After transferring its aging fleet of 5 F/A-18B’s t o VX-23 and VFA-125 last month, the US Naval Test Pilot School took delivery of its first F/A-18F Superhornet from VFA-106 in Oceana on 15 July.

The Superhornets will be used in the test pilot course to train students in advanced flying qualities and integrated tactical systems test. The new aircraft will bring a more modern platform to the curriculum that more closely represents today’s fly-by-wire technology.

Test Pilot School has three main curricula: training fixed and rotary wing pilots, training NFO’s, and training engineers. Students attending TPS spend 11 months studying various aspects of flight test. While at TPS they fly a dozen or more aircraft types including Schweitzer gliders, DeHavilland Beavers, T-38s, SH-60s, UH-58 and various foreign services’ front line aircraft. Upon graduation, students go on to test squadrons to test and evaluate aircraft and aircraft systems.

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Cutlines:

New TPS Aircraft 1:

The newly acquired F-18F aircraft stand ready for use by the Naval Test Pilot school students.

New TPS Aircraft 2:

The Naval Test Pilot School's newest aircraft, an F-18F, arrives at NAS Patuxent River, Md.