Please, Welcome the Humble, Fascinating and Brilliant Ron "SidewalkCynic" Martin

[Bluenose]

Were you shipboard or ground based when you were working on F18s? I ask as Bluenose was a navigator on carrier based aircraft in the Australian navy.

I was shore/ground based in Florida in a squadron that trained pilots and ground crew. I went on aircraft carriers a few times for no more than two weeks when the pilots were training to land on the carrier.

I was an Observer in the RAN Fleet Air Arm for about 8 years, served in the Aussie carrier HMAS Melbourne on VS-816 squadron.  I flew as a sensor operator in Grumman S-2G Tracker aircraft.  Nothing compares to being shot off the front by the steam catapult and then landing back on and catching a wire.  If you were not scared, you simply did not understand what was going on...   BTW, my avatar is a photo I took by simply holding the camera up from No 3 seat when we were on finals circa 1980.

[SidewalkCynic]

The character limit forces me to use my shortened name, but I'll do it since you insist.