The U.S. military in Japan opened the training of its carrier-based aircraft to the public for the first time in six years on May 25 on Iwoto island in Tokyo’s Ogasawara village.

The USS George Washington returned to its home port in Japan in November for a forward-deployment in the western Pacific Ocean.

Being an F-18 pilot takes hours of training and practice. After pilots have made a specific score on landing and taking off during the day, the lights turn off, and the stakes are higher.