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Sea/Shore for pilots
- Thread starter fc2spyguy
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Holy Sh!t
A thread that pertains to Naval Aviation and careers paths that might be of some use!
Disclaimer: Wannabees/Notyets/Wishfulthinkers, pause before you decide to add your 2 cents or tell us all a "one time this guy told me story." My delete finger is itchy...
fc2spyguy, GREAT question. Typically, and I stress typically, for a US Navy Pilot or NFO, a shore billet is a 2-3 year tour following sea duty with a Fleet asset (Squadron or Ship). What does that mean? TYPICALLY you do not deploy, and often (not ALWAYS) you are in CONUS. Now, there are shore tours overseas, I am on one now, but I do not deploy for 6 months or more at a shot.
Flying quals: This depends on if your shore tour is a flying billet, as not all of them are. Yes, 99% of pilots want to stay in a cockpit, but it doesn't always happen. If you fly F-18s, and then go to the FRS to be an Instructor, then the transition is nearly seamless as far as staying NATOPS qualified (annual) in your platform. Same goes for all orders where you stay in the same type of airplane (FRS, VX test and evaluation, Naval Research Lab).
Ok, what if I go to a different platform (C-12s, VTs, SAR). (I AM NOT DISCUSSING TRANSITIONS HERE. That is a whole other ball of wax, worry about that when you get to your first Fleet squadron.) So you get orders to VTs to fly a trainer, you go through that aircraft's ground syllabus, an Instructor Fam course, the Instructor Under Training program (to 'learn to teach') and then that is considered your platform for that tour (and realize I boiled that down to post response size, there is more to it). You undergo occasional check rides to ensure you know what you are doing and are safe.
But what if I go PEP (Personnel Exchange Program) with another country? That depends on if they fly the same model aircraft you did in the Fleet. For example, I am with a foreign navy that flies P-3ACH's. I was a P-3C Plane Commander. So, right now I am cramming the few changes between the two planes into my brain so I can take my NATOPS check in a few weeks. I will then be qualified as a pilot on their aircraft. About 1-2 months later I will take a Plane Commander checkflight and qualify to lead crews on-station. They also fly EMB-111Ns (basically a C-12 with tip tanks and rocket pods). I have never flown this plane, so I will go through their 4-6 months course and syllabus next summer (I think).
But what if I don't get a flying job? Ok, so you are on a staff, or a Watch Officer. Sometimes, these guys double as station pilots and qualify on the C-12 and fly people around where they are stationed.
Then there are the straight-up non flying billets. You do not fly, therefore you don't have to stay current (Fleet Staff, Naval Postgraduate School, etc). If, after that tour, you go back to your old platform, you attend some kind of abbreviated refresher training and then requalify with your new squadron.
The normal rotation you need to worry about right now is your initial 3 yr sea tour (after the FRS) and the follow on 2-3 yr shore tour.
How hard is it to get back-to-back sea tours. Man, you're asking us to look into a crystal ball. It depends on if your community NEEDS guys to do back to back. It isn't something you can negotiate on your own. If it interests you, then tell your CO and your detailer. If there's a slot, and you want it, and you aren't a fvck up, you will most likely get it. IF there exists a need.
As always, I end my post with the usual "I'm sure I missed something, jacked something up, or am plain wrong somewhere". Fleet guys, speak up and correct me.
fc2spyguy said:
A thread that pertains to Naval Aviation and careers paths that might be of some use!
Disclaimer: Wannabees/Notyets/Wishfulthinkers, pause before you decide to add your 2 cents or tell us all a "one time this guy told me story." My delete finger is itchy...
fc2spyguy, GREAT question. Typically, and I stress typically, for a US Navy Pilot or NFO, a shore billet is a 2-3 year tour following sea duty with a Fleet asset (Squadron or Ship). What does that mean? TYPICALLY you do not deploy, and often (not ALWAYS) you are in CONUS. Now, there are shore tours overseas, I am on one now, but I do not deploy for 6 months or more at a shot.
Flying quals: This depends on if your shore tour is a flying billet, as not all of them are. Yes, 99% of pilots want to stay in a cockpit, but it doesn't always happen. If you fly F-18s, and then go to the FRS to be an Instructor, then the transition is nearly seamless as far as staying NATOPS qualified (annual) in your platform. Same goes for all orders where you stay in the same type of airplane (FRS, VX test and evaluation, Naval Research Lab).
Ok, what if I go to a different platform (C-12s, VTs, SAR). (I AM NOT DISCUSSING TRANSITIONS HERE. That is a whole other ball of wax, worry about that when you get to your first Fleet squadron.) So you get orders to VTs to fly a trainer, you go through that aircraft's ground syllabus, an Instructor Fam course, the Instructor Under Training program (to 'learn to teach') and then that is considered your platform for that tour (and realize I boiled that down to post response size, there is more to it). You undergo occasional check rides to ensure you know what you are doing and are safe.
But what if I go PEP (Personnel Exchange Program) with another country? That depends on if they fly the same model aircraft you did in the Fleet. For example, I am with a foreign navy that flies P-3ACH's. I was a P-3C Plane Commander. So, right now I am cramming the few changes between the two planes into my brain so I can take my NATOPS check in a few weeks. I will then be qualified as a pilot on their aircraft. About 1-2 months later I will take a Plane Commander checkflight and qualify to lead crews on-station. They also fly EMB-111Ns (basically a C-12 with tip tanks and rocket pods). I have never flown this plane, so I will go through their 4-6 months course and syllabus next summer (I think).
But what if I don't get a flying job? Ok, so you are on a staff, or a Watch Officer. Sometimes, these guys double as station pilots and qualify on the C-12 and fly people around where they are stationed.
Then there are the straight-up non flying billets. You do not fly, therefore you don't have to stay current (Fleet Staff, Naval Postgraduate School, etc). If, after that tour, you go back to your old platform, you attend some kind of abbreviated refresher training and then requalify with your new squadron.
The normal rotation you need to worry about right now is your initial 3 yr sea tour (after the FRS) and the follow on 2-3 yr shore tour.
How hard is it to get back-to-back sea tours. Man, you're asking us to look into a crystal ball. It depends on if your community NEEDS guys to do back to back. It isn't something you can negotiate on your own. If it interests you, then tell your CO and your detailer. If there's a slot, and you want it, and you aren't a fvck up, you will most likely get it. IF there exists a need.
As always, I end my post with the usual "I'm sure I missed something, jacked something up, or am plain wrong somewhere". Fleet guys, speak up and correct me.
"This one time, at band camp, this one guy told me a story....." 
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Good gouge there for all communities who go to sea. It used to be considered taboo to try to talk to the detailer. About two or three years ago, PERS started to see the error of there ways and really opened up the lines of communication. It's still not as good as it should be for enlisted personnel, but officers for the most part should be able to talk to their detailer pretty easily (i.e. telephone, email). While this is definitely something I wouldn't be worrying about now (anytime prior to your first fleet tour), just remember to keep your CO and PERS in the know regarding your desires, especially if you desire something that is out of the normal career progression.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Good gouge there for all communities who go to sea. It used to be considered taboo to try to talk to the detailer. About two or three years ago, PERS started to see the error of there ways and really opened up the lines of communication. It's still not as good as it should be for enlisted personnel, but officers for the most part should be able to talk to their detailer pretty easily (i.e. telephone, email). While this is definitely something I wouldn't be worrying about now (anytime prior to your first fleet tour), just remember to keep your CO and PERS in the know regarding your desires, especially if you desire something that is out of the normal career progression.
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