Hmm, helos are more involved in combat?

[Recovering LSO]

Again, I had to know way more about VFA shit as a E2 L2 guy than it seemed a VFA guy had to know about VAW/VS/HSL/HS/HSC/HSM combined.

I used to wonder why the VFA guys carried HARM but would come to VAQ guys for "how to" chalk talks after the brief. In large part it's because they carry SO many different weapons and execute SO many different mission sets. Now take the EWO/RIO/WSO out of the backseat and pile that all on one person (C/E). It made sense for me to know the HARM inside and out - it was my only weapon and I should've been the SME.

 

[Recovering LSO]

om RMC on a CSAR. Display current FOV of FLIR to help transitioning between visual and FLIR capture. Draw where the next Fly-to-Point is. Display a set of boxes to show the glide path to a ship. Etc

Any talk of getting JHMCs for you guys (sans the hose and mask)?

 

[HueyCobra8151]

ADSB-IN will give you Sat WX in Conus

Is JHMCS compatible with AN/AVS-9's?

 

[HokiePilot]

Any talk of getting JHMCs for you guys (sans the hose and mask)?

View attachment 11924

Not that I know of although I think the new Huey has something similar.

 

[HokiePilot]

ADSB-IN will give you Sat WX in Conus

Is JHMCS compatible with AN/AVS-9's?

Yeah I understand that. Also in the most recent version of the Blue Force Tracker kit we had for the -60H, the knee board had a selection for what type of weather you wanted to display. I.E. Someone had already though about pushing that over the BFT system. I was never able to get anything to come up though.

 

[RadicalDude]

Is JHMCS compatible with AN/AVS-9's?

You have to remove the HDU in order to install the goggle mount, so no.

 

[phrogpilot73]

words...

With the exception of your last two dream items, pretty much that entire list is going to be in the 53K. I worked on some of the software, but we had a lot of cross pollination, so I knew a lot about all the avionics in general. It's going to be amazing. As for the algorithm for predictive ground warning? It's been in work for a while, and if you haven't seen it yet in the fleet - you will soon. It's called eTAWS, and it uses inputs from RadAlt, airspeed, DTED and others to warn you about terrain issues. I know follow on iterations were supposed to include eCHUM in some way, but I left before they did it.

We had a beefed up MS Flight Sim-like simulator in our lab (4 monitors, one was for inst panel, others were for visuals, collective/cyclic/pedals) for testing the algorithms/demonstrating for VIPs (usually not Helo pilots, mostly high level engineers/project managers from other companies or NAVAIR). The VIPs were always FASCINATED with landing on the boat. I'd always get pulled over from what I was working on for the sole purpose of landing on the back of a DDG. Of course, they'd have me do it after the VIPs had crashed about twice each... Fun times.

 

[helolumpy]

To echo a lot of the arguments:
The mission of the carrier today is power projection and helos are not in the line of work, therefore we are still the red-headed step-child of the airwing.
Most CAGs I've come across are more than willing to let the helo guys go off and do their thing is: A) He trusts the front office of the helo squadron and B) It's a legitimate mission.

Most of the helo vs. CAG issues are the result of these two issues, NOT the CAG not understanding what we do or the helo guys being AFU. It was the helo guys trying to get into the CSAR Alert rotation on the beach when they are neither needed nor wanted.

Most CSG staffs are far more reluctant to let helos deploy away from the carrier for a couple of reasons: A) They are clueless as to what capabilities the helos have, B) They are worried about needing helos for SAR/VERTREP/PMC missions and don't want to lose the capability, C) They fear a det into the beach and the carrier gets moved and the helos can't make it back and see "B".

In my experience helos guys tend to know more about the fixed-wing brethren since we sit through a 45 minute strike brief for our 30 second portion (Word of the Day is.... SARDOT is....), discussing issues for each aircraft related to SAR issues and most of us are pretty curious about the folks in the Airwing.
To agree with MB, 90% of VFA guys do not have a clue the differences between HSL, HS and HSC. Hopefully with HSC and HSM both being part of the Airwing, they will learn more by association. I've been asked by plenty of Airwing bubbas which version of the 60 I fly and we are part of the Airwing.

I would argue that the differences between HSL/HS/HC and now HSM/HSC are greater than the differences between legacy hornets and rhinos. We fly somewhat common aircraft but the primary missions are different.

I don't want this to continue as a fixed wing/helo pissing match. RLSO has a great point, helos need to continue to prove the our CAGs (call it selling if you wish) we are capable of taking on missions and he needs to be able to trust us helo bubbas to do the right thing.
If we put a cowboy in command who wants nothing other than to be going 'downtown' then I would expect CAG to keep a tight leash on him. If you have a good CO who CAG trusts, then I would expect the CAG to favorably endorse employing CSG helos in non-standard missions or to push to have us included in the CSAR Alert rotation in theater.

 

[pilot_man]

140 was pretty solid.

HOWEVER the questions I'd get asked by L3/L4 types from VFA (lesser extent, Qs) about basic E2 shit (common to all variants, not HE2K/MCU-ASIS/NU specific) would just make me wonder why I would do more than take off, put the auto pilot on, and nap til recovery.

Again, I had to know way more about VFA shit as a E2 L2 guy than it seemed a VFA guy had to know about VAW/VS/HSL/HS/HSC/HSM combined.

Dude, enough whining already.

If you hate that you had to learn about VFA and what their capabilities are, then that is something you should have taken up with your community. I'll say that from my point of view, we try and try pretty hard to get everyone involved with our events, but just getting VAW to show up is a mission. I'm tired of briefing without my controller sitting in the brief. It is completely unsat. There is always some reason why they don't want to be there.
My current airwing works very well with VAQ. We incorporate them into pretty much every flight. They actively seek out opportunities to sit in our briefs and learn what we are doing and how we as a team can operate as an well-oiled machine, and we do the same in return. While we have great respect for our helo dudes, we don't see them very much. The only time we ever really see them is during CSAR events. But even then, it's the 2 seat squadron leading those with minimal effort from the helo bubbas.

 

[MasterBates]

It's not a problem learning about VFA. It's a problem when they don't even realize there is more than one flavor of 60.

I had a Hornet CO ask me "why are there HSL HSM HSC and HS squadrons, if you guys all have the same mission and airframe"

A CO.

Sent from a van down by the river via Tapatalk

 

[Recovering LSO]

Dude, enough whining already.

Yes.

I had a Hornet CO ask me "why are there HSL HSM HSC and HS squadrons, if you guys all have the same mission and airframe"

Fly through down at the ramp for the no grade dude..... You continue to paint entire communities with broad brush strokes based on one or two particular instances. I'm sure you've come across F'ed up dudes, but someone new to this forum might think you were the only with a clue - anywhere you went...

 

[busdriver]

Not that I know of although I think the new Huey has something similar.

Check out Gentex Scorpion. It's the helmet mounted sight that the A-10s bought into. It's actually better than JHMCS in a lot of ways, and it's compatible with goggles.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Check out Gentex Scorpion. It's the helmet mounted sight that the A-10s bought into. It's actually better than JHMCS in a lot of ways, and it's compatible with goggles.

That looks cool, if for no other reason that like you said.....it is compatible with NVD's. I wonder what "compatible" means in that sense, and what the interface is like, but if it means anything more than just being able to slide the visor up and mount the goggles, then it would be super awesome.

 

[RobLyman]

Speaking of upgrades to helo my wish list is:
1. A Moving Map! It is the most important upgrade and the R/S should have had it for years. It should include DTED to identify terrain, DVOF to identify towers and powerlines, airspace info from DAFIF, and a display of where a countries territorial seas start ( and notification if you will penetrate it soon). Highlight terrain, towers and powerlines that represent a real hazard. The algorithm to decide what is a hazard will take some effort to develop(i.e. in Florida, the land of 100 foot trees, I don't really care about powerlines, even high tension ones. I'm just not going to get that low. In Fallon, on the other hand, there are a few sets of low tension power lines in the middle of no where that will bite you if you are flying on a moonless night and aren't expecting them.) Reference (or just license) current Garmin displays.

HH-60M has it.

2. Synthetic vision. Make the background of the entire PFD the attitude gyro and include an drawing of what you would see outside based on DTED and DVOF. Reference (or just license) current Garmin displays. I realize this may be hard to adapt to the TERF environment. Pilots must be trained to look outside on a dark night and use the display only as a cue for what to look for. Example:

I would be happy to have that superimposed on the FLIR display.

3. Continuously computed aircraft performance numbers. Based on current DA and temp and input aircraft base weight, an expected HOGE torque. Put that as a little dash on the torque gauge. Calculate expected power available. Put another mark on the torque gauge. Display a note if HOGE is not available. Put max sustained AOB limits on attitude indicator based on Ps numbers at current altitude, weight, engine performance, and temp. Put max and min single engine airspeeds on the airspeed indicator. Etc. We have programs on JMPS to do all this. Why can't I see them in the aircraft?

We have most of this, but prefer to not have ALL of that stuff on our PFD. It is available on the FMS, where I would prefer it.

4. Continuously computed HIT checks. Average TOT and torque over a minute and look up in table as I can see if power is dropping over the flight due to salt/sand.

HIT checks are done on our IVHMS screen. Continuously computed HIT isn't necessary. We flew our aircraft for a year in the dust and sand (see avatar photo) and the worst engine degraded from a 1.002 to a 0.98 after a year in that environment.

5. Average fuel burn over the last 6 minutes and compute fuel flow. Give estimated fuel at points on a route. Warn if fuel will be below mins at end of route.

We have a 3 minute burn average available.

6. Head tracking HUD. Can be used to show location of survivors as pushed from RMC on a CSAR. Display current FOV of FLIR to help transitioning between visual and FLIR capture. Draw where the next Fly-to-Point is. Display a set of boxes to show the glide path to a ship. Etc

Flight and FMS related symbols on the FLIR would be great. We do have next waypoint on our HUD.

7. Satellite weather would be nice

Great for CONUS. Would be awesome if available OCONUS also. Dust storm loop available in flight would have been GOLD on last deployment.

I understand that some of these are more valued and likely that some others but they all would be useful and none of them are truly that hard.

All of these things are not even top dollar research. They are available COTS in most cases. As the article pointed out, when are helos going to get the cool stuff that makes the FW guys say, I wish I had that!" After all, that is what its all about...when are we going to stop being treated like second class citizens. LOL

Edit: Sine this is a wish lit, how about a laser pointer on our FLIR so we can corroborate what we see in th FLIR with what we see with our goggles. Also, MGRS pointing capability for the FLIR. Our LUHs have it LE Ops. Anything to increase situational awareness when coming into a strange LZ/road side pickup would be GOLD!

 

[Gatordev]

Edit: Sine this is a wish lit, how about a laser pointer on our FLIR so we can corroborate what we see in th FLIR with what we see with our goggles. Also, MGRS pointing capability for the FLIR. Our LUHs have it LE Ops. Anything to increase situational awareness when coming into a strange LZ/road side pickup would be GOLD!

The -60S/R has a lot of this as well, and what it doesn't have is supposed to be coming with the next major software update. I'm not super-smart on the Sierra, but I believe it has the same turret as the Romeo, which has both a LRF (eye safe) and I'm pretty sure there's a pointer on it, as well (my DVD drive is acting up so I can't check the pub). MGRS is in the system, so you should be able to just point at whatever MGRS position your hook is on or create a symbol at that grid of the MGRS and then point there.

I know it's all about bucks, but it's silly the Romeo doesn't have the HUD when the Sierra does. The plumbing is in the airframe, just no Dragon Box or connectors.

What I'm curious about is if you'll be able to impose the moving map with the FLIR. Currently, you can have your Tactical display overlayed on your FLIR imagery (like in the Bravo, if they had that when you were still flying them), so you'd think you'd be able to do the same with the map. I think it would be pretty damn cluttered though.