Why it's good to be in Naval Aviation

[phrogdriver]

Bouncing at a little county airport in a V-22...first, we see the guy with the video camera on the ramp. Then, we see a couple cars roll into the FBO parking lot. A couple more laps around the pattern, we see the lawn chairs come out behind the trailer homes. Then the airport manager calls us on the radio and asks for a flyby before we go. Good times.

This also shows that the trailer parks are filled with much better Americans than the nice homes in Beaufort that called in noise complaints on me a few weeks ago.

 

[Gatordev]

While my aircraft wasn't gray...

On a day VNAV to TLH w/ a stud and had some extra time, so we went over to a little airfield north of TLH (can't remember the name). Made some calls as "NAVY xECHO..." as we entered and did a bounce. Finally someone comes on the radio and makes a comment about "wish you were flying the other pattern." So we switch downwinds and do a few more landings so they can watch from their lawn chairs and hangars. Finally the same guy comes up and says he wish we could stop and he could buy us some beer, and if we ever came over on liberty, the offer was open. As we departed, I thanked them for the offer. It's good to know there's people out there like that, even when we destroy the country tranquility w/ our angry mosquito engine of a PT-6.

 

[H60Gunner]

Doing early morning "pinky time" SAR jumps in Kaneohe Bay on our way back from the sand box NAKED.
Landing and finding out that we woke up the base CO AND his family, who observed the bare naked display.

Loading up a helo with 4 machine guns, an insane amount of ammo, and coming back "winchester".

Flying completely around the world TWICE in one VP deployment.

Getting up at 0-dark thirty, briefing/pre-flighting for 2 hours, flying for 4 hours, spanking the crap out of a "hostile" submarine for 4 hours, and coming back to crack a nice cold beer with the entire crew!

 

[Recovering LSO]

This all makes for a pretty good day. From a 129 CQ det some time ago. Produced with two VCRs and a boom box.

More links to Prowler Porn to come.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Al Asad fence line.

 

[NavAir42]

On my last flight in a T-34 heading out on a low level VNAV to TLH. One of my last turn points was a bridge over the Chatahooche River. The instructor in back, a former Harrier pilot, tells me I'd better make the turn look good for the 5 o'clock traffic on the bridge and the guys in the fishing boats just down stream. Reach the turn point and throw it into a 90 AOB turn and descend down to 200 ft over the river. As we zoom over the guys in the fishing boat we can see them laughing and holding their beers in the air in appreciation.

 

[scoober78]

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a65qMfZHSKc

Al Asad fence line.

:hot_anima

 

[nittany03]

Al Asad fence line.

 

[plc67]

Having been Navy Trained aviator( in my era you could also have been an Army or Air Force trained Marine pilot) followed by Marine Corps training plus tactical experience in the FMF gave one a mission oriented attitude. You try and find ways of getting the job done rather than whine about all the reasons you shouldn't be asked to do it.

 

[Intruder Driver]

Having been Navy Trained aviator( in my era you could also have been an Army or Air Force trained Marine pilot) followed by Marine Corps training plus tactical experience in the FMF gave one a mission oriented attitude. You try and find ways of getting the job done rather than whine about all the reasons you shouldn't be asked to do it.

AMEN. The difference between naval aviation and all others. BTW, nothing like real low transitions over any gathering of troopers to motivate them.

 

[Recovering LSO]

sort of a half-a$$ed, thrown together quickly Prowler flick. Sorry if this isn't the best place to be posting these links, but it does seem to go along with the whole "good reason to be in Naval Aviation" theme.?.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Only one reason should count. Navy and Marine pilots and aircrew are the finest in the world period. They train to launch missions from moving runways in all kinds of conditions.

 

[Pitchlock]

Got drafted to fly p-3s (Had jet grades, wanted jets). Understand the needs of the navy and think 'whatever I'm here to serve'. At the end of sea tour (circa '91ish) Navy says thanks for all the work but we don't need P-3's anymore, massive RIF ...goodbye.

would I do it all over again, yea probably.....life has worked out just fine, but I still wish the Navy could plan...two weeks after I selected I heard they had more jet slots then they could fill....by that time I was already off to texas...

 

[holliday06877]

How about this: The other night in bum f%^* afghanistan me and my fellow infantry scouts are at a combat outpost near the pak border. We get intel of bad guy "coming to get us" and are right up or alley well a couple minutes later we get a pair of hornets for support. Visability was crap but they do a fly over "show force" and let me tell you nothing makes a ground pounder happier than the sound of a screaming fast mover over head. Thanks for all the support you guys,we couldn't do it with out you! The bad guys thought twice and i got some sleep that night!

 

[HeyJoe]

I've been to 8 different countries this year. And I get to fly from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Nothing compares.

Saw a variation of this on another forum and rather than start a new thread, thought I'd share a bunch of places (the ones I remember at least) I went in uniform (or on liberty) and a few I wanted to visit that others got to and thold their tales:

NAS Oceana (homeplate)
NAS Key West (favorite Det location, many times) 8)
Tulsa (FBO) turnaround (great gas and go spot enroute to Fallon)
NAS Fallon (best desert flying)
MCAS Yuma (second best Desert flying)
NAS Brunswick (lobster run, baby!)
Nellis AFB (OK for an Air Force base ;D sorry about the commotion we caused in your club )
Bergstrom AFB for RAM 86 (Austin nightlife is really something to experience)
Portsmouth, England (does anyone get their teeth fixed?)
Edinburgh, Scotland (very dark and brooding, but worth the visit)
Norway by air and sailing USS America in Vestfjord (experience of a lifetime)
NAF Sigonella, Italy (great low levels and nights at "the Fly", P-3 guys aren't so bad)
Malaga/Torremolinas, Spain (nice, very nice)
Rota, Spain (not bad)
Little Rock AFB, AK (thanks for being in right spot)
NAF Dallas (wish I had more time to visit)
Guantanamo, Cuba (give it back already)
Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico (that's some flying!! and liberty)
Caracas, Venezuela (saw the pending left turn)
Littorno, Italy (nice leaning tower)
Naples (many times, baby!)
Athens, Greece (been there, seen that)
Izmir, Turkey (what a bazaar)
Tegucigalpa, Honduras (interesting, very interesting)
Panama Canal by air (TARPS, baby!)
Somalia by air (and close encounter with SA-2 in 1983)
Turkey by air and outrageous low-levels
Palma, Majorca (send me back anytime, baby!)
Diego Garcia (got the patch and a tan)
Misirah, Oman (quite austere on deck, from air; nothing like low level ACM with Brits)
Libya by air (across the Line of Death, boy, were we scared...not!)
Saudi Arabia low levels in Desert Shield no rules except don't hit the deck) and Storm (blowing off steam post Iraq)
Monaco (now that's living)
France by air (low-levels in the Alps...sweet)
French Aircraft Carrier Foch (R99) underway crossdeck experience (more spent on wine "cellar" than training ordnance, oh la la)
HMS Illustrious (we get 2 beers after 45 days at sea, they have a pub open every night with better beer/lager)
Alexandria, Egypt (been inside the Pyramids, baby!)
Antalya, Turkey during Desert Shield (well kept secret, who knew?)
Hergatha Egypt post Desert Storm (best scuba adventure ever)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield (great phone exchange and experience)
Al Qa'im by air (what's with all the SAMs...we were just taking pictures, baby!)
Ar Ar, Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm (thanks for the gas and go)
Portland, Maine (once is enough, not bad, but once is enough)
Mombasa, Kenya (I think Chicken Breath still has that creature in his leg, I'll take a pass next time)
Columbo, Sri Lanka (couldn't we have gone a bit further and hit Australia??? )
New York (Fleet Week, baby...changed my opinion about New York )
St Thomas, Virgin Islands (one bright spot in work-ups 8))
Bahamas (on the list for repeat visit in future)
Boston (Fleet Week, baby!...thanks for the memories!)
NAS Memphis, TN (sorry about the fuel spill)
MCAS Beaufort (long enough to hot pit)
NAF Anacostia (nice view of DC)
The Pentagon (not all the movies make it out to be; an acquired taste)
Ft Lauderdale (send me back, baby!)
Holloman AFB (nice golf course...)
Langley AFB (nice landscaping...your club needs a little work)
NWAD Corona (quaint place; lunch at the Women's Prison was a memory)
NWAC China Lake (nice, or er, interesting place to visit; wouldn't want to live there though)
Eglin AFB (weapons development, USAF style)
NAF Mayport (nice little place to dock a carrier)
NAS Jacksonville (Customs guys are a hoot and have quite an Air Force)
NAS Pensacola (the cradle of Naval Aviation, always heartwarming to return )
NAS North Island (I-Bar, baby! )
NAS Cecil Field (can't you guys keep a club open? :)
NAS Miramar (why oh why did we give it to the Marines? :'()
NAS Lemoore (what a godforsaken place; once is more than enough )


Places I never went but would have liked to go.....

PI
Thailand ...that beach everyone raves about
Midway Island (by air at least)
Anywhere in Australia
Israel
Whidbey Island (so I could say I've been there)