New guy with a few questions

[Blutonski816]

I'm just curious and have a question for anyone in the S-3 community.

Since the Viking is being retired, what are the aircrews being pipelined to??
I was thinking Prowlers, but I hear they're not so easy to recover on the boat.

And on the topic of prowlers... Since the ALQ-99 is (as I've heard) the most advanced airborne ECM system in the world (which is why we haven't exported it), are there safeguards built into it from the cold war era to prevent anyone from reverse-engineering it and copying it in the event that a prowler goes down over enemy territory?

I'm just really curious...

 

[Jaxs170]

If you can find the link to the aviation detailer's website (can be found somewhere under BUPERS site), you can find another link to the results of the S-3 sundown transition boards which shows how many slots each community has for transfers from S-3s. I know here in TACAMO we have been getting 1 S-3 guy from each board.

 

[bunk22]

There are 2 S-3 transition pilots in my squadron. Acutally 3 if we count the XO but he started out in C-2's, went S-3's then back to C-2's. The 2 Viking guys had their pick of any platform in the Navy (fixed wing at least) and they chose correctly : }

 

[Brett327]

And on the topic of prowlers... Since the ALQ-99 is (as I've heard) the most advanced airborne ECM system in the world (which is why we haven't exported it), are there safeguards built into it from the cold war era to prevent anyone from reverse-engineering it and copying it in the event that a prowler goes down over enemy territory?

I'm just really curious...

Most of the "goodies" are software based which would likely be toast in a crash. That's about all I can say here. I can field any other Prowler questions you might have though.

Brett

 

[Blutonski816]

I can field any other Prowler questions you might have though.

Brett

Okay,I got another one...
In what order do the seats fire in the prowler? I figured since tandem seat aircraft start with the back seat first, that the guys in back would be the first guys out. Also, since the B/N was usually the first guy out in the A-6, can I assume the backseat ECMO in the right hand station punch out first??
So, this is my assumption as to how the seats go (Please correct me if I am wrong) backseat, right-hand ECMO; backseat left-hand ECMO; frontseat ECMO; Pilot.

Just wanted to know...

 

[Brett327]

Okay,I got another one...
In what order do the seats fire in the prowler? I figured since tandem seat aircraft start with the back seat first, that the guys in back would be the first guys out. Also, since the B/N was usually the first guy out in the A-6, can I assume the backseat ECMO in the right hand station punch out first??
So, this is my assumption as to how the seats go (Please correct me if I am wrong) backseat, right-hand ECMO; backseat left-hand ECMO; frontseat ECMO; Pilot.

Just wanted to know...

Almost got it. The back left (ECMO 3), back right (ECMO 2), front front right (ECMO 1), then front left (Pilot). ECMO 3's seat fires instantaneously, then others follow at a 0.4 second interval. ECMO 1 and the Pilot can command eject the entire crew, but the back seaters can just eject themselves. You have the capability to jettison the canopies prior to ejection, but the normal way is to go through the canopies.

Brett

 

[Jedj]

Bluto,
I think youre correct on the order, i know that the pilot goes last. As for the S3 transition. I have a buddy that just picked up legacy hornets, but its hard to come over to tacair from what I hear. Also realize that an S3 guy going tac air goes through the rag as a catI.

 

[SteveG75]

Almost got it. The back left (ECMO 3), back right (ECMO 2), front front right (ECMO 1), then front left (Pilot). ECMO 3's seat fires instantaneously, then others follow at a 0.4 second interval. ECMO 1 and the Pilot can command eject the entire crew, but the back seaters can just eject themselves. You have the capability to jettison the canopies prior to ejection, but the normal way is to go through the canopies.

Brett

Brett, don't forget the beautiful built-in delay.

For the un-intiated, the back seaters (ECMO's 2&3) do not have command eject and the command eject for the front seat can be set to pilot only (standard with RAG student NFO's). So, theoretically, everyone a Prowler can eject separately.

However, the delays are built into the seat. So, if you do individual controlled ejections, when the piolt pulls his handle there is still a 1.2 sec delay!


Oh and on the Intruder, that system was retrofitted in the mid-90's and whoever pulled first, went first and there other aircrew went 0.3 sec later. My first cruise, we had only 3 jets with command eject out of 14.

 

[Brett327]

Oh and on the Intruder, that system was retrofitted in the mid-90's and whoever pulled first, went first and there other aircrew went 0.3 sec later. My first cruise, we had only 3 jets with command eject out of 14.

And how is that ride, Meat?

Brett

 

[Blutonski816]

My first cruise, we had only 3 jets with command eject out of 14.

Every man for Himself then, huh? :bigeyes_1