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First MH-60R squadron is established!

Prashant Patel

Prashant Patel

Registered User
Hey Y'all. It's been awhile since I've posted on here, but I couldn't resist responding to a thread about my current squadron. Yes, the skipper is a former HT-8 instructor. And no, we don't fly with the ALFS in all the time. Depends on the mission. We helped out HSC-8 flew some plane guard for Stennis with just about everything except the mission racks and SO's console removed. So we can adjust the weight to the mission. Also with common cockpit, we (myself included) also flew as 2P's for HSC-8's Sierras. Carrier life ain't all as bad as it's made out to be by some 60B guys on here.
 
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ghost

working, working, working ...
pilot
paddle562 said:
Hey Y'all. It's been awhile since I've posted on here, but I couldn't resist responding to a thread about my current squadron. Yes, the skipper is a former HT-8 instructor. And no, we don't fly with the ALFS in all the time. Depends on the mission. We helped out HSC-8 flew some plane guard for Stennis with just about everything except the mission racks and SO's console removed. So we can adjust the weight to the mission. Also with common cockpit, we (myself included) also flew as 2P's for HSC-8's Sierras. Carrier life ain't all as bad as it's made out to be by some 60B guys on here.
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Using a 60R for plane guard is just wrong. The only reason it should be done is if the HSC guys can't keep their aircraft up (bad on them). Why in the world would you remove all added the capability of the aircraft by pulling out the SO console? All you are left with is a Sierra for twice the cost. This is coming from a 60B guy who spent a lot of time underway on a carrier and can count the number of hours spent as PG on one hand.
ghost
 
G

ghost

working, working, working ...
pilot
squorch2 said:
Man, it must suck for those HS guys flying Fs in PG...
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I am not talking about how fun it is for the pilots. Some crew has to do it and it doesn't matter much who does it. I am looking at the utilization of BG assets. The 60S was put on the carrier to fly PG, the 60R wasn't. Staffs tend to view all helos as being identical and interchangeable. The HSM guys need to emphasize their increased capabilities over a 60S

I have flown PG when the staff decided they needed a dipper for ASW and there were no Hotels available for PG. They looked at the available assets and made their decisions based on capabilities which make sense. Routine use of a 60R for PG does not make sense. Pulling out the SO console can't be an easy task and by doing it, you are taking a member of the crew out of the equation.

ghost
 
SH-60OB

SH-60OB

Member
pilot
ghost said:
Staffs tend to view all helos as being identical and interchangeable. The HSM guys need to emphasize their increased capabilities over a 60S
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Nail on the head. Need to ensure that in addition to knowing what lot of 18 is onboard the staffs know the capabilities of the different helos so they can be appropriately tasked.
 
B

bert

Enjoying the real world
pilot
Contributor
They aren't pulling out the R's SO console for plane guard (or any other reason except for heavy maintenance). And pulling "everything except the mission racks and SO console" makes it lighter, but does not make it light.

The R and S should only be separate quals from a tactics point of view. There are very few distinctions in flying the two aircraft.
 
P

Pags

N/A
pilot
ghost said:
I am not talking about how fun it is for the pilots. Some crew has to do it and it doesn't matter much who does it. I am looking at the utilization of BG assets. The 60S was put on the carrier to fly PG, the 60R wasn't. Staffs tend to view all helos as being identical and interchangeable. The HSM guys need to emphasize their increased capabilities over a 60S
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Agreed. The 60S is a MUCH better SAR platform with its cabin configuration. If recent PG SARs are any indication, the limited space in a Seahawk (vice Knighthawk) makes multiple rescues difficult, especially if you add in the possibility of using a litter.

As an aside, 60S is not just there for PG. Pretty sure HSC-8 has Blk IIIs. There's a lot more that bird can do than just turn in the D or log runs.
 
B

bert

Enjoying the real world
pilot
Contributor
Pretty sure HSC-8 has Blk IIIs. There's a lot more that bird can do than just turn in the D or log runs.
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There is more that has to happen in the OT world before some of that is applicable.
 
hscs

hscs

Registered User
pilot
bert said:
There is more that has to happen in the OT world before some of that is applicable.
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Hate to be a hater -- but many of the problems could have been solved had software and planning system capabilities could have been expanded from the HH-60H (rather than retracted) and a universal gun mount for the gunner's window (so we can put an M240, GAU 17, or GAU 21 on it).
 
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