About Virtual Carrier Air Wing EIGHT

Founded in March of 2015, Virtual Carrier Air Wing EIGHT exists to provide the DCS community a military simulation group that is guided by members with over forty years combined active-duty time including literally years spent in squadron ready rooms and towers onboard CVNs on deployments all around the world. With combined flight time operating and fighting Navy aircraft in excess of 6,000 hours, the real-world experiences of Virtual CVW-8 leadership forms the foundation of the realistic presentation of U.S. Naval Aviation operations and community that defines the Virtual CVW-8 brand. You can learn more about the real-world experience of our staff using the links on this page.

Our Fleet squadrons currently include VFA-87 and VFA-15, along with Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) VF-213. Additionally, VFA-106 and VF-124 serve as Virtual CVW-8's Fleet Replacement Squadron and provides pilots with initial qualification in the Hornet prior to their assignment to a Fleet squadron. Our official Wing operations calendar is based on the Fleet Readiness Training Program (FRTP) and include FRS, Basic, Integrated, and Advanced Phases of workups. Our operations cycle culminates in a combat deployment aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in the DCS World environment.

In addition to excellence in tactical execution, Virtual CVW-8 seeks to build a culture that closely resembles social life in an actual Navy squadron. Naval Aviation is unique in that it blends high levels of professional execution in the cockpit with high levels of ridiculousness in the ready room. Long periods away from family and friends at home create bonds of friendship that persist long after members transfer from their squadrons. This is the type of environment we are seeking to build within Virtual CVW-8. This means committing to the squadron, the Wing, and the ethos that makes us more than just an online group of simulator enthusiasts...we are a group of squadron mates, teammates, and ultimately, friends who love the level of simulation that DCS afford to us.

The members of Virtual CVW-8 hail from all walks of life. Though our operations are informed by the lived experiences of some members with years of military service and many of our members have served in the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, many of our members have never served in the military. The common thread between our firemen, locomotive engineers, software engineers, insurance adjusters, students, heavy equipment mechanics, investment bankers, musicians and airline pilots is that we all seek to enjoy DCS in a manner that reflects real-world Naval Aviation operations. We enjoy anchoring our operations on Standard Operating Procedures because not only does it help increase the immersion level of our operations, but it helps to establish a baseline from which all Wing members can operate. Being on the same page helps form a cohesive team and increases our combat effectiveness.

Virtual CVW-8 is not the right place for everyone. Our brand of realistic operations based on Tactics Techniques and Procedures informed by those who completed careers in Naval Aviation could be viewed as rigid or constraining by some. If you do not like being told in a debrief that the flight did not go as well as it could have and there are areas for improvement, we may not be the right Wing for you. Learning and improving are part of the enjoyment of DCS for the pilots of Virtual CVW-8, so being told where we have not met the mark is part of the fun! The great thing about the DCS community is that there are groups for every pilot, and military-casual groups abound. However, for those seeking our brand of realistic, open-world Naval Aviation military simulation, you will be hard pressed to find a better Wing on the web. If you would like to learn more about Virtual Carrier Air Wing EIGHT, please read through our Mission Statement, Code of Conduct, and Frequently Asked Questions pages. You may also join our Discord server or contact us via email using the links at the top of the page. If you believe that Virtual CVW-8 may be the type of group you are looking for, please submit an application via the JOIN US button at the top of the page. We look forward to hearing from you!

Fly Where You Have The Most Fun

  • The commanding officer of CVW-8, is currently a software engineer and previously a seasoned locomotive engineer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In his free time, he uses his technical expertise to support his passion for flight simulation within the DCS World environment. A lifelong gaming enthusiast, he entered the simulation world in 2016 and has amassed thousands of hours of experience flying the DCS Hornet.

    Aside from his love of flight simulation, the CAG is a huge nerd who enjoys playing Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder tabletop games. He is also deeply committed to learning as much as he can about Naval Aviation, and strives to execute real-world tactics with precision and effectiveness in DCS while still embracing the fun and excitement of simulation flying.

    His dedication to learning and self-improvement has led him to develop a series of outstanding air to air tactics training materials and programs that form the foundation of CVW-8's A/A tactics excellence. With his expertise and guidance, CVW-8 pilots are able to hone their skills and perform at the highest levels in simulated combat scenarios.

  • A recently retired career Naval Aviator (that is to say, he’s not super old…yet), Virtual CVW-8’s Training Officer has logged almost 4,000 total hours including over 1,000 hours in the F-14 A/B and more than 2,500 hours in the F/A-18 A-F models. At the controls for over 600 carrier arrested landings, the extensive experience of CAG TRAINO is instrumental in the formation of all Virtual Carrier Air Wing EIGHT SOPs and Tactics, Training, and Procedures (TTP).

    His tours include duty with multiple Tomcat, Hornet and Super Hornet squadrons, serving in many capacities including Operations Officer. Additionally, he was a VFA-106 Instructor Pilot and NATOPS standardization instructor. He was qualified as a Strike Fighter Weapons Tactics Instructor Level IV in both the F-14 and F/A-18.

    His shore duty assignments include serving as the Operations Officer at the Strike Fighter Weapons School Atlantic as well as Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic. His final sea duty was serving as the Operations Officer for Carrier Air Wing THREE.

    Now an airline pilot, TRAINO appreciates the ability to relive the fun of his Fleet days through DCS and brings a much appreciated standard of realism to Virtual CVW-8.