Harrier Pilot Options

[BRM21o]

Can Marine Corps Harrier pilots become Blue Angels or do they usually just pick them out of F-18 squadrons? Also, do they have a fighter weapons school for Harrier pilots? Just curious!

 

[Rainman]

I'm no Blue Angel expert. .but you can't fly at F/A 18 until you've done the FRS (12 months). Then you would be a wingman with a very limited skill set. The blue angels is going to want some of the best pilots. .not a newbie.

Now, you said Blue Angel. There are many officer billets in the Blues that aren't piloting one of the six 18s. Seems there are usually 3 to 5 Marine officers on the team counting Fat Albert's pilots. There have been Marine F/A 18 drivers on the blues as well.

That's what I know.

 

[jrklr]

I've heard of Tomcat pilot's getting selected for the blues, how does that work? Do you think that they did FRS for a year in the hornet first?

 

[Frumby]

First off, we all know that there is only one Marine in the 6 man team. All pilots have an opportunity. If they are not NATOPS qualled in the aircraft, they will do an abridged syllabus (about 4 months) to qualify in the aircraft. Obviously, it is cheaper to use a NATOPS qualified pilot but not a requirement. The term "Best" pilot is certainly subjective. If you look the part and have good people skills and are "OK" in the airplane, and you are not a prick, you will make the team. A jet pilot is a jet pilot and the Hornet is the easiest to of the jets to fly. How do I know? Because I was a runnerup in 96.
WTI is the MAGTF (Marine Air Ground Task Force) Top Gun school. People selected for WTI go to become the instructors in their respective communities. WTI is at MCAS Yuma.
Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMCR

 

[Dave Shutter]

You can check out the Blue Angel page, they actually have everything you need to apply there. You need min. 1,250 tactical jet hours which means Hornet, Tomcat, Prowler or Viking, but I've followed the teams for several years now and I've yet to see a non-Hornet pilot, and must be "career oriented". You also have to send in a full length picture. Remember, this is PR people.

 

[BRM21o]

Thanks for the info... I recently saw an IMAX show that featured the Blue Angels and I noticed one of the pilots had a Marine Corps emblem on his cover. I didn't know that a Marine flew with them and I never realized how CLOSE they flew. They also implied that they enjoyed flying out in the fleet a lot more.

Does it take anyone else like 30 seconds for the message to appear after you type it or is it just cuz my comp is a piece of sh*t?

 

[Rainman]

If you're keeping score at home, Navy/MC tactical jet pilot with 1350 flight hours.

Right now there is one pilot of 6--plus four other Marine Officers. Frumbly, is there a requirement that one of the six is a Marine? I thought I remember plenty of teams with six Navy pilots--not sure though.

 

[Frumby]

Yes, there is a requirement unless the jarhead got his hand caught in the cookie jar with the young, female, Public Affairs Officer. The alternate is Navy so when you kick the the Marine off the team, hence 6 squids. Blue Angels '98. Great Headwork, poor judgement! Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMCR

P.S. The Marine is forced to lower himself in to wearing the Khaki color cover so you have to look for his EGA and square jaw!

 

[farkle84]

Khakis, wow. that would be fun to wear

 

[jarhead]

hate to bring this back to the top but i got this in my e-mail today at "work" ... it's also on the usmc.mil website somewhere.

it should answer your question....

R 202045Z DEC 02
FM NAVFLIGHTDEMRON//00//
BT
UNCLAS //N01301//
MSGID/GENADMIN/NFDS//
SUBJ/NAVY FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON (BLUE ANGELS)//
REF/A/DOC/CNATRAINST 1301.4E//
AMPN/REF A IS OFFICER APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR THE BLUE ANGELS//
POC/TODD ABRAHAMSON/LCDR/NAVFLIGHTDEMRON/-/TELSN 922-2583 X112/TEL:COM 850-452-2583 X112/TEL: DSN 658-2579/TEL: 760-339-2579//
RMKS/1. THE UNITED STATES FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON, BLUE ANGELS
WILL SELECT THREE DEMONSTRATION PILOTS (BOTH NAVY AND MARINE PILOTS ARE ENCOURAGED), A MARINE C-130 PILOT, A MAINTENANCE OFFICER, AND A PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER FOR THE 2004 TEAM. INTERESTED OFFICERS SHOULD SUBMIT APPLICATIONS IAW REF A NOT LATER THAN 30 APR 2003. FINAL SELECTIONS WILL BE MADE IN JULY 2003.
2. QUALIFICATIONS. APPLICANTS SHOULD BE CAREER ORIENTED, REGULAR
NAVY OR MARINE CORPS OFFICERS WITH THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC QUALIFICATION:
A. DEMONSTRATION PILOT APPLICANTS MUST BE CARRIER QUALIFIED TACTICAL
JET PILOTS (USN OR USMC) WITH 1250 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME BY 30 SEP OF YEAR APPLYING. APPLICANTS ARE PREFERRED TO BE ROTATING FROM SEA DUTY OR HAVE BEEN ON SHORE DUTY FOR LESS THAN 12 MONTHS.
B. MARINE C-130 PILOT APPLICANTS MUST HAVE 1200 HOURS OF FLIGHT
TIME AND HOLD A PLANE COMMANDER RATING IN THE C-130.
C. MAINTENANCE OFFICER APPLICANTS MUST BE DESIGNATED AVIATION MAINTENANCE OFFICERS (1520/633X/638X) (LCDR/LT/CWO4) AND BE ON OR HAVE COMPLETED AN OPERATIONAL FLEET TOUR.
D. PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER APPLICANTS MUST BE A DESIGNATED NAVY OR MARINE CORPS PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER (NAVY 165X OR MARINE MOS 4302).
3. SELECTEES WILL BE APPROVED BY BUPERS/CMC PRIOR TO PUBLIC NOTIFICATION. NAVY PILOT/NFO AND C-130 SELECTEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR 24 MONTHS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THEIR BLUE ANGELS TOUR.
4. REF A DELINEATES APPLICATION PROCEDURES. APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO COMMANDING OFFICER, NAVY FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION SQUADRON,
390 SAN CARLOS ROAD, SUITE A, PENSACOLA, FL 32508-5508 VIA CURRENT
COMMANDING OFFICER WITH A COPY TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DETAILER. MARINE
CORPS PERSONNEL SHOULD SEND A COPY TO HEADQUARTERS, MARINE CORPS(CODE AA).
5. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, VISIT THE BLUE ANGELS WEBSITE AT WWW.NAVY.COM/BLUEANGELS OR CONTACT THE BLUE ANGELS APPLICATIONS
OFFICER, LCDR TODD ABRAHAMSON, IN PENSACOLA AT DSN 922-2583 EXT 112/
COMM 850-452-2583 EXT 112 OR IN EL CENTRO, CA (JANUARY THROUGH MARCH)
AT DSN 658-2579/COMM 760-339-2579.//
BT
#0001

Originally posted by BRM21o
Can Marine Corps Harrier pilots become Blue Angels or do they usually just pick them out of F-18 squadrons? Also, do they have a fighter weapons school for Harrier pilots? Just curious!

 

[Rainman]

Guess they should update the blue angel website!

 

[Frumby]

All Harrier pilots are carrier qualified jet pilots. They have landed a T-45 or T-2 or TA-4J on a deck. Secondly, try and tell a Harrier pilot that he is not carrier qualified. You'll get a mouthful of headache, I promise. Frumby

In 94 a Harrier pilot was one of the Blues....Think it was 94, can't remember exactly. Still overwhelmed that Tali was 13 in 94....GEEZ!


Attack Pilot
Major USMCR

 

[Rainman]

I don't think anybody here thinks Harrier drivers aren't carrier qualified!

Hey Frumbly. .I was looking at a 1991 Harrier NATOPS and it was indicating that an engine failure meant bailout -- every time. .Ever hear of a Harrier guy deadsticking one down?

 

[Banjo33]

Could you maintain enough lift with those stubby little wings to warrant an attempt? With all of the problems with ejections killing pilots, I don't know which would be worse: hitting the deck at 1000fpm and skipping along or risk breaking my neck on the risers! Well, yeah, I guess I would attempt the bailout, at least you wouldn't feel anything.

 

[JayManC]

fun times....compressed spine and possible broken neck, or multiple contusions and severe internal trauma....lethal injection or electric chair y'all?

<insert something witty here:>