How much action in your career?

[SailingSkyHawk]

Hey,

So I've been reading these threads and it seems like military aviation with fighter jets is not like what I imagined. It seems like most of the time you guys spend looking for something to do, and when you have something to do that is usually training. How much actual wartime action have you seen? How much danger have you been in? How much of what I'm thinking of based on movies et c, is part of your job? Ever been shot down behind enemy lines and all that? Shot at in general?

Assess your career so far... how much time do you spend and doing what?

Thanks again

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

Hey,

So I've been reading these threads and it seems like military aviation with fighter jets is not like what I imagined. It seems like most of the time you guys spend looking for something to do, and when you have something to do that is usually training. How much actual wartime action have you seen? How much danger have you been in? How much of what I'm thinking of based on movies et c, is part of your job? Ever been shot down behind enemy lines and all that? Shot at in general?

Assess your career so far... how much time do you spend and doing what?

Thanks again

You've been watching too many movies man. If your going to base all of your comments on here from what you've seen on Top Gun or Hot Shots, your going to get flamed and made fun of. The answer to your question is yes. Whether you fly fighters, helo's, or cargo planes, most of what you will ever do is training. And the amount of fighter pilots who actually engage in a dog fight is way less than 1%, hate to burst your bubble, Maverick.

 

[UMichfly]

The other day I actually was in a heart pounding situation! I was approaching the merge with an potential MIG and right as I was getting ready to break and debating about putting in the afterburners and going vertical, I realized that it was a blimp and that I was in a 172 and seconds from breaking multiple FARs. It's a hard life we live

Oh...you were asking about jets. My bad. Disregard.

 

[IRfly]

Don't worry, buddy...If you ever make it to a squadron, you won't ever find yourself at a loss for something to do...

 

[SailingSkyHawk]

The other day I actually was in a heart pounding situation! I was approaching the merge with an potential MIG and right as I was getting ready to break and debating about putting in the afterburners and going vertical, I realized that it was a blimp and that I was in a 172 and seconds from breaking multiple FARs. It's a hard life we live

Oh...you were asking about jets. My bad. Disregard.

I know I risk sounding like a complete tool but you had me right up to the blimp part.

I'm going to drown myself in whiskey and disappointment.

But thanks guys, I suppose it's a little naive to expect as much action as I'm thinking... but after reading that sticky thread about the most trouble folks have been through it seems the the most danger Navy Pilots can expect is from accidents, mechanical failures and bad weather. I don't have a problem with training, I'm a perpetual student... but no action at all? That's a bit rough...

 

[FLYTPAY]

I was personally shot down behind enemy lines....it was near Rujekistan. While extremely scared, I was able to pull through, make back to friendly forces and finally swim back to my aircraft carrier. Owen Wilson was a real inspiration to me during my ordeal. I was actually shot down while playing CAS Bingo, I was busy gathering footage of two mutts doing the ugly. Ironically, one was an amputee, poor dog, made a great meal after I sucked up a missile.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

I know I risk sounding like a complete tool but you had me right up to the blimp part.

I'm going to drown myself in whiskey and disappointment.

But thanks guys, I suppose it's a little naive to expect as much action as I'm thinking... but after reading that sticky thread about the most trouble folks have been through it seems the the most danger Navy Pilots can expect is from accidents, mechanical failures and bad weather. I don't have a problem with training, I'm a perpetual student... but no action at all? That's a bit rough...

I was a COD crewman and flying to the ship safely, doing our business out there, and getting home safely was enough excitement for all of us.

 

[SailingSkyHawk]

Don't worry, buddy...If you ever make it to a squadron, you won't ever find yourself at a loss for something to do...

Now that I don't doubt. I don't think boredom is a fear given all the stuff you are all talking about in these threads, but I guess I was expecting a little more of the sexy stuff... dogfights, evading surface to air missiles, reconnaissance, fighting aliens - stuff like that. Reading, rereading, rereading, drilling and practicing ad nauseum is all well and good but it would be nice to actually challenge yourself with some action.

 

[SailingSkyHawk]

I was a COD crewman and flying to the ship safely, doing our business out there, and getting home safely was enough excitement for all of us.

So what keeps you guys feeling challenged? That's one of the big things that excites me about all this, the promise of a serious challenge. If you aren't going to do the whole movie thing, and have no expectation of it... where is the challenge in flying back home safely?

I don't mean that as an insult, but a serious question.

 

[Flamedog]

I'm not a pilot (yet) but I don't plan on "looking" for trouble when I get there. To see someone getting shot by AAA, SAMs, and God knows what else in the movies or a video game is one thing. To have it happen to you in real life is totally different, I'm sure you already know that. Just be careful what you wish for...

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

So what keeps you guys feeling challenged? That's one of the big things that excites me about all this, the promise of a serious challenge. If you aren't going to do the whole movie thing, and have no expectation of it... where is the challenge in flying back home safely?

I don't mean that as an insult, but a serious question.

Trust me, it is a challenge day to day to keep the planes flying and do so in a safe manner. When you think landing on an aircraft carrier and then getting launched off of it is routine, thats when you need to find another job because you will get complacent and get people hurt or killed. If you think a naval pilots lifestyle is boring, I challenge you to find another career that offers more excitement. You won't find one behind a desk, thats for sure.

 

[NavAir42]

Now that I don't doubt. I don't think boredom is a fear given all the stuff you are all talking about in these threads, but I guess I was expecting a little more of the sexy stuff... dogfights, evading surface to air missiles, reconnaissance, fighting aliens - stuff like that. Reading, rereading, rereading, drilling and practicing ad nauseum is all well and good but it would be nice to actually challenge yourself with some action.

Someone's been watching the fourth showing of Stealth on TNT....

 

[usmarinemike]

I'm not a pilot (yet) but I don't plan on "looking" for trouble when I get there. To see someone getting shot by AAA, SAMs, and God knows what else in the movies or a video game is one thing. To have it happen to you in real life is totally different, I'm sure you already know that. Just be careful what you wish for...

Agreed. You can watch all the movies you want, but actually being in the battle where you can smell it and see the tracers going by and having rounds splatter all around you, things are a lot different. Some people actually shit their pants when this happens to them. From the outside looking in, it may seem a lot like a football team going to practice every day and then never playing a game, and I have to admit that's kind of how everybody felt back around 2000. It's not really that way though; especially now. You never, EVER rule out the possibility that you're going to wake up tomorrow morning to a completely different strategic picture that defines a tactical picture which now includes you.


The more you sweat in training...

 

[red_ryder]

Once I was on my way to rescue my dad who got shot down in some sandy hellhole, and me and my salty wingman must have shot down like 10 MiGs on the way in.

But then Chappy got shot down, and I had to pretend to be a whole air wing in order to get the enemy commander to bring my dad out on the runway to be picked up. It was rough flying I tell ya, I had to blow up their refinery to be taken seriously.

The only thing that got me through was the tape chappy made for me in the event of his death, that and my rock music on the other cassette.

I did manage to get my dad and kill the enemy commander in a dogfight on the way out, and although I didn't get any medals, I did get into the academy for that fine piece of flying!

And then I found ten bucks in my flight bag.

 

[usmarinemike]

And then I found ten bucks in my flight bag.

I just wish I could find $.75 for the FBO drink machine.