. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) celebrated its maiden port visit in honor of Veterans' Day, making its first port of call in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The Navy’s newest, most modern-Nimitz class aircraft carrier will be in port for a four-day visit from Nov. 11-14.
031111-N-1281L-122 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2003) -- Sailors aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) “Man the Rails” as the Navy’s newest Nimitz class aircraft carrier arrives in For Lauderdale, Fla. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class John Lill. (RELEASED)
“It is very fitting that we should be pulling into Port Everglades on Veterans' Day,” said Commanding Officer Capt. James A. Symonds. “It is inspiring to me, and I believe it will be to my Sailors. There are so many in the Ft. Lauderdale area who are veterans of all the services -- Coast Guard, Marines, Air Force, Army, Navy and Merchant Marines -- from the World War II and Vietnam eras, who are extremely patriotic and enthusiastic in their support of the U.S. Navy.”
During the port visit, South Florida’s Navy Leagues and Broward Navy Days will be hosting several events for the ship’s crew.
“The South Florida Navy Leagues have supported the Navy in a tremendous fashion for so many years,” said Symonds. We are honored to continue the tradition of Navy ships, especially aircraft carriers, coming to Ft. Lauderdale.”
Commissioned July 12, the carrier is named after 40th U.S. President Ronald Wilson Reagan. USS Ronald Reagan is the ninth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and the largest carrier in the world.
Reagan was built by Northrop Grumman Newport News in Newport News, Va., and launched March 4, 2001. The nuclear-powered ship can operate for more than 20 years without refueling and is expected to operate in the fleet for about 50 years. The ship is 1,092 feet long, almost as long as the Empire State Building is tall, and towers 20 stories above the waterline. It has a flight deck which covers 4.5 acres, can carry more than 70 combat aircraft, and can accommodate 6,000 personnel. It has a top speed in excess of 30 knots.
Ronald Reagan’s carrier air wing will include the F/A -18 Hornet and F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet strike fighters, the F-14 Tomcat Fighter, the E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, the C-2 Greyhound logistics aircraft, the S-3B Viking anti-submarine aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, and the multi-role SH-60F and MH-60 R/S helicopters.
For related news, visit the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn76.
Think of this little fender-bender as the annual Federal tax payments of 10,000 of your closest friends.
Wow! Well, that photo brings home the old saying, "Watch out for that last step, it's a doosie!"
Mark
***The pilot ejected safely***
What is the shrinkage involved with an ejection? 1/2-1 inch?
Wonder if it was a woman pilot?
"This flight deck seems short.."
"Yeah, but did you notice how wide it was?"
I don't know anything about this yet, but I'm sure my Brother, who does the maintenance records for this Wing (but possibly not this squadron) will be busy as hell over the next few days. The investigators are probably already on board, and will be scrutinizing records. I only hope it wasn't a maintenance issue. There are reams of records on each aircraft that are meticulously kept. One mistake is all that is needed.
I hate to say it, but I hope the pilot just got the jitters trying to land in the dark at 4:00am.
Take it from a former maintenance guy - it's always a maintenance issue.
Nope,I think the C/D line was closed down a while ago,with no orders in the past 5-6 years.OTOH,the SuperHornet is on offer to Malaysia,India,Japan etc.
"it's always a maintenance issue."
Statistically Human Factors (aircrew error) causes over 80 percent of aviation mishaps. That being said Carrier Aviation is dangerous business.
Not any more. Back in the early days of ejection seats, IIRC through the "Century series" and equivalent Navy aircraft, the ejection mechanism was essentially an artillery shell. Now it's a rocket, which pushes longer but not so hard. They still get some injuries, but more due to arms and legs flapping in wind stream, parachute landings, etc, and not so many back injuries or compressions.
..approx 37 mil without XM radio or Sirius
But it comes fully equipped with GPS, AWACS and JStar uplink.
..so does my Vespa
if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it!!!!
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