The final F-14 Tomcat Qarrier Qualification (CQ) took place in March '05 on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) off coast Virginia. During the CQ, Tomcat crews prepare and qualify themselves in carrier ops. They had to make a certain number of catapult starts, arrested landings, touch-and-goes, and those by day and night. When concluded they are qualified to go on deployment. These crew eventually departed with the CVN-71 to the Persian Gulf that marked the sunset cruise for the F-14. The crews belonged to VF-31 and VF-213 but used aircraft of Fleet Replacement Squadron VF-101 Grim Reapers.

A Jolly Rogers Super Hornet on deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). The aircraft carried an unusual high modex, revealing it was once assigned to VFA-106, the Fleet Replacement Squadron, for east coast training.

Carrier Qualifications on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) off coast Virginia. The ship accepted aircraft from both west and east coast fleets, so this Super Hornet, normally based at NAS Lemoore (CA), was flown over to the east coast to train pilots.

Lunchtime departure