2016-08-20 This video was shot by Todd Miller when he was onboard the USS George Washington on August 15, 2016.
The video shows VX-23 “Salty Dogs” and VFA-101 “ Grim Reapers” pilots and crew working on carrier qualifications.
The video highlights the entry of the F-35C into a hangar onboard the USS George Washington.
F-35 C Hangar Entry onto USS George Washington from SldInfo.com on Vimeo.
As Miller put it: “Though not officially part of DT-III, the Grim Reapers of VFA-101 put the state of the F-35C program in context – and made news of their own. VFA-101 represents a cadre of instructors and strike fighter tactics specialists who took this opportunity to carrier qualify so they can prepare the instructor syllabus for the F-35C.
12 VFA-101 pilots with 5 F-35Cs completed their carrier qualifications (CQs) in just over 1.5 days.
That is, as Capt. James Christie of VFA-101 described, 10 landings and 2 touch and goes each – 120 cats, 120 traps and 24 touch and goes.
As U.S. Navy Commander Ryan “Flopper” Murphy, F-35 ITF Lead said: “the greatest satisfaction was to watch the fleet (VFA-101) start to utilize the aircraft.
After all, that is the point of everything we are doing, all the years of work; to equip and empower the Fleet with the F-35C.”
After observing VFA-101 for a few hours, it is clear the equipping and empowering are well underway.”