The spectacular video of an Australian pilot performing aerobatics in a Super Hornet fighter

The United States, Australia, and Kuwait are the only operators of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, an excellent aircraft designed as a naval fighter.

EA-18G Growler, the US and Australian plane that fights in the electromagnetic spectrum
An RAAF air display flying the most agile version of the F-35 stealth fighter

The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Super Hornets have a unique characteristic: they are all two-seat F/A-18Fs, unlike the US Navy and Kuwait Air Force, which operate both single-seat F/A-18Es and the two-seat variant. All Australian Super Hornets are based at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, in the far east of the country. That same base also houses the RAAF's 12 EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, assigned to No. 6 Squadron.

All RAAF Super Hornets and Growlers are based at No. 82 Wing. The Super Hornets are further divided into two distinct units. The 1st Squadron (a unit with over a century of history: it was created in 1916 during the First World War) operates 18 fighters for combat missions. Additionally, the 82nd Flight Training Wing, established in 2020, operates six aircraft to provide conversion training for the other units of No. 82 Wing, a task assigned to No. 6 Squadron until 2015, before the introduction of the EA-18G. Between 2015 and 2020, the training of Australian Super Hornet pilots was provided by the US Navy.

The RAAF's No. 82 Wing currently has a demonstration pilot, Squadron Leader (SQNLDR) Scott Wood. This pilot from No. 1 Squadron is capable of pushing the Super Hornet to its performance limits. Scott's passion for aviation began when he was 10 years old. He once saw one of the F-111C Aardvark fighter-bombers then operated by the RAAF giving a demonstration in his hometown of Brisbane. The F-111 could perform a very spectacular maneuver known as the "dump and burn" (we saw it here in 2023 on a Czech Gripen) thanks to its fuel discharge between its nozzles. This maneuver consists of unloading fuel from the aircraft's tanks and igniting it with the afterburner, generating a considerable flame.

As in other air forces, aerobatic displays play a vital role in recruiting new pilots for the RAAF. They spark an interest in aviation among many children and young people, igniting their desire to fly. Scott Wood states: "If just one young person sees us and dreams of being here one day, then it’s worth every second." Perhaps in the future, some of the children who have watched Wood fly will take his place, just as that F-111 pilot instilled in him his passion for fighter jets.

This Tuesday, the RAAF released a spectacular video showing SQNLDR Scott Wood performing aerobatics. The video includes footage shot from inside the cockpit showing the G-forces the pilot endures at every moment and the breathing exercises he performs to complete these maneuvers:

---

Images: Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).