Left seat or right, big deck or small boy, FLIR up..or down?

[skidkid]

It happens. I had a Phrog pick me up from an FFG once while on my FAC tour. I have seen Hueys go to CGs to update CQ codes, they didnt seem to enjoy it.
I think LHA/LHD is much easier than LPD/LSD especially when running expanded spots.
A Marine Helo guy right now could go an entire tour without seeing a boat. Some are doing MEUs others dirt dets. Maintaining boat quals is a challenge.

 

[Pags]

Sitting left seat on a starboard-port ain't no thang, neither. It's all about flying the numbers and picking up references.

Very true, I was just making the point that that's a good time to sit left seat. I ain't skeered to do cross-cockpit stuff...now doing cross cockpit stuff with a kid fresh from the RAG who can barely hover over a runway....that's another story.

 

[KBayDog]

Do y'all maintain DLQs between deployments, or will a "typical" Marine go awhile before seeing the boat?

On the west coast, there are six fleet squadrons - three have been exclusively "Dirt Dets" for the past several years, and three have been "MEU" squadrons. The MEU squadrons stay as current as possible (FCLPs all the time, and boats as often as we can get 'em), yet some (most?) guys on the Dirt squadrons have never been to the boat at all after the HTs.

 

[Pags]

It happens. I had a Phrog pick me up from an FFG once while on my FAC tour. I have seen Hueys go to CGs to update CQ codes, they didnt seem to enjoy it.
I think LHA/LHD is much easier than LPD/LSD especially when running expanded spots.
A Marine Helo guy right now could go an entire tour without seeing a boat. Some are doing MEUs others dirt dets. Maintaining boat quals is a challenge.

Big deck gator is easily my favorite boat to bounce at. I've only bounced at other L-class a few times. Most of the time it's small boys.

My question about boat quals was more in terms of "traditional" MEU deployments. In between does the squadron still maintain everyone's boat quals, no ones, or just a few select/lucky/cursed folks?

 

[KBayDog]

My question about boat quals was more in terms of "traditional" MEU deployments. In between does the squadron still maintain everyone's boat quals, no ones, or just a few select/lucky/cursed folks?

Our squadron tries to keep everyone current; can't speak for the other squadrons or T/M/S.

 

[KBayDog]

Big deck gator is easily my favorite boat to bounce at.

Yuck. While the LHA/LHD is our bread-and-butter on the MEU, I prefer the LPD/LSD (LPD moreso, as I like that they have a "real" Air Boss). The big deck pattern gets too spread out, and I don't like having to sit on the deck each time around the pattern while the five birds in front of me launch. I guess the LPD/LSD pattern is just a heck of a lot more efficient for practice...and the chow is a welcome change, too.

Plus, there is always the possibility of breaking down on the LPD/LSD and having to spend the night.

 

[MasterBates]

HSL would only attempt to keep you current if you were deploying. Quite often me or another senior LT were the only "Full Up" boat current guys.

With 14/30 day currency windows and 50-60 pilots, it's too big of a monster to keep everyone "current" in a HSL squadron.

I think our CV qual was good for 60 or 90 days, but the small deck (defined as single spot ship) was 30, and if it's been over 14 days the 1st landing had to be day.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Big deck gator is easily my favorite boat to bounce at. I've only bounced at other L-class a few times. Most of the time it's small boys.

My question about boat quals was more in terms of "traditional" MEU deployments. In between does the squadron still maintain everyone's boat quals, no ones, or just a few select/lucky/cursed folks?

Do they still use a combat-readiness matrix in the Navy squadrons, with a crew needing a certain number of points to be combat ready, and a certain number of combat-ready crews for a squadron to be combat-ready?

And do the USMC squadrons do something similar?

 

[BACONATOR]

Haha, interesting. All of my initial boat landings were made from the left seat, and stayed that way, until I could put all three in the paint every time. It made the transition to the right seat for boat landings VERY easy.

Are boat landings usually starboard to port? I know that's what we do here, but can that change at all in the fleet?

 

[Pags]

Yuck. While the LHA/LHD is our bread-and-butter on the MEU, I prefer the LPD/LSD (LPD moreso, as I like that they have a "real" Air Boss). The big deck pattern gets too spread out, and I don't like having to sit on the deck each time around the pattern while the five birds in front of me launch. I guess the LPD/LSD pattern is just a heck of a lot more efficient for practice...and the chow is a welcome change, too.

Plus, there is always the possibility of breaking down on the LPD/LSD and having to spend the night.

I've never done a MEU, most of the times I've bounced at an LHA/D, it's been with 1 or 2 other HSC birds in the pattern. None of this 1mi upwind crap.

Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever gone to an LPD for requals.

The fact that the LHD is an aviation ship is a welcome change from the usual jackassery I've had to deal with at most air-capable ships. It's usually in your best interest to send a pilot in to the tower to "advise" them on how things should be run.

A few months I went to a DDG with 2 birds. Good times.

 

[skidkid]

Otto,
Depends on the wind and the almigty PIM.

The 1 mile upwind is usually an HMM (+) SOP thing and often not necessary. LHA/LHD is so dependant on a good airboss and his ability to get what is needed from the bridge.

 

[KBayDog]

Are boat landings usually starboard to port?

It all depends on 1. Where the boat is going, and 2. Where the winds are coming from.

 

[Pags]

Are boat landings usually starboard to port? I know that's what we do here, but can that change at all in the fleet?

Depends on the type of boat, the winds, and the air boss's whims.

Most small boys are centerline approaches.

Larger air capable ships (USNS, LPD, LSD) have port-starboard and startboard-port approaches.

Gator spots are a tad different. The spot is marked with a "crow's foot". You fly a straight in that is 45deg off of ship's centerline and then kick the tail so the a/c is lined up fore and aft.

 

[Pags]

With 14/30 day currency windows and 50-60 pilots, it's too big of a monster to keep everyone "current" in a HSL squadron.

I think our CV qual was good for 60 or 90 days, but the small deck (defined as single spot ship) was 30, and if it's been over 14 days the 1st landing had to be day.

Those quals are awfully short. Our day qual is 180 day, and NVD is 90 day (no more unaided qual).

Do they still use a combat-readiness matrix in the Navy squadrons, with a crew needing a certain number of points to be combat ready, and a certain number of combat-ready crews for a squadron to be combat-ready?

Yes.

 

[MasterBates]

That's how it was when I was there.

A more "current" HSL/HSM guy want to chime in?

RA and Free Deck landings factored in somehow but I have repressed a lot of memories of my HSL tour, so I only remember the big shit.