The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) F/A-18 program
commemorated the first flight of the Hornet aircraft flown 25 years
ago Nov. 20. Alumni members of the "Hornets Nest" gathered at
NAVAIR Patuxent River for a day of memories and celebration.
“The last 25 years of flight by F/A-18 Hornets and Super
Hornets have established an unmatched record of performance,
survivability, reliability, maintainability and affordability for
the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and our foreign partners,” said
NAVAIR F/A-18 Program Manager Capt. B.D. Gaddis.
While being spun in a chair and parasailing hardly sound like
intense pilot training exercises, they are several techniques
aerospace physiology experts use to train Air Force pilots. Within
the first eight and a half days of pilot training, students become
familiar with air and ground survival training through an array of
hands-on and classroom exercises. “Pilots start their
training with us -- this is their first stop,” said Tech.
Sgt. Dora Caniglia, the noncommissioned officer in charge of
administration for the 47th Aeromedical Squadron.
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