Naval Aviation News articles from November 2003

Naval Aviation News archives from November 2003

Don't mess with mother nature.(Grampaw Pettibone)
November 1, 2003... Severe weather was forecast at the air station where two P-3C Orions undergoing scheduled periodic maintenance were partially hangared. That is, their tails were exposed while the major portions of the aircraft were undercover. At around...

Unguided missile.(Gramps from Yesteryear)
November 1, 2003... An FJ-4B Fury pilot commenced his run-in for a medium angle loft maneuver. He was at 100 feet above the water and traveling at .72 Mach, carrying a 1,000-pound general-purpose bomb. All switches had been properly checked. As he passed over the...

Super Hornet basing decided.(Airscoop)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Department of the Navy issued a record of decision for basing 10 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons and one fleet replacement squadron (FRS) on the East Coast. Eight-fleet squadrons and one FRS comprising 120 aircraft will be based at NAS...

San Antonio christened.(Airscoop)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Navy's newest amphibious ship, San Antonio (LPD 17), above fight, was christened on 19 July at Northrop Grumman facilities in New Orleans, La. She is the first ship to feature the Advanced Enclosed Mast/Sensor system that replaces...

For the record.(Airscoop)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) received her flight deck certification on 14 August. The ASQ-228 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared pod completed operational evaluation, achieving certification as operationally effective and suitable.

Mishaps.(Airscoop)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 22 July, an F/A-18C Hornet of VMFA-232 crashed at Twentynine Palms, Calif., killing the pilot. An AV-8B Harrier II of VMA-513 suffered Class A damage after departing the runway during landing rollout at Bagram, Afghanistan, on 23 July....

First ESG underway.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Below, Peleliu (LHA 5) transits the channel into Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 29 August. There, the San Diego, Calif.-based Peleliu, Germantown (LSD 42), Ogden (LPD 5), Jarrett (FFG 33) and Decatur (DDG 73) joined up with the Pearl Harbor-based...

Helicopter command redesignations planned.
November 1, 2003... As the Navy continues transitioning to the H-60 as its sole helicopter platform, CNO's Director, Air Warfare has approved new squadron designations to reflect the new organization. Current HC and HS squadrons will be redesignated HSC for...

Naval aviation 100 years from kitty hawk.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a flurry of inventors striving to find a way to enable man to take to the skies. While some successfully flew gliders both in the U.S. and abroad, the inexorable draw was toward powered flight. The...

Record-setting flights.(Science and Exploration)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Navy's achievement of the first transatlantic flight paved the way for future record-setting military and civilian flights. The NC-4, above, departed Newfoundland, Canada, on 16 May 1919 and arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27 May 1919 after...

Scientific research.(Science and Exploration)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Right, Lieutenant Commander Malcolm D. Ross holds a model of the Stratolab balloon showing the 16" telescope mounted on the top. On 8 November 1956, Ross and Lieutenant Commander M. Lee Lewis piloted the Stratolab to a world altitude record of...

Antarctic and polar exploration.(Science and Exploration)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 9 May 1926 Lieutenant Commander Richard E. Byrd, left, and Naval Aviation Pilot Floyd Bennett made the first flight over the North Pole. Byrd was also the navigator on the first flight over the South Pole on 29 November 1929. Above, a...

Space.(Science and Exploration)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Naval Aviators have played a key role in the U.S. space program since its inception. Right, Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr., became the first American in space with the launch of Mercury capsule Freedom 7 by a Redstone rocket on 5 May 1961....

Weather tracking.(Science and Exploration)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Before the advent of weather satellites, aircraft were the primary means of tracking weather events such as hurricanes. Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron 62 photographed Hurricane Gracie, left, in 1959. Below, Airborne Early Warning...

Radio detection and ranging (RADAR).(Radar, Navigation and Communication)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 27 September 1922 the CO of NAS Anacostia, D.C., proposed that radio could be used to detect the passage of a ship at night or during heavy fog. The proposal resulted from an observation at the Aircraft Radio Laboratory, NAS Anacostia, when...

Communications.(Radar, Navigation and Communication)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The fledgling technology of the radio and telephone were put to use in the early years of Naval Aviation to allow communication between aircraft, as with the system being tested aboard a Curtiss pusher aircraft in 1912, right. Soon...

Navigation.(Radar, Navigation and Communication)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 21 March 1919, a gyrocompass developed for the Navy was tested in an aircraft, marking the first recorded instance of tests of a device that would become an invaluable navigational instrument for long-range flight. Development of the...

Engines and propulsion.(Aviation Technology)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 7 February 1922 the Navy's Aeronautical Engine Laboratory completed a 50-hour test run of the Lawrance J-1, a 200-hp radial aircooled engine, left. Radial engines would be the norm in naval aircraft for years to come. The evolution of...

Landing gear.(Aviation Technology)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... By 27 October 1925, Oleo shock-absorbing landing gear developed by the Navy was reported in use on many military aircraft, such as the FB-1, below. Within a few years designs for retractable landing gear were being considered. The Grumman...

Aerodynamics and avionics.(Aviation Technology)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Bureau of Steam Engineering reported on 15 October 1918 that five Hart and Eustiss reversible pitch propellers were under construction for use on twin-engine dirigibles and two variable-pitch propeller hubs for the F-5L were being ordered....

Lifesaving.(electric-powered rescue hoist was installed on an HNS-1 helicopter )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 11 August 1944 an electric-powered rescue hoist was installed on an HNS-1 helicopter at CGAS Floyd Bennett Field, N.Y. During a four-day test period in Jamaica Bay, the feasibility of rescuing people from the water was demonstrated, above....

VR-57 celebrates 25 years of fleet logistics support.
November 1, 2003... At the Unified Combatant Commander headquarters in Qatar, a time-critical requirement is issued for vital equipment and supplies for coalition forces engaged in Iraq. As the support infrastructure musters the necessary gear, a short-fused...

The buckeye stops here.
November 1, 2003... For more than two decades, most Navy and Marine Corps aviators got their first jet flight and jet carrier qualification in the North American T-2C Buckeye. After its delivery to Training Squadron (VT) 9, NAS Meridian, Miss., on 30 April 1969,...

KC-130J: new Hercules for the marines.
November 1, 2003... The venerable Hercules. or Herk, has been serving the Marine Corps since 1962. The aircraft is a crucial, but perhaps unsung, component within Marine aviation. The KC-130 is the Marine Corps' only aerial refueling and transportation platform....

Enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots: a legacy of service.
November 1, 2003... What business does a Coast Guard officer--a ship driver, no less--have writing about enlisted Naval Aviators? It started with a picture on my colleague's office wall. I'm not sure what attracted me to the black and white photo, but it led to a...

Navy and Marine Corps Medal.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Navy Chief Warrant Officer Jerome A. Burneka received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his brave efforts in combating a fire aboard Constellation (CV 64) on 8 November 2002. The medal recognizes lifesaving heroism, not involving conflict...

2002 Adm. John S. Thach Award.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... HS-5 was named winner of the 2002 Adm. John S. Thach Award for meritorious achievement by a carrier-based antisubmarine warfare squadron.

2002 RAdm. Joseph C. Clifton Award.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VF-211 was the winner of the 2002 RAdm. Joseph C. Clifton Award for meritorious achievement by a fighter squadron.

Battenburg Cup.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... George Washington (CVN 73) was awarded the Battenburg Cup for the third time in the last five years. The award is given to the crew who has most distinguished itself in the Battle Efficiency competition and achievements or improvements in...

A VMGR-234 KC-130 Hercules fires flares over Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.(Awards)
November 1, 2003... A VMGR-234 KC-130 Hercules fires flares over Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. This photo by LCpl. Andrew Williams is the Association of Naval Aviation's latest bimonthly photo contest winner. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

2002 Jig Dog Ramage Award.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The winners of the 2002 Jig Dog Ramage Award are CVW-14 and Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The annual award is given to the air wing-carrier team with the best performance as an integrated unit.

2002 RAdm. Clarence Wade McCluskey Award.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VFA-146 was the winner of the 2002 RAdm. Clarence Wade McCluskey Award for meritorious achievement in the air-to-ground mission by a fighter or strike fighter squadron.

John W. Finn Aviation Ordnanceman of the Year Award.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... AO1 (SW/AW) Travis Jordan, right, received the John W. Finn Aviation Ordnanceman of the Year Award, which recognizes the Navy's top AO. It is named in honor of Lt. John W. Finn, the only aviation ordnanceman to receive the Medal of Honor.

Adm. Arthur W. Radford Award.(Awards)(VAQ-192 awarded for its meritorious operations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VAQ-192 was presented the Adm. Arthur W. Radford Award for meritorious operational achievement by a carrier-based tactical electronic warfare squadron.

RAdm. Frank Akers Award.(Awards)(VAW-113 awarded for its meritorious operations)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VAW-113 was named winner of the RAdm. Frank Akers Award for meritorious operational achievement by a electronic attack squadron.

Cdr. Ron Carlson was presented the Distinguished Flying Cross for his extraordinary achievements while flying an S-3 Viking on a refueling mission with VS-32 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.(Awards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Cdr. Ron Carlson was presented the Distinguished Flying Cross for his extraordinary achievements while flying an S-3 Viking on a refueling mission with VS-32 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During the flight an environmental control...

Capt. Thomas Hudner, USN (Ret.).(Scan Pattern)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Thomas Hudner, USN (Ret.) led a 31 May symposium on the Korean War by describing his wartime experiences as part of the two-day Korean War Sea Power Commemoration in Pusan, South Korea. In December 1950,...

Capt. Mike Trapp of VMA-513 returns from a mission in the AV-8B Harrier II (see Records).(Scan Pattern)
November 1, 2003... Above, Capt. Mike Trapp of VMA-513 returns from a mission in the AV-8B Harrier II (see Records). Right, Trapp marks the combat sortie on the squadron map of Afghanistan. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Naval Historical Center honors Navy ace.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... During a 24 June ceremony at the Navy Museum on the Washington Navy Yard, D.C., sculptor and retired master chief Larry Nowell presented a wood-carved bust of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California to the museum's art collection. While...

VMA-513 AV-8B Harrier II pilot Capt. Mike Trapp and his wingman, Lt. Col. Jim Dixon, surpassed 50,000 Class A mishap-free hours for their squadron during an Operation Enduring Freedom combat mission.(Records)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... VMA-513 AV-8B Harrier II pilot Capt. Mike Trapp and his wingman, Lt. Col. Jim Dixon, surpassed 50,000 Class A mishap-free hours for their squadron during an Operation Enduring Freedom combat mission. VMA-223 marked the milestone two weeks...

CGAS Houston, Texas.(Rescues)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... On 15 July an HH-65 Dolphin from CGAS Houston, Texas, rescued two shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico after their 92-foot vessel Water World began taking on water during Tropical Storm Claudette. After a one-hour trip through 50knot headwinds, the...

Naval aviation battle efficiency winners, 2002.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... NAVAL AVIATION BATTLE EFFICIENCY WINNERS, 2002 Ships: Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), George Washington (CVN 73), Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and Wasp (LHD 1). Squadrons: Category LANT PAC HC ...

A CH-46 finds a new home in Pensacola.(Illustration)
November 1, 2003... Above, an HC-6 CH-46 Sea Knight lands for the last time at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla. Above right, guest speaker Capt. Charles G. Deitchman, USN (Ret.), recounts the helo's history. Right, Cdr. Jonathon D. Picker,...

HS-11.(Rescues)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Rescue swimmers from HS-11 on board Enterprise (CVN 65) rescued two injured crewmen from separate fishing vessels on the southeast coast of the U.S. during a 12-hour span on 21 June. The first rescue occurred when Enterprise responded to a...

Race fan Angle May, who works for CNO's Director, Air Warfare, poses with the Navy NASCAR show car at the Pentagon.
November 1, 2003... Race fan Angle May, who works for CNO's Director, Air Warfare, poses with the Navy NASCAR show car at the Pentagon. Driver Casey Atwood and co-owner Terry Bradshaw met with CNO Adm. Vern Clark and Acting SECNAV Hansford Johnson, had lunch with...

Tarawa (LHA 1).(Rescues)(a Marine went overboard from Tarawa (LHA 1) during the night approximately 560 miles northeast of the Hawaiian Islands)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... In July a Marine went overboard from Tarawa (LHA 1) during the night approximately 560 miles northeast of the Hawaiian Islands. After the "man overboard" call went out, the flight deck crew launched a CH-46 Sea Knight to assist in the search....

NAS Whidhey Island, Wash.(Rescues)(Naval Auxiliary Ship)(An NAS Whidhey Island, Washington, UH-3H Sea King crew picked up a stranded hiker near Newhalem)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... An NAS Whidhey Island, Wash., UH-3H Sea King crew picked up a stranded hiker near Newhalem, Wash., over the 4 July weekend. The hiker had used his satellite phone to call for help after becoming stuck on a small ledge. The North Cascades...

CNO Safety Awards.(Rescues)(Chief of Naval Operations )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The CNO Safety Awards recognize a command's commitment to professionalism, solid leadership and competent risk management which lead to safe and effective operations. The following were the 2002 winners: NAVAIRLANT: HS-11, HSL-48, VAW-120,...

Col. James Sexton, USMC (Ret.).(Rescues)
November 1, 2003... Left to right, col. James Sexton, USMC (Ret.), Lt. Col. Duncan Milne and Col. Timothy Hanifen took part in the dedication of an AH-1J Sea Cobra for display at NAS JRB New Orleans, La. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Yellowshirts think safety.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Order and attention to detail are essential to the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. With so many airplanes, equipment and people launching and recovering aircraft, there must always be extra sets of eyes looking everything over and making...

HM-15 Blackhawks shine during Iraqi freedom.
November 1, 2003... HM-15's ability to rapidly deploy airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) and a heavy-lift combat logistics capability anywhere in the world within 72 hours was put to the test twice during forward-deployed operations in support of Operations...

An HMM-264 CH-46 Sea Knight files along the Liberian coast as part of the aviation combat element of the Iwo Jima (LHD 7) amphibious ready group.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 1, 2003... An HMM-264 CH-46 Sea Knight files along the Liberian coast as part of the aviation combat element of the Iwo Jima (LHD 7) amphibious ready group. The ARG launched more than 200 Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit to support...

Future navy pilot.(Adam Smith)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... High school junior Adam Smith was on vacation with his parents in Hawaii when he helped rescue an injured swimmer. "I was climbing a rock," he said, "and I heard people yell, 'Help! Call 911!' So I swam over to see what I could do. After the...

Peace of mind has finally come to the families and friends of nine servicemen of VO-67 whose OP-2E aircraft, similar to the squadron aircraft at right, crashed during the Vietnam War.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Peace of mind has finally come to the families and friends of nine servicemen of VO-67 whose OP-2E aircraft, similar to the squadron aircraft at right, crashed during the Vietnam War. Recory of the remains began in 1996 and was completed in...

Members of VR-46 show proper respect at the retirement of a squadron DC-9 Skytrain II after 36 years of service.
November 1, 2003... Members of VR-46 show proper respect at the retirement of a squadron DC-9 Skytraln II after 36 years of service, including more than 64,000 Class A mishap-free flight hours and over 57,000 landings around the globe. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Change of command.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CVW-14: Capt. Scott H. Swift Relieved Capt. Kevin C. Albright, 26 Jun. CVW-17: Capt. Mark D. Guadagnini relieved Capt. Dana R. Potts, 15 Aug. CVWR-20: Capt. F. Clay Fearnow relieved Capt. Stan O'Connor, 16 Aug. HS-7: Cdr. Douglas...

Elward, Brad and Peter Davies. U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom II MiG Killers 1972-73.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Osprey (UK). Distributed in the U.S. by MBI Publishing, 729 Prospect Ave., PO Box 1, Osceola, WI 54020. 2002.96 pp. Ill. $18.95. The second volume in a detailed examination of aerial action during the Vietnam War, No. 30 in the Osprey...

Goss, Chris, with Bernd Rauchbach. Luftwaffe Seaplanes 1939-1945.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Crecy Publishing (UK). Distributed in the U.S. by Naval Institute Press, 291 Wood Rd., Annapolis, MD 21402-5034. 2002. 200 pp. Ill. $29.95. This photo album gives a detailed look at one of the most overlooked subjects in WW II aviation....

Shores, Christopher. British and Empire Aces of World War 1.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Osprey (UK). Distributed in the U.S. by MBI Publishing, 729 Prospect Ave., PO Box 1, Osceola, WI 54020. 2002. Ill. 96 pp. $18.95. Chris Shores is no stranger to aviation literature, especially dealing with aces. This new book is a fine...

Lady Lex earns new title.(Flightbag)(Lexington )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The aircraft carrier Lexington (CV/CVA/CVS/CVT/AVT 16), now a floating museum moored at Corpus Christi, Texas, was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. This is the highest recognition accorded to...

Scores of Naval Aviators, such as the TA-4 Skyhawk pilots shown above.(Flightbag)
November 1, 2003... Scores of Naval Aviators, such as the TA-4 Skyhawk pilots shown above, participated in Carrier qualifications aboard Lexington during herm many years of service. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

An F-14 Tomcat Fighter Squadron 154 departs NAF Atsugi, Japan, on 24 September.(Flightbag)
November 1, 2003... An F-14 Tomcat Fighter Squadron 154 departs NAF Atsugi, Japan, on 24 September, as the squadron transfers to NAS Lemoore, Calif. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

WW II online registry.(Flightbag)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... A WW II registry went online in July to document the names of those who participated in the war. It is accessible on the website of the National World War II Memorial at www.wwiimemorial.com. Any American who served in the armed forces or...

Corrections to Jul-Aug 03.(Flightbag)(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2003... Page 6: the Maverick missile is designated AGM-65E vice AGM-63E. Page 8: top caption, the photo shows Nimitz (CVN 68) in sea trials not PCU Ronald Reagan (CVN 76); bottom caption, the TA-4 Skyhawk is on permanent loan to and displayed at...