Originally Posted by
AZFlyer
Thats the best google could do for me.
I always knew those guys in back never really did anything!
Though, I have to ask now....do the WSO's do any flying at all? There is a stick in the back cockpit, right?
NO - there is no stick in the back of a
missionized F/A-18D. There is a backseat stick in the training versions of the B and D.
Some years ago they started what was called the "Super FO" program where they did give the NFOs some front seat flight training (up to solo I believe). Maybe a former NFO can chime in on this.
In a missionized version there is a small spot where you can put something like a joystick in that will give you some basic control (so I've heard....never seen it myself).
Now - I won't say that those guys in back don't do anything because that would be politically incorrect
Truthfully I've rarely flown Marine F/A-18Ds with a WSO in the back. My personal feeling is that it is great to grow-up (meaning first tour) in single seat and then take those skills over to the two-seat community.
USMCFLYR