Helicopter Control Officer (HCO) Suggestion Box

[BACONATOR]

My biggest issues has always been when the deck is ready (which is understandable) but the HCO or 'control' doesn't give us any other info. If the ship is still setting flight quarters and it should take about 10 minutes tell us that.
If the ship is having trouble finding winds, tell us.
If the Captain is not on the bridge and you can't land us until he's there, tell us.

If you don't feel like giving us the exact reason, just give us a time estimate until a ready deck. At the end of that estimate, if you're still not ready, update us.

There is nothing worse than just flying around thinking that the ship has forgotten you. That happens enough on the carrier, I'd appreciate it if it didn't happen on every ship!!!

To follow up on box lunches: sandwiches are always great, pizza is good, fried chicken is good; basically any food that you can eat with your hands and not get crap all over you. Cookies are AWESOME!!

Allow me to step on my dick while I add to this thread, having been to USS Ship ONCE.

The one and only time I went to the boat in the RAG, we were given the numbers, and proceeded to sit on deck for 25 minutes while the numbers were in limits, and we were steaming straight ahead, chocked and chained.

When asking for permission to break down and launch, "stand by" wasn't very enlightening as to why we had the numbers and were completely within limits to launch, yet we're sitting on deck for some unknown reason.... and with a time crunch, it was sort of frustrating.

 

[navy09]

^ I don't have a ton of experience here either, but suffice it to say there's usually a lot more going on than the helo/ flight quarters from the perspective of the bridge and CIC. This is especially true if you're steaming in formation or IVO other ships (USN or otherwise).

That said, yeah, I imagine it's extraordinarily frustrating to be stuck there with no explanation. There's a good chance the HCO can't see all the parts at work either.

 

[Sly1978]

During VERTREP, don't start breaking down loads on the deck until the it's full, lest some plastic get sucked into the rotors/engine.

To piggyback on this, have your guys use pallet movers to drag the loads outside of the VR area before they remove the plastic. That way we don't end up blowing all of your new boxes of Doritos off the back of the ship.

Also, when we ask "How long before the Retro will be ready?" we're not just making conversation. Nor are we entering inputs to your FITREP. We're trying to plan for fuel, etc. Don't say "Umm...10 or 15 minutes..." when it's clearly going to be at least an hour.

Finally, remember that we are pretty good at VERTREP (HSC, anyway). Don't call a clobbered deck every time you have more than one load. Ask us if we think we still have room. Chances are we may be able to fit the last three lifts of your freeze and chill onto your deck before we take the 1 hour clearing party break. Otherwise it'll just sit on the provider's deck melting.

 

[Pags]

Allow me to step on my dick while I add to this thread, having been to USS Ship ONCE.

The one and only time I went to the boat in the RAG, we were given the numbers, and proceeded to sit on deck for 25 minutes while the numbers were in limits, and we were steaming straight ahead, chocked and chained.

When asking for permission to break down and launch, "stand by" wasn't very enlightening as to why we had the numbers and were completely within limits to launch, yet we're sitting on deck for some unknown reason.... and with a time crunch, it was sort of frustrating.

What the other guy said. The tower has to talk to the bridge (CO). Maybe they are working the "stay in the box" issue or something. You probably got "stand by" because the HCO got "stand by."

 

[RotorHead04]

Allow me to step on my dick while I add to this thread, having been to USS Ship ONCE.

What the other guy said. The tower has to talk to the bridge (CO). Maybe they are working the "stay in the box" issue or something. You probably got "stand by" because the HCO got "stand by."

Mission accomplished ... We need to work on more constructive goals for you :icon_wink

 

[BACONATOR]

What the other guy said. The tower has to talk to the bridge (CO). Maybe they are working the "stay in the box" issue or something. You probably got "stand by" because the HCO got "stand by."

Is that normal? To get a "stand by", wait 25-30 minutes without an explanation AFTER getting the numbers? It's not as if anybody did or changed anything in that time. It's not as if I know what I'm talking about, but my IP (and the other aircraft on our common freq) was fuming and quite flummoxed, which is why I assumed that isn't the norm, or if the norm, shouldn't be.

 

[Pags]

Is that normal? To get a "stand by", wait 25-30 minutes without an explanation AFTER getting the numbers? It's not as if anybody did or changed anything in that time. It's not as if I know what I'm talking about, but my IP (and the other aircraft on our common freq) was fuming and quite flummoxed, which is why I assumed that isn't the norm, or if the norm, shouldn't be.

Welcome to flying at the boat. Donkies. The lot of them.

I would have been on the radios with tower a bit more, but I'm a jerk.

In the fleet you usually want to send another HAC/senior 2P to tower to help issues like this along and to help drive the evolution the way you want it to go.

 

[BackOrdered]

Also, NEVER EVER EVER use waveoff lights during NVG OPS.

Just call for it on the radio.

Never thought of that, thanks!!

Since the important points have been covered:

If the guy you are landing has flown for a couple of hours to pick up your medevac or drop off the part that you desperately need, have the box lunches ready before they ask.

Meatloaf and lasagna are very poor choices for box lunches.

SUPPO and I always ask for box lunches during long exercises; but yeah, definately more finger food.

Is that normal? To get a "stand by", wait 25-30 minutes without an explanation AFTER getting the numbers? It's not as if anybody did or changed anything in that time. It's not as if I know what I'm talking about, but my IP (and the other aircraft on our common freq) was fuming and quite flummoxed, which is why I assumed that isn't the norm, or if the norm, shouldn't be.

Having been on the bridge and HCO, after I give numbers thats kinda odd.

In any case, I've given out all the allowable rep points I can today. I appreciate all the answers and tips!

 

[Pags]

Never thought of that, thanks!!

Wave off lights are red. Red light is pretty much the worst light when it comes to blooming out goggles. Think about all the other red lights on your deck/ship and remember not to use them during NVD ops.

 

[Jim123]

^ I don't have a ton of experience here either, but suffice it to say there's usually a lot more going on than the helo/ flight quarters from the perspective of the bridge and CIC. This is especially true if you're steaming in formation or IVO other ships (USN or otherwise).

That said, yeah, I imagine it's extraordinarily frustrating to be stuck there with no explanation. There's a good chance the HCO can't see all the parts at work either.

Had the ship CO ask me for a recommendation once... I was the LSO on a destroyer (LSO ~ HCO in this context). DDs had a particular corner of the wind envelope that always sucked (any small change in course or speed always made the winds seem to go out of limits or way out of limits...). Anyway, USS Ship was on a translant, in formation with two other ships. The true winds had just changed (usually means we drove through a weather front), the relative winds were now out of limits, and we were in the middle of a DLQ period. I told the Captain I thought xxx at xxx should get the winds back in limits so the guys could land again. (Lucky for me it didn't take a genius to figure that out, just regular old knowing your job.) Just to make sure I asked what our PIM was and where we were in our steaming "box..." oh... OK... hmmm... if we drive course/speed yyy for, say, half an hour we should have plenty of room in the box for xxx, and the helo has enough gas for this plan.

Well the bridge team made it happen and it all worked out. The ship got to stay in formation- that makes the Captain, the screen commander (screens/formations aren't just something the shoes do because they like to make the pilots mad), and the Commodore happy. We didn't do anything dangerous- that makes the Captain, the Commodore, and last but not least the helo bubbas happy...

I gotta say I liked the way everybody worked on that ship on that short cruise... as far as dets go things with the ship worked pretty well... what more could you ask for?

 

[60flyer]

Is that normal? To get a "stand by", wait 25-30 minutes without an explanation AFTER getting the numbers? It's not as if anybody did or changed anything in that time. It's not as if I know what I'm talking about, but my IP (and the other aircraft on our common freq) was fuming and quite flummoxed, which is why I assumed that isn't the norm, or if the norm, shouldn't be.

That is absolutely not normal. I would have been on that HCO like nobody's business. There's no reason he/she can't tell you what's going on and why they can't launch you. But I'm like PAGS...I'm kind of an ass when it comes to that stuff.

 

[helolumpy]

Ask the pilots up front if the landings will be "Clear Deck" or "Free Deck" of "Assisted".
A few times, I've rolled final to find the RSD out on the deck. Since it takes about 15-20 minutes to get that thing back in the hangar, it slowed everyone down that day.

Generally if the helo is not from your ship is will be a Clear Deck, but always ask if the pilots don't specify.

 

[squorch2]

Never thought of that, thanks!!

Please, please, PLEASE read the Air-Capable Ships Manual cover-to-cover. This is a WARNING (i.e., can kill people) in there.

 

[BackOrdered]

OK now that it has been two years and I am a salty HCO, I have something to bring to the discussion.

After three COs, it seems the SWO Charlie Oscar has a lot of say regarding the speed of the evolution or the tomfoolery of waiting around for what seems like no reason.

I use to think maybe that's the way it is. HA! My last CO basically let SUPPO and I "run it" and the helo was in and out as fast as humanly possible. Any and all waiting was human factors and minor casualties.

Looking back I would want to calculate the tax dollars wasted on other COs who would micro manage the evolution beyond reason just "because."

 

[Uncle Fester]

I was an HCO in my SWO days. SWO captains like to control everything that happens on their boat, for good and ill. Some (like the one Ensign Blackshoe Fester first worked for) seem to regard the helo as a flying RHIB and really do not get - at all - the concept of Aircraft Commander. As far as they're concerned, if it has their boat's name painted on the side, they're in charge of it, period, regardless of what some asshole LT pilot thinks.

Ensign Fester's captain tried to tell the Det OIC that he was 'taking wave off authority' from the pilots, because it was HIS ship, and when he gives a green deck, he wants it on deck NOW. You can imagine how that went over.

My point is this: as hco, especially if you're on a boat without an LSO, your job is to be the SWO who helps the helo, not just a phone talker for the OOD/CO. Know what the fuck you're doing. Study the book, talk to the pilots, and learn your shit.