"The military aircraft listed below have no VMC established by the manufacturer. " from the above link, and the F18 is in the list.

There is a Vmc for the hornet, I think the rhino as well. This is defined in the NATOPS, I am not sure Boeing or McDonnell Douglass defined it. The FAA should update their list. I know some folks who have had this discussion with some FSDO folks and have gotten nowhere.

Sorry I can't add to your question. I am doing what you are planning. For a couple reasons; one to add more check boxes to the application and other as a means to stay current. I have a none-flying guard gig lined up for the transition; if I don't get something prior to leaving AD I will need to maintain currency at some point (for some companies to be looked at). I thought this might be a method to stay current cheaper than out of pocket.

 

Don't get hung up on the details.... Centerline thrust, whatever.

Get the certificates, all of them as fast and as cheaply as possible. Everyone knows you can fly. What you need are boxes checked on your application to get seen sooner. Go through that app, start filling in what you can first, then work on others. Don't go overboard and go get a multi engine seaplane rating unless you're into that.... But you get the idea.

 

But if you do, drop the cash and get it in a Beech 18 on floats!

 

Ultimately, it won't matter what FSDO you use to knock out the MilComp paperwork for your FAA instructor ratings. When the app goes to OKC, they will kick it back if the FSDO handed you a CFI (AMEL) certificate. It doesn't matter what's in the NATOPS, it's what's in their policy docs. Until that changes, F-18 IP MilComp nets a CFII.

Also, if you get your CFII from MilComp as a F-18 IP and you don't do CFI (AMEL) next and choose to add on CFI (ASEL) first, ensure you do it in a complex aircraft. Although the language in the PTS seems clear, the first CFI rating must be done in complex aircraft, this is the FAA and it's not. As luck and FAA policy would have it, CFII MilComp via F-18 doesn't count towards the complex aircraft requirement.

We went round and round with the FAA on that after I helped an F-18 add-on his CFI (ASEL) to his MilComp CFII. We even checked with the DPE first and he concurred with our assessment that it could be done in a non-complex aircraft. Ultimately, he ended up taking another ride with the DPE in a 172-RG to make OKC happy.

The CFI (AMEL) is a pretty easy add-on and I would recommend doing that one first. That will also check the "complex" box. If you didn't grow up getting your commercial via the civilian method, the CFI (ASEL) will take a little longer learning the ASEL commercial maneuvers.