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Single Seater or 2?
- Thread starter BrittO
- Start date
You could always go for broke and select FOUR seats . . .
Soon to be two...
I'd love to hear from some of you single seaters about why you wanted to be single seaters. I can understand that there would be a great sense of accomplishment etc...from completing a mission alone...but was that why? Did you want the legacy Hornet?
Soon to be two...
I'd love to hear from some of you single seaters about why you wanted to be single seaters. I can understand that there would be a great sense of accomplishment etc...from completing a mission alone...but was that why? Did you want the legacy Hornet?
There is a single seat Rhino...
There are pluses and minuses to each.
I wanted single seat because I was advised by some senior guys I respected to go that way. Some of their reasons were: fulfillment, the hornet can accomplish 99% of its missions (to varying degrees of success) single seat, it may provide a more cohesive squadron environment or comraderie (everyone is on the same page/mindset), it suited my personality (I don't like it when people "jump in my cockpit"), and I tend to do better and have better SA without the extra dialogue and being able to control everything.
I wanted Charlie's because of the legacy/history, being exempt from IFR missions (more tactical flying), a probably inaccurate perception of having a earlier chance to transition to the JSF, a chance to go to the RAG in the Whale's Vagina, and because of the guarantee of single seat.
Again, there are pluses and minuses to each. I'll let someone more knowledgeable speak to their reasons for the Rhino. After flying about 100 hours in the C, I will admit that the biggest negatives to Charlies are that it would be nice to fly newer jets, to not have to read some of the recurring Charlie Hazreps due to the jet's fatigue/age, and to have someone padlock the bandit for me.
In the end, I think we're comparing apples to apples, and that most people would sh!t a brick to get in either jet.
It all depends. If you believe your military flying career will be confined to being with a mostly unopposed flying club, then single-seat is the most obvious, enjoyable, and correct choice.
However, if you ever anticipate flying into heavily contested airspace, and into any real harm's way, with your life surely on the line, then the two-man-crew is the only way to go.
A long time ago - and for a number of interesting and valid reasons - the Army learned that the 2-man foxhole was far superior to the single-man foxhole, in all respects.
In war – be it on the ground or in the air – the dual crew will most always outperform, and be more likely to survive, than the lone, single-seat warrior.
You'se 'pays' your monies and you'se takes your chances.
I had a peer a few years back say in a conversation that he loved flying in F/A-18D’s because all he had to do is worry about aviating; the WSO did the navigating & communicating. All he had to do was “join up and shut up”.
Along those same lines, about 6-7 years ago, a MAG-31 CO did a pilot swap with a single seat squadron (312) and a two seat squadron (533). It was brought about, iirc, when the MAG CO flew a jet, borrowed from another squadron, out to visit 533 on a det and one of the junior pilots from 533 was scheduled to fly the jet back to BFT. Someway, shape, or form, the MAG CO found out that the junior pilot did not want to fly the jet back because he did not feel comfortable flying without a WSO.
So my question is does flying single seat make you a better overall pilot versus a two seat pilot? Of course those are only two examples that I threw out but I would say yes, at least for your first fleet tour after the RAG. Anybody care to opine?
S/F
Along those same lines, about 6-7 years ago, a MAG-31 CO did a pilot swap with a single seat squadron (312) and a two seat squadron (533). It was brought about, iirc, when the MAG CO flew a jet, borrowed from another squadron, out to visit 533 on a det and one of the junior pilots from 533 was scheduled to fly the jet back to BFT. Someway, shape, or form, the MAG CO found out that the junior pilot did not want to fly the jet back because he did not feel comfortable flying without a WSO.
So my question is does flying single seat make you a better overall pilot versus a two seat pilot? Of course those are only two examples that I threw out but I would say yes, at least for your first fleet tour after the RAG. Anybody care to opine?
S/F
Wow... great way to operate proffesionally :banghead_
Seriously what was this guys plan should he ever have a situation where his WSO is put out of action and he needs to bring back the aircraft on his own from who knows where. I thought the whole point of being "Aircraft Commander" was that you had at least a basic understanding of how everything works. Hey we dont need that Navigation part, thats his job is a lousy attitude for anybody in aviation to have.
The recent USAF F-16 crash in Iraq that killed the pilot has now been attributed to pilot fixation on the target during a strafing pass resulting in a CFIT.
This happens significantly more often in single seat aircraft.
I remember a Naval Safety Center study in the early 90s after a couple of planes in the Med flew into the water while simulating sea skimming missiles during exercises. They happened fairly close together and were an A7 and a F18. The Safety Center study verified a higher accident rate for single seaters attributed to high pilot work loads caused by operating systems not directly associated with controlling the aircraft (i.e weapon systems). The single seaters also had a higher accident rate landing on the carrier. Fixation on a task was cited as causing the pilot to "forget" about or pay too little attention to flying. The study worried that there would also be a higher accident rate in the F18 over the A7 due to the more capabilities/systems of the F18. It said that the greater automation hopefully would reduce or maintain the accident rate on par with the A7 but it considered the F18 to be 1.8 man aircraft being flown by 1 pilot.
I never did see any follow on study and I've been out of the loop for 9 years, so I don't know how single seaters compare to 2 seaters now. But I bet they still have a higher accident rate that is directly attributable to pilot workload, task fixation or other pilot error.
This happens significantly more often in single seat aircraft.
I remember a Naval Safety Center study in the early 90s after a couple of planes in the Med flew into the water while simulating sea skimming missiles during exercises. They happened fairly close together and were an A7 and a F18. The Safety Center study verified a higher accident rate for single seaters attributed to high pilot work loads caused by operating systems not directly associated with controlling the aircraft (i.e weapon systems). The single seaters also had a higher accident rate landing on the carrier. Fixation on a task was cited as causing the pilot to "forget" about or pay too little attention to flying. The study worried that there would also be a higher accident rate in the F18 over the A7 due to the more capabilities/systems of the F18. It said that the greater automation hopefully would reduce or maintain the accident rate on par with the A7 but it considered the F18 to be 1.8 man aircraft being flown by 1 pilot.
I never did see any follow on study and I've been out of the loop for 9 years, so I don't know how single seaters compare to 2 seaters now. But I bet they still have a higher accident rate that is directly attributable to pilot workload, task fixation or other pilot error.
You're not going to start defending NFO's that wear centurion patches now are you?
From recent memory I'd say that the single seat/two seat statistic is probably fairly even, single seat in a slight lead. There are several instances of two seat mid-airs. Something to think about in that argument. Like they say, twice the crew half the SA.
In all reality I think it comes down to personal preference. I personally love being a single seat guy, however when a two seat crew is dialed in I think they are a much more effective killing machine. It can go both ways though on any given day.