VAQ-129 Graduates First CAT 1 Growler Students
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS100316-05
Release Date: 3/16/2010
By Lt. John Nelson, Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 129 Public Affairs
OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) -- Another first in the EA-18G Growler's introduction to the fleet occurred as Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 129, the EA-18G Fleet Replacement Squadron, graduated the first class of aircrew that entered the squadron straight from flight school March 5.
Known as "Cat 1's", or "Category One" replacement aircrew, these five aviators were hand-selected to come to Whidbey Island and undergo initial training in the EA-18G.
Previously, VAQ-129 and its cadre of instructors had trained VAQ-132 and VAQ-141 as they transitioned from the EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G. Those classes consisted of fleet-seasoned aviators with prior tactical jet experience and exposure to the electronic attack mission.
Class 09-08 consisted of fleet replacement pilots Lt. William Orr and Lt.j.g. Kyle Vandegriff, and fleet replacement electronic warfare officers Lt.j.g. Justin Jones, Lt.j.g. Dan Kovalcik and Lt.j.g. Graig Davis. Orr, Vandegriff, Jones and Kovalcik are assigned to VAQ-132, and Davis is assigned to VAQ-141.
Gearing up for the new students presented many different challenges for the squadron.
"The biggest challenge we had was time to get ready," said VAQ-129 EA-18G Director Cmdr. Chris Schnabel. "We had a lot of training as instructors to accomplish in a very short time. Additionally, we had to review, rewrite and finalize all of the courseware."
The courseware consists of various computer-based training, lectures, simulators and flights throughout the nine-month syllabus. Although some of the training regimen has been adapted from other Super Hornet fleet replacement squadrons, the Airborne Electronic Attack portion of the syllabus is new and being refined with each successive class.
The rigorous EA-18G syllabus exposes the newly-winged naval aviators and naval flight officers to all aspects of the Growler's mission capabilities. Involving numerous phases of training, the students are introduced to day and night formation flying, basic radar mechanics, air-to-air fighter tactics, airborne electronic attack and inflight refueling. The syllabus culminates with day and night carrier qualification.
Unlike the EA-6B, where student pilots carrier qualify with a veteran instructor in the right seat, the CAT 1's take the Growler to the boat as a "crew solo," a student in the front and a student in the back.
"We place a great deal of trust in them to go do something that they've never done before without an instructor in their jet. It's a rite of passage," said Lt. Kelsey Martin, the VAQ-129 EA-18G Carrier Qualification (CQ) phase head. "These guys performed extremely well throughout all aspects of our CQ program. We knew we had smart, capable guys that with the right training could execute from an unfamiliar field on their own, fly to the ship and be successful. They proved us right."
The students successfully completed 10 day arrested landings and six night arrested landings on board USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) in January.
Part of the reason the students were so successful was their desire to select Growlers out of flight school. Orr chose the Growler both for its mission, and for the chance to be stationed at Whidbey Island.
"I just wanted to go VAQ. I didn't want to be a fighter guy," said Orr. "[The EA-18G] is saving lives instead of taking them. It's one of the few airplanes that is doing that."
Lt. Kevin Inabnit, an EA-18G instructor at VAQ-129, appreciated the work ethic of the students.
"This first class of CAT 1's will always have a special place in my heart," said Inabnit. "They showed up here with great attitudes and ready to learn. All of them did great in flight school and wanted to come to the Growler. They definitely set the bar high for all other Cat 1's to strive for."
"It was fast-paced training, but I was proud to be a part of the very first CAT 1 Growler class," said Davis.
He joins VAQ-141, which completed their transition to Growlers in February.
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