A Naval Aviator's Typical Day and Duties...?

[bunk22]

Maybe I missed it but is this Gaurd slot a fighter slot? If so, I'd keep it. I say this due to the fact that your heart is set on fighters. Not saying it can't be done in the Navy, especially with your experience, but there may not be a tailhook slot when you select. Might get tailhook then get E2/C2...it's a chance, that's all. If you've got a slot for jets, specifically fighters or attack, take it.

 

[phrogdriver]

His OP says he got into a heavy unit, but didn't say which type.

 

[vick]

A guy I went through TBS with started at Whiting with me in VT-6. I knew he had a bunch of prior flight time and all his civilian quals and had heard him talking about how he was confident that he'd end up flying hornets-even so, he had a decent reputation coming out of TBS so he must have held his tongue while we were there. Whatever, lots of young egos rolling around those halls and I didn't begrudge his ambitions so I didn't pay much attention to him.

I saw him in the ready room after his FAM-5, which he returned from and proceeded to DOR. He volunteered his rationale to anybody within earshot...from the aboves he had received on his flights so far he extrapolated his NSS from primary and concluded that jets could be assumed. He further projected his grades at winging and concluded that hornets could be safely assumed as well. He had called a few hornet squadrons and collected whatever 30/60/90 data he could and figured out his total projected time at the satisfaction of his commitment (who knows what delusional/ill-informed assumptions he used for that projection).

Based on that figure, which by his measure was vastly inadequate, he concluded that he simply couldn't afford to continue down the path he was on at risk of not being eligible for the airline gig he saw in his future. I have no idea where he went from there but he certainly wan't missed.

I can't imagine how he made it through TBS if that's the kind of plotting he was doing in his head all along, but it was pretty clear that he was there for entirely the wrong reasons.

 

[SteveG75]

Naval Officer FIRST, aviator second.

If you want to go back to the cockpit, you may have to suck up that staff or disassociated sea tour.

I had an unusual career:
VT-10/86
VA-128 A-6 RAG
VA-95 A-6 fleet JO tour
VAQ-129 EA-6B transistion syllabus
VAQ-138 JO tour
VAQ-129 RAG instructor
VAQ-138 Department Head

That took me from 1990-2004. 14 years flying with only one year on shore. 2200+ hours in 138 months of operational flying, 485 traps. Almost 16hr/month average.

After my DH tour, I did 3 years shore at NWDC (1 of them in Iraq), 2 years TACRON, and I am finishing my last year in the Navy back at NWDC.

The guys with 3,000 , 4,000 or even 5,000 hours are few and far between. When I started, a 1000 hours in a tour was the norm, when I left the EA-6B community, guys were averaging 200 hours a year.

Edit:

My most rewarding tour (notice, I did not say most fun) was the year I spent as an IA in Iraq working CREW (Counter Radio Controlled IED Electronic Warfare). Not flying, working with grunts, organizing equipment installs, workings with ops folks and training Marines. I am convinced that the work we did out there saved lives.

I'll repeat:
Naval Officer FIRST, aviator second.

If you just want to get lots of hours, stick with the airlines. Of course, airline pilots don't get this view (VR-1355, just north of Bumping Lake, 200 feet agl @ 420+ knots).

 

[Crowbar]

he concluded that he simply couldn't afford to continue down the path he was on at risk of not being eligible for the airline gig he saw in his future.

 

[Uncle Fester]

...Based on that figure, which by his measure was vastly inadequate, he concluded that he simply couldn't afford to continue down the path he was on at risk of not being eligible for the airline gig he saw in his future. I have no idea where he went from there but he certainly wan't missed...

One more item for the "Ensigns/2Lt's Don't Know Shit About Shit" file. This is pretty epic-stupid even by those august standards.

To the OP - I salute your desire to serve on the pointy end of the spear. I think several of us instructors here are picking up on an attitude of "I'm considering bringing my wealth of aviation experience to Naval Aviation - will the Company recognize that I piss excellence?" and that way lies madness. We've seen lots of dudes with all kinds of heavy logbooks come through our halls, including RJ and GenAv pilots, and more than a few of them didn't even make it through Primary. One guy didn't even make it out of API.

To sum up: if you go this route, assume the attitude that nobody gives a shit about your RJ time or how eager the Air Guard was to have you. Be eager to learn, ears open, mouth shut, and you'll have fun.

Oh, and the flying is about maybe half your job no matter what community you're in. Flying's awesome, paperwork sucks, but that's how it is. If you consider yourself too awesome to waste on a ground job, Naval Aviation is not the right career for you.

 

[bunk22]

I've been able to fly for all but one tour as well. I went from flight school and the FRS to VRC-30 to VAW-120 to VRC-30 to NETSAFA/VT-6. I'm now on a one year tour in South Korea but will be going back to TW-2 in Kingsville to fly T-45's (at least supposed to go barring any unforseen issues of course). I will then retire at 20 years.

 

[FlyBoyd]

A4's...I'm going to take just about your entire post as tongue-in-cheek...? LoL

That wasn't his tongue in your cheek...

or

oh you'll take it, but it won't be his tongue....



The shot was there so I took it.

 

[TheBubba]

@ SteveG... that looks vaguely familiar (even before I read the caption)... but I don't remember the ground being that close to the jet...

 

[SticknRudder]

Thanks all for the info...the Navy is where I want to be, and with no doubt, even if it means shooting a lot of paperwork and just a few approaches. I'll be poking my head around here a bit more until I get my packet in order I'm sure...again, thank you and wish me the best