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Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2019 10:45 pm
by RyanS
I put my thoughts into a blog post on the subject:
https://airshowstuff.com/v4/2019/the-us ... net-demos/
Well done with the TFR info
@MattEv14 !
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:40 am
by tifosi77
I never really understood why the Navy tasked training units for this role. Maybe because they have a bigger pool of aircraft/crews/maintainers/etc from which to draw. Is there a budgetary reason for it? Just a philosophical difference between services?
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:50 am
by RyanS
tifosi77 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:40 am
I never really understood why the Navy tasked training units for this role. Maybe because they have a bigger pool of aircraft/crews/maintainers/etc from which to draw. Is there a budgetary reason for it? Just a philosophical difference between services?
Training units makes sense to me, because:
1) Much larger than a normal squadron (I think VFA-106 has/had over 100 aircraft?)
2) Training units never really deploy so they'll be here every year. Less operational demands.
3) One on each coast
4) In the past, they had a broader range of aircraft. Now that it's all Super Hornets that doesn't matter so much
Not sure why they don't set a specific team with a budget, but I guess they just feel this approach is better. It does allow them to hit multiple shows in one weekend (or used to) since there are several demo crews. The Air Force handles PR better though since they can focus the attention more specifically.
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 12:14 pm
by R18F
RyanS wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:50 am
tifosi77 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 1:40 am
I never really understood why the Navy tasked training units for this role. Maybe because they have a bigger pool of aircraft/crews/maintainers/etc from which to draw. Is there a budgetary reason for it? Just a philosophical difference between services?
Training units makes sense to me, because:
1) Much larger than a normal squadron (I think VFA-106 has/had over 100 aircraft?)
2) Training units never really deploy so they'll be here every year. Less operational demands.
3) One on each coast
4) In the past, they had a broader range of aircraft. Now that it's all Super Hornets that doesn't matter so much
Not sure why they don't set a specific team with a budget, but I guess they just feel this approach is better. It does allow them to hit multiple shows in one weekend (or used to) since there are several demo crews. The Air Force handles PR better though since they can focus the attention more specifically.
VFA-106 was using couple jets done up with color markings for Tac Demos (modex 221, 247) but last year they were incorporating regular line jets into demos and I saw pics of the color birds with weapons stores on for training at NAS Oceana instead. Also, almost all the jets used at east coast Tac Demos are very old Lot Rhinos (ie. BuNo starting with 165). Even the worn out Rhinos are fulfilling a lot of training flights nowadays.
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:30 pm
by RFDGuy
The Tac Demo has never only used the color birds, they'd ask for the CAG color birds but only sometimes would they get them. More often than not we'd see the basic grey bird (at least it felt like it). I believe they just got whatever birds were cleared and good to go.
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2019 3:37 pm
by R18F
RFDGuy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 2:30 pm
The Tac Demo has never only used the color birds, they'd ask for the CAG color birds but only sometimes would they get them. More often than not we'd see the basic grey bird (at least it felt like it). I believe they just got whatever birds were cleared and good to go.
Gotcha. I originally thought that 221 and 247 were the designated demo birds since they used them at most airshows in 2017. I believed that 206 (F/A-18F) and 106 (F/A-18E) were the actual VFA-106 color birds and 221 and 247 were done up specially for demos. So I guess it operates like a fleet squadron - fly whatever is up. Thanks.
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 6:15 pm
by wendovertom
Well, the announced schedule is harsh - but OPS Tempo first I guess. Hopefully next year the West Coast will get the Demos and the East coast can take a year off
Tom P.
Re: Navy TAC Demo 2019 Status
Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2019 1:41 pm
by RyanS
There will be F/A-18 Super Hornet demos at both NAS Oceana and NAS Lemoore during their airshows on September 21 and 22! These are the demo team home bases.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 6396072816
TACDEMO fans – our teams are poised to make some demo history on September 21st and 22nd. Each of our teams will be flying full demos at their respective home shows on the same weekend. So if you’re going to be at the Navy Life NAS Lemoore air show or the NAS Oceana Air Show you are in for a memorable weekend!
I'm surprised Lemoore has any demo-qualified pilots at this point since they were only doing Legacy Flights this year. I wonder if it is going to be flown by VFA-106 pilots in a VFA-122 jet? I know there have been demo practices over Oceana recently.