Hi. I'm new to the forum. Hope you don't mind having a mom of a Navy SNA on the forums. Anyway I have a question. I may have been given wrong information, but I heard that when you go for your first landing on the boat, that you get two tries. If you fail to land and don't qualify, since the Navy has an abundance of officers right now that you are discharged. I know that you used to get reassigned but now they just kick you out? This seems like such a waste! Almost 2 years of training for nothing? Is this correct?
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Question on boat landings.
- Thread starter SNAMOM
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I can answer this one.
You go to the boat your first time, you get the chance to do 4 touch and gos and 10 arrested landings (traps). Most people do all of them, but if you get close to the end of the detachment and they're running short on time and you can't possibly score well enough to pass, they'll stop you with some landings to go. If you don't qual, you go out to the boat the next time, same deal, same number of landings required (need a higher score to pass, though). If you don't qual again, then you're pretty much done. That's what you have probably heard about two tries. It's two trips to the boat, not two landings.
As far as getting reassigned if it doesn't work out, some people lately have been able to transition to P-3s or helos, but it's a case by case basis, not guarantees.
You go to the boat your first time, you get the chance to do 4 touch and gos and 10 arrested landings (traps). Most people do all of them, but if you get close to the end of the detachment and they're running short on time and you can't possibly score well enough to pass, they'll stop you with some landings to go. If you don't qual, you go out to the boat the next time, same deal, same number of landings required (need a higher score to pass, though). If you don't qual again, then you're pretty much done. That's what you have probably heard about two tries. It's two trips to the boat, not two landings.
As far as getting reassigned if it doesn't work out, some people lately have been able to transition to P-3s or helos, but it's a case by case basis, not guarantees.
SNAMOM said:
Hey mom! In general, the standard is 2 chances at the boat, or FCLP's. After that, it's attrite or go fly land based aircraft, depending. The same works in the fleet at the FRS squadron's. A big part of what determines whether or not a student gets a second or even third chance depends on his/her performance (safety level if you will) at the boat. If a student just isn't up to par, it's simply to dangerous to let them continue on and perhaps hurt themself or others. With the drawdown in the Navy, there are plenty of pilots to pick up the slack and who will perform at the desired performance level at the boat.
Whether or not a student gets to continue on in another platform will most likely depend on how they performed in the flight program. I only know of a couple of students who went on to fly other aircraft after poor performance at the boat. This was to their outstanding performance throughout the rest of the flight program. I agree with you in that why waste two years of training to boot a pilot but only if he/she has performed well enough to deserve to stay. If that student has performed poorly througout the program, the right thing to do, IMO, is to let them go. Hope I didn't tell you anything you didn't want to hear.
So you know where I'm coming from, I was recently an instructor pilot at the E-2/C-2 FRS flying to the boat with students and was the student control officer who had to deal with downs associated with all phases of the syllabus. I also recall my experiences while flying T-2C Buckeye's with VT-4 out of Pensacola.
Thanks so much!
I appreciate the information. It was very informative. I have the utmost confidence that my son will be able to land successfully. He was just named outstanding SNA last month and although I know that doesn't mean that he can land on the boat, I think all of my prayers will help! I know it probably sounds like I'm bragging, but I am very proud of him!
I appreciate the information. It was very informative. I have the utmost confidence that my son will be able to land successfully. He was just named outstanding SNA last month and although I know that doesn't mean that he can land on the boat, I think all of my prayers will help! I know it probably sounds like I'm bragging, but I am very proud of him!
May be dumb but.....................
Since I noticed that there are 5 members on the forum now, I thought I might ask another probably dumb question. I have heard some horror stories (for a mother that is!) about survival training. Do the seals really break bones, etc. I'm such a mom but the thought of my son getting anything broken is scary. Mind you, he was a wrestler in school and is a pretty tough kid, but I told him that if they try to hurt him, they would have me to answer to!
Since I noticed that there are 5 members on the forum now, I thought I might ask another probably dumb question. I have heard some horror stories (for a mother that is!) about survival training. Do the seals really break bones, etc. I'm such a mom but the thought of my son getting anything broken is scary. Mind you, he was a wrestler in school and is a pretty tough kid, but I told him that if they try to hurt him, they would have me to answer to!
SNAMOM said:
When I went through SERE there was one SEAL on the staff, and he was the corpsman (medic). The staff is NOT all Spec Ops guys or guys who failed out of that type of training (typical rumor students hear).
Injuries will/do occur, but they aren't trying to seriously damage students there. The most severe stuff I saw from guys coming out were sore muscles and cactus needle 'wounds'.
Whatever they say it costs to get a guy through flight school (2 million?) they aren't gonna throw it away by breaking bones and keep him out of a cockpit while he heals. Remember, most guys are supposed to report to a flying billet right after SERE. It's not the easiest thing in the world, but it's totally do-able. No worries.
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