DECEMBER 31, 2025 – The roar of aircraft engines build to a deafening crescendo as an F-35C Lightning II, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA 147) sits primed on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). The jet’s fuselage trembles under the surge of raw power. The high-pitched whine of the exhaust intensifies as it lines up to the catapult, steam enveloping the aircraft. As if time were standing still, the pilot–sitting with bated breath–reviews his checklists, the emergency procedure, and the upcoming departure as the aircraft readies for launch.
“Flight prep takes hours of focused work, all building toward a single moment of release,” said Lt. Ari Feustel, an F-35C Lightning II pilot, assigned to VFA 147. “It’s a rush of relief and excited anticipation as you launch from the catapult.”
Every fixed-wing naval aviator’s journey begins in Pensacola, Florida. For Lt. Riley Turk, An F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, he and other trainees faced an unforgiving two to three years in the training pipeline where just a handful of bad flights can end a dream.
“You have to show up every day ready and prepared,” said Turk. “You could be in flight school one week, have a few bad flights, and be removed from training the next week.”
Trainees complete aviation preflight indoctrination, studying aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, and survival training. Based on performance and service needs, students are then selected for specialized advanced training. Trainees are designated to fly helicopters, jets, or big wing aircraft and train on flight tactics, formation flying, and air-to-surface employments. Only after completing this multi-year process and earning the coveted “wings of gold” do they join the fleet as fully qualified naval aviators.
However, the training doesn’t stop there. Once on an aircraft carrier, pilots must get aircraft carrier qualified to land on the ship at sea. According to Feustel, being a pilot onboard an aircraft carrier is no easy feat. It requires a blend of precision, intensity, and trust.
“The maintenance team is the heart of the squadron,” said Turk. “They work around the clock completing maintenance, performing inspections, and preparing and launching jets for the flight schedule.”
While being a mobile city, aircraft carriers also serve as a mobile airfield, pitching and rolling with the sea below. Feustel explained that every launch and recovery has a razor-thin margin for error, demanding absolute focus from all those involved. “While we do this every day, nothing is routine,” said Feustel, “We do our absolute best to ensure that everything is successful and everyone in the process is putting in 110%.”
Approaching the catapult, the F-35C Lightning II locks into position, confident and restless, just as it did yesterday and will again tomorrow. The aircraft, an extension of its operator, trembles with energy, and as the aircraft launches into the dawn, it carries forward a legacy built on precision, resilience, and its continued commitment to excellence.
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Crowley
USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)