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Fleet fly in 2018

DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
No one argued that there aren't plenty of HT/VT DHs, but I'll give you a guess as to what, in most cases, their purpose was in the squadron.

I was with you until this line, assuming you didn't mean, "be the best stick in the squadron." But, as much as I want to disagree with you... I know you're probably right and I'll shut up.
 

CUBUFFS4134

Tellin’ it like it is.
pilot
Contributor
I was with you until this line, assuming you didn't mean, "be the best stick in the squadron." But, as much as I want to disagree with you... I know you're probably right and I'll shut up.

Note that in all cases I said it was the billet, not the individual. For better or worse, its the way the system currently is built. Best DH I had in my fleet tour was a former HT instructor. But unfortunately, he, like most from TRACOM wasn't given much of chance regardless of how well he did/was respected and liked.
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
Lol @CUBUFFS4134. Thanks for talking about not going out of your lane then shitting on CNATRA folks for taking “easy orders”. You’ve done this job enough to speak authoritatively about it? ?

We have FRS IPs turned OPT DHs that laugh at how easy their FRS job was compared to how much we work here. But do continue to dunk on me.

I get it. The community leadership values jobs in gray aircraft and we’ve gotten into a ducks pick ducks scenario. Cool. I wish you a great career.

To @AllYourBass , highly recommend VTs over HTs if you’re gonna do CNATRA. Big navy doesn’t differentiate between the two, and should you change your mind, VTs give you more options. Feel free to PM for more info.
 

CUBUFFS4134

Tellin’ it like it is.
pilot
Contributor
Wasn’t any any way trying to portray that your job is easier at all! My best guess, cause I’ve never done it, is that is hard work yet rewarding teaching someone to land or hover. Add in the amount of hours you are expected to fly and I have heard of 12-15 hours days. I was speaking to quality of life, which I don’t think I can even come close to. Better locations, cross countries, and the expectation that you’re there to crush Xs. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’ve proven that I’ll stand corrected when I’m wrong.

But you turned this into an us vs them argument, which isn’t uncommon when the conversation steers towards gray vs orange aircraft. I am talking about the billets, and what the community values. That’s it. I believe that teaching a guy off the street is equally if not more difficult than crushing FAMs at the OLF.

Ducks pick ducks. Got it. I can’t say I disagree but that stance has nothing to do with the guy in the seat.
 

DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
Lol @CUBUFFS4134. Thanks for talking about not going out of your lane then shitting on CNATRA folks for taking “easy orders”. You’ve done this job enough to speak authoritatively about it? ?

We have FRS IPs turned OPT DHs that laugh at how easy their FRS job was compared to how much we work here. But do continue to dunk on me.

I get it. The community leadership values jobs in gray aircraft and we’ve gotten into a ducks pick ducks scenario. Cool. I wish you a great career.

To @AllYourBass , highly recommend VTs over HTs if you’re gonna do CNATRA. Big navy doesn’t differentiate between the two, and should you change your mind, VTs give you more options. Feel free to PM for more info.

I didn't necessarily read that in his posts, but I've heard it over and over again from FRS peers. I love when I compare my 35-65 hours per month but all of my FRS peers have 16-20 per month and get Wednesdays off to take college courses. I love the HSC "manifesto" written by HSC-2 guys explaining why they alone should be exempt from Disassociated Tours.
 

Meyerkord

Well-Known Member
pilot
Any idea if they’d let an A-Pool noob such as myself attend some of these briefs? I’m interested in flying helos and this sounds like a great event.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Any idea if they’d let an A-Pool noob such as myself attend some of these briefs? I’m interested in flying helos and this sounds like a great event.
About the worst thing that might happen is people look at you funny with your API patches, but the doors are basically open for pretty much all of the events. That said, don't bother with the detailer briefs, those are meant for people who are several years ahead of you, career-wise.

All of these same briefs will be around in a year from now at the 2019 fly in, but I suppose if you're in Corpus for Primary by then then that doesn't help.

The schedule, times, and locations are easy enough to figure out. If you really wanna go then call up your buds who are ahead of you in training or just google NHA 2018 fleet fly-in (obviously).

Cue the advice to just go to the beach instead and enjoy your time off while you still have some.
 

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
Wasn’t any any way trying to portray that your job is easier at all! My best guess, cause I’ve never done it, is that is hard work yet rewarding teaching someone to land or hover. Add in the amount of hours you are expected to fly and I have heard of 12-15 hours days. I was speaking to quality of life, which I don’t think I can even come close to. Better locations, cross countries, and the expectation that you’re there to crush Xs. Correct me if I’m wrong. I’ve proven that I’ll stand corrected when I’m wrong.

But you turned this into an us vs them argument, which isn’t uncommon when the conversation steers towards gray vs orange aircraft. I am talking about the billets, and what the community values. That’s it. I believe that teaching a guy off the street is equally if not more difficult than crushing FAMs at the OLF.

Ducks pick ducks. Got it. I can’t say I disagree but that stance has nothing to do with the guy in the seat.

My post may have come across with a bit too much snark. This isn’t a wang measuring contest. I had gray helo jobs above VTs on my list but wasn’t selected. I’m fine with how things worked out for me, but my future isn’t in a gray helo. So be it. I’m proudly an HSC Bubba and I think we both wanna see the community succeed. My criticism of HSC comes from a place of deep caring about its future, not spite.

I think you’re a bit too rose colored glasses about it’s future, but I get that you’ve been in the mothership and have a skin in the game of the status quo. Helos in general have enough numbers wise to survive some defections, but I sure saw a lot of FRS IPs at the airline transition breakfast at NHA this year.

VTs has been a great job for me, but also not quite the easy street it was painted as by a lot of people in the fleet. Folks seem to remember their time in flight school as easy one X days, no responsibility, and crushing it on Palafox St. The reality of the IP side is more like ~10hr days doing two 1.5s, and yes there are ground jobs. CCXs are fun but also become a hassle at times. I’d say the best aspects are generally being treated like an adult by leadership and no sailor shenanigans. I’ve worked arguably as much as I did in the fleet, just sleep in my bed most nights and no boat.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
Can I bring my shiny new HH-60M and recruit for the Army National Guard? I might have a decent chance at recruiting a couple of HSC guys.:D
I can't remember one way or the other if the tower guys even asked for PPR numbers in years past, let alone if they'd notice that you weren't flying a naval helo.

You should go for it, like an A Team caper (the TV show, not the movie reboot). I bet you could even talk your way into one of the rental cars.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
But you turned this into an us vs them argument, which isn’t uncommon when the conversation steers towards gray vs orange aircraft. I am talking about the billets, and what the community values. That’s it. I believe that teaching a guy off the street is equally if not more difficult than crushing FAMs at the OLF.

Not really arguing any specific point, but I think this is where the conversation breaks down sometime. "People" confuse level of effort (and that may not be the right word) with community values. Having done VTs and FRS flying (both coasts), in the aircraft I worked much harder in the VTs. I always thought the HTs worked harder than VTs because of hours in the seat (which =/= flight hours), but they also get to land and debrief every maneuver, if needed, which is part of what makes VTs a challenge.

But "people" want to equate that community value (in part because they were FRS IPs) to both cockpit work and "other." When I was a JO, no one told me the FRS was the preferred path, which I found interesting later given my "stink" come FITREP time (stink=good). But at the end of the day, I didn't really care because I wanted to do what I wanted to do (VTs), which comes right back to the earlier advice given...do what you want and plan for the worst.

/rambling
 
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