walker450 Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 My friend works at Tinker AFB. Yesterday he was told by an USAF Reservist (who himself is a private pilot) that the Air Force keeps approximately 200 Carrier Qualified F-15 pilots for extreme emergency purposes. I am curious as to the accuracy of this statement. Can anyone elaborate? I realize the '15 has a tail-hook, but I thought it was only for runway overrun incidents. Is it possible that they could put a '15 down on a carrier as a last-ditch emergency? Speedpad for Inputs | My Simpit | Joystick Damper Mod
joey45 Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 IF the USN don't have enough pilots for their planes?? The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. "Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.." https://ko-fi.com/joey45
cichlidfan Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 That sounds like a lot of work to keep them qualified without a carrier handy. ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero, i7-6700K, Noctua NH-D14 Cooler, Crucial 32GB DDR4 2133, Samsung 950 Pro NVMe 256GB, Samsung EVO 250GB & 500GB SSD, 2TB Caviar Black, Zotac GTX 1080 AMP! Extreme 8GB, Corsair HX1000i, Phillips BDM4065UC 40" 4k monitor, VX2258 TouchScreen, TIR 5 w/ProClip, TM Warthog, VKB Gladiator Pro, Saitek X56, et. al., MFG Crosswind Pedals #1199, VolairSim Pit, Rift CV1 :thumbup:
Cali Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 The F-15's gear isn't strong enough to handle a carrier landing. i7-4820k @ 3.7, Windows 7 64-bit, 16GB 1866mhz EVGA GTX 970 2GB, 256GB SSD, 500GB WD, TM Warthog, TM Cougar MFD's, Saitek Combat Pedals, TrackIR 5, G15 keyboard, 55" 4K LED
blkspade Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 The F-15's gear isn't strong enough to handle a carrier landing. One would assume that if there was any validity to the statement, that perhaps they don't have the stock landing gear. http://104thphoenix.com/
Sierra99 Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 My friend works at Tinker AFB. Yesterday he was told by an USAF Reservist (who himself is a private pilot) that the Air Force keeps approximately 200 Carrier Qualified F-15 pilots for extreme emergency purposes. I am curious as to the accuracy of this statement. Can anyone elaborate? I realize the '15 has a tail-hook, but I thought it was only for runway overrun incidents. Is it possible that they could put a '15 down on a carrier as a last-ditch emergency? There are / used to be exchange programs where Navy and Air Force pilots would swap for a few years at a time... As far as a dedicated program for maintaining carrier qualifications, I don't think that's correct. Google AFI 11-2 F15 volume 1, aircrew training. If there is a program, it will be described there along with what the requirements are to maintain currency. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Primary Computer ASUS Z390-P, i7-9700K CPU @ 5.0Ghz, 32GB Patriot Viper Steel DDR4 @ 3200Mhz, ZOTAC GeForce 1070 Ti AMP Extreme, Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe drives (1Tb & 500 Gb), Windows 10 Professional, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, Thrustmaster Warthog Stick, Thrustmaster Cougar Throttle, Cougar MFDs x3, Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals and TrackIR 5. -={TAC}=-DCS Server Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3, i7-3770K CPU @ 3.90GHz, 32GB G.SKILL Ripjaws DDR3 @ 1600Mhz, ZOTAC GeForce® GTX 970.
walker450 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Posted April 30, 2013 For the record... I think this is merely a rumor. It makes no sense to me... I'll try to have the person give more detail and/or supporting evidence for this case. Speedpad for Inputs | My Simpit | Joystick Damper Mod
walker450 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Posted April 30, 2013 I just found proof that the F-15 is actually carrier capable. I can't believe you all didn't know this! Fast-forward to 1:16... iEvuHEzp6Gs http://youtu.be/iEvuHEzp6Gs?t=1m16s Speedpad for Inputs | My Simpit | Joystick Damper Mod
hollywoodvillain Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 The "Reservist" obviously didn't mean carrier landing F-15's. Sierra99 is correct, exchange programs are common and some USAF pilots get carrier qualified on other aircraft. Here's an article about F-15E and EF-111 pilots transferring to EA-6B and becoming carrier qualified... http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2012/September%202012/0912whidbey.aspx
Cali Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 One would assume that if there was any validity to the statement, that perhaps they don't have the stock landing gear. Maybe there are a few F-15's out there with different landing gear nowadays. There are programs out there that I and many others don't know about. Back in the 70's there were some F-15's that were carrier capable, they were called F-15N Sea Eagles. But i thought they canned that a long time ago. But I don't get why they would only have about 200 qualified pilots, when there are so many more. i7-4820k @ 3.7, Windows 7 64-bit, 16GB 1866mhz EVGA GTX 970 2GB, 256GB SSD, 500GB WD, TM Warthog, TM Cougar MFD's, Saitek Combat Pedals, TrackIR 5, G15 keyboard, 55" 4K LED
marcos Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 I guess it's a case of how many times you want them to perform a carrier landing.
mvsgas Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 My friend works at Tinker AFB. Yesterday he was told by an USAF Reservist (who himself is a private pilot) that the Air Force keeps approximately 200 Carrier Qualified F-15 pilots for extreme emergency purposes. I am curious as to the accuracy of this statement. Can anyone elaborate? I realize the '15 has a tail-hook, but I thought it was only for runway overrun incidents. Is it possible that they could put a '15 down on a carrier as a last-ditch emergency? What is your friend in Tinker do? What does the reservist do? Do they work directly with aircraft? Had they work with F-15 or fighter aircraft? Please, do not misunderstand, not attacking them nor disproving, simply trying to know where they come from. I was a F-16/F-117 crew chief ( aircraft general mechanic) in active service in the USAF from 1997 to 2012. AFAIK, The USAF has never had a need to maintained Carrier Qualified pilots. Lastly. never seen nor heard of an F-15 land in a carrier. Is more to it that just landing gear, structure, etc, etc. Not possible AFAIK. To whom it may concern, I am an idiot, unfortunately for the world, I have a internet connection and a fondness for beer....apologies for that. Thank you for you patience. Many people don't want the truth, they want constant reassurance that whatever misconception/fallacies they believe in are true..
Snoopy Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 My friend works at Tinker AFB. Yesterday he was told by an USAF Reservist (who himself is a private pilot) that the Air Force keeps approximately 200 Carrier Qualified F-15 pilots for extreme emergency purposes. I am curious as to the accuracy of this statement. Can anyone elaborate? I realize the '15 has a tail-hook, but I thought it was only for runway overrun incidents. Is it possible that they could put a '15 down on a carrier as a last-ditch emergency? Sorry but your friend is totally incorrect. Plus, Tinker has absolutely nothing to do with F-15s. They only thing they work on concerning F-15s is their engines. v303d Fighter Group Discord | Virtual 303d Fighter Group Website
walker450 Posted May 1, 2013 Author Posted May 1, 2013 Sorry but your friend is totally incorrect. Plus, Tinker has absolutely nothing to do with F-15s. They only thing they work on concerning F-15s is their engines. I totally agree. It is not my friend backing this argument. He is merely spreading this horribly wrong rumor just because the person he heard it from is a Reservist. My initial response was for my friend to tell the Reservist that he is "full of sh!%". I explained to him that the F-15C and E are not carrier capable, blah blah, blah blah. Just because he is a Reservist, it doesn't mean that he knows anything.... I will find out what his credentials are just for the fun of it. Speedpad for Inputs | My Simpit | Joystick Damper Mod
strikeeagle Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 I spent 13 years working and teaching the F-15....It's not happening. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Chris
Damien Posted May 9, 2013 Posted May 9, 2013 Spent 8 years in the US Navy as an Aircraft Director (ABH) onboard the USS Independence (CV-62) and the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). I have never seen an F-15 land on a carrier nor have I seen one attempt a landing. -Damien
SkateZilla Posted May 9, 2013 Posted May 9, 2013 F-15s are not carrier capable, neither are F-16s. Gear isnt strong enough, nor the Airframe. Windows 10 Pro, Ryzen 2700X @ 4.6Ghz, 32GB DDR4-3200 GSkill (F4-3200C16D-16GTZR x2), ASRock X470 Taichi Ultimate, XFX RX6800XT Merc 310 (RX-68XTALFD9) 3x ASUS VS248HP + Oculus HMD, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS + MFDs
hog_driver111th Posted May 14, 2013 Posted May 14, 2013 The "Reservist" obviously didn't mean carrier landing F-15's. Sierra99 is correct, exchange programs are common and some USAF pilots get carrier qualified on other aircraft. Here's an article about F-15E and EF-111 pilots transferring to EA-6B and becoming carrier qualified... http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2012/September%202012/0912whidbey.aspx An old friend of mine (Lt. Col. TJ Palmer) started out flying the F-111, then F-16, then F-117. I met him while he was on the F-117 back in '96. His mother was my high school nurse. Anyway, he told me that between the F-111 and F-16, he was an instructor for the Aardvark, and flew an exchange program with A-6 guys due to the side by side seating, flying the A-6 onto the carriers. A-10C - FC3 - CA - L-39 - UH1 - P-51 - Hawk - BS2 - F-86 - Gazelle - F-5E - AV8B - F/A-18C i5-4590 - GTX 1060 - Oculus CV1 - TM:Warthog [sIGPIC]http://forums.eagle.ru/signaturepics/sigpic9979_1.gif[/sIGPIC]
vanir Posted May 14, 2013 Posted May 14, 2013 The statement sounds like an expression of interservice rivalry, but maintenance of carrier operations isn't the only element to USN aviators being probably the most highly skilled warbird pilots on the planet. They're required to perform all-weather carrier operations in day and night and the only nation to perform night carrier operations, with regular re-qualification and there is a cost. I can't recall off hand the attrition rate but there is a yearly death toll. Carrier pilots and air force pilots are really in two very different spheres of skillset, one's job is akin to holding a tiger by the ears and the other's biggest danger is himself or faulty equipment imho, moreso himself.
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