Flying Warrant: A success or failure?

[helolumpy]

I'm no expect on HSC, but every time I talk to someone from there it sounds as if there's another mission. You can't help but get less good at everything else every time you add another mission on the plate, assuming training flight time remains constant. You want to get better at TERF, you have to TERF. If you want to be a good shooter, you shoot. You want to be good at SAR, you practice SAR. Having many different capabilities is great--you can be a Gerber MultiTool, but that Gerber isn't as good as a real toolbox. Nothing wrong with either approach, but each one has trade-offs. As for NSW, if you want to have that be a core skill set, then that has to be the thrust of a unit's training.

HSC has replaced HS as the jack-of-all-trades, master of none!!

 

[NozeMan]

You can practice anything you want at the pad at Felker...day or night. As for degree of difficulty, I was always more nervous putting my rotor 6 feet from the LSE/12 feet from the IIA hanger while keeping the tailwheel on the deck.

Yet again, you glossed over my point. I said that night BROWNOUT was more scary, a pad isn't. That said, I won't minimize getting the Sierra safely on deck of a small boy. I've been in the world of having the tailwheel closer in so it's going to be an interesting transition for myself come this summer!

Maybe we can put some airframe change in to move the tailwheels up like the B/F/H/R? Wishful thinking... ...

 

[Pags]

Maybe we can put some airframe change in to move the tailwheels up like the B/F/H/R? Wishful thinking......

Completely different airframe than the Seahawk. Plus, the Sierra's tailwheel position is better for the TERF environment. Oh, and doors on BOTH sides!

 

[Pags]

You can practice anything you want at the pad at Felker...day or night.

Not anymore. As of a few years ago all the night single engine EPs were prohibited under the wing SOP. I think the most you can do at night these days within the wing is SAS Off. I think...I'm not in the wing, so it's been awhile since I've read their SOP.

 

[helolumpy]

Yet again, you glossed over my point. I said that night BROWNOUT was more scary, a pad isn't. That said, I won't minimize getting the Sierra safely on deck of a small boy. I've been in the world of having the tailwheel closer in so it's going to be an interesting transition for myself come this summer!

Maybe we can put some airframe change in to move the tailwheels up like the B/F/H/R? Wishful thinking......

Back when the Navy first looked at an H-60 airframe to replace the 46 (with a bunch of Army Blackhawk airframes on the assembly line that were cancelled to move money towards the Comanche program.... D'oh!) Sikorsky said they could move the tailwheel up on the 60S for $1 million each.
Needless to say, since it wasn't double coupon day up in Stratford, the Navy had to say 'No'.

 

[SH-60OB]

I'm no expect on HSC, but every time I talk to someone from there it sounds as if there's another mission. You can't help but get less good at everything else every time you add another mission on the plate, assuming training flight time remains constant. You want to get better at TERF, you have to TERF. If you want to be a good shooter, you shoot. You want to be good at SAR, you practice SAR. Having many different capabilities is great--you can be a Gerber MultiTool, but that Gerber isn't as good as a real toolbox. Nothing wrong with either approach, but each one has trade-offs. As for NSW, if you want to have that be a core skill set, then that has to be the thrust of a unit's training.

You hit the nail on the head. In a world with fiscal constraints, capabilities are a zero sum game and the harsh reality is that we aren't going to see more flight hours any time soon.

 

[wlawr005]

Not anymore. As of a few years ago all the night single engine EPs were prohibited under the wing SOP. I think the most you can do at night these days within the wing is SAS Off. I think...I'm not in the wing, so it's been awhile since I've read their SOP.

I don't know if it's really the same or not, but I knew a HAC that didn't like pulling the PCLs back during the day or night. Assuming he was limited to say, 90% SE, he would shoot a SE approach trying to stay below 45% with both engines online. Seemed to work for him...

 

[lowflier03]

Having experienced a single engine situation at night during a TERF as well as numerous other emergencies at very inopportune times, I can honestly say that there is a lot of benefit to training like its the real thing. Whether it's actually pulling an engine back while practicing, or flying below 500' overwater with SAS off, there are some skills that just need to be practiced.

As for Night DLQ's or TERF, I would say that they both help make you better for the other. However being able to put the bird on deck safely in the correct spot in 0% illum with or without brownout is much harder than landing on a FFG/CG/DDG. And that's not even adding in the formation aspect.

 

[FlyinRock]

As for the original thread and CWO's, I seem to recall having had 2-3 of the first ones in IFS in MOB? While older, they did OK and had a higher maturity level than most of the young studs. Didn't remember any skills problems and no idea of how they were when they were not around me at KBFM. Would be interesting to know how they are doing now with a few years seasoning.
Semper Fi
Rocky
T-6 Simulator Program LAFB

 

[hscs]

To confront a number of the issues brought up:

HSC will drop the ASW mission - a mission requiring a great deal of talent (particularly from the AWs), but also from the pilots. This allows focus on the other mission areas, so in reality, we are dropping one mission.

SWTP only gets you the basics. If you think that you will be allowed to sign for a plane on a combat mission the day the ink is dry on your level 3 letter - you are wrong. The second that you receive that designation is the second that your learning curve steepens vice flattens.

Training is what you make of it. SWTP is bastardized by an over-reliance on simulation. Squadrons like -84/85 that require appropriate mission support for their syllabus (troops for all SOF flights, RMC etc. for a CSAR) better prepare their pilots.

The war isn't solely in Afganistan and Iraq, and those ops will eventually end. Keep in mind much of the world's population and conflict is within reach of sea (Venezuela, Iran, name a place in WESTPAC, Somalia....), and that requires an ability to come off a ship and go overland to cause hate and discontent, whether that be with JDAM or SOF.