Acls?

[Harrier Dude]

True, but it's a tool like anything else. I admit that I'm a GPS cripple (non-certified, or course. Thanks NAVAIR!), but it pays to use everything that you have. I've been screwed by the gods of luck with failed GPS/INS issues before. Rarely, though. It always pays to crosscheck.

 

[E5B]

Not to mention, HOGE (hover out of ground effect) is not good practice, and some helicopters don't even have the power to HOGE under certain conditions.

It's funny how people think (and I was guilty of it as well) that a helicopter can just come into a hover at any altitute. Why go into holding when you can just sit there and hover right? Not so much. Helicopter aerodynamics are a different animal and quite interesting.

Coupled approach would sure be nice in these type landings that we're doing out here:

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Why does the backwards ass Navy inisist on keeping TACAN around. Jesus that is moronic.

So we can keep the ship's ET's gainfully employed.

 

[zab1001]

TACAN is a nice tool in the very narrow , limited world of finding a moving ship - BUT THAT's IT.

TACAN air-to-air range with paired freqs for 2 aircraft is a nice feature when you have a playmate and no air-air radar of your own.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Just to let you in on a little secret - the 46's only IFR certified system is the TACAN. We have a GPS, no IFR certification though. I've gotten used to it, but if the crap hit the fan, and I had to shoot an IFR approach without a certified GPS, I probably would. Luckily - I've taken good, hard looks at the wx and never had to.

 

[MasterBates]

Our GPS is not even a stand alone box. It is intergrated with the ASW/ASU mission avionics. Computer, CMUX, or 1553 Bus goes down, and you lose it. Even if the rest of mission systems stay up, it goes down a lot.

Also, it is only in Block 1 Aircraft, 23 years in service, and we only have Block 1+ (AKA core B) aircraft. We are low on the upgrade list in LAMPS.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Not to mention, HOGE (hover out of ground effect) is not good practice, and some helicopters don't even have the power to HOGE under certain conditions.

It's funny how people think (and I was guilty of it as well) that a helicopter can just come into a hover at any altitute. Why go into holding when you can just sit there and hover right? Not so much. Helicopter aerodynamics are a different animal and quite interesting.

Coupled approach would sure be nice in these type landings that we're doing out here:

y hover
Are you kidding?

In EMS, Law Enforcement, and SAR you HOGE all the time. Most modern production helicopters can safely hover out of ground effect well up to half of their service ceilings at normal operationg weights. Now if you are talking legacy helos, then true (H-1, H-2, H-3, H-53 A/D, etc.) But take any modern helo my friend and it's a non issue. It's a must in EMS and has been for decades.

 

[MasterBates]

At Normal weights, (3900# fuel, no crewman, no ordnance) some of our Core B's cannot HOGE in summer.

NAG, 4-PAC, GAU, No wind, pulling MaxQ to HIGE over the deck.

Bravos are HEAVY

 

[HooverPilot]

TACAN air-to-air range with paired freqs for 2 aircraft is a nice feature when you have a playmate and no air-air radar of your own.

Doesn't the P-3 have the APS-137 radar? Use that for the air-air stuff. It worked great for us in the Viking. Just needed a halfway decent operator to get it to work...

 

[zab1001]

Not every P-3 has a 137. The ones I fly now have...I don't know, I think it's a leprachaun with binoculars in the radome. It's....bad.

 

[Brett327]

Doesn't the P-3 have the APS-137 radar? Use that for the air-air stuff. It worked great for us in the Viking. Just needed a halfway decent operator to get it to work...

You know what is nice is some of the Brit tankers have a no kidding tacan station aboard (not just A/A). Makes for effortless tanker finding for those of us not equipped w/ A/A radar.

Brett

 

[Gatordev]

Our GPS is not even a stand alone box. It is intergrated with the ASW/ASU mission avionics. Computer, CMUX, or 1553 Bus goes down, and you lose it. Even if the rest of mission systems stay up, it goes down a lot.

Also, it is only in Block 1 Aircraft, 23 years in service, and we only have Block 1+ (AKA core B) aircraft. We are low on the upgrade list in LAMPS.

Actually, the Block 1- (or as we called them, .75) have GPS. You Mayport guys have a lot more Core Bs then the west coast, but a true Block 0 is pretty rare on the west coast (maybe one per squadron, if that).

 

[MasterBates]

Let see...
Core B's
420 421 424 431 433 435 436 437 - 8 Core B's.
BlK 1-
427 434
Blk0
423 426 432
*******Child
430
Buno 162348. Has RDP, 99Chan Sono, but no VHF or GPS.
Not sure what block config it is.

 

[skidkid]

TACAN is a nice tool in the very narrow , limited world of finding a moving ship - BUT THAT's IT. It's bad airmanship not to use your GPS for primary navigation reagrdless whether the morons at NAVAIR have it "IFR Certified" or not. My 2 cents - and if I'm the PIC/HAC that's the way we would do it in my A/C

That limited Narrow world of finding a ship is what Naval Aviation is all about and is more likely to save the life of a Naval Aviator than all the Gucci GPS approaches in the world. WE GO TO THE BOAT. TACAN point to points etc are important skills.
Do I sometime wish I had an ILS, absolutely IFR rated GPS maybe maybe not, I can sneak in under most weather and my GPS is fine for that and most places I operate out of have a PAR, I would rather have another rocket pod than the weight of all the gucci gear.

 

[Gatordev]

Let see...
Core B's
420 421 424 431 433 435 436 437 - 8 Core B's.
BlK 1-
427 434
Blk0
423 426 432
*******Child
430
Buno 162348. Has RDP, 99Chan Sono, but no VHF or GPS.
Not sure what block config it is.

I think 162348 is still a Block 0 airframe (too lazy to go look in my Natops), regardless of what gear it has. Kind of strange they bothered to put an upgraded receiver but not two new ARCs in the front. Out of curiosity, you list 14 aircraft. Is that from your one squadron, or are you including -44 or -40, next door? Either way, it proves my point, you guys do have more Core Bs, but I know you're busier and have way more hours on the airframes.

When we pulled in there to shorebase, I remember looking down the line from -44's hangar and just seeing diving board after diving board or license plate after license plate and saying, "Crap! We need some of these Block 1s."