Originally Posted by
Jones14
My source for your comedic pleasure.
I make sure we're on time, on target, safe from threats and within airspace boundaries. I calculate turn timing so we don't run into other aircraft in formations.
It helps to have another set of eyes to say "hey - do you see that guy you are getting ready to hit?", but in my formation experience - it was ME looking outside with my hands on the stick and throttle that kept me from hitting any of my formation members
I determine where we should be and how we are going to get there when we do an airdrop. I call the drop. When someone starts shooting at us, I deploy the chaff and flares and help call the evasive maneuvering. Navs do the "higher thinking" (math and related problems) so the pilot can get the plane where it needs to be. In high level, there is a lot less for me to do, but I'm primarily responsible for making sure we're not tooling off into the middle of nowhere. I keep track of the navigation equipment to keep track of malfunctions. If the INS or GPS goes tango uniform, I bust out the magic tricks that keep us on course. I monitor fuel levels. I do the route planning. If we have to divert, I figure our new course. Of course, most of what I've described is what we do in the C-130 world, one of the last places where the nav can run the show, but it should give you a pretty good idea of what the career field is all about."
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As for the rest of it - I say again - how do those single-seat guys do it all???
I spent many a year in a single-seat airplane and now I'm in a crewed (with 3 crewmembers) King Air and VERY thankful for it!!
All communties have challenges - both in the airplane and on the ground.
There will be enough work (even if it is made up work) to keep everyopne busy.
You're a pilot. You want to be a military pilot and are working towards that goal. If for some reason it doesn't work out and you are afforded the opportunity to go NFO/Nav/CSO then take it in order to keep yourself in the cockpit and lok for another opportunity.
USMCFLYR
Btw - I had a little experience with the USMC-130s down in Australia one time. They were offering ride and I wasn't scheduled so I went along. It was a two ship low level to another airfield, some practice appraoches and landings for the 1stLt co-pilot and then back to Darwin. The Nav started out well on the low level with precise timing and calls for heading changes of just a few degrees. I was very impressed with this precision until about the thrid point on the route when the Nav, both pilots, and the flight engineer all lost SA as to where they were on the route!
I was floored (and somewhat amused). One of the C-130 developed a problem so we canceled the scheduled app/ldg practice and headed back towards Darwin. The AC was going to let the CP have the trip home. The main runway was 09/27 and we were about 30 miles south I'd say when he was cleared to land (coming in from the south and lined up perfectly for the MUCH shorter Rwy 36). The CP had it in his head that he was going to land on 36 and I wanted so badly to reach over and tap the guy with a kind word of warning in his ear that he was lined up on the wrong runway and about to make a major mistake. The AC let him take it pretty darn far till he took over with a tinge of disgust in his voice and turned a tight right downwind for a full stop on 09. I'm glad I wasn't in the debrief
