Time to train (civilians flying military jets and Harriers vs conventional aircraft)

[BACONATOR]

I did some flying in a G1000 with weather radar and two storm cells outside and it was one of the coolest civilian flights I ever did. It was like having real time Doppler radar with everything being so clear. Yes, it is a Cessna but they are good planes.

Having flown through an area with a convective sigmet and severe thunderstorm warning this weekend, it definitely would have made me a bit more comfortable.

The bottom line is this guy has some kickass toys and we'd be jealous of even the guy with his own Cessna.

Hopefully someday I'll have my own private fighter....that's probably the only way I'll get to fly a jet. :icon_tong

 

[DangerousDan]

He probably got it cheaply because they are cheap, relatively speaking.

The company that Nalls bought his SHAR from were also selling an ex-RAF Jaguar T Mk4 with low time motors, bang seats, complete avionics (sans classified) and a load of other goodies for £80,000 ($160,000). The jet had been kept in flyable storage and was almost in flyaway condition. Bargain!

Here's the actual jet:

Now how much would it cost to actually LEARN how to fly it if all youve done is get your PPL?

 

[FLYTPAY]

Now how much would it cost to actually LEARN how to fly it if all youve done is get your PPL?

You need 1000 hours, 500 PIC, and an approved course in the plane, then the checkride. Realistically, you could fly/pass the checkride in one with about 8 hours of training. Proficient in the jet and a smart idea...absolutely not in a freaking Sea Harrier.

 

[squeeze]

You need 1000 hours, 500 PIC, and an approved course in the plane, then the checkride. Realistically, you could fly/pass the checkride in one with about 8 hours of training. Proficient in the jet and a smart idea...absolutely not in a freaking Sea Harrier.

You're not even solo-ing in the RAG with 8 hrs in the Harrier... and the AV-8B is a whole 'nother animal from a Sea Harrier/AV-8A. A civilian buying and trying to fly a Harrier would likely make a nice smoking hole in the ground. There's a reason our time to train is the longest in Marine aviation and we leave the RAG with a lower CRP than Hornet Cat I's.

I would say that a prior-military TACAIR pilot could likely easily transition to most other conventional airframes (eg. Jaguar) in a short amount of time and still be proficient enough to be safe... but not a Harrier.

 

[scoober78]

There's a reason our time to train is the longest in Marine aviation and we leave the RAG with a lower CRP than Hornet Cat I's.

Still true? I was thinking the MV-22 guys mighta had ya here recently.

 

[squeeze]

Still true? I was thinking the MV-22 guys mighta had ya here recently.

Just going by that (Avg TBS to Fleet). It's from the 2007 Marine Aviation Plan.

 

[Flash]

Just going by that (Avg TBS to Fleet). It's from the 2007 Marine Aviation Plan.

Are my eyes deceiving me or is the time to train a Prowler pilot planned to be slightly higher than a Harrier one?

 

[squeeze]

Are my eyes decieving me or is the time to train a Prowler pilot planned to be slightly higher than a Harrier one?

Looks that way. Why, I have no idea. You? But then reference "plan" vs. last 3 years of reality.

 

[Flash]

Looks that way. Why, I have no idea. You? But then reference "plan" vs. last 3 years of reality.

I would guess it is because CQ'ing.

 

[xj220]

What makes the Harrier more difficult? Is it hovering?

 

[Scoob]

I would guess it is because CQ'ing.

Maintenance delays?

 

[squeeze]

What makes the Harrier more difficult? Is it hovering?

Ya... something to do with that whole regimes of flight almost no other aircraft in the world really operate in thing.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Ya... something to do with that whole regimes of flight almost no other aircraft in the world really operate in thing.

Except for helos, which remarkably have the shortest time to train...

Perhaps it's hovering + flying fast that's causing it.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Except for helos, which remarkably have the shortest time to train...

Perhaps it's hovering + flying fast that's causing it.

Yeah, well, don't Harrier guys sign for the aircraft after they're done with training, or all jet guys for that matter?

I thought about that before, and to me it makes sense that if you factor in flight school and then the time to get to the HAC board, helos take about the same amount of time to get to the point of signing for the bird.

 

[MasterBates]

FAM-1 to wings was 10 months for me.

Wings to HAC was 31 months.