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VP to Jets Transition Question

JTW

A Flying Sea-WO
pilot
FLM was the biggest driver of the lack of hours. Is it still at some retarded low hours per month?

Sent from a van down by the river via Tapatalk

Not sure if this question was directed at me, but if it is please tell me what FLM is and I can try to answer. I'm still new to Bravos.
 

MasterBates

Well-Known Member
Fatigue Life Management

In the 05-06 timeframe, we could only average 19 or so hours a month per airframe, but with them flying 50-70 hours a month on cruise, that left about nothing to fly with at home. So basically I flew my nuts off on cruise, and flew maybe once every two weeks at best when home.

Some aircraft would burn all their hours for the month during the 30 day no fly FCF if we had any bugs.

Sent from a van down by the river via Tapatalk
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
aka when the cars are going away to the junkyard once they hit 100,000 120,000 ???,000 miles, most of the ones in the company garage are getting pretty close to that and need a lot of TLC these days, and flight crews are pretty good at their EPs.

The lesson here is that if you're lucky enough that your squadron has brand new airplanes, then treat them well so that future generations may also use them. Learn to operate your machine across it's envelope; just don't treat it like a rental car ;)
 

Vidofnir

Fly Delta Jets
pilot
Thanks. This response is golden.

I'm actually totally okay with P-3s as it is (and maybe P-8s? But never MQ-4s!), but there's just that nagging "what if" banging around in my head. This was more or less an information gathering experiment than a "wah wah I chose the wrong community help meee" kind of thing. I'll just go with the flow and see what happens, ya know?
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Not sure if this question was directed at me, but if it is please tell me what FLM is and I can try to answer. I'm still new to Bravos.

Fatigue Life Management

In the 05-06 timeframe, we could only average 19 or so hours a month per airframe, but with them flying 50-70 hours a month on cruise, that left about nothing to fly with at home. So basically I flew my nuts off on cruise, and flew maybe once every two weeks at best when home.

FLM is (was) still around, but if you understood how it worked, it wasn't an insurmountable issue. We only had 5-6 flyers (something was usually in PMI or in a rebuild at some undisclosed location around the country). The total number of hours is based on the airframe's duty cycle (life between SDLMs, or time between PMI/depot level repair). You were waived to fly 80 hours/month on deployment, but otherwise, you had to manage it over the SDLM period. Admittedly, as a Reserve unit, we didn't have the Wing looking over our shoulder all the time, but it was still on their radar. So if you flew it a bunch on cruise, you could make it up while it was in Phase back home (again, our phases were a bit slower than the rest of the squadrons because of manpower).

Ha! You should fly them now! Especially the one that was broken down to become a Romeo and then put back together as a Bravo cuz it was a stupid idea. That one in particular is the biggest "busted ass bravo".

The Wing kept trying to foist that thing on us and while I was the MO, we successfully told them to pack sand. I know they were going after us again as I was leaving, but it sounds like my successor (and MMCO) managed to make it someone else's problem. Good luck with that thing. On the plus side, it's got BRAND NEW WIRING!!! Because that won't cause issues... At my last squadron (where they were trying to give it to us), one of our pilots flew that same bird up at Pax during his previous tour. He said it was a great truck, but none of the systems ever worked because of the B-to-R-to-B work.
 

xmid

Registered User
pilot
Contributor
There hasn't been a NAVADMIN released about this program in a while, so that document is your best source of information. Boards are held in June and December of each year, with the applications being due the first day of the month prior or whenever the program manager feels like setting the deadline. The VAW first shore detailer runs the program, so if you have any questions about specifics then he's your man. Results also aren't released via NAVADMIN, just an email to applicants, so I only have data from my board, but they took two guys for VAQ and one for VFA out of who knows how many applications.



If you have anymore questions I'm happy to answer them if I can.

How did you get the board dates and deadlines? Did you just email the VAW detailer?

Are they still going off the NAVADMIN from 2002?
 

tiger84

LT
pilot
How did you get the board dates and deadlines? Did you just email the VAW detailer?

The MILPERSMAN article says the board meets in June and December. It also says the application has to be in by the 1st day of the month prior. That being said, my board didn't happen until the first week of July and the detailer didn't seem to care when I sent him my stuff as long as it got there before the board. Obviously this could change depending on who the detailer is at the time.

Also, the MILPERSMAN article was released in 2002 and hasn't been updated since, so I called Millington to make sure I had all of my ducks in a row. This was especially helpful since they don't release a NAVADMIN for either board convening dates or results like they do for pretty much every other board.
 

billiken2002

Member
pilot
Specifically from the VP front: it's a total crapshoot.

I saw 3 people try for it my first tour.

One guy was rock-solid, on the fast track to IP and a #1 or 2 EP and he put in his packet just before he made PPC. He got picked up for helos and is loving life there, but he got totally spanked on his last FITREP because everyone "knew" he'd never be a skipper anyway after his transition.

One girl was, um, less-than-rock-solid and made it no secret that she "should have been a jet pilot." She applied @ 6 months before making PPC and was not accepted for transition. She also was not allowed to sign for a plane the last 4 months she was in the squadron, but that's another story.

The last guy was a rockstar. IP, Pilot Training, MC of an all-JO crew on deployment. He applied at the appropriate board which just happened to occur after he had been through FIUT. The jet community was willing to take him, but the VP community was unwilling to let him go because they "already had too much invested in him, what with IUT and all. Wouldn't he much rather go to VP-30?" Well, he WOULDN'T really, but that's where he

#2 of 3 is correct, the others needs some facts ironed out. PM if you want details
 

scoober78

(HCDAW)
pilot
Contributor
Not sure why I just saw this...there's alot of good info that's already been posted, but I'd also tell you to take a look at my thread in the Private Transitions to Other Communities forum.

Big picture, the Navy looks at this as a manning tool. Your community has to be overmanned in your YG and where you want to go, undermanned. If those things aren't true, you're done. The next two questions they ask are "can this guys career take the hit"...you have to have shown performance because you are about to soak up two years of NOB time. If you need to break out to make your next milestone, you're a longshot. Finally, they're going to ask if you can complete advanced...they'll likely talk to your IP's and look at flight school grades etc...

Hope it helps.
 

ltedge46

Lost in the machine
None
The one guy I know that did it (back in the 2001 timeframe when we were JO's) picked up VFA operational command on last years board so you definately can be successful. As recommended, he was fully qualified in every aspect and well respected by the front office prior to starting the process.
 

scoober78

(HCDAW)
pilot
Contributor
3 wire was stripped? That sucks. Looks like you nailed it though.

Yeah, the 3 was stripped day one and on day two we only had 2 and 4 to "choose" from. Didn't seem to hurt us too badly, although there was the occasional "slam", mil, boards in, pause, trap pass...

Bust Bee...It was literally the coolest thing I have ever done. We could solve our sequestration budge woes by selling tickets. Best ride in show business.
 
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