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Fighter plane inspections
won’t affect air drills

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By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

The Navy's ordered inspection of nearly all of its F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters will not affect the air combat operations scheduled for the Big Island and the waters off Oahu this month.

More than two dozen F-18 Hornets are expected to be operating out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay through the end of the month, with the first squadron of eight jets expected to arrive in the islands today.

Those jets belong to the Navy Reserve VFA Squadron 201, which normally operates out of Fort Worth, Texas. Joining those fighters will be 12 F-18 strike fighters from Navy VFA Squadron 125 from San Diego.

Supporting the Marines at the Big Island's Pohakuloa Training Area will be eight F-18 Hornets and several C-130 cargo planes belonging to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112, a reserve unit normally stationed at Fort Worth.

Maj. Carolyn Dysart, Marine Forces Reserve spokeswoman, said the Texas contingent of 131 will arrive here Feb. 4 and be in the islands for two weeks.

Jet fighters are normally not stationed at the Windward Oahu Marine base, where flight operations generally involve helicopter and propeller-driven aircraft.

The Navy yesterday ordered inspections of its F-18 jet fighters after corroded and cracked lugs were found in the aircraft's wing-folding mechanism.

The ordered affected 750 Hornets in the Navy and Marine Corps squadrons before their next flight. The inspection takes about an hour, the Navy said.

Initial inspection of 400 Hornets uncovered six fractured lugs.

In the past couple of months, the Marines have grounded their squadrons of Osprey tilt rotor helicopters, Sea Stallion helicopters and Harrier jets.

Not affected by the Navy order are newer F-18 E and F models.