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Winging next month. Any suggestions on what to select?

TwinsFan

New Member
Hey guys,

With my winging date right around the corner I have to put some serious thought into what to select. It doesn't sound like there's really a bad option, but there's gotta be some way to narrow down this selection sheet.

In essence, what would be some major pros and cons to each community? I know that's a loaded question, but whenever I ask IPs they always respond with something along the lines of "mine was the one u want, and you'll be happy." The only trend I have really noticed is that the HSL guys sometimes seem a little indifferent, whereas HSC guys are pretty passionate about theirs. Maybe that's just selective perception on my part, and at the end of the day I don't really know what makes one better or worse than the other.

My major criteria for selection is quality of life, command climate, and how much fun the mission is.

Thanks for the help.
 

ChunksJR

Retired.
pilot
Contributor
In essence, what would be some major pros and cons to each community?

I know I've responded to this many times before...last time was about 2 years ago. Bottom line: HSC - Growing, changing mission, HSM - Growing, changing mission, HSL - Steady, dying mission (which is why they may be indifferent), HM - Steady, constant mission.
Maybe that's just selective perception on my part, and at the end of the day I don't really know what makes one better or worse than the other.
That's how I felt. Why are you posting here and not flying helos at the fleet fly in? Go talk to REAL fleet players instead of hangin' here.

My major criteria for selection is quality of life, command climate, and how much fun the mission is.

What do you mean by QoL? Where you live? Want overseas? Want East? Want West?
Command Climate is about as variable as you can get, so don't base it on that. YOU are the future command climate. Make it happen.
What do you mean by "Fun?". I thought forms were fun. Until I did it in helos. Then I hated it. Still do. What's FUN? F'n flying a helo is FUN!
 

TwinsFan

New Member
Good points. Yea I got some time in the helos at the fleet fly in. Awesome experience and glad they do it. I signed up for Romeos yesterday and got Bravos. Signed up for the Sierra today and got Bravos. Could be a sign haha. Still having a blast though.

As far as QoL I was thinking small boys vs carrier, deployment lengths, stuff like that. With regards to location, I bet I could find fun anywhere. I am leaning toward San Diego just because it would be totally new to me and a lot of my friends selected HSM and HSC there in the last few months.

I'm making sure to talk to as many people as possible right now because I have to fill in my selection sheet next week. The fleet fly in came at just the right time.
 

xmid

Registered User
pilot
Contributor
A wise O-4 told me that the majority of how much you enjoy your squadron is going to depend on the people in it and the command climate. You have no control over that, so choose a location that you will enjoy. That way even if you don't like your squadron/command at least you will enjoy your time away from work.

Other than that, chose the mission you want because you are going to spend a lot of time studying and flying it.
 

helolumpy

Apprentice School Principal
pilot
Contributor
I would not suggest Bravos - too much chance of you getting screwed on your transition to Romeo's.


Plus, then you're stuck as a LAMPS guy....

(sorry, as an HS guy, it was too hard not to take a shot)
 

PhrogLoop

Adulting is hard
pilot
Way too many old posts about small boys vs. carrier (don't forget NAAD/CLF/Bahrain/Naples), deployment lengths (they all get extended), and stuff like that to rehash here. But I will say this: HSC Expeditionary pilots are f***ing indestructible...
 

FlyBoyd

Out to Pasture
pilot
Do some reading to include what guys tell you here. Select what you think is best and never look back.

Show up...work hard...play hard...own it. As someone already stated: You are the next command climate.

In a few years you will be telling some FNG about how your community is so awesome...and it will be awesome because you and your squadronmates made it that way.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Everybody loves flying whatever they flew and everybody loves something about their friends in the old squadron. But try asking people to talk about something that they did not like about their community. If you ask a question like that, you'll get an answer with some meat in it that might mean something to you.

If all you ever ask is something innocuous like, "So how did you like those?" then all you'll get what you deserve- a vague response like, "Well the flying was fun..."
 

ChunksJR

Retired.
pilot
Contributor
As far as QoL I was thinking small boys vs carrier, deployment lengths, stuff like that. With regards to location, I bet I could find fun anywhere. I am leaning toward San Diego just because it would be totally new to me and a lot of my friends selected HSM and HSC there in the last few months.

Small Boys = less aviators (maybe even only YOU) = more SWOs = more suck and shore duty
Carrier = most aviators and less duty (more bodies) BUT deploying with head shed = possible suckage (head shed gets $hit on and passes said $hit to the nearest JO) OR possible rockage (head shed does job of filitering said $hit)
Deployment length = getting longer, no matter where you go --- you didn't get P-3s so you'll be on a gray ship for 6-8 months (right now) twice during your first 3 years as a rotorhead. Get used to it, don't use it as a deciding factor
Leaning towards San Dog = HSC/HSL/HSM.

You've narrowed the choices young one...go forth and do good things.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
None
Contributor
Carrier life, I'm HS but it's all merging in the next few years. If you are a Helo bubba in an airwing you can expect to spend a TON of time on the boat/det/whatever. Since Jan 2010 I've been gone about 66% of the time up to right now.

Pros- I love that the whole squadron deploys together. The wardroom is small and you get to know everyone, unlike set based squadrons where you may never meet some of the guys. The CO/XO being onboard is great. You train to a TON of missions, and HS seems to be much less about NATOPS minutia and more about tactics, unlike a good majority of the rest of the Helo communities are. Also, around the boat things seem much more punctual and regimented as compared to small boys and amphibs.

Cons- as a Helo guy on a carrier you get very little love from anyone, it's all about jets. So, things like fcf's or changing lines can be a huge hassle. Also, a lot of the senior ops guys on the airwing don't really know what we are capable of. A few do but the majority are surprised when they hear we can do more than just plane guard.
That said, we do a TON of training but rarely do it for real on deployment, which is beyond frustrating. Port calls on the carrier are a pain at times because you and 5000 of your friends are all getting off the boat together, compared to a small boy and the 200.

I'm sad the 60H is going away, I've flown the Sierra and in my opinion the Hotel is much more capable. That said, you may still have pure HS as an option but realistically it'll be Sierras.

You'll more than likely love whatever you get assigned, but in my opinion I would not go bravos, and to a certain extent romeos. I know a lot of good dudes that are hsl and hsm but their community mindset is the turn off for me.

Pm me if you have more questions.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
A wise O-4 told me that the majority of how much you enjoy your squadron is going to depend on the people in it and the command climate. You have no control over that, so choose a location that you will enjoy. That way even if you don't like your squadron/command at least you will enjoy your time away from work.

Other than that, chose the mission you want because you are going to spend a lot of time studying and flying it.

True
 

jt71582

How do you fly a Clipper?
pilot
Contributor
I'm new in HSM, as in finishing up my first sims in the FRS and should have my first actual flight in the Romeo in a week or so.

Here's my advice. Whatever you decide to put on your dreamsheet, do so with a grain of salt. I was dead-set on HSC-West...like the rest of the koolaid-sipping HT studs, and I definitely took my day to mope about selecting HSM - Jax. But now that I'm here and I've met some of the guys in the community, I'm pretty excited about it. The helo itself is pretty amazing, and the most of the guys in this community enjoy the LAMPS mission. Don't necessarily buy into the HSC hype just because everyone in the HT's is talking about it. If you want Sierras, go for it, by all means. I did. But whatever you get, and I know you've heard this a million times before, you'll love it.

Congrats on your wings. Now show up to the RAG and work hard (play hard too). Don't be "that guy," and you'll enjoy it.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Small Boys = less aviators (maybe even only YOU) = more SWOs = more suck and shore duty

I'm not really sure what you're saying here. Are you saying that because there are fewer aviators (and "YOU" aren't going to be the only one as a JO), you have more duty? If so, not true at all. There's no duty on a small boy other than shore patrol, and even that might be hit and miss, depending on the det, OIC and ship. Even then, SP is one day and you spend it out and about with everyone else, you just can't drink.

Compare that to ODO or SDO or whatever you call it on a carrier, and it's much less duty. I'm guessing HSC is similar to HSM in the duty thing while deployed, minus the SP (again, a guess).
 
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