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C vs. E/F

Chubby

Active Member
Alright, so I know that this is probably going to spark an insane pissing contest but here goes ... selection is rounding the corner and I was wondering if I could get some pro's and con's of selecting either Hornets or Rhinos. Thanks.
 

jarhead

UAL CA; retired hinge
pilot
Alright, so I know that this is probably going to spark an insane pissing contest but here goes ... selection is rounding the corner and I was wondering if I could get some pro's and con's of selecting either Hornets or Rhinos. Thanks.
why anybody would want to select a 15-20 year old airframe that isn't being built anymore and is always breaking and rarely FMC over one that is less than 5 years old and has all the fancy avionics built into each one of them vice being tossed randomly "after market" into a few here and there is beyond me.

S/F
 

raptor10

Philosoraptor
Contributor
Serious question, will Charlie guys transition to the Mako (thats what I hear they're callin' the JSF:watching2) when/if it comes?
 

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Serious question, will Charlie guys transition to the Mako (thats what I hear they're callin' the JSF:watching2) when/if it comes?
JSF is planned to replace the F/A-18C but it won't happen overnight so some folks will likely stay in the Charlie model for their career. The A-7 arrived in the fleet in late 60s (went to Vietnam in 1967) and the F/A-18 arrrived in the fleet to replace it in 1983 yet there were still operational A-7 squadrons as late as 1991. Depending on how fast the Navy buys the F-35, you expect a similar lengthy transition period.
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
If it were me, I would want a guy in the back seat. However, if you select the Super, is there a gaurantee you would get the F? I would imagaine that is decided at the FRS.
 

Lawman

Well-Known Member
None
If it were me, I would want a guy in the back seat. However, if you select the Super, is there a gaurantee you would get the F? I would imagaine that is decided at the FRS.


I think I remember Fly saying that everybody starts training to be an E driver, and then as they progress through the RAG its decided later on.
 

Yessir

Hooker
pilot
If you go Rhinos it will be decided at the RAG....the two coasts differ in how they choose.....122 out at lemoore has everyone go through as an E guy i believe(somebody back me up on this) and then when they get towards the boat they designate echo or fox. The argument being you can make an E guy an F guy, but not necessarily the other way around. At 106 they designate E or F before fams.
 

EODDave

The pastures are greener!
pilot
Super Moderator
I have to agree with Jarhead. We are flying brand new Rhino's with all the bells and whistles. JHMCS, Mids, 9x, VMF, APG 73 or 79, ATFLIR, SSR's, color displays, more gas, etc etc...

When I went through the rag, all pilots trained as E guys and then you found out at the end if you got E's or F's. Now guys find out when they start up and train as E or F guys throughout the course (great idea).

On the to have a WSO or not have a WSO. We just finished up AG SFARP and during the SOF support, high threat CAS, Night strafe, etc.. the WSO is worth his/her weight in gold. Having a GIB is great, especially in a night strafe situation. Its nice to have that guy QA'ing what you are doing when diving at the ground at 5 bills and with 0 depth perception on nods. The amount of work that they take off of a pilots shoulders helps alot. A WSO using the ATFLIR to sweeten up a designation in a pop or rolling in is money. Having the GIB also gives the pilot higher SA (usually).

When I started the RAG, I wanted to be an E guy. I changed my mind about half way through and I am sooooo glad I did. It sure is nice to split up the amount of work we have in the cockpit. And not having to talk to ATC is an added benefit!
 

skidkid

CAS Czar
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Having a GIB is great, especially in a night strafe situation. Its nice to have that guy QA'ing what you are doing when diving at the ground at 5 bills and with 0 depth perception on nods.

Im going to but in here for a second to dispell a common myth. You have depth perception on NVGs, that is why you have a tube for each eye (stereo vision). You are confusing depth perception with pereferal vision, during the day both play a role in judging speed and closure. At night when you go from an almost 180 FOV (day time) to a 40 FOV (NVGs) you lose the pereferal cues you are accustomed to and as many new NVG pilots do blame it on a lack of depth perception. If you move your head more and scan from side to side you will get some if not most of the cues you are used to.
 

EODDave

The pastures are greener!
pilot
Super Moderator
I have a little time on nods, but I cant see moving my head more or scanning side to side when in a steep dive at low altitude looking through a small hud for an IR marker at night. I can see using those techniques is a join or something but in a night strafe delievery on the trigger? Maybe it will come with more time on nods, but we have guys (04 and above) with lots of nod hours having the same problem with night strafe.
 
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