aircrew

[Brett327]

The Upside- By the time you read this you will have found all the answers you're looking for, and the greatest benefit is that you will have a year and some change to condition yourself to swim for 45 minutes continuously, which will ultimately make you physically ready for anything they can throw at you in the pool....nothing favors your chances for success other than your level of preparidness. Plus you will class up at Aircrew/ARSS as a fleet returnee and possibly with rank.

For the record, most AWs are not rescue swimmers and don't go to RSS. Aircrew School swimming is not hard and certainly nothing to train for or worry about.

Brett

 

[Stubby]

For the record, most AWs are not rescue swimmers and don't go to RSS. AircrewSchool swimming is not hard and certainly nothing to train for or worry about.

It's better to over-prepare than to under-prepare. AircrewSchool certainly isn't BUDS.... it's more of an introduction to Naval Aviation with a work out regiment, and it's actually a lot of fun. If you're a fairly good swimmer, you'll be a stronger swimmer when you graduate.... But if you have a fear of the water, or if you're a poor swimmer, you probably want to prepare or re-think your career choice.

It is true that most AW's are not Rescue Swimmers. When I went through initial training (admittedly quite a while ago...) AW's didn't know what platform they would get until after A-School.... which was after AircrewSchool. In between Aircrew and A-School a bunch of AW's would be earmarked for RescueSwimmerSchool (A much more intense school... and rightly so.). Those that didn't make it through RSS would be sent on to A-School, not to fly in helicopters.

If a Sailor applies for the FE program specifically, they will not be considered for RSS; And from what I understand, won't be cross rated to AW until winging (those details still in review).

 

[MasterBates]

RSS is for Helo AWs.

Hard to hoist from a P-3/

 

[JIMC5499]

RSS is for Helo AWs.

Hard to hoist from a P-3/

Hoist hell, think what the jump into the water would be like.

 

[h46sar]

so i want to go aircrew. i'm an AE right now, with only a few months in rate. is it true i have to be an AE for two years before i can go AW? if so, does anybody know the pub thats from?

If your interested in helo's I recommend taking a look at HSC squadrons, formerly known as HC. Great community, with a good working relationship between maintenance techs and aircrewman. The helo for this community is the H-60S and H-53. Good luck in your future goals.

 

[The Stinkster]

It's better to over-prepare than to under-prepare.

If a Sailor applies for the FE program specifically, they will not be considered for RSS; And from what I understand, won't be cross rated to AW until winging (those details still in review).

Stubby, a curiosity question for you. I am wondering how the transition to MMA is giong to affect those just starting out that select to go FE. Having played with the MMA A bit, the configuration is set up to have NO FE's, unless they have made a recent change to that. It will take a while before there are no P-3's left of course, but I am wondering what happens to the FE's in a squadron that transitions to the new aircraft. Would seem to limit the career potential of those just starting out as FE's for the long term force them to plan ahead for a mandated rate change at some point to stay in for the long haul. That or plan on getting out when the change occurs in their squadron. Any idea on what their specific transition plan/rate change plan will be?

 

[Stubby]

I am wondering how the transition to MMA is going to affect those just starting out that select to go FE.

MMA will have no FE's, that is true. But VP will have P-3's (and hence FE's) for a good 10 to 15 years or so. Sailors applying for FE with 10 or so years in the Navy already should be able to have a full and complete career as a VP FE.

Once MMA is completely operational and P-3's have been phased out.... well, there is no definative cut and dry answer yet. Some FE's are even now being recruited for UAV programs. The combination of Maintenance and flight duties may make them a commodity in that community. Some will transition to other platforms, some will transition straight to maintenance. I've heard rumor that there will be "some kind of job" for them on MMA, but it won't be FE, and with contractor maintenance, I'm not sure what that would be. Others will probably transition to be a differnt kind of AW (oh they hate hearing that ).

The problem that the VP FE community is facing right now is that the Fleet is incorrectly telling potential candidates not to bother applying because the P-3's are going away..... bad gouge! There are still several years of FE duty in VP.

 

[The Stinkster]

MMA will have no FE's, that is true. But VP will have P-3's (and hence FE's) for a good 10 to 15 years or so. Sailors applying for FE with 10 or so years in the Navy already should be able to have a full and complete career as a VP FE.

Agreed, as alluded to (poorly) in my previous post. My question would be more in the line of even tho the P-3's will be around for a long time, the squadrons will be transitioning one at a time (or faster) starting in the 2011-2012 time frame. As that happens, the FE's from those squadrons will have nowhere to go in the FE rate, as I doubt very seriously that the other remaining squadrons will have the ability to absorb them,along with still training new FE's in the rag. It is an interesting problem, manpower-wise, and does leave some risk for the career minded young sailor looking at FE as a rate. We discussed this problem some when they were proposing a replacement concept, but no real solution that "took care of" those guys seemed to be very apparent. The UAV idea is interesting, but there is still a lot of ambiguity as to how the MMA will be integrated with UAV's. Whether or not the VP community/squadrons themselves will "own" any of them, or simply be a remote/aux control platform depends a lot on what direction the DOD goes with UAV buys/implemention. (Type and manning) I can see how it would be difficult to get people to sign on for FE under those concerns, but I wouldn't say that they are necessarily getting bad gouge about the P-3 going away. You could very feasibly get caught in a situation where you are in one of the squadrons that transitions first and as a junior FE you are now forced to transition to a new rate. The contract maint also would limit the direct trans to maint, and I know from talking to some of the FIT guys and program managers that I know on this thing they are leaning really heavily towards that option right now. Another AW rate would really be the only option to keep in the air as more and more transition squadrons come in, and that will require more school, etc, all the while those schools are still producing new SS1/SS3 guys to fill the seats from within. It is a tough problem, and an interestin challenge. I was curious if they had made any headway or if those guys were going to suffer the needs of the navy "man without a country" phenomenon, but I guess that there is no clear answer yet. Probably still some time to look at that but not a lot! It will really get interesting if the community decoms a couple of squadrons or so to "reshape" for the new platform. The rumblings are out there!

 

[jon_yelverton]

If your interested in helo's I recommend taking a look at HSC squadrons, formerly known as HC. Great community, with a good working relationship between maintenance techs and aircrewman. The helo for this community is the H-60S and H-53. Good luck in your future goals.

ha, I'm in HSC-28.

 

[h46sar]

That was my last squadron when it used to be called HC-8. I had a blast and that's with three gator cruises. The supply cruises would have been even better. Then again a lot may have changed in three years.