A typical morning routine preparing for the day's first wave of launches. On a real deployment flight ops started a 7am. On training cruises like this they started much later, around mid-morning. This was a few days into the cruise, and aircraft from our usual squadrons had finally come aboard:
VFA-211, VFA-82, VFA-86, HS-11, VMFA-312, VAQ-137, VAW-123, VS-32.
Footage taken from the first days of workup cruises prior to Enterprise's 2006 deployment. Includes first Super Hornets to land onboard, with the F-14 having just been retired. Both flight deck crew and pilots need to get trained up for flight deck certification before a ship can deploy.
Originally filmed on Digital 8 tape. Digital conversion and 60fps upscale thanks to Carl Shinko of Longfooter Productions.
