I am seriously interested in becoming an NFO and was wondering if any NFOs can give me information about what it is like?
Keep in mind that I became an NFO in the days before eye surgery and the options to be a pilot, starting VT-10 in spring of 1987, and while there is no doubt that I would have preferred to have been a pilot at the time I'm not sure I can say that in a 22 year retrospect.
As an NFO you were expected to know everything the pilot knew plus your half of the plane (and in Prowlers you get a front seat and weapons system NATOPS check ride every year to ensure you do). The standards are high.
As a TACAIR NFO you are likely the smallest group of winged officers in the Navy. I have nothing to back this up but would be curious to know how many people have graduated from VT-86 over the years but it's not a huge group by any means.
As an NFO you have the opportunity to do some very interesting second tour options that may not be available or of interest to our single winged brethren.
Other than some fun, occasional, stick time in the T-34, T-2, TA-4, S-3, a couple Hornet B rides and reaching over from the left seat to do the occasional flaperon roll on a FACIT flight I never got to fly the plane. That's OK, my part of the team was great and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
You are expected to be an expert in every aspect of you aircraft and employing it. There is no slack in this matter, your career and professional reputation depends on it. There is a double standard (at least in the Prowler). If you have a pilot as a CO/XO your airmanship skills will be judged by your comm/nav/USQ and airmanship knowledge in the front seat. Your NFO squadronmates and senior officers will judge you by how you perform in the back and your knowledge of weapons and tactics. To succeed you need to excel at both.
In general an NFO runs the plane, he doesn't fly it. So, do you still want to take on the challenge of being an NFO?
