CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Navy and Marine Corps student naval aviators got a firsthand look at high-performance tactical aircraft during Training Air Wing 2’s Fleet Fly In aboard Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, Nov. 19.

Eleven aircraft flew in from various locations across the country including F-35B/C Lightning II, F/A-18D Hornet, F/A-18E Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and AV-8B Harrier aircraft.

Students walked around the aircraft and asked pilots questions about mission sets and aircraft capabilities and handling. Pilots provided briefs and answered students’ questions about expectations of life in the fleet.

Commanding General, Third Marine Aircraft Wing Maj. Gen. Christopher Mahoney piloted one of the F-35Bs from San Diego for the event.

“It is extremely important that the young up and coming pilots know where their future is,” Mahoney said. “It is extremely important that they know they are connected directly to the future success of Naval Aviation in the fleet, whether that’s the Marine Corps or the Navy. To bring these machines in and to bring the pilots in to show them their future vector is almost vertical.”

The event generated excitement among the students. Some, like Marine 1^st Lt. Joey Johnson, assigned to the “Golden Eagles” of Training Squadron (VT) 22, are nearing the end of undergraduate training and will soon select their fleet aircraft and report to their corresponding fleet replacement squadron for graduate-level flight training.

“It’s just good to see what we are going to next,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to envision what you’re going to be doing so seeing these aircraft is pretty motivating for us.”

Training Air Wing 2 comprises two training squadrons – the “Redhawks” of VT-21 and the “Golden Eagles” of VT-22. Together, they provide undergraduate flight training for the Navy and Marine Corps’ tactical air, or strike pilots. Upon receiving their Wings of Gold, these new naval aviators progress to postgraduate flight training within their respective aircraft communities, which include F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35 Lightning II, EA-18G Growler, AV-8B Harrier, E-2C/D Hawkeye, or C-2A Greyhound.

For more information about Training Air Wing 2, visit www.cnatra.navy.mil/tw2