Debrief

20CU farewells the classic Hornet

I still remember the first time I flew the F/A-18A solo as a student at 2OCU, the Royal Australian Air Force’s operational conversion unit for single-seat fighter pilots. I was on 1/97 conversion course, the first ab-initio course to run after FCI Course and needless to say the testosterone-charged warfighting atmosphere was at its peak and to me, reaching the benchmark required to be a fighter pilot in one of the world’s most highly regarded Air Forces seemed virtually unattainable.

So as I returned to base after that short, first solo sortie, I could barely believe what I was doing. A lifelong dream fulfilled – I was solo in a fighter jet. Just me, the machine and the elements, it was a very emotional and powerful moment. The reality was I just followed the bouncing ball that, over the years, 2OCU had developed for training ab-initio fighter pilots.