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Avg Hours/Month

PMPT

Well-Known Member
Hello AW Marine Aviators,

I had recently spoken to a HMLA guy who said he would expect non instructors to get around 15 hrs per month, which I note is incidentally the minimum target stated by the 2015 Marine Aviation Plan. Do you guys really only get in that many flight hours a month? I've spoken to AF guys (dunno about navy) and they said they expect at least 30 a month, if not more. I'm wondering if this is, again, a question of funding more than anything else.

Thanks.
 

whitesoxnation

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
It depends on the platform and where a squadron is in its life / deployment cycle. I know some guys that have zero in the last 30 (for no good reason) and others with >30. Make no mistake, things are bleak. I doubt the average in the Hornet is much higher than OPNAV mins - 100 hours/year.
 

PMPT

Well-Known Member
crikey. 100/year? that's miserable. 8 hours a month. is that the same across all the services due to budget cuts and the sequester? or is the USMC disproportionately impacted?
 

PMPT

Well-Known Member
Don't get me wrong, I know you should join the Marines to be a Marine first and foremost ... but that seems like a huge drawback.
 

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
Aviation Communities in good health fly a healthy amount of hours. Those that are hurting, or mismanaged, fly a lot less.

That trend spans all of the services.

AF UAV guys "fly" a ton, and are pulling pilots from manned aircraft communities to fill the gaps. I wonder if that factors into the average.

My recommendation- go with the service you want to be a part of and don't worry about how many hours each service is flying today. The flight hours will come and go. If you're concerned about only building time, the regionals are hiring.
 

PMPT

Well-Known Member
yeah, that was the advice I've received in general and makes sense. The only consideration should, as you say, be which service you want to end up in.

as for the regionals ... not for me. commercial doesn't turn me on too much. but I haven't thought that far ahead (focusing on the 25m goal) in any case. more concerned about getting a shot at OCS first. thanks for the input.
 

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
If you're still an applicant, apply to them all and once acceptance letters start rolling in, then start being picky.
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Hello AW Marine Aviators,

I had recently spoken to a HMLA guy who said he would expect non instructors to get around 15 hrs per month, which I note is incidentally the minimum target stated by the 2015 Marine Aviation Plan. Do you guys really only get in that many flight hours a month? I've spoken to AF guys (dunno about navy) and they said they expect at least 30 a month, if not more. I'm wondering if this is, again, a question of funding more than anything else.

Thanks.

I happened to see a resume for an AF Pilot, in the USAF for 23 years, his resume showed nearly all flying tours (including instructor tours), no CO/XO tours listed? he flew A-10's and was leaving the USAF with just over 3900 PIC hours and had just over 4200 total hours.
 

wlawr005

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
It depends on the platform and where a squadron is in its life / deployment cycle. I know some guys that have zero in the last 30 (for no good reason) and others with >30. Make no mistake, things are bleak. I doubt the average in the Hornet is much higher than OPNAV mins - 100 hours/year.
True. FWIW, flying 100-150 hours a year in the Hornet means you're still flying 2-3 times a week. That's not bad considering most syllabus events require at least a day's worth or reading and studying to prepare for.

Once you're done with quals and workups, you get to do the 6+ hours 3 x tanker missions on deployment (maybe twice a week depending on how your airwing/squadron works it).
 

Swanee

Cereal Killer
pilot
None
Contributor
True. FWIW, flying 100-150 hours a year in the Hornet means you're still flying 2-3 times a week. That's not bad considering most syllabus events require at least a day's worth or reading and studying to prepare for.

Once you're done with quals and workups, you get to do the 6+ hours 3 x tanker missions on deployment (maybe twice a week depending on how your airwing/squadron works it).

2-3 times a week? if you're doing BFM and earning those hours .8 at a time... Marine Hornet guys aren't flying that much unless they are deployed.
 

Hotdogs

I don’t care if I hurt your feelings
pilot
Boots fly less because they aren't instructing... but the DCA goal is 15 for everyone. I've flown +70 hours in a month and as few as 2...just based off of deployment cycles, maintenance readiness, weather, and training priorities. You can always jump in the front/left seat of a FCF Cobra/Huey to get some hours, unless you're otherwise tapped out. Also being an asshole or having egregious errors in decision making may put you in the penalty box for an extended period of time.
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
15hrs a month doesn't seem like a lot but that means 5-7 flights / mo at 2-3hrs per flight. Which means you're flying around twice a week. But, weather and maintenance cancellations mean that you're probably being scheduled for and briefing twice as many flights. And, as others have indicated, if they're syllabus flights the prep and brief can be quite onerous.
 

Odominable

PILOT HMSD TRACK FAIL
pilot
Concur with all. 15/mo may seem low, but if you are a skid boot (for instance) flying 30/mo you are either:

a) flying cross countries or a ton of FCFs

or

b) getting your shit pushed in wondering what the F is happening to you

Hours come with time and quals, and will change by the time you're a fleet pilot anyways.
 

MIDNJAC

is clara ship
pilot
In the fleet, I flew 250+ hour years, each year, USN VFA. Obviously more on deployment, but that is what the numbers average out as. I've "heard" it is a bit different in the USMC, but we all flew the same jets.
 

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
Boots fly less because they aren't instructing... but the DCA goal is 15 for everyone. I've flown +70 hours in a month and as few as 2...just based off of deployment cycles, maintenance readiness, weather, and training priorities. You can always jump in the front/left seat of a FCF Cobra/Huey to get some hours, unless you're otherwise tapped out. Also being an asshole or having egregious errors in decision making may put you in the penalty box for an extended period of time.

Volunteering as a FCF copilot can greatly assist you as a young pilot. You will learn the aircraft inside and out, to a maintenance level of understanding - when you go up for your aircraft commander check, there is a good chance you will know it significantly better than some of the non-maintenance aircraft commanders.

The other aspect is that if you want to work in the maintenance department, by showing enthusiasm now as a FCP, you have a better chance of being assigned there. For example, I was working in the admin shop as a boot but spent much time "downstairs" flying as a maintenance copilot. That led to working flight equipment, then airframes OIC, then QA, then maintenance OIC - never left. Your results may vary but it is something to consider.
 
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