Defence Update

Budget Cuts Affect F-18 and F-111C Flying Hours

Short of new measures designed to lessen the impact, the 71/2% cut in operational flying hours of the RAAF’s F-18 Hornet fighters and the F-111C strike jets may mean lower long-term operational effectiveness for these front line squadrons.

Just what it means specifically in hours not flown is not easy to establish because the average flying hours of pilots and air crews with these five squadrons is not publicly available, although it is known that the two F-111 Squadrons flew a total of approximately 5,000hrs (or 250hrs per plane) in 1989 and that the average Hornet time is 250hrs per pilot or perhaps 200hrs per plane as there are still more Hornets available than pilots.

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