UAVs, not just an Air Force gig anymore

Discussion in 'Military Aviation in General' started by kanakAttack, Mar 24, 2006.

    • Contributor

    mmx1 Woof!

    Member Since:
    Feb 15, 2005
    Message Count:
    972
    Ratings Received:
    +211 / 0 / -0
    UAV's spotted at Corpus?

    Per the NOTAMS and ATIS, we've got UAV's working out of here this week. I didn't see them, has anyone spotted them or know what they're doing here? CBP perhaps?
  1. D_Rob Lead LTJG

    Member Since:
    Sep 23, 2007
    Message Count:
    500
    Ratings Received:
    +83 / 0 / -0
    Saw one land today. Bigger than I thought it would be. Seems like a nice job flying sitting an air-conditioned room, seeing when I got in the cockpit today the temperature gauge was reading 45 Degrees C.
    • Contributor

    scoober78 (HCDAW)

    Member Since:
    Aug 11, 2006
    Message Count:
    2,317
    Ratings Received:
    +718 / 0 / -1

    If you think that's a flying job...please volunteer...cause I don't want a damn thing to do with it.:sleep_125
    • Contributor

    PropAddict Now with even more awesome!

    Member Since:
    May 3, 2008
    Message Count:
    1,308
    Ratings Received:
    +366 / 0 / -0
    I saw one while driving over the "High Bridge" this weekend. Sunday afternoon, IIRC.

    It was weird, I spotted the V-tail right off and thought it might be a Bonanza, then I looked closer, and realized what it was.

    Kinda scary, as there was a T-1 inbound for CRP (or so it looked) that looked like it was going to smack right into it. :eek:
  2. D_Rob Lead LTJG

    Member Since:
    Sep 23, 2007
    Message Count:
    500
    Ratings Received:
    +83 / 0 / -0
    I guess the heat must have been messing with my head. I don't know what I was thinking!
    • Contributor

    fc2spyguy HSC-22

    Member Since:
    Mar 30, 2004
    Message Count:
    1,398
    Ratings Received:
    +257 / 1 / -0
    Looks like a good reason to go Helos:D, they don't have rotary wing UAVs yet do they?
  3. D_Rob Lead LTJG

    Member Since:
    Sep 23, 2007
    Message Count:
    500
    Ratings Received:
    +83 / 0 / -0
    • Contributor

    RHPF KSNA 059/2048

    Member Since:
    Dec 5, 2004
    Message Count:
    493
    Ratings Received:
    +34 / 0 / -0
    I saw one turning towards what looked to be a landing/approach on 13L/R. I was really confused as to what it was at first given the profile didn't match the usual suspects. Any idea what it/they are doing here?
    • Contributor

    picklesuit Orange and White and Beer!

    Member Since:
    Aug 24, 2006
    Message Count:
    1,161
    Ratings Received:
    +445 / 0 / -0
    Hey, Just got back from the old I4701...we had to hold short at 13L for about 15 minutes for that guy. My IP said they were doing photo recon of the damage from the latest Hurricane...BTW, those fuckers taxi REALLY slow. They landed short enough to taxi off at 4/22, but instead went all the way down to Alpha and the Compass rose...he also had a jet flying with him (Omaha 10) some sort of 2 engine commuter jet looking thing...

    edit: when they taxied by the CDO called out from Base and told us if we did bad on review stage that is what we will be flying...smartass...I told the IP we would more likely have to swim across to Ingleside if we couldn't figure this shit out and drive a boat :)
    • Contributor

    jollygreen07 Huge Monstrosity

    Member Since:
    Jan 9, 2007
    Message Count:
    763
    Ratings Received:
    +225 / 0 / -1
    • Like Like x 1
    • Contributor

    loadtoad Active Member

    Member Since:
    Mar 18, 2004
    Message Count:
    365
    Ratings Received:
    +74 / 0 / -0
    Get used to seeing them! They have a predator base at Ellington Field in Houston now...
  4. MIDNJAC is clara ship

    Member Since:
    Jan 15, 2004
    Message Count:
    3,621
    Ratings Received:
    +486 / 1 / -1
    So I think the only question left is who will gonna get the first NACWS/rudder shaker guns kill on one of these guys?
  5. D_Rob Lead LTJG

    Member Since:
    Sep 23, 2007
    Message Count:
    500
    Ratings Received:
    +83 / 0 / -0
    Can an unmanned plane declare an emergency?
    • Contributor

    BACONATOR Well-Known Member

    Member Since:
    May 2, 2007
    Message Count:
    3,824
    Ratings Received:
    +535 / 5 / -0
    It's been done (a la Las Cruces det).... the UAV, the damn Gyrocopter and that random ass hot air balloon that was parked over IP East... :icon_rage
  6. Rubiks06 Registered User

    Member Since:
    Aug 26, 2006
    Message Count:
    244
    Ratings Received:
    +8 / 0 / -0
    They have been at p-cola for a while. They used to fly at Choctaw quite often and when I was in for my flight physical I sat next to a you enlisted Marine pilot. They do flight physicals too and apparently have a NATOPS too. It was pretty interesting to hear him talk about it.
    • Contributor

    BACONATOR Well-Known Member

    Member Since:
    May 2, 2007
    Message Count:
    3,824
    Ratings Received:
    +535 / 5 / -0
    Wait, so let's clarify this: An enlisted job in the Marine Corps (UAV pilot) is an Officer's job in the Air Force?

    Noted.
    • Contributor

    eddie Working Plan B

    Member Since:
    May 24, 2004
    Message Count:
    1,782
    Ratings Received:
    +264 / 0 / -0
    Aren't those different UAVs?
    • Contributor

    Rocketman Rockets Up

    Member Since:
    Jun 3, 2007
    Message Count:
    1,160
    Ratings Received:
    +221 / 0 / -0
    I know an enlisted Marine (Cpl) that just got back from Iraq. He flew a UAV and was attached to 7th Marines. It was a baby UAV though. Dragon Eye.
  7. deckhand New Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 30, 2006
    Message Count:
    1
    Ratings Received:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    • Contributor

    Flash SEVAL/ECMO

    Member Since:
    Oct 10, 2003
    Message Count:
    4,541
    Ratings Received:
    +1,082 / 1 / -11
    USAF UAV's, a couple million. USMC UAV's, a couple thousand. Very big difference.

    Let's hope CBP doesn't keep crashing them, MQ-9 Predator B/Reaper's are expensive.
    • Contributor

    a2b2c3 Mmmm Poundcake

    Member Since:
    Oct 8, 2007
    Message Count:
    181
    Ratings Received:
    +19 / 0 / -0
    Who do I pay to plant a charge of C4 on this thing and send it to where it belongs?
  8. Bolter New Member

    Member Since:
    Feb 23, 2007
    Message Count:
    94
    Ratings Received:
    +11 / 0 / -0
    We had a UAV squadron here at Cherry Point screwing up flight ops for about a month before they deployed to Iraq. For some reason they didn't realize that they needed to monitor their radios at all times, especially when they were in the pattern and you had 5 other harriers trying to bounce. In Iraq they are pretty nice to have overhead, but I certainly never want to trade in my wings for a set of whatever wings they rate.
  9. scoolbubba Well-Known Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 4, 2007
    Message Count:
    3,540
    Ratings Received:
    +1,644 / 1 / -2
    The only type the AF hands out...lead ones
  10. pourts Marine F/A-18D pilot

    Member Since:
    Apr 8, 2006
    Message Count:
    624
    Ratings Received:
    +168 / 0 / -1

    Along the same lines, for many years the navigators in Marine C-130s were enlisted and went to the same schools with Air Force C-130 NFOs.
    • Contributor

    Flash SEVAL/ECMO

    Member Since:
    Oct 10, 2003
    Message Count:
    4,541
    Ratings Received:
    +1,082 / 1 / -11
    Marine Aerial Navigators are still enlisted on the KC-130's that have them (J's don't), though the school shut down in 2004.

    They used many of the same facilities and the same planes but had their own schoolhouse and course of instruction, we hardly ever saw them and did not train with them.

    It was always something to pick on the USAF guys about though.

Share This Page