So, this may sound crazy, but I actually WANT to fly P-3s. I'm currently a BDCP SNA final select, and I am wondering how hard it is to get assigned to P-3s. It seems like this is an assignment most pilots do not want, so my odds of getting P-3s if thats what I actually want to fly are fairly high, right? Am I grossly confused about the situation? Please go easy on me... I'm just a confused college student who doesn't know anything :icon_wink . Thanks for the help in advance.
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This will be the source of endless amusement
- Thread starter zwiley
- Start date
As with all pipelines... depends on the needs of the Navy the week you select. I know of a lot of guys who got "stuck" P-3s and wanted to fly helos. I also know a guy who Triple P3'd it on his selection card who is at Whiting for Helo training... It's all ebbs and flows.
Why would that sound crazy?zwiley said:
You're still flying 200 feet over the water, faster than the helos, and you have a bomb bay for ordnance, booze, kayaks, and crab meat...just because you're land-based doesn't mean you don't have to be a skilled pilot to run a crew and get the job done. It's not like VP is less "dedicated" just because the landings are nominally less stressful. And you don't have to be married to enjoy it either, contrary to "popular" belief...considering Whidbey and Kaneohe, Jax Beach and Maine skiing - how very unenjoyable. So long as you're not absolutely committed to being the only one in the plane and flying over 325 knots, do it. I'm not even in the community but I'm endorsing it anyway. Some people get a kick out of long missions with cool destinations, don't let anyone tell you it's a soft life or in any way career-limiting just because someone else who hates ships and wants to get out after 8 years picked it.
P-3s are the way to go, but I'm prejudiced. The big plus is not having to live aboard the boat. When I went through training, every one of the prior enlisted wanted P-3s. They knew about living afloat vs. living at home. I, as a starry-eyed ensign, wanted VAH (heavy attack -- A-3s or A-5s) because they seemed so 'bad' and dropped all those bombs. However, my VAH slot was taken away from my class, so I got my second choice: NAV School (that meant VP, VR, or VAW). I got P-3s and it was the best thing that happened to me in the Navy. Got to actually fly 17 out of 21 years in the Navy/Reserves. P-3s go EVERYWHERE and you get to bring your own airplane. Duty is very varied (ASW, ASuW, SIGINT, OTH ord drops, photog) and keeps you busy. You also get to be part of a crew. And in P-3s we also got shot at in Vietnam so we could feel like the VAH guys (except we had nothing to shoot back with -- a real sphincter test). Enjoy.
highlyrandom said:
I've actually heard from a lot of people that P-3's can be very career-limiting. Please elaborate for the benefit of guys like me who will be selecting soon. It sounds like a great lifestyle, but I'm not ready to decide today whether I want to stay in for 20+ or get out after wings plus 8. Most of what I have heard makes it sound like making O-4 and staying in is a pretty freaking hard thing to do. Your opinions?
ben said:
Ben,
Good name by the way... My dad was a P-3 Pilot and went all the way to 0-6 and stayed in 23 years. He may have been able to go further, but did not want to go overseas again and the airlines at the time just sounded like the way to go. He was the last to command VP-24 and will always have that honor. I think he would argue that its not so career limiting. His XO in VP-24 is now a two star and one of his friends who was the father of one of my NAPSter classmates made flag. If you really would like to speak to someone who has been around the VP block pm me, and I will give you his contact info.
Xmid,
I knew your Dad (Steve S. - an acquaintance) and Ken Deutsch (fairly well). As the VP shore detailer, Deutsch gave me the worst orders of my career when he had a "hard fill requirement".....but he made up for it latter as the VP sea detailer by getting me out of them 15 months into a 36 month tour for another "pop-up hard fill carrier job". (I don't think either were with my best interest at heart but rather a way to get his bosses off his back.) We had laughs and beers over this at the O'club when he was the VP-24 XO.
Of the VPers I knew that made flag rank, Ken Deutsch was the most deserving.
I knew your Dad (Steve S. - an acquaintance) and Ken Deutsch (fairly well). As the VP shore detailer, Deutsch gave me the worst orders of my career when he had a "hard fill requirement".....but he made up for it latter as the VP sea detailer by getting me out of them 15 months into a 36 month tour for another "pop-up hard fill carrier job". (I don't think either were with my best interest at heart but rather a way to get his bosses off his back.) We had laughs and beers over this at the O'club when he was the VP-24 XO.
Of the VPers I knew that made flag rank, Ken Deutsch was the most deserving.
eight years?
I think I want to go career, so this isn't really an issue. However, my recruiter told me that if I fly non-jet aircraft my service commitment is seven years. Is he jerking me around? I would be upset merely as a matter of principal if he is, not because I want to get out as soon as possible. Also, for any P-3 pilots out there, do you enjoy the work? It seems like a great lifestyle to me, and I like the idea of flying such a large aircraft with a large crew. However, I'm wondering if it get monotonous? If so, is it any more monotonous than any other aircraft? The feedback on this forum is great. Thanks for taking the time.
highlyrandom said:
I think I want to go career, so this isn't really an issue. However, my recruiter told me that if I fly non-jet aircraft my service commitment is seven years. Is he jerking me around? I would be upset merely as a matter of principal if he is, not because I want to get out as soon as possible. Also, for any P-3 pilots out there, do you enjoy the work? It seems like a great lifestyle to me, and I like the idea of flying such a large aircraft with a large crew. However, I'm wondering if it get monotonous? If so, is it any more monotonous than any other aircraft? The feedback on this forum is great. Thanks for taking the time.
T
TXHusker05
Guest
Some of you will remember Shane Osborn, an EP-3 pilot who ended up landing in China after being rammed. He is a good friend of mine and he is the main reason I want to be an aviator. He originally wanted jets, got EP-3's and says it was the best decision of his life. Nice places, working with a great crew. That would be the best part for me. He can't really testify to the career aspect of flying that pipeline since he got out of the Navy after a tour as an IP, but I don't see why it could hurt your career too much.
Now obviously it isn't going to land you a command slot at sea because you don't have any sea experience as a land based pilot but there are still a number of opportunities ashore all over the world. You can command a VP squadron, you can serve a staff billet somewhere and I personally believe VP pilots would make good intel guys as well.
Plus, the missions that EP-3/P-3 pilots are actually important missions which is why I wouldn't select jets... as badass as it would be, we have scared all the enemies out of the sky. That is just my opinion though.
Now obviously it isn't going to land you a command slot at sea because you don't have any sea experience as a land based pilot but there are still a number of opportunities ashore all over the world. You can command a VP squadron, you can serve a staff billet somewhere and I personally believe VP pilots would make good intel guys as well.
Plus, the missions that EP-3/P-3 pilots are actually important missions which is why I wouldn't select jets... as badass as it would be, we have scared all the enemies out of the sky. That is just my opinion though.
I wouldn't say that P-3's are career limiting, just that jets are career enhancing. You do stand a much better chance of making it to the O-6 and beyond realm as a Hornet pilot than you do a helo/prop/heavy pilot.
It just depends on what you want to do. Do you want to fly around the boat really fast all by yourself, or land at a diverse location and have a beer with your crew?
One thing I can guarantee: you will love it either way.
It just depends on what you want to do. Do you want to fly around the boat really fast all by yourself, or land at a diverse location and have a beer with your crew?
One thing I can guarantee: you will love it either way.