This one super-bugs me...

From: "José Herculano"
Date: 7/20/2004 15:04 Pacific Daylight Time

See this pictu

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/624542/L/

I've never seen a picture or movie of a Tomcat doing a display without a
RIO. To my knowledge, there is nothing physical that mandates the RIO in
there for the Turkey to be flown in a demo - take off, do some aerobatics,
land...

Could be wrong, but it's my understanding that the Tom requires a RIO.

Now, I've seen quite a few photos of operational F/A-18Fs doing demos
without the WSO.

As did the Blue Angels with the F-4J ...

So, what gives? Is the Tomcat such a difficult bird to fly that it requires
a RIO with a NATOPS on his lap, or is the Super-Bug so underpowered that
200lb of weight make a difference in the demo?

And if the WSO isn't there just because he is not needed, how does it affect
the morale of the WSO community?

Perhaps not needed it would seem for just a short demo flight by Boeing company
pilot Ricardo Traven.

MW

On 20 Jul 2004 23:51:36 GMT, ojunk (Mike Weeks) wrote:

From: "José Herculano"
Date: 7/20/2004 15:04 Pacific Daylight Time

See this pictu

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/624542/L/

I've never seen a picture or movie of a Tomcat doing a display without a
RIO. To my knowledge, there is nothing physical that mandates the RIO in
there for the Turkey to be flown in a demo - take off, do some aerobatics,
land...

Could be wrong, but it's my understanding that the Tom requires a RIO.

It has been a while, but my understanding, from a friend that used to
be a F-14 RIO, was that the controls to align the INS was in the back.
Makes it difficult to fly without one.
--Rolf

From: Rolf Kappe
Date: 7/21/2004 08:53 Pacific Daylight Time

On 20 Jul 2004 23:51:36 GMT, ojunk (Mike Weeks) wrote:

From: "José Herculano"
Date: 7/20/2004 15:04 Pacific Daylight Time

See this pictu

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/624542/L/

I've never seen a picture or movie of a Tomcat doing a display without a
RIO. To my knowledge, there is nothing physical that mandates the RIO in
there for the Turkey to be flown in a demo - take off, do some aerobatics,
land...

Could be wrong, but it's my understanding that the Tom requires a RIO.

It has been a while, but my understanding, from a friend that used to
be a F-14 RIO, was that the controls to align the INS was in the back.
Makes it difficult to fly without one.

My understanding also came from a former F-4/F-14 RIO -- but couldn't recall
what was the requirements in the Tomcat.

MW

It has been a while, but my understanding, from a friend that used to
be a F-14 RIO, was that the controls to align the INS was in the back.
Makes it difficult to fly without one.

True again, forgot about that ... altzheimers? Then again, the Turkey
inertial was pretty bad, although it was required for Phoenix. For
non-mission flights, it was not essential.

R / John

In article , John Carrier
wrote:

It has been a while, but my understanding, from a friend that used to
be a F-14 RIO, was that the controls to align the INS was in the back.
Makes it difficult to fly without one.

True again, forgot about that ... altzheimers? Then again, the Turkey
inertial was pretty bad, although it was required for Phoenix. For
non-mission flights, it was not essential.

R / John


On the Prowler (ICAP II and beyond) you needed the INS for a stable
primary attitude platform. Same for the Turkey?
Pugs