First-in-class carrier Gerald R. Ford returns from builders trials

[nitpicker]

https://www.navytimes.com/articles/ford-returns-from-builders-trials

First-in-class carrier Gerald R. Ford returns from builders trials

By: Mark D. Faram, April 14, 2017

NORFOLK NAVAL STATION, Va. — The carrier Gerald R. Ford returned to Hampton Roads after a week at sea conducting builder’s trials, pulling into Norfolk Naval Station for the first time today. The long awaited first-of-class carrier left Newport News on April 8 for the trials, returning today, entering Hampton Roads escorted by plenty of tug boats — and a ring of dress blue-clad sailors manning the rails around the flight deck.

It’s not quite the Navy’s boat yet, but she took a big step in that direction this past week during builder’s sea trials during which testing was done on the ship’s systems, components and compartments at sea for the first time. The trials also included high-speed runs and turns — but the ship hasn’t yet conducted flight operations, something that won’t happen until the Navy formally takes possession and Ford officially joins the fleet.

The next step, expected to happen soon, is the acceptance trials and if all goes well, the Navy will formally take passion of the ship and start preparing her for commission. But now, it’s still Huntington Ingalls' ship.
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The trials were conducted in a partnership between Ford’s crew and the Newport News shipbuilders as well as others from Naval Sea Systems Command.
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One person who didn’t make the trip was the ship’s sponsor, Susan Ford Bales, daughter of President Gerald Ford, but in a statement released by the shipyard, she expressed her excitement for how it went. “Completion of builder’s sea trials for Dad’s namesake aircraft carrier is the magnificent culmination of years of hard work,” she said. “I’m ecstatic and could not be prouder of the ship’s successful performance.”

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Wow, this photo gives an idea of the size of the carrier:

Impressive! Wish I could share this with my Dad. He was radio operator on the USS Ranger and he was always quite interested in carriers, though he didn't enjoy this part of his Naval service all that much.