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Forgot to comment on this earlier, but hanging the map over the MD is a half-assed solution at best. We really screwed that one away, but at this point I can't see anybody spending the $ to fix it. And the cracks are in new-build R's (though there is a fix in work).

While very similar, I don't believe the Army and Navy engines are identical (though I couldn't say what makes a 701C different from a 401C). The L has T-700-701C's compared to the 701D in the Mike and SAC advertises a 4% power increase from the L to the M. There really isn't a 401D yet. GE...

That is what they are aiming for, not what they have achieved. You are talking new engines/blades/heads/xmsn, etc. I would want to see them hit that on time and without a Nunn-McCurdy breach before I counted those chickens. Look at the -71's issues attempting a less ambitious performance...

It would have been excessively expensive to move the tailwheel. For all the similarity in shape, the L/S and the B/R's have very different structures.

Yes, ASE gear is being bought with the R - I don't know what the HH currently has so I don't know how it compares. Personally, I prefer the Army's Common Cockpit Arch to the Navy's, but having said that I think sometimes people have poor memories for some of the older crud we were flying not...

Just for reference, the next one off the line (166522) weighs about 21,200 with 3 crew, a full bag, no ordnance or bouys, and flir and ALFS installed.

HS will be HSC - they will deploy the same way. The first HS squadron to make the transition is going through HSC-3 now (HS-7 I think, though I wouldn't swear to that).

HSM-71 is owned by their CAG and will deploy with the airwing (with dets to the small boys). They are at NASNI and their CO is in fact a former HT instructor.

Come on, Nose, just try a little sip of the Kool-Aid....

I imagine the same will apply for USMC when they roll from regular Iraq rotations to floating again. Got to be a lot of HACs with plenty of overland experience that have barely seen the boat.

It is sneaking up on you - you'll need to change that to the JSF soon....

How are they making HACs with a shortage of cruises? Are they still having lots of guys bumping into the 2 year limit?

Agree, but boats are in short supply, so you have to build monkey skills where you can.

Is that all you are getting these days if you aren't deployed or working up?

Absolutely agree, but I don't like the idea of not treating the boat at night (and day as well, for that matter) as varsity flying along with the advanced tactics stuff.

I know you don't advocate throwing the kids straight into the deep end, and we all know that LL CAL can mean flying on -9's into a parking lot on a clear night as much as it can mean getting into a shoebox through dust and sand. Having said that, I think we really just have a philosophical...

My guess is that the vertrep/Amphib SAR guys will fall behind the CV guys - not saying it is right, but budgets will be tight and they are going to have to make some choices. You are right, but.... What good is a 2P who can quote the tactics but is going to kill you on the boat at night? I...

Of course, it will be easy soon to know who does what when we are down to just HSC and HSM. Figuring out who is qualed for what and distinguishing the tactical haves from the have-nots will be another matter since there just won't be any way to get every pilot every qual.

I've listened to HS and HCS guys argue at each other. Not being either I have no ability/interest in joining that discussion.

Part of the problem is that HCS never really had a "home" in Naval Aviation. That put them in a position where it was too easy for other communities to cherry pick what they wanted from the HCS missions. And fair or not, HS "owns" the CSAR and special ops-type missions. (Not trying to start...

Agree about not wanting to keep the maintainers, but I really think the reserve/regular Navy issue combined with the Helo Master "Plan" is the culprit.

Some hours are "longer" than others when it comes to airframe life, but Navy politics are driving that bus.

End of service life for an aircraft type is very much a moving target - look at the Navy's 60B/F/H's that just got an across the board approval to extend to 14k.

Applies to having civilians as a reporting senior as well, for those in a billet that might need to know that.

I could never argue platforms with somebody from a community that can produce this: Seriously, as a former FRS instructor whose Commodore once said "They have to make it through [the FRS], we need the bodies" I really do feel your pain. I don't know if anybody important enough will ever have...

http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/508/Instructions/161010/161010_CH1.htm#para1_4 Leave it blank.

Circle of life, folks. If you look back you'll see how regularly these things cycle. Of course, I spent my firstie year with on the positive end of that cycle, so perspective is consequently an easy thing to maintain compared to the class of '08.

Bad attitudes are bad attitudes regardless of where the pilot is. The kind of attitude you are attempting to describe kills folks in any platform - the unfortunate truth is that outside of the single seat world the kind of jackass you are talking about takes other people with him. The answer...

To think that all that time I was doing it wrong - I used to change my flight suit after a dark and rainy night at the boat...

I flew with a CA ANG unit when they got their initial DLQ's in Chinooks; PM me if you would like info on that.

The new Super Lynx - great helo. (Not sure how the "work to rule" labor strife they are experiencing right now will affect it, but the new bird will be sweet). http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/britains-billionpound-future-lynx-helicopter-program-02384/#more

That is a healthy attitude towards it. (There are some acquisition type jobs that are exempt - DCMA flight crews, for instance, and I am sure there are others as well).

http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/index_lite_loop.php For helo guys, you will generally be able to pick this up on a blackberry inflight - instant weather radar.

Not trying to be a downer here, but I understand that folks are getting IA's post-TPS these days. I don't know how often, but it is a question he ought to ask.

Don't worry about Boeing: you can bet your house on that one.

Helicopters don't even start hitting their stride until they pass 15k....

I suspect the fellows you called out by name are not all that hurt by your disagreement. If they think it is worth their time they can explain the military personnel system to you (and associated costs, of course), which might cause you to take another look at your conclusions. As a side note...

Google Darlene Druyun and the tanker lease the news stories will mention if you are curious. It is one of the reasons McCain feels the way he does about the AF and Boeing.

Of course, the tanker replacement and subsequent scandals (jail terms included) might say something as well - at least if the subject is AF's relationship with Boeing. I wish there were more choices in the upcoming competition: personally, I find it impossible to root for Airbus, but I hate to...

The program has to be on track. You can't spend $10M/day if you are behind, can you?

It isn't?

And you have to admit, if any company can recognize a "fix" it would be Boeing....

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=18242&rsbci=0&fti=111&ti=0&sc=400 More than one service is interested.

If I were new to Naval Aviation I would keep an open mind about the whole unmanned thing - it isn't going away.

They won't make his case for him, but there is at least a chance they can point him in a useful direction. If not, it didn't cost him anything.

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/aging-array-of-american-aircraft-attracting-attention-0901/#more If you too are concerned about our aging airframes, then follow the $$$. http://www.acaa.aero/problem-aging-aircraft.html This link, embedded in the above article, draws attention to civilian...

And I am not meaning to imply that my end of the world isn't part of the problem: whether it is NAVAIR, DCMA, the test world at Pax, or the "customers" at the PMA's, we all have rules that were put in place as part of valid lessons learned with the best of intentions, that sometimes seem to...

Unfortunately, NAVAIR is yet another example of good people trying to do good things within the framework of a bureaucracy. Not impossible, but apparently harder than it looks.

Good point, and I don't mean to discourage you from going higher up the USAA chain - that can't hurt.

If you don't have your rider in writing, then there isn't much reason to have any confidence in it. For the OP, I would be wary of sinking money into a lawyer if I had nothing in writing to support my claim.