The Navy has identified a valve that may be causing problematic pressure changes in F/A-18E and F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers during flight, said a Navy officer who is spearheading the service’s efforts to stop the glaring trend of failures in critical aircraft systems.

“We’re not declaring victory, but we are declaring that we found something to fix and we’re fixing it,” said Capt. Sara Joyner, who has been selected for advancement to rear admiral.

Meanwhile, the Navy has determined that problems that led to the grounding of T-45 training jets earlier this year stem from the aircraft’s small engine not producing enough oxygen flow for the pilots, said Joyner. 

Joyner was appointed in August to helm the Navy’s research into preventing fixed-wing pilots from experiencing hypoxia and other physiological episodes while flying.

“We have found a single thing that, at times, may be impacting the aircraft, but it is not the one thing that will solve this problem,” Joyner said.

Starting in 2018, the Navy will add a heater blanket to the valve so it won’t freeze, she said. Navy officials will also test other aircraft components to systematically eliminate any possible problematic factors.