Career Concerns

[Paul Burke]

If you remember the LCDR A-6 pilot that was interviewed a few years ago for a Discovery channel special then you'll know what I'm talking about. With the phasing out of so many aircraft over the next 10 years, what is the possibility that I'll be able to transition to another platform from a deommed one? I already have 4 years in and I really don't want to be put out of a career because of being in the right place at the wrong time. Does anyone have input on this?

Edited by - ImBartSimpson on 02/01/2002 04:14:12

 

[benbines]

Bart,

I am not in the Navy yet (I go to OCS April 6th) but I have thought about that same question and pretty much came to this conclusion. Do what makes you happy in life and the rest will take care of itself. Anytime I have let an opportunity slip to do something I loved because it had a lot of risk involved, I have regretted it. So buck up and take the plunge, because chances are you will never get the opportunity again.

"it is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all" I used to think this quote was crap until I put it to this type of decision.

Ben

 

[Paul Burke]

Ben- I know what you are saying but that's not really what I meant. I've already received a lot of very sweet job offers where I could easily settle down in a nice career and have all the time in the world to spend at home but that's just not what floats my boat. When I first enlisted I wanted to make a career of it but knew that I needed to get a degree knocked out and as an airdale it would've taken 10 years to accomplish that and I knew I'd never get to be a pilot if I stayed enlisted. I would love to fly just about any aircraft with a tailhook, even if it is a lawn dart..er F/A-18. I just don't want to risk having my career cut short because of flying one type of aircraft over another when there are so many other possibilities. I like the idea of going to Whidbey Island and flying EA-6B's. That's my first choice of aircraft. I worked on them before as a Plane Captain and Airframer and would love to fly them. However, I don't want the Navy to say that I have too much time in to transfer to another aircraft and not enough rank or seniority to move on from the organizational level. I would not regret it if I fly Hornets instead of Prowlers by any means. Or any other aircraft for that matter. I just don't want to get pushed out of the Navy because of something that can be prevented with better prior planning.

Edited by - Paul Burke on 02/06/2002 02:07:00

 

[Falcaner]

ImBartSimpson,
those of us in API got a brief from CNET and all the CO's of the various RAGS back in December. Those aircraft such as the EA-6B that are being phased out do have some sort of replacement. Right now i am not sure what they are doing for prowlers, but they have a very important mission and they are actually talking about adding squadrons. Although right now it looks like the navy wants the superhorent to do EVERYTHING, including refueling. But I wouldn't worry too much. When you get to primary talk to you instructors. The best people to talk to about various platforms and communities are the people in them.

 

[beau]

Man! It just seems to me that there is no way that one ECMO(back seaters in the prowler) can do the same job as what they did in the prowler. My Father, who was a prowler driver in the 80's, said he cant stress the importance of two ECMO's for that mission. Don't know what the Navy is to do......It sould be interesting. I say EA-6C or -2 . Really, the only thing wrong with the Prowlers is that there airframe is geting out-dated (limited to something like 4 g's or something). Make more with better componets (as the government snickers at me I know). If it aint broke.....dont fix it. Maybe i feel for the prowlers because I grew up in that comminity, but still they get the job done.
Look what happened before the gulf war with the A-10s. They were headed to the bone yard. They kicked some ass, took names, and they are still around today. A-10s get the job done better than any other plane for that mission. It still remains to be seen if the superbug can out perform the powler in the Electronic warfare field. My two cents...

Finch

GO SOONERS!!!

 

[Paul Burke]

I don't know if it's still there or not but at the O'Club at Whidbey Island there was a large scale model of an EA-6C. The only difference was a few more wing stations. They are limited to 4 G's because more stress than that will make the keel crack. There were several of them that went out to the desert retirement home because of cracked keels when I was in. I think an EA-6C would be a lot better idea than a superhornet doing the job.