VP vs VQ?

[Mattatron]

So I just showed up in Jax for the FRS and it seems that my class needs three Pilots to go VQ to fill the billets. At the moment I'm VP but on the fence about switching, partly because I don't know enough about VQ to decide. I know the VQ guys cant really talk a lot about what they do, but I'm just looking for an opinion from both sides on the pros and cons of each. Any assistance would be helpful, I gotta decide soon.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[PropAddict]

Let's see:
VP= old airplanes, with a gucci new replacement on the horizon
VQ= older airplanes, no replacement coming up

VP= Jax, Whidbey, Hawaii
VQ= Whidbey

VP= flying 3 engine at 200 feet
VQ= flying linger at 20,000 feet

VP= 12 squadrons
VQ= 2 squadrons

VP= 6 month deployment, 18 (or 12. . .) month IDRC
VQ= 3 month deployment, much shorter IDRC

From the pilot perspective, VP just seems more attractive. And you're not pigeonholing into as small a corner.

In then end, it's all up to you, although it is a bit like trying to decide between taking home the fat chick or the one with the beard.

 

[AJTranny]

That last sentence could make for a great quote. Well done good sir.

 

[Flash]

VQ pilots got more hours when I was in EP-3's, about 25% more on average, still seems to hold true from what more recent VQ types have said. And every single pilot that asked for flying orders got them walking out the door. Plus, less VP pilot minutia shenanigans in VQ.

 

[Ektar]

I'm a VP guy and I am writing this post from Wakiki Beach in Hawaii. I've been here for a month now for RIMPAC. VQ doesn't do dets like this...

 

[rookie7734]

I don't know...doesn't VQ spend time on a small Caribbean Island occasionally? Where they have great Little League baseball teams?

 

[ArkansasFlyBoy]

shoulda went vfa, just saying

 

[Jim123]

I don't know...doesn't VQ spend time on a small Caribbean Island occasionally? Where they have great Little League baseball teams?

Hispaniola? Puerto Rico? Antigua? St. Kitts? (Wait, those last two play cricket.) Aww shucks, I give up!

 

[Flash]

I'm a VP guy and I am writing this post from Wakiki Beach in Hawaii. I've been here for a month now for RIMPAC. VQ doesn't do dets like this...

New Caledonia, Bangkok and the Seychelles ain't that bad. And I did spend about 2 weeks total on Waikiki Beach as a result of our planes breaking down, they seemed to have a tendency to do that there and take longer to fix for some strange reason.

I don't know...doesn't VQ spend time on a small Caribbean Island occasionally? Where they have great Little League baseball teams?

Yeah, there too.

 

[NUFO06]

You are at the best place to get the answers you seek. Thirty has VQ guys and they are more than willing to help you out.

 

[rookie7734]

Jim123
An island of the Netherlands Antilles, 210 square miles in area, located 60 miles off the northwestern coast of Venezuela. It's called Curacao.

 

[HAL Pilot]

^ You're welcome.

I was J5 Plans & Policy at SOUTHCOM when we were trying to figure out where all the counter drug flying should be based with the closure of Howard AFB in Panama. The Marine General J5 (F-18 pilot) I worked for kept saying Soto Cano, Honduras while I kept pointing out Curacao gave better coverage and onsta times, as well as not needing any new SOFA treaties, etc. as it was a NATO base. He forbid me to mention it again. Two days before I retired, I was at a briefing he was giving to CINC SOUTHCOM and the CINC said "There's got to be a better solution..." I said what the hell, I'm out of here anyway, raised my hand and said "Excuse me General, has anyone mentioned Curacao to you?" I spent the next 3 hours with the CINC giving him the run down on Curacao while extracting his promise I would not be ass raped by a pissed off Marine 1 star prior to my terminal leave starting.

And Curacao it was.

And I retired.

 

[helolumpy]

Jim123
An island of the Netherlands Antilles, 210 square miles in area, located 60 miles off the northwestern coast of Venezuela. It's called Curacao.

The only downside to Curacao was when you were on one side of the floating bridge in Willenstad (it's hinged on one side with an outboard motor that swings it open and closed) and your ship is on the other side, the bridge is open and your liberty expires in 10 minutes....
But overall, one of the best liberty ports I've ever been to!!

 

[P3 F0]

I did some cool things in VQ, but never got to Curacao. Still pisses me off a bit.

I'm not a pilot, but I'd imagine the flying is a bit more interesting in the VP world. What I don't like is the VP culture (do they still grade missions after landing?) and the scrambling to justify its existence and rework its mission. The good part is that when it's out doing its job, it's usually a pretty desired and valuable product.

VQ has always had a mission and always will (whether it's automated or not)--the downside is that it can be mind-numbingly boring at times, and the product itself is somewhat worthless 99% of the time. Which all goes back, again, to taking home the heavy chick or the hairy chick.

 

[PropAddict]

I'd imagine the flying is a bit more interesting in the VP world.

Yeah, I was trying to subtly say that in my first post: the stick and rudder aspect for the single anchors is more interesting, even if the tactical/mission aspect is dominated by the double anchors.

What I don't like is the VP culture (do they still grade missions after landing?) and the scrambling to justify its existence and rework its mission. The good part is that when it's out doing its job, it's usually a pretty desired and valuable product.

Grading missions? That is some ghey s#!t. I'm but a lowly 2P, but I've never seen that done. I think right now the community is kind of in a pendulum backswing away from the "we're gonna be anal for the sake of being anal" mode, which is a good thing. Still a lot of Propgun-style quizzology, but with an emphasis on knowing what you actually need, not as much of the "I read this useless minutia in the Digest five years ago, so I know it and you don't. Why don't you know this? You're a retard."

As far as mission, ASW is still the core focus. The other stuff is just creep and icing on top. Except when you do a desert deployment and do those extra missions exclusively for 6 months, but I digress.

Curacao!

Oh I didn't even open that det site/deployment site can of worms, but we can go there if you want. . .even the FAGs will get jealous!