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Aviation History
1981
1981 - 1157.PDF
FLIGHT International, 25 April 1981 1171 F-18: Bringing a three-fold improvement to Naval Air reliability. The F-18 Hornet strike fighter has demonstrated more than three times the reliability of the Navy fleet aircraft it will replace. During a recent two-week reliability demonstra tion at the U.S. Naval Air Test Center, a Hornet flew 50 flights—100 hours-and required mainte nance, other than routine service, only 12 times. Before the trials, the Navy established 29 times as a "passing grade" and set 16 times as the best performance they could reasonably expect. The Hornet needed maintenance just once every 8.4 flight hours. Navy officials confirmed that Hornet perform ance in this test was more than three times cur rent reliability rates for the F-4 Phantom fighter and A-7 Corsair light attack aircraft, the two combat aircraft the Hornet will replace.This high reliability will mean greater readiness, and fewer burdens for Navy and Marine Corps maintenance personnel. The Hornet is an all-weather, twin-engine strike fighter for the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and Canadian Forces Air Command. McDonnell Douglas is prime contractor for the Hornet, General Electric builds its F404 engines, Hughes manufactures the long-range APG-65 radar, and Northrop is major subcontractor to McDonnell Douglas. -18 Hornet /
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