MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Was thinking more of nighttime/overwater. Our AW's don't actually fly until the RAG, so FAM-1 for them is their initial flight. Never had an AW get sick, a couple PAX, but they were girly man SWOs.
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E-2 pipeline for NFO's
- Thread starter asm2
- Start date
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Honestly don't know Goober, was throwing that (no flight instruments) out more for showing at night/in IMC, they don't have a horizon to look at to "cage themselves".
Just trying to edjamacate myself on an aircraft that I will be flying if Goober gets his way... As in how can I make the NFO's REALLY sick.
At altitude it's really never an issue. We get the new guys busy enough that they don't have time to think about it. Down low is another matter. Up forward (relative term) at the RO station, the tiny ass windows we have are even more worthless considering the RO is looking at the engine nacelle. Not much reference, plus his station tends to run warmer than the other two due to his being right next to the computer. Bad combo for a new guy. 
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Nevermind
I would imagine it's a bit more common in VAW-120 than in the fleet. You've got to consider that those of us showing up from T-45 land have to relearn how to be stick and rudder pilots again. With the combination of new pilots having to coordinate uncoordinated turns, and new NFO's experiencing the tube for the first time, well, I imgaine the result is much like me after a few too many unusual attitude recoveries.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Well, unless I forget in the next few months, I understand the concept of "rudders". Our AFCS "Turn Coordination" function is not that good, especially if you are whipiing it around.
Damn, I remember puking my brains out in the back of the COD during fleet CQ, then jumping up in the front seat and getting something like 6 traps and 2T&Gs and not feeling remotely ill while in the front. Whether it's a small or large tube it just doesn't matter to some people. It's all about seeing that damn horizon for me anyway.
My first ever airsickness was as a pax on a -53. I was a newly minted ensign and needed a ride out to my first ship. A fine group of reserve C-5 crew (read pilots and about 10 CPOs) made sure I had plenty to drink at the CBQ in Sig prior to my departure the next day. The flight was delayed and delayed, and I got hungry. Went into the squadron G-dunk area and got a sandwich...a tuna sandwich. Combine booze, tuna, and a helicopter and the results are not pretty.
My second episode, nearly 6 years later, was in the tube of an E-2...no booze, no tuna, no helo.
Oh wait, that's my third episode. Second episode was on a comair when the lady next to me threw up when the plane had to waive off on landing in high crosswinds. The smell of her chuncks made me sick.
My second episode, nearly 6 years later, was in the tube of an E-2...no booze, no tuna, no helo.
Oh wait, that's my third episode. Second episode was on a comair when the lady next to me threw up when the plane had to waive off on landing in high crosswinds. The smell of her chuncks made me sick.
Here's some more E-2 info in case you wanted to know, asm. After you finish VAW-120, which has been pretty well covered, there are three main locations for Hawkeye aviators - Norfolk, VA; Pt Mugu, CA and Atsugi, Japan.
Norfolk is (I'm pretty sure) the biggest US Naval Base in the country. There are several other bases in the area which makes it a big military hub. There are lots of Navy type resources available to you while you're stationed there. On the flip side, traffic is pretty bad and the city is less military friendly than you would hope for.
I can't speak to Pt Mugu, but it's near Santa Barbara and I hear it's beautiful.
Japan is cool if you're looking to live outside the US.
The base is small, but it has all the basics and a little more. In addition, you get to check out Tokyo and have the chance to experience a culture that is very different from the Western norm. We visit ports like Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Perth), Korea (Busan, Osan, Seoul), Guam, Thailand (Phuket, Pattaya), Hong Kong, Singapore and probably a few other places I can't remember. You also get a good chance to save some money while you're out here via COLA and teaching English.
As far as the lifestyle of being an E-2 NFO - it's pretty good. The plane is NFO centric and the pilots (in my experience) get involved in the mission. It's a very team-based platform. Squadron cohesiveness is very good and guys are generally friendly and not back-stabbingly competive. I have heard horror stories from guys in other squadrons.
Probably the biggest con of being an E-2 NFO is the view. To be perfectly honest with you, they could put you in a pressure chamber with the same equipment, turn off the lights, shake the hell out of it and you wouldn't know the difference. If you like looking around at the sky and ground while you fly, this is not the plane for you.
As I said before, however, the E-2 is NFO centric. You run the mission. You control other aircraft. You are intimately involved with learning the tactics of other platforms and will probably get a broader understanding of battle group operations than your other TACAIR contemporaries.
So there's all you never wanted to know in a nutshell. If you're curious about any other E-2 stuff or have questions about Japan, please feel free to ask. Hope all the info didn't bore you too bad!
Norfolk is (I'm pretty sure) the biggest US Naval Base in the country. There are several other bases in the area which makes it a big military hub. There are lots of Navy type resources available to you while you're stationed there. On the flip side, traffic is pretty bad and the city is less military friendly than you would hope for.
I can't speak to Pt Mugu, but it's near Santa Barbara and I hear it's beautiful.
Japan is cool if you're looking to live outside the US.
The base is small, but it has all the basics and a little more. In addition, you get to check out Tokyo and have the chance to experience a culture that is very different from the Western norm. We visit ports like Australia (Sydney, Brisbane, Perth), Korea (Busan, Osan, Seoul), Guam, Thailand (Phuket, Pattaya), Hong Kong, Singapore and probably a few other places I can't remember. You also get a good chance to save some money while you're out here via COLA and teaching English.
As far as the lifestyle of being an E-2 NFO - it's pretty good. The plane is NFO centric and the pilots (in my experience) get involved in the mission. It's a very team-based platform. Squadron cohesiveness is very good and guys are generally friendly and not back-stabbingly competive. I have heard horror stories from guys in other squadrons.
Probably the biggest con of being an E-2 NFO is the view. To be perfectly honest with you, they could put you in a pressure chamber with the same equipment, turn off the lights, shake the hell out of it and you wouldn't know the difference. If you like looking around at the sky and ground while you fly, this is not the plane for you.
As I said before, however, the E-2 is NFO centric. You run the mission. You control other aircraft. You are intimately involved with learning the tactics of other platforms and will probably get a broader understanding of battle group operations than your other TACAIR contemporaries.
So there's all you never wanted to know in a nutshell. If you're curious about any other E-2 stuff or have questions about Japan, please feel free to ask. Hope all the info didn't bore you too bad!
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
Would you reccomend it for a single LT doing a 2nd sea (but nugget) tour?
Forming contingency plans in case Goober follows through....
Forming contingency plans in case Goober follows through....
Going back to the fo's getting sick....the first time I stepped foot in an E-2 I was really surprised as to how far back in the plane the NFO stations are. I had this mental picture of the NFO's being directly behind the cockpit. Those poor bastards are practically sitting on the elevators( not quite). That in conjunction with the afore mentioned reintroduction to coordinated flight for the catI's makes for a bad day for the NFO's.