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Transitioning from one aircraft community to another during career

Logan

New Member
I have a question directed towards MasterBates or any other pilot who has successfully transitioned. MB, how did you approach the delicate situation of trying to transition without looking like you were unhappy with your community?
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
I don't do "delicate subjects". I knew it would be a bridge burner, but there was NO WAY ON THIS EARTH I would go back to HSL as a Department Head. Not so much they wouldn't have me (that was iffy) but more of a 'I will resign before taking HSL DH orders'.

I knew there was no way I was going back there, for me it was a transition or get out proposition. I did not state it that way, but I knew once I dropped the letter, I would not just be burning bridges, I'd be nuking them from orbit.

Some communities are more "retread friendly".
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
...I would not just be burning bridges, I'd be nuking them from orbit...

Heh. :D

Community transition's like that. Don't do it if you're iffy about staying in your original community, because if you put in a package and don't get picked up, you're dead to them. Some communities are pretty damn Sicilian when it comes to loyalty.
 

Logan

New Member
MB,
Thanks for the response. Based upon some of your past posts, you clearly did well as a stud. It is unfortunate that the VT gods did not smile upon you when it came time for your initial selection. Based upon the NPC website that was linked earlier, it seems as if the biggest component of the package was a recommendation from your Skipper? Did you write about your successes as a stud (e.g. Commadore’s list in primary and advanced) or was that a mute point (was the board more concerned about what you were doing in the Helo world)? Overall, outside of timing (VAW had a need that you could fill) what do you feel made your transition package successful?
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
I didn't write up crap about pre-wings.

I wrote about how I got to my fleet squadron, made HAC, Mission Commander (really a pre-req for HAC, but sounds impressive), FCP and NVGI while still a LTJG. Then I wrote up a blurb about JTF Katrina and how I was the only LTJG HAC from the whole wing trusted to go do that (again, think like a FITREP. Make yourself sound cooler/better than you really are) and so forth.

I then wrote more about how I took nuggets fresh from the RAG to the boat for their initial NVG RLQ/DLQs .

I then talked about how my experience in a high workload crew envrionment would be useful in a 18F, and how I look forward to continuing to serve the Navy blah, blah blah.

All of it was 3 paragraphs on a standard Naval letter. I can email the clean copy to people if they PM me.
 

Logan

New Member
Heh. :D

....Some communities are pretty damn Sicilian when it comes to loyalty.

Which communities are the least transition friendly? My original hunch was that it would be more squadron specific (i.e. the culture the squadron Skipper creates), but I would be interested if, in general, some communities are less transition friendly than others.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Which communities are the least transition friendly? My original hunch was that it would be more squadron specific (i.e. the culture the squadron Skipper creates), but I would be interested if, in general, some communities are less transition friendly than others.

Generally that's true, but some communities just have a reputation of being less friendly to transitions than others. Which one's which comes and goes. Maybe it's the detailer, maybe the typewing commodore...who knows? The attitude the last few years in VAW seemed positive; almost like "we're getting our 'people' into the other communities, ha HA!".

Course, all I know is by watching friends put in their transitions. YMMV.

Why are you so interested, anyway?
 

HooverPilot

CODPilot
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
As far as I can tell from watching my Viking bretheren transition and through my own transition, the VAW/VRC Community is the most welcoming community for a transition. They treat you well, like the experience you bring and will let you compete fairly for DH & Command. Not nearly as many good stories from my buddies who went to other communities. Of course some have done very well in other communities, but from my perspective, that is the anomoly.
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
One way to soften the blowback is to apply for a transition while in a non-fleet billet, e.g. while as a flight school instructor. Your boss won't likely be from your original community. Such jobs can also build the flight hours you need to be credible for such a switch.
 

MAKE VAPES

Uncle Pettibone
pilot
Your NFOs aren't like ours, or the Rhino guys. Co-piloting isn't one of their duties. I have to know the monkey skills because I don't have the luxury of having another more experienced pilot aboard when the junior guy is flying. I have to know how much my pilot needs to pull in the break, or that he's developing too high a rate of descent in his approach turn, or that he's back on the power too much when there's a big burble. That's the difference. You have no frame of reference in this matter.

Brett

I think the point here is that it is indeed easier to retrain an NFO to another platform because it doesn't take another 200-300 hours to do it (as it would a helo pilot to fixed wing...) $$$$$!

For official Navy logbooks, 2 anchors begets Special Crew Time, not Copilot time right? I know, semantics to pot stir...

"Double" Pfister saved my ass more than once with a choice placement of soothing contributory SA, he never touted how important his job was, he knew it.
 

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I think the point here is that it is indeed easier to retrain an NFO to another platform because it doesn't take another 200-300 hours to do it (as it would a helo pilot to fixed wing...) $$$$$!

If you count my VT and RAG time, it took about 200 hours to retrain me. But then again, I have always been 'special'. :D
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
I'll be at maybe 170 hours between VT-Props, VT-Jets and VT-120.

And I had to repeat a LOT of the Jet syllabus due to long term med down.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I think the point here is that it is indeed easier to retrain an NFO to another platform because it doesn't take another 200-300 hours to do it (as it would a helo pilot to fixed wing...) $$$$$!

I think Flash's post pretty much invalidates whatever point you were trying to make here, unless you have some actual data to back up your assertion. And what was your point about hours? Hours = experience, no matter what column they go in.

So, you were saying?

Brett
 
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