Two first-time events in one day make history on board CVN 78
A test pilot from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 at NAS Patuxent River, flying Salty Dog 123, an F/A-18F Super Hornet, completed the first arrested landing and catapult launch July 28 on the newly commissioned USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) aircraft carrier.
Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Struck, flying one of VX-23’s instrumented aircraft, completed the first arrested trap on CVN 78 using the new Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system.
After he taxied to the forward part of the carrier’s newly designed flight deck, he was the first pilot to be catapulted from CVN 78 using the new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS).
Read more: http://www.dcmilitary.com/tester/tenant_profile/two-first-time-events-in-one-day-make-history-onboard/article_299ff304-a8f0-500b-90b9-0deccf723b28.html