The "F" and "A" In "F/A-18"
11-17-2009, 02:25 PM
#31
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: MD-11
Posts: 56
Originally Posted by Rhino Driver
Early on, we were calling "101, Super Hornet ball, 8.0."
11-17-2009, 08:16 PM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: Walmart Greeter
Posts: 694
Originally Posted by Rhino Driver
I have to disagree with you Rhino Flyer. If you were a Tomcat transition guy to the E/F, it's the Rhino. If you were a Hornet guy that transitioned to the E/F, it's still the Hornet. If you were an FRS grad new to Naval Aviation, it's the Super Hornet. That's what I came to realize after 4 years as an FRS IP.
Anyway, the name Rhino really has it's purpose. It's all about operating around the boat. We had issues early on in the program with the arresting gear settings. The gear dogs get a setting that has to be dialed into the arresting gear from the tower. For the Hornet, it's 33/34 thousand pounds. For the "Super," it's 44 thousand pounds. You can see how this might be an issue. The gear dogs set the weight setting, the LSO's verify the correct weight setting, and the pilot's call the ball with their aircraft name and fuel weight. "303, Hornet ball, 4.8." This is a final cross-check.
Early on, we were calling "101, Super Hornet ball, 8.0." It's loud up there on the platform and can be pretty hectic at times. Super Hornet and Hornet can sound very similar. In addition, the Rhino has a daytime light that flashes on the nose wheel (can only be seen abeam) so the LSO's will know it's a Super. You know how that goes. Lights burn out, hectic pitching deck day and the fact that the 2 aircraft actually do look almost identical. You can't always see the intakes until they're in-close. Needless to say, when you trap a 44K jet on a 34K weight setting, very bad things can and will happen. And this happened on far too many occasions.
The simple fix is how you call the ball. We started using Rhino in 2002 and it stuck becoming standard for shipboard operations. The name came from the Phantom guys who also called the Phantom the Rhino in the Navy. A few high ranking Hornet guys HATED calling a version of the Hornet, the Rhino. But the Tomcat guys loved ****ing off the Hornet guys, so it stuck. Actually in the interest of safety, but I like to get my jabs in!
Anyway, that's how it came about. BTW, Hornet guys hate when you call the A-D version the "Baby Hornet." Man I miss this stuff!
Anyway, the name Rhino really has it's purpose. It's all about operating around the boat. We had issues early on in the program with the arresting gear settings. The gear dogs get a setting that has to be dialed into the arresting gear from the tower. For the Hornet, it's 33/34 thousand pounds. For the "Super," it's 44 thousand pounds. You can see how this might be an issue. The gear dogs set the weight setting, the LSO's verify the correct weight setting, and the pilot's call the ball with their aircraft name and fuel weight. "303, Hornet ball, 4.8." This is a final cross-check.
Early on, we were calling "101, Super Hornet ball, 8.0." It's loud up there on the platform and can be pretty hectic at times. Super Hornet and Hornet can sound very similar. In addition, the Rhino has a daytime light that flashes on the nose wheel (can only be seen abeam) so the LSO's will know it's a Super. You know how that goes. Lights burn out, hectic pitching deck day and the fact that the 2 aircraft actually do look almost identical. You can't always see the intakes until they're in-close. Needless to say, when you trap a 44K jet on a 34K weight setting, very bad things can and will happen. And this happened on far too many occasions.
The simple fix is how you call the ball. We started using Rhino in 2002 and it stuck becoming standard for shipboard operations. The name came from the Phantom guys who also called the Phantom the Rhino in the Navy. A few high ranking Hornet guys HATED calling a version of the Hornet, the Rhino. But the Tomcat guys loved ****ing off the Hornet guys, so it stuck. Actually in the interest of safety, but I like to get my jabs in!
Anyway, that's how it came about. BTW, Hornet guys hate when you call the A-D version the "Baby Hornet." Man I miss this stuff!
Really? WE hated it when people called the A-D the baby hornent? News to me..been at the FRS going on 5 years flying both and this is the first I have heard of that hatred. We could give a crap to be honest...what we really hated was sitting in the ready room listening to a bunch of Tomcat guys talk about the Turkey...it got really really old really fast! End Jab.
11-17-2009, 09:01 PM
#33
Moderate Moderator
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Curator at Static Display
Posts: 5,681
I Second the Motion
Originally Posted by ExAF
First...For the record...there is only 1 real Rhino and it is the Phantom....
