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The All Mighty Huey

NJ Devil Dog

NJ Devil Dog

Member
Hello!

Flight contract looking to learn a bit more about Super Huey’s (Bell UH-1Y Venom). It looks like one of the most interesting platforms that the USMC has.

- How long can we expect the Huey to stick around before being phased out/replaced with a new aircraft?

- What is the usual availability of Hueys after completion of flight school? (Fully aware that it is best to do as well as you can and see what is available but I’d like to see if they’re selling like hotcakes to young SNA’s, similar to the C-130 or F-35.)

- What is the main role of the Huey within The Corps? I once saw rockets mounted on the side, does it do any attack missions or solely transport?

- What are the flight hours like? Limited?

- For all the pilots out there, what is your favorite part about flying the Huey?

At fleet week in NYC I was lucky enough to see The All Mighty Huey in all its glory on the USS Bataan. As a bonus, the pilot increased the cool factor by a couple percentage points.

All responses appreciated. Thank you.
 
Hotdogs

Hotdogs

I don’t care if I hurt your feelings
pilot
NJ Devil Dog said:
Hello!

Flight contract looking to learn a bit more about Super Huey’s (Bell UH-1Y Venom). It looks like one of the most interesting platforms that the USMC has.

- How long can we expect the Huey to stick around before being phased out/replaced with a new aircraft?

- What is the usual availability of Hueys after completion of flight school? (Fully aware that it is best to do as well as you can and see what is available but I’d like to see if they’re selling like hotcakes to young SNA’s, similar to the C-130 or F-35.)

- What is the main role of the Huey within The Corps? I once saw rockets mounted on the side, does it do any attack missions or solely transport?

- What are the flight hours like? Limited?

- For all the pilots out there, what is your favorite part about flying the Huey?

At fleet week in NYC I was lucky enough to see The All Mighty Huey in all its glory on the USS Bataan. As a bonus, the pilot increased the cool factor by a couple percentage points.

All responses appreciated. Thank you.
Click to expand...

-You have a full career left in Hueys (~20 years) if you chose that route.

-Selecting UH-1Ys is all timing. There is always large demand for MV-22, C-130, and TACAIR. Coupled with a decreasing HMH (-3) and HMLA (-2) squadron strength due to force design - It will make selecting helicopters out of primary more difficult, but no where near impossible. It’ll even things out for sure and the days of all RW drafts out of primary will be long gone in a couple years - If not already.

-The mission essential tasks on the UH side of the house largely mirror the AH with a couple differences. The Huey has some unique assault support missions, but also do not have some of the more specific attack missions and planning factors unique to the Cobra. Both aircraft conduct CAS, DAS, FAC/A, and Escort missions.

- It’s been a minute from my squadron time but generally speaking - H-1 pilots log more hours than any other TMS in the Marines. Typically anywhere between 16-22 hours a month or more on average while not deployed. More quals = more hours in the aircraft. Average pilots should be leaving with near 900 hours on their first tour with some landing in the 1-1.5k range. Deployments have a huge impact on this as well.

-Never heard a UH pilot complain about flying the Huey, with the exception of not having an ECU (Air conditioning). Crew Chiefs provide a huge benefit when flying most mission sets. I personally would like to have brought luggage in my aircraft but I am stuck with a knee board, maps/tablet, and go-bag space if I’m lucky. I’d say having 3 radios makes life easier and flying doors off has got to be fun as hell.
 
croakerfish

croakerfish

Well-Known Member
pilot
I’m not in the Marines but I was the winging officer at an HT squadron for a while. Hueys and Cobras are one of three platforms available to Marine wingers so they are usually available but highly in demand compared to 53’s. The USMC policy (at the time anyway) was that the the #1 ranked student got their first pick period. That was usually Cobras West Coast, followed by Hueys West Coast.
 
Hair Warrior

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
The USAF currently flies Hueys for base defense/ nuclear arsenal defense in CONUS.
www.af.mil

UH-1N Huey

The UH-1N is a light-lift utility helicopter used to support various missions. The primary missions include: airlift of emergency security forces, security and surveillance of off-base nuclear weapons
www.af.mil
 
Hair Warrior

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
P.S. If you want some summer streaming:
P.P.S. If you want some summer reading:
03F1273F-091F-4554-B8FF-50C490E6BEE8.jpeg
P.P.P.S. If you want some summer listening, go find the various Jocko podcast episodes with Navy Seawolf pilots (there are a few).
 
wink

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Hair Warrior said:
The USAF currently flies Hueys for base defense/ nuclear arsenal defense in CONUS.
www.af.mil

UH-1N Huey

The UH-1N is a light-lift utility helicopter used to support various missions. The primary missions include: airlift of emergency security forces, security and surveillance of off-base nuclear weapons
www.af.mil
Click to expand...
Being replaced by the MH-139. Deliveries were supposed to start within a couple months. The Huey will be largely gone from the USAF in a couple years.

It is worth noting, the USAF UH-1N is almost exactly like the slick Hueys that flew in Vietnam. The USMC Yankee model is not much like the UH-1N except in the basic fuselage design. The Yankee's mission set is also closer to the Vietnam era US Army Huey gunship and USN HAL squadrons (Seawolves).
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Hair Warrior said:
The USAF currently flies Hueys for base defense/ nuclear arsenal defense in CONUS.
www.af.mil

UH-1N Huey

The UH-1N is a light-lift utility helicopter used to support various missions. The primary missions include: airlift of emergency security forces, security and surveillance of off-base nuclear weapons
www.af.mil
Click to expand...
@wink beat me to it!
 
wink

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
jmcquate said:
USAF also has a VIP transport squadron out of JB Andrews that still flies UH-1s.
Click to expand...
Yep. Also being replaced by the MH-139. And the Dudes that fly the nuke security mission typically get a crack at filling those continuity of government helo jobs on "shore duty".
 
klamsy

klamsy

Monday monkey lives for the weekend, sir.
pilot
Contributor
Huey pilot here. Most of your questions I agree with Hotdogs.

Love flying the Huey, despite challenges coming down the pipe for the HMLA. For me, the best parts are:
1. Flying with Crew Chiefs: Awesome people, keep you honest, and are never afraid to call you out on your bullshit. The whole team (front and the back) has to work together to get things done, I think moreso than in the other crewed RW/TR communities. When you have a crew that works well together, everything becomes super smooth.
2. Variety of Missions: UH is very much a jack of all trades community. I like the challenge associated with having to be good at multiple mission sets and being familiar with a little bit of everything. There's rarely a boring flight.
 
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