C-130s

[HercDriver]

Their primary rating is Aviation Electronics Technician (all the electrical stuff on aircraft); once they get past basic aircrew and then radio operator, they go to nav training where they learn stuff like plotting courses, basic approach stuff, reading the search radar, entering navaids into the VOR/TACAN and plotting search boxes. Their primary responsibilities are entering a long flight plan into the flight management system (with backup from the copilot), and quickly plotting SAR plans, which is really where they earn their $$ (that, and operating the radar). We may have to suddenly do a sector search, or one of the parallel-type searches, so they have to quickly put it together, put it into the flight management system (to be used with autopilot), plot it out, while still trying to use the radar.

I can't remember how long Nav school is, though I do know it takes place in Elizabeth City, NC at the aviation technical training center.

 

[Hotdogs]

C-130Js don't have Navs, they were replaced by the glass cockpit along with the FE. I am going to hazard a guess that the NFO you met was probably flying in support of Harvest Hawk, the sensor and weapons kit installed on some KC-1030Js flying in Afghanistan. To operate the system when it first rolled out they used experienced folks like F/A-18 WSOs and others while the Herk guys got up to speed. Not sure if they are still using them.

Pretty sure that's been done away with now with Herc dudes running the HH program on their own, and have incorporated a syllabus in to their T&R to support it. Just based on a conversation from a fellow C-130 buddy.

 

[81montedriver]

Pretty sure that's been done away with now with Herc dudes running the HH program on their own, and have incorporated a syllabus in to their T&R to support it. Just based on a conversation from a fellow C-130 buddy.

That is 100% true. Our initial cadre of FCO's were made of pilots and NFO's from fixed and rotary wing attack platforms who were familiar with operating a sensor and missiles. The last of those guys are on their way out of squadron. Our T&R now has HH codes and all our HH pilots, FCO's and instructors are from within our community.

As for nav's the J-model does not have them due to our more advanced avionics. Our reserve squadrons who fly T-models still have enlisted nav's. Since they don't make them anymore, they basically all range from SSgt-CWO4. Our Texas reserve squadron gets their first J's beginning of next year so our New York reserve squadron will be the only one left with Nav's .