jet pipeline

[bunk22]

I was serious, I would love to fly the COD.

I think you mean you want to live the COD life. Flying the COD is really like driving a bus but a bus is probably more dependable. I've done 3 1/2 COD deployments, one cruise spent entirely on the boat flying day/nights. One spending 4 of 6 months on the boat. The last cruise and a half were spent on shore except for transit across the pond. Living on shore, in hotels or flats sure beats the hell out of ship life. Can we say beer, clubs, bars, women

 

[bunk22]

is there anything i could do to help my chances of flying f/a-18s? if i go pilot, i want to fly fighters...i'm sure like almost everyone else... what can i do to make myself the better candidate before i get there?

You want fighters, go ANG and try to get on with a gaurd unit flying fighters. Or, get a 1000+ hours and practically ensure you smoke the program. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of the Navy and hopefully your performance will match their needs.

 

[phrogdriver]

I personally, not saying you're right or wrong, but from my experience, think this isn't true. For Marines, yes, moreso than the Navy side.

I think you're thinking of the somewhat large group of Harrier guys sent to be primary IPs. Most of them went during a time when there were a lot of problems with that airframe, among other things, and there were too many of them for the number of slots available in the fleet. They were pretty much choosing between not flying and flying in TRACOM.

It was not good for their careers. Neutral, maybe. Definitely not positive. A good bud of mine was a AV-8B guy sent to primary. He loved it, but only because he loved the lifestyle, not because it was career enhancing. This particular guy had already shot himself in the foot a couple times, anyway.

 

[Jay]

You want fighters, go ANG and try to get on with a gaurd unit flying fighters. Or, get a 1000+ hours and practically ensure you smoke the program. Otherwise, you are at the mercy of the Navy and hopefully your performance will match their needs.

Outstanding gouge, 100% true if you ask me.

As for instructing Primary, if you're Tacair, I always heard it wasn't the smartest thing to do. Once you "leave the fleet" so-to-speak, unless it's the RAG or ADVANCED, the fleet doesn't want you back? Who knows. Phrog, yeah, I heard guys flying like 25 hours in a year during the Harriers engine problems, that's bad. Who knows, what one person is thinks is bad, another will say it was fine for them, timing I guess.

 

[bunk22]

As for instructing Primary, if you're Tacair, I always heard it wasn't the smartest thing to do. Once you "leave the fleet" so-to-speak, unless it's the RAG or ADVANCED, the fleet doesn't want you back?

I was a RAG/FRS instructor at VAW-120. The community looks at a RAG tour as a hard tour and a must tour for your top EP guys. Generally, going to a primary squadron isn't going to your top guys and boards know this and can usually see it in the FITREP. A primary instructor can go back to the fleet for a DH tour and continue on. Our old Skipper was a VT-3 IP. Of course he did the DET-5 COD OIC tour thus practically ensuring he made command but hey, have to do what you have to do if being a CO is what an officer really wants. Our current MO was a primary IP as well and will be going back to the wing at Whiting to instruct.

 

[Harrier Dude]

I think you're thinking of the somewhat large group of Harrier guys sent to be primary IPs. Most of them went during a time when there were a lot of problems with that airframe, among other things, and there were too many of them for the number of slots available in the fleet. They were pretty much choosing between not flying and flying in TRACOM.

I know most of those guys, and mostly they got sh!t on hard by the helo IPs. They were all very junior Captains with about 400 hrs total time. Some had not flown in the fleet at all. The ones who went T-45s got to fly all phases. The ones that went T-34s got relegated to BIs, etc. Their CO said they didn't have enough experience to fly Forms or PAs. I won't belabor the idiocy of that.

It was not a very good career move in the sense that it was a "non-standard" path. Those with good attitudes wound up doing OK later. The ones that were all "The world is against me" ended up 2p Captains.

I haven't ruled out being a primary IP someday (sunset tour?). It's all what you make of it.

 

[Fly Navy]

I know most of those guys, and mostly they got sh!t on hard by the helo IPs. They were all very junior Captains with about 400 hrs total time. Some had not flown in the fleet at all. The ones who went T-45s got to fly all phases. The ones that went T-34s got relegated to BIs, etc. Their CO said they didn't have enough experience to fly Forms or PAs. I won't belabor the idiocy of that.

400 hours? Damn... I came out of Advanced with 246.8 total miilitary time.

Could fly forms or PA? That's ludicrous...

 

[MasterBates]

The ones that went T-34s got relegated to BIs, etc. Their CO said they didn't have enough experience to fly Forms or PAs. I won't belabor the idiocy of that.
.

Yeah, becuase us helo and prop guys do so much PA and Forms in the fleet.

I have flown exactly 15 form flights in my career. 6 VT, 7 HT, 1 RAG, 1 Fleet.

And I am rolling to shore duty, and am not doing another.

 

[SuperStallionIP]

Yeah, becuase us helo and prop guys do so much PA and Forms in the fleet.

I have flown exactly 15 form flights in my career. 6 VT, 7 HT, 1 RAG, 1 Fleet.

And I am rolling to shore duty, and am not doing another.

Helos fly as at least a section pretty much everywhere, at least in the Marine Corps. PA, not so much, unless you call demonstrating wingovers a PA maneuver. I do not.

 

[MasterBates]

Sorry about forgetting about the Marines. I was thinking Navy.

HS does some form, I believe HSC is picking it up more, but HSL is almost never. We are quite often the only helo airborne for miles, especially with CD OPS or an independent cruise.

 

[Gatordev]

I know most of those guys, and mostly they got sh!t on hard by the helo IPs. They were all very junior Captains with about 400 hrs total time. Some had not flown in the fleet at all. The ones who went T-45s got to fly all phases. The ones that went T-34s got relegated to BIs, etc. Their CO said they didn't have enough experience to fly Forms or PAs. I won't belabor the idiocy of that.

How long ago was this? Not saying it isn't true, but for the last few years, everyone has the same quals when they start...everything except the Form stuff.

Yeah, becuase us helo and prop guys do so much PA and Forms in the fleet.
I have flown exactly 15 form flights in my career. 6 VT, 7 HT, 1 RAG, 1 Fleet.
And I am rolling to shore duty, and am not doing another.

I would guess that the HS, Most of HSL-west, HT HTAC IPs, and even some of your HSL-east brethern have had different experiences. In fact I believe TACFORM is part of the ACTC syllabus now.

EDIT: Didn't see this went to a new page.

 

[Harrier Dude]

How long ago was this? Not saying it isn't true, but for the last few years, everyone has the same quals when they start...everything except the Form stuff.

It was 2001-2002, I think. Maybe 2000. We called them the "18 month wonders". They were supposed to be like SERGRADS that had finished the RAG. The difference being that SERGRADS (back when they had them) were allowed to instruct all phases. The T-45 guys had a great time. It might have been only a couple of the T-34 squadrons that were d!cks about it. I was still in the fleet "living the dream".

 

[Gatordev]

It was 2001-2002, I think. Maybe 2000. We called them the "18 month wonders". They were supposed to be like SERGRADS that had finished the RAG. The difference being that SERGRADS (back when they had them) were allowed to instruct all phases. The T-45 guys had a great time. It might have been only a couple of the T-34 squadrons that were d!cks about it. I was still in the fleet "living the dream".

Gotcha. Yeah, back then they had seperate quals. When I was going through the FITU, if you were a TacAir guy, you also got the Form qual. We had two going through ahead of me.