Stupid Questions about Naval Aviation (Part 3)

[Waveoff]

To my knowledge its only VX-30 from Mugu, bounce birds from VQ-1, VXS-1 in Pax River, NOAA, and CPB. It was likely the second option since Oregon is close enough to Whidbey vs the other options.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Yeah I'd guess the VQ-1 bird. They probably get tired of being told to go around the right side for landing growlers/pattern interval.

 

[Duc'-guy25]

EP-3, NOAA P-3, or CPB P-3 most likely.

 

[TacticalTater]

To my knowledge its only VX-30 from Mugu, bounce birds from VQ-1, VXS-1 in Pax River, NOAA, and CPB. It was likely the second option since Oregon is close enough to Whidbey vs the other options.

I guess I'll have to try and get a better look at the tail, it's definitely Navy but looks like a plain Jane P3

EP-3, NOAA P-3, or CPB P-3 most likely.

It's marked like a Navy P3, star and bar with a big NAVY down the side on an overall grey paint scheme. it looks like a slick P3 no extra sensors or radars.

It's not NOAA or CBP

 

[Notanaviator]

I guess I'll have to try and get a better look at the tail, it's definitely Navy but looks like a plain Jane P3

It's marked like a Navy P3, star and bar with a big NAVY down the side on an overall grey paint scheme. it looks like a slick P3 no extra sensors or radars.

It's not NOAA or CBP

VXS-1? Although I thought their P-3 was on the East Coast, their research stuff supports a range of orgs.

 

[Flash]

I guess I'll have to try and get a better look at the tail, it's definitely Navy but looks like a plain Jane P3

It's marked like a Navy P3, star and bar with a big NAVY down the side on an overall grey paint scheme. it looks like a slick P3 no extra sensors or radars.

VXS-1? Although I thought their P-3 was on the East Coast, their research stuff supports a range of orgs.

Yeah I'd guess the VQ-1 bird. They probably get tired of being told to go around the right side for landing growlers/pattern interval.

The likely answer has already been posted, probably a VQ-1 bounce bird. We would go to local airports all the time in WA, BC and OR to do approaches and bounce and while Kingsley is a little further than we usually used to go is well within reason for a P-3.

 

[FLGUY]

Does the P3 live on?

EP-3s live on in Whidbey but are (tentatively) in the last few years of their service life. VQ-1 is the last operational “P-3” squadron. In the past, VX (test) squadrons have had a handful of P-3s for test purposes. Does anybody know if those VX P-3s are still flying?

 

[TacticalTater]

Thank you to everyone for the answers to my curiosity.

 

[HSMPBR]

EP-3s live on in Whidbey but are (tentatively) in the last few years of their service life. VQ-1 is the last operational “P-3” squadron. In the past, VX (test) squadrons have had a handful of P-3s for test purposes. Does anybody know if those VX P-3s are still flying?

It’s 65 years old. What the h*ck is left to test on a P-3? Triglycerides?

 

[cfam]

The other giveaway would be that most of the VQ-1 birds have their squadron insignia (a bat) on the tail.

 

[sevenhelmet]

It’s 65 years old. What the h*ck is left to test on a P-3? Triglycerides?

You have to validate the path of an electron from the battery to the comm antenna when you transmit, so you can force your community to memorize more minutiae. How else could P3 IPs torture new 3Ps?

 

[HSMPBR]

The other giveaway would be that most of the VQ-1 birds have their squadron insignia (a bat) on the tail.

 

[Flash]

EP-3s live on in Whidbey but are (tentatively) in the last few years of their service life. VQ-1 is the last operational “P-3” squadron. In the past, VX (test) squadrons have had a handful of P-3s for test purposes. Does anybody know if those VX P-3s are still flying?

To save the precious airframe life on the EP-3's VQ-1 usually had a few bounce birds, P-3A/B/C's, in the squadron to do pilot training and currency. We usually had 2 to 3 bounce birds but with the squadron gradually downsizing with retirement on the horizon I am not sure how many they have left, but I know they have at least one.

I think VX-30 in Pt Mugu still has a few, they had a 'slick' P-3 as of last year and at least one 'Billboard' NP-3D earlier this year.

It’s 65 years old. What the h*ck is left to test on a P-3? Triglycerides?

They use them for testing support, the NP-3D's are used for telemetry collection and the P-3's for range clearance and utility duties.

 

[cfam]

To save the precious airframe life on the EP-3's VQ-1 usually had a few bounce birds, P-3A/B/C's, in the squadron to do pilot training and currency. We usually had 2 to 3 bounce birds but with the squadron gradually downsizing with retirement on the horizon I am not sure how many they have left, but I know they have at least one.

I think VX-30 in Pt Mugu still has a few, they had a 'slick' P-3 as of last year and at least one 'Billboard' NP-3D earlier this year.



They use them for testing support, the NP-3D's are used for telemetry collection and the P-3's for range clearance and utility duties.

There were at least two VQ-1 bounce birds on the line when I left Whidbey in August (our line was right next to theirs).

 

[FLGUY]

To save the precious airframe life on the EP-3's VQ-1 usually had a few bounce birds, P-3A/B/C's, in the squadron to do pilot training and currency. We usually had 2 to 3 bounce birds but with the squadron gradually downsizing with retirement on the horizon I am not sure how many they have left, but I know they have at least one.

I think VX-30 in Pt Mugu still has a few, they had a 'slick' P-3 as of last year and at least one 'Billboard' NP-3D earlier this year.



They use them for testing support, the NP-3D's are used for telemetry collection and the P-3's for range clearance and utility duties.

Oh do they really? I didn’t know they still had the bounce birds. I’m sure they’re fun to fly. All our DHs flew the P-3 as JOs and all loved flying the old bucket of bolts ?