Getting into Fights at work

Tuesday started out well. I am in San Diego with the squadron flying against Marine Corps F-18s and was scheduled to fly 1 vs. 1 against one of the Hornets. We met in the airspace and had fuel for 2 engagements. It’s good to fight something other than the standard student-flown F-16, and a combat qualified pilot flying an F-18 is a worthy adversary.

We started the fights nose-to-nose at 500mph each. This type of fighting is a great opportunity to know and practice tactics—to capitalize on your strengths and exploit the adversary’s weaknesses. The Hornet’s strength is slow speed fighting as it can move its nose around quite at will. My strength is to stay fast and use a different style of fighting. He who drives the fight toward his strength will win.

The fight went all over…9 Gs level, then into the vertical, then back to level, …. It was exciting to see the F-18 ‘across the circle,’ or canopy to canopy, him doing everything to take shots on me, me doing everything to take shots at him. Simulated missile shots were taken, but the engagement was only ended and a “kill” was called on a simulated gun hit. Trying to hit a jinking and jiving bandit at ¼ mile away is not the easiest thing to do.

But I won. Did you ever doubt? :)

I learned after the fight that the pilot I was fighting is prepping to head over to the Middle East. I know that no matter what is thrown at him, he’s capable and will handle it with success. Good luck Marine, and may God be with you.

Brian