LSO qal'ed IPs

[Blutonski816]

This is another one of my "just cuz I feel like asking it" questions...

Anyway, since qualifying at the Boat is one of (if not THE) biggest things an SNA has to get through before Winging, I am wondering (just a ballpark figure will do) how many Instructors in the VTs Kingsville and Meridian would have to be LSOs?? I'm assuming it'd be more than there would be in a fleet squadron, but that's why I ask...
And if there is a larger number of LSOs in the VTs, can the same be said about the Instructors at the RAG??

just wondering... thanks in advance...

 

[nittany03]

There are IPs who are LSOs. I would guess maybe 30% of the IPs in my squadron but that's just that, a wild guess.

 

[Fly Navy]

There are several LSOs, though they may not be an LSO for the VT or TW, they may just hold an LSO qual from the Fleet.

 

[A4sForever]

This is another one of my "just cuz I feel like asking it" questions... I am wondering (just a ballpark figure will do) how many Instructors in the VTs Kingsville and Meridian would have to be LSOs?? ...

Back-in-the-day (yeah, right, I know -- who cares, other than the fact that the way WE did it directly relates to how YOU do it today ... ) :

The VT's (individually) don't HAVE to have any ... the Wing LSO or the other VT's can handle it in a pinch -- but the Wing LSO and the other squadron LSO's don't WANT to wave every boat that comes along ..... so every VT has their own stable of LSO's unless something unusual is taking place in their respective TO&E. Their manning ... their staffing ....

But in my experience --- each VT had 3-5 LSO's each --- maybe 2 QUALIFIED and 2-3 in training at any one point in time ..... and that's out of about 40-70 Instructors per squadron. The Wing had one LSO --- Qualified in all TRACOM A/C and the "senior" LSO in the Wing and at the base(s) ... the HMFIC, if you will.

The squadrons might have other former Fleet LSO's who were in training at their Fleet squadron --- but never got qual'ed in anything in the Air Wing except for their own type aircraft. They were therefore are not really qualified to wave STUDs and TRACOM A/C unless they continued in their training while VT instructors. Most chose not to as their LSO days, in reality, were .... OVER.

Confused ??? I hope not ...

 

[Blutonski816]

nope, not at all...

Thanks again, guys...

 

[Squid]

this is what I heard.
had to be an airwing qualled LSO to wave tracom. meaning, my guess, is two cruises as an LSO... so uh, take that for whatever it's worth.... we have LSO's that can't don't wave studs. I'd say more like 15-20% of our ip's are LSO's.

 

[A4sForever]

this is what I heard.
had to be an airwing qualled LSO to wave tracom. meaning, my guess, is two cruises as an LSO... so uh, take that for whatever it's worth.... we have LSO's that can't don't wave studs. I'd say more like 15-20% of our ip's are LSO's.

This is what I know:

1. ... "had to be an airwing qualled (sic) LSO to wave tracom": CORRECT

2. ... "my guess, is two cruises as an LSO ": CORRECT ... to become a qualified Air Wing LSO -- if you are any good.

3. ... "we have LSO's that can't don't (sic) wave studs. I'd say more like 15-20% of our ip's are LSO's": THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE



..... WHEN YOU FIGURE THERE ARE ONLY 0-3 LSO'S IN MOST FLEET SQUADRONS. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY YOU'RE WAY HIGH ON THOSE NUMBERS --- I'M NOT THERE TO COUNT --- IT'S JUST HARD TO BELIEVE THERE ARE THAT MANY INSTRUCTORS IN THE VT'S WHO USED TO STAND ON THE PLATFORM IN THE FLEET. 1 OUT OF 5 TAILHOOK-CAPABLE VT TRACOM INSTRUCTORS ALSO BEING AN LSO OF SOME KIND --- WHICH PROBABLY MEANS NOT QUAL'ED IN THE FLEET --- WHICH MEANS THEY ARE DONE WAVING --- IS HIGHER THAN ANYTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN OR HEARD OF ... WHICH DOESN'T MEAN IT AIN'T SO ... BUT I'D HAVE TO BE SHOWN.

VERY FEW GUYS TRAIN AS LSO'S IN THEIR OWN TYPE AIRCRAFT ... FEWER GET QUALIFIED .... FEWER YET GET THEIR AIR WING QUALIFICATION, DAY AND NIGHT, ALL AIRCRAFT ... FEWER YET ACTUALLY WAVE IN THE WING UNSUPERVISED AND ARE "TEAM LEADERS" ... I.E., THE HMFIC ON THE PLATFORM. YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHO GETS TO TELL THE AIR BOSS HOW MANY KNOTS "WE" NEED ACROSS THE DECK AND THE ONE WHO GETS TO BITCH TO THE BOSS AND THE BRIDGE WHEN THAT WIND IS 10+ DEGREES OFF THE ANGLE. THAT'S THE GUYS I'M TALKING ABOUT ....

... p.s. ... I'm not web-screaming ... I just got tired of hitting the "shift" key for CAPS.... ALOHA

 

[AllAmerican75]

... p.s. ... I'm not web-screaming ... I just got tired of hitting the "shift" key for CAPS.... ALOHA

Why not just use CAPS LOCK then?

 

[Paddles]

To wave in TRACOM or FRS you need to be a "Training" qual'd LSO. To get your Training qual you need to have a "Wing" qual (that's a big deal and not everyone gets one.) Not much difference in these quals other than experience waving students and knowing the paperwork, FCLP plans, MCGs, etc, invovled in the Training side.

Again only "Training" qual'd LSOs wave students in VTs, all are very experienced (usually 2 work ups and 2 cruises). All can wave anything anytime and will bitch at Boss if needed. Typically only about 4-5 IPs (at the most) out of about 45 total Active duty IPs (about 10% or less) per squadron. They are very overworked and appreciate top shelf booze when you lose your bets.

"Field" and "Squadron" qual'd LSOs don't / can't do any waving of students in VTs.

 

[A4sForever]

...... They .... appreciate top shelf booze when you lose your bets......

... or when you forget your hook at the 180 .... ... that's always a sure bet for the LSO with every new STUD boat det. I had something like $1000 worth of quality liquor in my cabinet when I got off active duty. And that was priced at Navy Exchange retail many years ago, and it contributed greatly to the parties we would throw after every boat completion.

I love student Naval Aviators.

Thanks for the update, Paddles. Looks like not too much has changed in 30 years.