alawson.223
New Member
Haha, I apologize for the confusion. My question probably should have been worded more like what are the roles/tasks of Marine pilots. Take for example a F/A-18 pilot. What would that pilot's duties be?
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Stupid questions about Naval Aviation (Pt 2)
- Thread starter mo7stanley
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Haha, I apologize for the confusion. My question probably should have been worded more like what are the roles/tasks of Marine pilots. Take for example a F/A-18 pilot. What would that pilot's duties be?
Sure. There are cameras on the planes. Think like "Behind Enemy Lines"...Only more...real.
All F/W platforms are capable of it. Someone else would know better if it's something being used a lot lately given the emphasis on the unmanned side of things for intel gathering.
All F/W platforms are capable of it. Someone else would know better if it's something being used a lot lately given the emphasis on the unmanned side of things for intel gathering.
alawson.223
New Member
I vaguely remember that movie; will probably watch again. You said that all fighter platforms are capable of it. So how would an aviator have the opportunity to do intelligence gathering vs close air support?
ughhh.....flying the airplane for example? In the case of F/A-18C (or A/A++) it would be doing everything, flying, nav, sensors/weapons employment, comms. In a -D, there is a bit more division of cockpit workload between pilot and WSO.
Lazergazer
New Member
As per the advice of 129Paddles, I am posting a bunch of my stupid questions in the correct thread. 
So, not being an aviator but just someone incredibly interested in all the cool stuff you all do, I have a couple questions (mostly) regarding collateral duties.
1. Do pilots have more than one collateral duty at a time? Like, can a DH be Maintenance and Ops officer at the same time? Do JOs have more than one collateral at a time?
2. What are all the other billets filled? Training, Legal, Q/A etc?
3. Which ones are given to, say, 1st sea tour guys (uh, and girls) and which ones to more senior aviators (2nd cruise, 3rd cruise)?
4. How many pilots are usually assigned to a squadron in each of the platforms, Helos, Hornets, Prowlers, Hawkeyes?
A lot of questions so I'll stop now.
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply.
So, not being an aviator but just someone incredibly interested in all the cool stuff you all do, I have a couple questions (mostly) regarding collateral duties.
1. Do pilots have more than one collateral duty at a time? Like, can a DH be Maintenance and Ops officer at the same time? Do JOs have more than one collateral at a time?
2. What are all the other billets filled? Training, Legal, Q/A etc?
3. Which ones are given to, say, 1st sea tour guys (uh, and girls) and which ones to more senior aviators (2nd cruise, 3rd cruise)?
4. How many pilots are usually assigned to a squadron in each of the platforms, Helos, Hornets, Prowlers, Hawkeyes?
A lot of questions so I'll stop now.
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply.
As per the advice of 129Paddles, I am posting a bunch of my stupid questions in the correct thread.
So, not being an aviator but just someone incredibly interested in all the cool stuff you all do, I have a couple questions (mostly) regarding collateral duties.
1. Do pilots have more than one collateral duty at a time? Like, can a DH be Maintenance and Ops officer at the same time?
Only if he wants his head to explode.
Yes, but collateral duties are different than ground jobs. When I was a JO, I never really had a collateral duty, but I was a division officer for all but 6 months of my tour (and those 6 months that I wasn't a division officer, I was deployed on det as an Admin officer, which is kind of a collateral duty).
Training and QA are ground jobs, not collateral duties. Training can be a senior JO or a dept head. QA is usually (in a REGNAV squadron) a senior JO. Legal is a collateral filled by someone available.
See above.
It depends on the squadron, community, etc. I'm sure Wikipedia has it broken down somewhat, but you're not going to get that kind of specifics here.
Odd question...
As a kid, I thought the coolest part of my uncles job (F-16 pilot in AF) was the fact that he occasinoally had freedom to fly where he wanted. A time or two I got a call from him in Vegas because he and his buddies decided over breakfast that flying there would be a fun way to log hours. This may have been a rare thing, I'm not sure. My question is, how often is one given flexibility to plan their own flights and go where they want during and after flight training? I realize there are too many variables for there to be one answer, but I'd like to hear about your experience. Are there other cool little perks (other than the painfully obvious) to being a Naval aviator?
-TL
As a kid, I thought the coolest part of my uncles job (F-16 pilot in AF) was the fact that he occasinoally had freedom to fly where he wanted. A time or two I got a call from him in Vegas because he and his buddies decided over breakfast that flying there would be a fun way to log hours. This may have been a rare thing, I'm not sure. My question is, how often is one given flexibility to plan their own flights and go where they want during and after flight training? I realize there are too many variables for there to be one answer, but I'd like to hear about your experience. Are there other cool little perks (other than the painfully obvious) to being a Naval aviator?
-TL
I can only speak for the NFO syllabus and the Prowler community...
During flight school, a little bit. We had list of places we'd fly to and stop for lunch, all dictated by what training you needed to accomplish. Mostly pre-filed routes and the like. There were cross country opportunities (take the jet somewhere for a weekend). The students had some say in where you'd go, but it was all subject to the instructor and what the squadron and wing would approve.
As far as the Prowler is concerned, you've got to go to an airfield that can support the jet - security, gas, long enough runway, support equipment to get the jet started... Again, it depends on what your squadron will approve and any standing instructions that your wing and Big Navy have put out.
No matter what platform you end up flying (training or in the fleet), any trips like that are dictated by the regulations and operating procedures, squadron policy and if the airfield you want to go to can support your platform... gas, ramp space, runway length, support equipment, ease of access if the jet breaks etc.
During flight school, a little bit. We had list of places we'd fly to and stop for lunch, all dictated by what training you needed to accomplish. Mostly pre-filed routes and the like. There were cross country opportunities (take the jet somewhere for a weekend). The students had some say in where you'd go, but it was all subject to the instructor and what the squadron and wing would approve.
As far as the Prowler is concerned, you've got to go to an airfield that can support the jet - security, gas, long enough runway, support equipment to get the jet started... Again, it depends on what your squadron will approve and any standing instructions that your wing and Big Navy have put out.
No matter what platform you end up flying (training or in the fleet), any trips like that are dictated by the regulations and operating procedures, squadron policy and if the airfield you want to go to can support your platform... gas, ramp space, runway length, support equipment, ease of access if the jet breaks etc.
I'm still in orange and whites, but throughout the syllabus we get to go on cross-country hops. I just did my cross-country in Primary to San Antonio, but other guys have gone to San Diego, Vegas, New Orleans, etc. It's at the discretion of your command and your instructor. Just my 2 cents. I'm not sure how much of that goes on in the REAL (Fleet) Navy.
Western NC? - Go APPS! (ASU '08)
Western NC? - Go APPS! (ASU '08)
You're still in Primary? I think I got through the FRS, a whole deployment, and 2 months of homecycle since you've been there. You're going to be the first non retread O-4 nugget to hit the fleet.
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