Why don't crews stay together?

[Pat1USMC]

I was wondering if any experienced aviator out there could shed some light on this for me. Why doesn't the NFO and pilot stay together? What benefit is there to constantly swapping pilots and NFOs for every mission? I would just think that if two, or four members of an aircrew stayed together for a year a so, they would work very smoothly together and it would benefit the mission as well as increase safety. They would be able to pretty much know what the other is thinking, or what each movement means, their different mannerisms, etc...
I've heard that Canada does something like that. Sounds good to me...

 

[grouch]

Well if Cananada does it then it must be good! Man alive!

 

[kimphil]

Originally posted by grouch
Well if Cananada does it then it must be good! Man alive!

Grouch, What's wrong with Canada, eh?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mongol General: ...Conan, what is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!
Mongol General: That is good.

 

[wildflyin69]

Yeah, what's wrong with America Jr.? hehehehe

"Push the stick foward, the houses get bigger; pull back, the houses get smaller... unless you keep pulling back, then they get bigger again."

 

[Pat1USMC]

This is why i said EXPERIENCED AVIATOR....

 

[grouch]

Funny Kimphil. Real funny.

 

[wink]

Experienced aviator reporting as requested: I was the scheduler in ops at one time and I can say one reason is that it is difficult to keep everyone qualed. We did have assigned crews and made an effort to keep them together, but it was hard. If the pilot needs a night trap and his normal NFO was in a strike planning cell all day then you will put the pilot with a guy that hasn't flown and that is sharp at night. The NFO may need a qual for intecepts or IR nav or something like that and his pilot is an LSO that was on the platform the night before so you put that NFO with a different guy. If you have a NFO that is particularly **** hot at a particular mission and a pilot that needs some exerience (or vis versa) then you pair them up regardless of which crew they are in. You have duties and other trraining that takes you out of the loop frequently. It is hard to keep guys together. Your training is so standardized you can fly with anyone any time and you pretty well jell from the start. There are only so many combinations of crews in a squadron and on cruise especially you will fly with everyone often enough that if there are notable personal traits you will learn them in short order. I'm an pilot for a very large airline now. It is possilbe to fly with several different people every month for many months. Since the training is very standardized, we always know exactly what they other guy should be doing and when. That is why it is standardized and why it is important for all you nuggets to learn those procedures COLD. Your copilot, pilot or NFO will expect certain things to come from your mouth and your hand to move to certain places based on the standard procedure you have learned. You instructors will harp on it over and over for good reason. BTW, you may also have your name on a plane, but it isn't yours and you will fly it only by chance. Take a picture of yourself in front of it because you may not see it much after that.

 

[JKD]

I have that picture on my office wall. My name was in a different place than the air crews, (the bottom of the nose landing gear door) but it meant a lot to a non-rated Airman Apprentice.
As a former Plane Captain in the line division of VF-103, I can't remember anyone flying together on a regular basis.

 

[Pat1USMC]

Thanks wink, it definitely makes sense now. I never thought of those reasons before. Were you an NFO or a pilot before?

 

[IFT2O]

You also don't want to get too comfortable with the people you fly with either; crews can get complacent!


AT1 (AW/NAC) Christopher M. Harrison
VX-20 VP Projects
Bldg 606 RM 16B
harrisoncm@navair.navy.mil

 

[wink]

Pat1USMC,
I was a NFO on S-3 Vikings active and reserve. Winged Sept '79 and reserve squadron deactivated in '92. Still in the reserves. Pilot for major airline since '89.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Wink hit about all the bases about mixing it up....Our squadron had standard crews, but due to scheduling problems, etc, you may not always fly with your crew. When I first showed up to the squadron, I flew with a seasoned LCDR and he taught me the ropes. As I became more senior, I flew with a lot of Nuggets and taught (or so I hope I did) them a few things. Our squadron would mix up the standardized crews every 6 months to keep everyone on their toes (read SAFETY). For the most part, when you fly as a standardized crew, you do get to know your pilot/nfo's strengths and weaknesses....a big plus.
ea6bflyr

 

[kevin]

wink: im curious what life is like as a pilot/nfo in the reserves. do you get good air time or is it much more desk oriented?

 

[wink]

Usually fewer total hours per year because you work fewer days per year. But when you come into work, you fly. Generally though, all the work you do in a whole month at an active duty squadron, you have to get done in just a few days in a reserve squadron. It can be more intense. The troops as well as the officers are all more senior and experienced though, so everyone works a bit smarter and there is usually less supervision required by the officers.

 

[jaerose]

And sometimes people just change for no reason at all...j/k.

JR