Treatment of NFOs in the fleet

[Steve Wilkins]

I wouldn't really take too much advice on NFO's from a guy who never flew with one - war vet or not.


On another note, why do so many of you who are applying feel it is necessary to validate your selection to or application for an NFO slot by saying something like "...my eyes weren't good enough to fly" or whatever? Being an NFO rocks and being a pilot rocks. Neither position requires a caveat or an apology. If you want to fly and you get a seat thank God for the opportunity and grab whatever seat is offered.

So, would you say the same about SWO?

 

[Schnugg]

So, would you say the same about SWO?

Unfortunately for years as you may remember...if you attrited from flight school you went SWO. Not good image PR for the the whole SWO community. We (aviators) used to joke that no SWO ever failed out of SWOS and became an SNA/SNFO by default. The reverse sadly was not true.

Now aviation attrites go "GA" general aviation and basically get sent to a flat top (CVN, LHA, LHD) ship to do some sort of div O job until they can select a community. Or get out after 2 years or so.

Good to see the SWO community become more selective.

R/
G

 

[Kolja]

Alright, that's it! Turn in your patch!

Brett

You should have seen the look on a squadron XO's face last month when he asked me for help on StriPP and I told him I've never used it

(StriPP - a computer program that does in 30 minutes what Kolja, the back of a napkin, and a bit of zen can figure out in 5).

 

[Brett327]

You should have seen the look on a squadron XO's face last month when he asked me for help on StriPP and I told him I've never used it

(StriPP - a computer program that does in 30 minutes what Kolja, the back of a napkin, and a bit of zen can figure out in 5).

AMEN brother! I HATE StriPP and never use it. Sure, it's impresive as a JO cruise project, but as for actual use, it is a complete piece of junk. Shoot on range, baby! BTW, how did Chick(133) do at ME? I couldn't make it up due to a scheduling conflict, but sounds like all I missed was some salt stains on my flight suit.

Brett

 

[Kolja]

AMEN brother! I HATE StriPP and never use it. Sure, it's impresive as a JO cruise project, but as for actual use, it is a complete piece of junk. Shoot on range, baby! BTW, how did Chick(133) do at ME? I couldn't make it up due to a scheduling conflict, but sounds like all I missed was some salt stains on my flight suit.

Brett

Chick did fine. For the record, ME sucks a lot less when you're NOT a student.

There were more than just salt stains - me and Clam Shell doing "quality control" inspections at Gilleys - and me finding out emprically that on Saturday night Gilley's doesn't close till 5AM Sunday.

 

[retread]

I was a NFO for six years and to be honest any FO that says they have never felt like a second class citizen at some point is probably lying. That being said any chance to fly in a naval aircraft in any role is a privilege and one of the best jobs in the world.

 

[Fmr1833]

So, would you say the same about SWO?

To be completely honest I have a $hit-ton of respect for SWO's. I couldn't do it...period. But they are a different breed - no jokes here - just truth. I know we like to boast about our jobs and whatnot but there is something about sailing and fighting a ship that I think is amazing. I thank God that I'm doing what I'm doing but SWO's come from an amazing lineage and more power to them for that. It's a shame that they were $&it on for so long.

 

[Brett327]

I was a NFO for six years and to be honest any FO that says they have never felt like a second class citizen at some point is probably lying.

I would say that most Prowler ECMOs (including yours truly) would disagree, but in our case it's 3 vs. 1, so most of the time, the pilot gets looked down upon. We call it an ECMO-centric community.

Brett

 

[Kolja]

I was a NFO for six years and to be honest any FO that says they have never felt like a second class citizen at some point is probably lying. That being said any chance to fly in a naval aircraft in any role is a privilege and one of the best jobs in the world.

I'm with Brett on this one. The only time I've ever come close to "feeling like a second class citizen" is when some schmuck with an inferiority complex tries to drag me down with him.

 

[goplay234]

Gotta go with Brett too on this one. Of course, Hummers are NFO centered. I have never felt like a second class citizen. Nerd, oh hell yeah. But second class citizen, never.

 

[Goober]

Agreed. Nothing like putting a non E-2 pilot in the back of a Hummer and watching his brain melt in the first two minutes as all the tracks get generated. That's usually when I start looking for my sandwich. Not long before they want to go back up front where it's "simple." We're generally fairly amused. "You guys have more than 2 radios?"

 

[Brett327]

Agreed. Nothing like putting a non E-2 pilot in the back of a Hummer and watching his brain melt in the first two minutes as all the tracks get generated. That's usually when I start looking for my sandwich. Not long before they want to go back up front where it's "simple." We're generally fairly amused. "You guys have more than 2 radios?"

I heard you guys can assign a specific radio to either the left or right audio channel in your helmet. Any truth to that or is that just RR scuttlebutt?

Brett

 

[dustydog]

As helo guys we don't have NFO's but you would be hard pressed to find a helo guy who didn't have a lot of respect for his enlisted crewmen. I never looked down on my crewmen because they were "just E's". Every member of the crew is important. Even single seat guys need help from someone. Anyone who treats their crew members, E's or O's, like a piece of **** is probably one themselves.

Dusty

 

[Goober]

I heard you guys can assign a specific radio to either the left or right audio channel in your helmet. Any truth to that or is that just RR scuttlebutt?

Brett

It's a request for the desired future comm system but not yet. In the meantime we're all still going schizo back there. 11 radios, 3 data links, and a brewing case of dementia. Sad thing is you find yourself thinking, "If I just had one more radio I could..."

 

[Schnugg]

As helo guys we don't have NFO's

That's because helos are extra hard to fly and require two pilots...unlike an F/A-18 which is easy and only needs one pilot?

r/
G