Bevo said:
Being an HS pilot is pretty cool too. My squadron has a really tight wardroom, and I really enjoy the helo and the mission that we fly. Gator likes to tease me for "Spreading HS lies", but I am just a guy who has been lucky enough to fly the best helo in the best squadron in the Navy.
Now, now. I've never said you were spreading lies about
your community, just about mine.
@Zippy:
Just for the education of all, NACWS hasn't been disabled in the sense that someone turned it off, it's been disabled because the software package isn't compatible w/ the new radar system ATC switched to and now uses. An upgrade is due "soon."
@USFpilot06:
There's a thread or two around here about small deck ops (I think this is one:
http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12293&highlight=probe) but basically, a probe comes down from the bottom of the helo and you fly the probe into the trap on the deck. The trap is called a RAST system (Recovery Assit, Secure (?), Traverse. Sorry, my Natops is in the other room and I'm too lazy to look it up). Because the -60 (in any form) is too heavy to move by hand (unlike the older H-2), once the probes is in the trap, it allows you to straighten the helo on the deck, then traverse it into the hangar. The system also allows you to attach a cable from the ship to the helo and be winched down (something that can be helpful in rough seas, but is still a scary operation to undertake in weather).
@ElCid:
For HSL, there's usually one enlisted crewman in the back, but depending on the mission, there can be more (there's 3 seats in the back). The HS guys usually fly w/ 2, from what Bevo has told me, regardless of mission. Either way, they all have the rate of AW and are qualified crewman and SAR.