I Agree with their kid, but not or the reasons ou might think. There's a fundamental difference in what Jet and Prop NFOs are taught in their respective pipelines. VT 86 guys focus on aviating (co-piloting skills), because that's what they'll be doing in their platforms. VP NFOs don't do that in the fleet. So, if a guy is struggling with those basic navigating and co-piloting skills (or the motivation to do them well) in VT-4 or 10, then he's not going to make it through 86. That said, that person may be more suitable to a different skill-set found in the VP pipeline, or one where things aren't coming at you at 480+ Kts. Maybe carrying a big box of crypto keys and yelling into the HF radio is more his speed.
Brett
I can't compare the squadron lifestyles or relative levels of difficulty because I simply don't know enough about VAQ, VAW, or VFA and how they roll. I'll grant two things:
1) VP-30 is going to be an easier time than both continuing in VT-10 and going through VT-86. At -30 they start to treat you like a big boy/girl and a lot of the TRACOM BS goes away.
2) Again, while I don't know much about other communities, I bet it's easier to hide a poor performer in a wardroom of 56 officers than in a wardroom of 24 (or however many--but certainly fewer than VP).
Bottom line, if the OP's "friend" doesn't like flying enough to consider DOR'ing in the TRACOM, he'll find no relief in VP--plenty of 10-hour burners out there with his name on them (my first flight in my squadron was 11.5 or so, and NAVs stay in the seat). There will also be plenty of times when that 10-hour flight briefs at 0400 on Saturday morning. NAVs hate life (myself included). Taccos do too--less frequently, but with more intensity (like when writing purples). Granted, nothing comes at you at 480kts (unless two P-3s happen to be screaming directly at each other
), but when "single buoy, down doppler" is immediately followed by "uh, tacco, actually, our last contact was like, 9 minutes ago," there's a fair amount of stress and time pressure. OP, tell your friend to toughen up and that, unless he wants out of the Navy, there's no better job to be found than in Naval Aviation. He'll never be able to just kick it to cruise control, but he'll make it just fine.
One last note--a few weeks ago I went aboard a cruiser as part of my duties. Seeing my wings, about 8 Ensigns approached me with a sad story of how they attrited or DOR'd out of flight school. DON'T BE THAT GUY.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
When did they turn over such an important function to a mere JO??? 
