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21 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

No F-15 experience over here, unfortunately. But more than my share of flying with a WSO in F-18s.

Bottom line - Single seat trumps all. There are WSOs/Navs who are worth their weight in gold, but I would trade them for having to fly with the others. Something about being up there alone, or even better, with three of your buddies who are all in sole control of their machines.

How many of your family-model Hornets have a set of controls in the back seat?

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1 hour ago, Hacker said:

How many of your family-model Hornets have a set of controls in the back seat?

Only 10 or 12 jets for VMFAT-101, our RAG squadron that trains guys to show up to the fleet. Why do you ask? The vast majority are all strictly WSO-configured - Hand controllers only vice stick and throttle.

Why do you ask?

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On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 11:09 AM, VMFA187 said:

No F-15 experience over here, unfortunately. But more than my share of flying with a WSO in F-18s.

Bottom line - Single seat trumps all. There are WSOs/Navs who are worth their weight in gold, but I would trade them for having to fly with the others. Something about being up there alone, or even better, with three of your buddies who are all in sole control of their machines.

Have you ever flown with "RODNE" in the back seat?

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13 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

Only 10 or 12 jets for VMFAT-101, our RAG squadron that trains guys to show up to the fleet. Why do you ask? The vast majority are all strictly WSO-configured - Hand controllers only vice stick and throttle.

Why do you ask?

Just curiosity -- I'd always heard about USN and USMC 2-seaters not having controls in the back seat, which is different than the USAF where all the 2-seat fighters have had full dual controls.

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11 hours ago, Hacker said:

Just curiosity -- I'd always heard about USN and USMC 2-seaters not having controls in the back seat, which is different than the USAF where all the 2-seat fighters have had full dual controls.

No, all fleet configured 2-seat aircraft have hand controllers in the back seat.

The WSOs don't bump the stick all the time in the Strike Eagle?

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1 hour ago, VMFA187 said:

No, all fleet configured 2-seat aircraft have hand controllers in the back seat.

The WSOs don't bump the stick all the time in the Strike Eagle?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but back seat in the legacy hornet contains either (1) mechanically linked (to the front seat) throttle and center stick or (2) night attack variant containing two hand controllers, one on each side (LH/RH side panel assemblies).

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5 minutes ago, tk1313 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but back seat in the legacy hornet contains either (1) mechanically linked (to the front seat) throttle and center stick or (2) night attack variant containing two hand controllers, one on each side (LH/RH side panel assemblies).

That sounds correct. But 95% of all two-seat variants are the night attack version. No fleet squadrons have any two-stick jets - They're all configured with two hand controllers in the back. Only the RAG trains with the two-stick jets so we can put Instructor Pilots in the back seat for early FAMs and initial flights for various stages while training Cat 1s.

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57 minutes ago, HuggyU2 said:

VMFA187,

I seem to recall that the RCP flight controls can be installed/removed quickly.  Is that true?

True. All WSO configured jets have a little nub that you can attach a stick to. WSO-BFM on the road for a quick abeam set was always fun with them reaching down between their legs trying to fly the jet. Some of the smarter ones would bring a PVC pipe...

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1 minute ago, VMFA187 said:

True. All WSO configured jets have a little nub that you can attach a stick to. WSO-BFM on the road for a quick abeam set was always fun with them reaching down between their legs trying to fly the jet. Some of the smarter ones would bring a PVC pipe...

Nothing says USMC fighter pilot quite like flying a nub with a PVC pipe extension from the back seat.

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6 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

No, all fleet configured 2-seat aircraft have hand controllers in the back seat.

The WSOs don't bump the stick all the time in the Strike Eagle?

Maybe.  Not that I ever really remember in 1500 hours flying the jet.

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