Originally Posted by
LivingInMEM
Everyone is quick to say "why don't we put that UPT washout or that enlisted folk (not a judgement on enlisted folks) in there", but they would never consider putting that UPT washout or enlisted folk (not a judgement on enlisted folks) in the right seat of whatever they fly. Why is it OK to put an inexperienced dude in a combat role UAV, but not OK to put him in the right seat of a C-5? How about putting that admin folk in as a T-6 IP? We could even have the enlisted dudes running the Rated Officer assignment branches. You know, you COULD do any of these things - but that does not mean it would be smart.
I see where you're coming from, but I think we'll end up disagreeing on this one.
A final thought before I go--can you stick a UPT washout in the back of a Bone or Buff?
Your argument is predicated first on that operating a UAV is the same as flying an aircraft. Many of us disagree. You don't think the backseat of a Bone should be occupied by a pilot do you? They're dropping bombs in a combat environment, but their role is not pilot, it's nav/bombadier/wso/dso/whatever the current term is.
My personal feeling is that UAVs are an incredibly important warfighting weapon in the AF arsenal. I don't translate that necessarily to a requirement that an AF pilot needs to operate it.
I think the current opinion (this week) from AFPC is that we don't have enough pilots. I know there are huge experience problems in my community (thanks VSP). So, if you can send a non pilot to UAVs and keep an experienced guy in the cockpit, it might be what the pilot wants but the important thing is that its best for the AF.
I haven't worked in UAV world, so I really don't know, but I think it's worth looking into. As it happens the new CSAF also thinks it's worth looking into, the test starts in Jan. By this time next year we should all know.