Incentive Flights Question

[rhinoh82]

I have a question for all the current pilots out there, more specifically Cherry Point pilots. Only because that was my duty station for 3 years in the Corps, but I'm sure this happens elsewhere.

Anyway, why don't they offer incentive flights to the enlisted guys? I remember a couple of times, where people I knew won the Marine of the quarter board and they'd say they were going to hook them up with an incentive flight and then it'd never happen. I even worked with a guy that was Marine of the Year for the base (Picture in the exchange and everything!) They promised him a ride in Fat Albert during the Air Show. Needless to say that never happened, so then he was supposed to fly in Pedro which also didn't happen. He ended up PCSing with never flying. I never thought about this much while on active duty; although the guys were always disappointed, we always chalked up to "that's the Corps" and of course the Master Guns was always there with words of encouragement "back in the old Corps we didn't even get to sniff the cock pit". Now I work as a Navy Contractor with a bunch of ex-Chair Force guys, and they talk about incentive flights all the time. One guy was like Airman of the Day or something and he got a 2 hour incentive flight in one of the Jet trainers. My point is, I think this would be a big boost to Morale and also make winning boards more than just a slap and a tickle from the CO.

-Just my $.02

 

[phantomphixer82]

My squadron offered incentive flights in the early 80,s for Sailor of the month, quarter or year, or if you got turn qualified, but never happened because "a memo came down saying they could no longer do it." Always the same story. Carrot put out in front of you just to be jerked away. I was supposed to re-up in a P-3 at Moffett, but ended up doing it on the ramp, not in the air.:icon_rage

 

[Uncle Fester]

It's mostly because every skipper lives in fear of the Wrath of Big Navy coming down on the squadron because he gave a deserving snuffy a good-deal ride, the airplane catches on fire, and it turns out said snuffy missed a training qual or didn't have the right size shroud cutter. Doesn't matter? Of course it farking doesn't matter, but they'll hammer you anyway.

We tried like hell to get one of our hard-charging ATs in the plane for a cat and a trap at least. He was a real good dude, we were trying to get him into a comissioning program, like that, but things always fall through at the last second.

 

[Crowbar]

We do it, but not often depending on what you're hoping to fly in. For us it's a matter of all the stars lining up. Flight physical, physiology, finding an open seat, the right kind of flight, approval message from MAW or HQMC, etc etc. We can't do incentive flights at night, over water, or during form flights. The last time somebody met that criteria was when Annapolis sent us a group of mids who had everything but a seat brief and an approval message. Also, aircrew training and proficiency takes priority over incentive flights, so in a squadron with only a handful of aircraft and a few flights each week, it makes things even tighter, especially with a looming deployment.

I was at 129 for a year and only saw two people get incentive flights. Two Marines. They had gotten into MECEP and one got to do the 1250/1255 while the other did an aero flight. I thought it was odd that no sailors got to do incentive flights in that amount of time, especially with the number of empty back seats that leave that line every day.

Non-Prowler squadrons are different and I won't embarass myself by trying to comment on how they do things.

 

[TheBubba]

Too add to what Crowbar said, we just recently at -129 gave a Marine an incentive ride. I can't remember what for, but it was definitely well deserved.

 

[FLYTPAY]

There was an S-3 mishap several years ago in which a non-essential aircrew (TFO orders=Temporary Flight Orders=guy had qual in backseat to travel and fix stranded birds) was killed along with the pilot and 2 NFO's......so ponying up on what everyone else says, Skippers need to CYA but at the same time don't offer something you cannot deliver....it sort of kills your credibility if you do.

 

[Single Seat]

For single seat squadrons it can be very difficult. I've seen 2 seat squadrons loan jets, or give the rides themselves, but it is not easy to do.

 

[Banjo33]

I recently heard that VMAT-203 (Harrier RAG) was giving incentive rides in their T-birds to some of the enlisted folk. Definitely a change since I was there 2 years ago. When my squadron was in El Centro back in March, about 20 of our maintainers got rides in Fat Albert. So it still happens on occasion. You're right, it's a huge morale booster and I wish we could do it more often.

 

[ac2NASTY]

I was able to catch a ride along flight on my base but it took a lot of work. It wasn't a reward for Sailor of the whatever or anything either. At the time I was working on my STA-21 comissioning program to become a pilot. I asked my command as well as a local squadron what needed to be done to catch a flight in a Hornet. Along with a request chit from my command and the host squadron command both being approved and routed up to the Wing Safety Officer I needed a flight physical and had to attend the Aviation Water Survival Training course. I already had a flight physical because my current enlisted job required it so after doing the pressure chamber, hours of physiology/survival classroom, and of course pool work I was finally ready to go. The Hornet didn't end up working out but I did go up in a T38 Talon. The pilot I went with let me do a lot of the flying too. We even were able to go supersonic. Didn't even know we were until he told me; no cloud, boom, or anything.

All the requirements needed for me to go up was worth it, without a doubt. Those of you who get paid (Officer pay) to do that for a living, I'm jealous. That was probably one of the most exciting experiences of my life. Hope in the future I will be the one giving the flights.