Surviving military aviation Chapter 1: What not to do

[usmarinemike]

When I was going through primary, there were two guys who got the boot because they decided to dogfight the T-34... They were both scheduled for a PA solo on the same day, so they met up in a working area, turned off their transponders and went at it. Not the best headwork...

I can't even get my head around what they would have classified as dogfighting in their tiny brains. I suppose anything within 3 or 4 miles of each other would classify, especially since they hadn't even flown basic form yet.

Not too long ago at Whiting there was a student solo who came up on Rwy 32 (any student familiar with 32 knows how tricky it is coming off the 180 on profile without violating south field airspace a mere 1000ft off the rwy) and biffed the profile some, and instead of going around elected to touch it down....compressed the nose gear hard enough trying to put it down that all 4 props struck tarmac, and due to a panic reaction the student then went full throttle and lifted off, striking the tail section on rotation. 2 laps in the pattern with 4 bad props, some tail damage and an excessively vibrating engine later, the stud finally got it down. Student continued in training all though I have no idea where that student is now. Big lesson learned was WAVEOFF's are FREE!

If you're going to prang one, prang one at whiting. The planes are cheap and the command should be understanding in a way. Im fairly certain that it will continue to happen with regularity. Happened when I was there, happened when you were there. That's why we don't just go straight into fleet aircraft.

 

[zipmartin]

"Stallion" in this post, among other things he was notorious for, reportedly got away with taking one of his many girlfriends for a ride in a TA-4 while at NAS Dallas. I only report this undocumented incident because it comes from a reliable source (not A4s). I personally witnessed some of his other less-infamous escapades that would, in today's Navy, probably severely limit his career potential.

And how about this Marine Lance Corporal who took an A-4M on a joyride around Los Angeles.

 

[BigIron]

A good survival rule is to operate your aircraft like it belongs to someone else and play within the rule books. Those that have jacked it away forgot those parameters.

For off duty behavior: if your shenanigans have the potential to land on the cover of the navy times, reconsider.

 

[squorch2]

If you're going to prang one, prang one at whiting. The planes are cheap and the command should be understanding

Not cheap anymore...

 

[phrogpilot73]

Not cheap anymore...

Still WAAY cheaper than any fleet bird...

 

[BusyBee604]

When I was going through primary, there were two guys who got the boot because they decided to dogfight the T-34... They were both scheduled for a PA solo on the same day, so they met up in a working area, turned off their transponders and went at it. Not the best headwork...

This was nothing new.... TINS, once upon a time (Summer '67), in a land far away (NAS Roosy Rds. PR) there were 2 'JG' RPs... real names Bubba & Leo, from the A-4 FRS VA-44. On a 2-week conventional WepTra Det.

This particular day our stars were sked for a 6-45d bomb & 6-30d rocket runs w/ mk-76/2.75" inert rockets. To help maint. on quick turnarounds, Squadron SOP was for IP flight lead rolling in first on each run, then on final rocket run...pull off & head back to initial for break (only 'bout 30 miles from Vieques target ), as individuals.

On this event, unknown but to them. Bubba & Leo #3 &#4, had secretly briefed a pulloff from the final run straight out to sea for a quick 1v1 doggy, then hurry back for landing (no one the wiser, umm held up in maint ctl...)! Well, they ended up in an ever tightening scissors, losing alt, with neither giving in 'til, you guessed it: CRUNCH......MIDAIR!

Leo punched out first, then shortly after, out came Bubba. They were both picked up uninjured and in a very timely fashi8n by the Roosy SAR Helo. I 'heard' that enroute to the base dispensary, they were arguing about who won the air battle, Bubba was quoted as claiming "I won Leo, because I punched out last"!

Now I don;t know what happened to them, because I PCSd to USS MIDWAY prior to completion of the AAR (now AMR?). I'm sure they were well punished, but I know they didn't lose their wings. I bumped into Bubba at Lemoore in 1974. He had just returned from a combat A-7 deployment, and had a tit full of combat awards, so I gues he did some good stickwork! Don't know were Leo ended up.

This incident was known ever afterward in AirLant/Pac as "THE GREAT VIEQUES TURKEY SHOOT"!
That is not a "one-time" incident!.....TINS, this is true, look it up.
BzB

 

[Jim123]

Late 1990s, a handful of training command butter bar types (not all of them current flight students at the time of the story; this detail is relevant) rent a pair of small airplanes in Pensacola for a "hundred dollar hamburger" on a Saturday night. So far, so good, and a pretty neat way to spend part of your weekend.

Well, the return trip ended quite spectacularly, with one of the airplanes crashing on the roof of the mall next to the airport. Local media reports remarked about what great luck that there were not only no major injuries but neither was there any post-crash fire. Now, aviation-savvy readers will tend to consider that last detail as having very little to do with "luck." The NTSB accident investigation shed much light on the mishap, but without completely giving away the conclusion, perhaps it is relevant to mention that the ill-fated pilot was an API attrite--going from memory although I'm pretty confident in the details--for some academic performance issues on the navigation exam(s).

 

[C420sailor]

Don't shit on the floor of base ops and you'll be fine.

 

[BigIron]

Don't shit on the floor of base ops and you'll be fine.

Yes. Always good advice.

 

[BigIron]

Late 1990s, a handful of training command butter bar types (not all of them current flight students at the time of the story; this detail is relevant) rent a pair of small airplanes in Pensacola for a "hundred dollar hamburger" on a Saturday night. So far, so good, and a pretty neat way to spend part of your weekend.

Well, the return trip ended quite spectacularly, with one of the airplanes crashing on the roof of the mall next to the airport. Local media reports remarked about what great luck that there were not only no major injuries but neither was there any post-crash fire. Now, aviation-savvy readers will tend to consider that last detail as having very little to do with "luck." The NTSB accident investigation shed much light on the mishap, but without completely giving away the conclusion, perhaps it is relevant to mention that the ill-fated pilot was an API attrite--going from memory although I'm pretty confident in the details--for some academic performance issues on the navigation exam(s).

Was it Cordova Mall's roof ablaze for a bit?

 

[JD81]

One way to survive is to keep pranks going. Replace all sister squadron office chairs with ready room chairs, place all VT-J hinge coffee mugs in locked squadron trophy case with key, setup OPSP/XO/insert poor bastard here offices in other locations, such as the hangar, etc... All to be done in good form, however, and know the 'limits' for such pranks.

 

[jtmedli]

Not too long ago at Whiting there was a student solo who came up on Rwy 32 (any student familiar with 32 knows how tricky it is coming off the 180 on profile without violating south field airspace a mere 1000ft off the rwy) and biffed the profile some, and instead of going around elected to touch it down....compressed the nose gear hard enough trying to put it down that all 4 props struck tarmac, and due to a panic reaction the student then went full throttle and lifted off, striking the tail section on rotation. 2 laps in the pattern with 4 bad props, some tail damage and an excessively vibrating engine later, the stud finally got it down. Student continued in training all though I have no idea where that student is now. Big lesson learned was WAVEOFF's are FREE!

Said stud is no longer in training. He or She DOR'd a few weeks after the incident.

 

[Jim123]

Was it Cordova Mall's roof ablaze for a bit?

Half right- there was no blaze

Edit: to clarify, a minute or two before the crash, the engine sputtered for a few moments and then quit.

 

[armada1651]

Don't shit on the floor of base ops and you'll be fine.

Hahahaha....although, if you do, you still might be fine. As a certain new member of CVW-5 can attest to.

 

[jmcquate]

Don't shit on the floor of base ops and you'll be fine.

Phantom Shitters still out there?