Summary: <a href="http://www.warbirdradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Tougas_Pax-River-F18-EDIT.jpg"></a>WARBIRD RADIO – Boeing F-18 Experiment Test Pilot John Tougas, joins Matt Jolley on this episode of Warbird Radio LIVE! John Tougas is an Experimental Test Pilot based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. He supports all aspects of the technology development, acceptance and demonstration flight operations for the F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and P-8A Poseidon aircraft.<br> According to his official biography, Tougas was the lead test pilot for the Advanced Super Hornet technology demonstrator, conducted autonomous landing flight tests on the QF-16 drone during initial testing and flew air refueling flight tests in the TA-4J Skyhawk for the 767 Italian Tanker program. Tougas joined Boeing in 2009 after a 20-year career in the U.S. Navy. He entered the Navy through an ROTC scholarship earning Bachelors in aerospace engineering from Georgia Tech in 1988.<br> He received his Navy wings of gold in 1990 and returned Georgia Tech where he earned a Master’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1991. In 1992, Tougas completed initial F-18 Hornet training as the top graduate in his class and joined his first Fleet squadron, VFA-195 Dambusters home ported in Japan. During this tour Tougas made numerous deployments to the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf flying combat missions in the F/A-18C Hornet off the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CV-62) in support of Operation Southern Watch. In 1996, Tougas was assigned to Naval Air Station China Lake, California, as an operational test pilot with VX-9 where he led several F/A-18C project upgrades. In 1997, Tougas graduated from the United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) in Patuxent River, returning to China Lake as a developmental test pilot in the F-18 Hornet and Super Hornet.<br> In 2000, Tougas returned to the Fleet for his Department Head tour where he completed numerous deployments throughout the Western Pacific embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) including supporting Operations Noble Eagle following the September 11th terrorist attacks. In 2002, Tougas was assigned as the Officer in Charge of a Navy detachment to the Air Force Flight Test Center’s Nellis detachment. During this tour was the Chief Test Pilot of a classified prototype air vehicle and flew multiple types including F-18 and F-16 fighters.<br> In 2003 he was inducted into the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) where he served on the Membership Committee for 2 years. In 2005, Tougas returned to Japan for a third Fleet tour as the Carrier Air Group (CAG) Operations Officer. During this tour he orchestrated several multi-national exercises and managed the training and readiness resources for nine Fleet squadrons over six deployments aboard the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) to multiple locations in the Western Pacific while maintaining combat currency in the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Tougas’ last assignment in the Navy was serving as the Executive Officer for the VX-23 Salty Dogs at NAS Patuxent River, Md., where he flew many tests on F/A-18 projects and served in SETP as the East Coast Section Chairman. He retired from the Navy on March 2009, with the rank of Commander. His flying experience includes more than 4300 hours of flight time in more than 30 different types of aircraft. He has logged more than 3,000 F/A-18 hours including over 600 carrier arrested landings on eight aircraft carriers.<br> Tougas is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Naval Aviation Safety Officer School. His awards include Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, two Navy and one Air Force Commendation Medals, one Navy and one Air Force Achievement Medal. He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Maryland Civil Air Patrol and serves on the SETP Board of Directors as the Secretary.<br> Matt also welcomes Jason Capra from Vintage Wings Inc.
