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Awesome A-10 News and Anchor

HackerF15E

Retired Strike Pig Driver
None
Another Hog question. In this book the average example of the battle sortie for CAS is a section of two airplanes, and the flight lead is almost always Capt, but in a half of cases the wingman is Maj, LtCol, and in one occasion even full O-6, Colonel USAF. Is that the feature of the USAF Hog community solely or NAVAIR single-seaters' flight also can be arranged with the wingman senior to flight lead?

It is probably more likely just chance that it worked out that way, rather than an intentional scheduling practice.

That being said, the reality is that in an average USAF fighter squadron an O-3 is far more likely to be a proficient and current pilot than an O-4 or above. O-4+s are prone to be "attached" to an operational fighter squadron, but may have primary duties for the Group or Wing. As such, they may have less sorties per month and even fewer overall qualifications, leading to them being scheduled as a wingman more often.
 

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
That being said, the reality is that in an average USAF fighter squadron an O-3 is far more likely to be a proficient and current pilot than an O-4 or above.

Thank you, interesting enough. Absolutely fair in a peacetime: by jumping out of cockpit's life one inevitably lands on a pile of papers to fill endlessly, and "sir, I just want to fly jets, so please leave me alone" is not compatible with general officer's career (sad but true). But being flight lead in a battle sortie I hope is as much about pilot's skills as command ones as well. Generally, I'm still wondering how the single-seater can perform FAC(A) duty at all - especially when a wingman is not quite professional in "racking & staking" of the other air assets over there.
 

HackerF15E

Retired Strike Pig Driver
None
"sir, I just want to fly jets, so please leave me alone" is not compatible with general officer's career (sad but true).

Unfortunately, it isn't compatible with any career at all in the USAF as a pilot. Pilots are officers first and aviators second, like it or not. The non-flying duties are part of the payment for the benefit of flying. Most people don't want it that way, but it is and has been for decades.

But being flight lead in a battle sortie I hope is as much about pilot's skills as command ones as well. Generally, I'm still wondering how the single-seater can perform FAC(A) duty at all - especially when a wingman is not quite professional in "racking & staking" of the other air assets over there.

I didn't say anything about not professional -- I said not as proficient. In no way does that mean not completely capable of doing the job in combat.

Having been a scheduler on a combat deployment, I can tell you firsthand that everyone on the board is capable of performing the missions and roles they're scheduled for well. There's very little ability to play politics in whose name goes where, and much of the time duty constraints (again, especially for "attached" pilots) limit where and when pilots can be scheduled. It is far less about capability and far more about who has which qualifications and who is available at a certain time given crew rest requirements and other duty limitations.
 

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Unfortunately, it isn't compatible with any career at all in the USAF as a pilot

Indeed, USAF and overall US armed forces are not alone in it. My experience in both Russian Navy and Coast Guard tells the same - when you're "derailing" (in US, i.e. higher than O-3), or, opposite, become "on rails" (in Russia and CIS - shoulder strips with two tracks, i.e., again higher than O-3), it's all the same - your time will be filled with clerk's work way too often than with real people and real weapon. Maybe warrant-officers who fly helos in US Army could be quite happier with it: they are just pilots and there's nothing to motivate against it.

I didn't say anything about not professional -- I said not as proficient. In no way does that mean not completely capable of doing the job in combat.

Ok, sorry for misunderstanding. Look, it's written that A-10A bears three radio sets UHF/VHF. This alone demands from pilot enormous skills - as surface warfare officer and then-qualified OOD I can tell that working with only one radio and more than three callsigns on general frequency is a kind of activity that can foul all current SA, especially when plain vision of targets is impossible or just a matter of pure luck - say, hunting the submarine. Crewed airplane should feel better - you have a person to share this load. But how the Hog pilot can cope with three radios alone?
 

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Then the fighter pilot is really demanding job, and all previously said in replay of my questions kinda "how good aviator can be equally good shiphandler, i.e. Navigator of aircraft carrier?" is for real: jumping from 3D 500-knots' world into 2D with barely 30 knots is a sort of the rest. By the way, which is the age limit in USAF and USN to fly jets?
 

Beans

*1. Loins... GIRD
pilot
Then the fighter pilot is really demanding job, and all previously said in replay of my questions kinda "how good aviator can be equally good shiphandler, i.e. Navigator of aircraft carrier?" is for real: jumping from 3D 500-knots' world into 2D with barely 30 knots is a sort of the rest. By the way, which is the age limit in USAF and USN to fly jets?
Duh, and are you messing w/ us? There are entire threads on this forum about the age limits. Search function...
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Duh, and are you messing w/ us? There are entire threads on this forum about the age limits. Search function...

Not to mention that just about every modern aircraft in the fleet has at least 4, if not 5, "radios" that are utilized simultaneously.
 

Max the Mad Russian

Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Not to mention that just about every modern aircraft in the fleet has at least 4, if not 5, "radios" that are utilized simultaneously.

Sorry, but why not 10 to 20? This is the Navy-related website, so please find attached file about lead Navy airplane, Rhino, where just two radio sets mentioned - it's from official manual
 

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  • FA-18EF Comms.PDF
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Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Sorry, but why not 10 to 20? This is the Navy-related website, so please find attached file about lead Navy airplane, Rhino, where just two radio sets mentioned - it's from official manual

There are more ways to transmit voice and data than just the standard half-duplex, UHF/VHF, FM/AM standard that is considered a conventional radio. The Rhino is one of many fleet aircraft that has this ability.
 
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