Stupid questions about Naval Aviation (Pt 2)

[webmaster]

What if I fly entirely ensconced in velcro and hair gel? Is that bad?

You of course can do what you want in your own platform. People still wear under armour, we don't exchange our flight suits after the fire retardant has been washed out, aircrew drink red bulls and other taurine laden "enhancement" drinks, whatever. You all know you can pick and argue any stance. There was a specific question about wear of gloves in P3s, and I gave specific examples of why they should be worn, and the very real danger involved with willfully deciding what rules to follow and what not. I think there are huge differences in dealing with the CRM and safety aspect of multi crewed aircraft, vice the TACAIR guy only concerned with his safety. I have to deal with upwards of 21 personnel, some of them may not be aircrew when something goes awry.



John

 

[scoolbubba]

I agree that it is a compromise between crew comfort, safety, and getting the job done. Does that answer your question?

Yep. As always, thanks for the crow...

I think I'll wash it down with about half a case of non flight surgeon approved red bull.

 

[webmaster]

Yep. As always, thanks for the crow...

I think I'll wash it down with about half a case of non flight surgeon approved red bull.

It's all good. Just think, you have ample time to devise practical jokes to play on unsuspecting DHs checking in, oh, around OCT or so.

 

[HeyJoe]

Speaking as someone who has had a cockpit fire on takeoff into mins in Misawa, your statement is uninformed and off base. It is not a dumb rule and serves a purpose. My gloves protected me from flames over the glareshield, but I still got a lungfull of smoke prior to getting my mask on. Over and over again, we wear our protective gear for a reason, and while you are on that slippery slope of ignoring the procedures you "don't agree with", what others are on your list also? We have had crews depart the runway, with a fire in the fuselage, planes that have had an unexpected ditch and had to evacuate, and the list goes on. Reading those SIRs and HAZREPs through the years shows the value in protecting your hands while confronting a fire or egressing a damaged aircraft. Personal Protective Equipment is there for a reason, and is required at the discretion of the Aircraft Commander or via the applicable STAN NOTES. I personally do not waive that requirement, and will send an aircrewman or fellow pilot/NFO back in to get a spare set if they forgot theirs. Your example of helmet and parachute is dramaticism for its own sake in your arguement. You know fully well that there are seperate procedures for wear and don of those. During Condition I or V you are in critical phases of flight where we prepare for the worst.

I recommend that you stop and think about the "whys" for some of the rules and why we have those procedures.

+1 There is an old saying (even before ORM/CRM was a twinkle in someone's eye) that went: "NATOPS is written in blood"

In actuality, most of NATOPS gets written in a rigidly controlled flight test environment of envelope expansion, but some of is truly written out of mishaps and HAZREPs and some of that could be said ot be "written in blood" so it would be wise to heed the words. Unlike the Air Force and their Dash 1, NATOPS does provide a lot of lattitude for pilot in command to exercise best judgement. If it's in NATOPS, it's there for a pretty good reason and if you don't like it, the Fleet pretty much drives the content after IOC through the NATOPS Model Manager (usually someone at the FRS).

 

[HeyJoe]

What if I fly entirely ensconced in velcro and hair gel? Is that bad?

"Because the party's not over until someone throws up on my dick".

You and Otto are really getting into the Kinky Zone as of late.

@Otto, are you waving it around awaiting such an event or do you even care about the gender of the "provider" of such satisfaction? On second thought, I DO NOT want to know.

 

[scoolbubba]

It's all good. Just think, you have ample time to devise practical jokes to play on unsuspecting DHs checking in, oh, around OCT or so.

How's that tasking list coming along for me? Swimmingly, I'd guess...

 

[Pedrom123]

I am currently in the New York Army National Guard where i have completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan. I get out in Dec and I will have finished my degree in May of 2011. I am interested in a career as a naval aviator or Naval Flight Officer in either the marine corps or Navy. My GPA is about 3.5 in a non technical major and i am getting PRK surgery next month. Can anyone tell me if I have a chance at this ?

 

[Gatordev]

You of course can do what you want in your own platform. People still wear under armour, we don't exchange our flight suits after the fire retardant has been washed out, aircrew drink red bulls and other taurine laden "enhancement" drinks, whatever. You all know you can pick and argue any stance. There was a specific question about wear of gloves in P3s, and I gave specific examples of why they should be worn, and the very real danger involved with willfully deciding what rules to follow and what not. I think there are huge differences in dealing with the CRM and safety aspect of multi crewed aircraft, vice the TACAIR guy only concerned with his safety. I have to deal with upwards of 21 personnel, some of them may not be aircrew when something goes awry.



John

My post wasn't actually in response to yours, you just managed to slip it in before I hit "Post." In the past, as an IP, I would sing the same tune as you because it would be doing the studs a disservice if I didn't. But studs don't know enough to think independently when in the training command, specifically in Primary. Once in the fleet, as you very correctly state, what you do in your platform is up to you.

 

[usmarinemike]

Hey I am a National Guardman who has completed a tour of duty in afghanistan and am slated to get out in December. I will have finished my bachelors with a non technical major by May of 2011 and I am getting PRK next month. Other than that does anyone know what else might be able to help get a slot as either an Aviator or a NAval Flight Officer in the Marine Corps or NAvy? And does my previous Military expirience give me a leg up ?

You sound ok right now. There aren't many spots right now, but it's a big ole pendulum. Being a prior could put you over the edge as long as you're not fat, don't have NJPs, etc. Just apply.

 

[C420sailor]

...we don't exchange our flight suits after the fire retardant has been washed out...

Just to clarify, there isn't a fire retardant chemical in the flight suit that can be "washed out". The Aramid/NOMEX fiber itself is fire retardant. Like any garment they can wear out, break down from UV, etc and that's what causes fire protection to degrade. A normal detergent washing and low heat drying may actually improve fire resistance by getting rid of all of the oil and grease that finds its way onto your bag.

We wash our Nomex hoods and structural firefighting gear regularly and it still performs very well

 

[Pags]

Did someone hit you on that??? Jesus, you east coast guys....

Nope, but I've seen others get hit on it.

 

[webmaster]

Just to clarify, there isn't a fire retardant chemical in the flight suit that can be "washed out". The Aramid/NOMEX fiber itself is fire retardant. Like any garment they can wear out, break down from UV, etc and that's what causes fire protection to degrade. A normal detergent washing and low heat drying may actually improve fire resistance by getting rid of all of the oil and grease that finds its way onto your bag.

We wash our Nomex hoods and structural firefighting gear regularly and it still performs very well

Good catch. Some of our organizational, and issued clothing is treated chemically to make it fire retardant. Though I doubt any of it has the same degree of treatment as the old dungarees did. I seriously doubt that my flight suits now have the same resistance that they did when they were first given to me.

 

[scoolbubba]

I seriously doubt that my flight suits now have the same resistance that they did when they were first given to me.

Not true. That P-3 sweat/urine/JP-5 aroma, once it permeates a bag, is equally good at resisting fire as it is repulsing one's wife. It's a little known fact.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Not true. That P-3 sweat/urine/JP-5 aroma, once it permeates a bag, is equally good at resisting fire as it is repulsing one's wife. It's a little known fact.

Now I know why my wife hates to hug me when I get home from work. Maybe I should take a change of cloths to work from now on, or not.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Now I know why my wife hates to hug me when I get home from work.

I heard it's not because of the bag