Carrier Aviation Gouge by NFO
11-10-2012 | 08:57 AM
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Carrier Aviation Gouge by NFO
Below is a bit of gouge I read coming from an NFO about carrier aviation and the different aircraft and their associated mission/community/locations. I'm an SNA select (02, DEC OCS), and have been away from flying for several months. I love reading information like this.
While I must take these paragraphs with a grain of salt, it got me interested in a few different airframes (E-2C/D, C-2, Growlers) which I never gave much though to previously. While my particular interests are nothing to bank on, it's good to know how to load your wishlist when the time comes. If anyone has any personal insight to share on the ups and downs of their community I'd love to hear about it.
Thank you.
"Carrier Aviation: IS ****ING AWESOME. We are the rockstars of the fleet/ship. We are what the whole strategy is based on. We're our own little club, and we always will have that together. In carrier aviation you have 4 types of aircraft.
Fighters: F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18E Super Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet and lord knows if the F-35 will be working by the time you get there.
Locations: Lemoore, CA (middle of the central valley bleh); Oceana NAS (Virginia Beach), Japan
Synopsis: Flying fighters is exciting for sure, but it comes at a price. Its a lot of hard work. So much so that most people stop doing it after their first couple tours because it just burns them out. They have to fly and fight. Its awesome though if you want to make it a career because so many people drop out that the retention bonus is sooo high and the possibility for promotion is just as high. I did want to fly jets, but now seeing their lifestyle, I prefer what I do.
Jammers: EA-6B Prowler, EA-18G Growler
Locations: Whidbey Island, Washington (just across the sound from Seattle), Japan
Synopsis: If you don't wanna mix it up like the fighter guys, but still wanna fly something cool, go this way. These guys do a lot of flying and are high demand, but in a shooting war, they'll be hanging back. The Prowler is kinda old and getting transitioned out though, so that means you may be lucky enough to fly the new hotness Growler. The down side is that you live in Whidbey and since the crews are being downsized from 4 to 2, it'll be a lot tougher to get promoted in the community.
Airborne Early Warning: E-2C Hawkeye
Locations: Norfolk, VA; Pt Mugu NAS, CA; Japan
Synopsis: I have loved my time in the Hawkeye. Its probably one of the best communities if not the best out there. We know we're not glamorous, but we love it and embrace it. We have a huge crew (relatively) and you can actually stand up in the airplane. So on those long flights, you aren't just sitting there thinking to yourself. The community is getting a new airplane soon, but we are still gonna be a ***** to fly. Unlike the hornets which can land autonomously on the carrier, you're flying this guy down everytime, oh and did I mention we are the biggest thing on the flight deck? Yeah, it takes a lot of training and skill. As a pilot in the community though, that's all you do is fly. You aren't very responsible for the tactical stuff. Some people get by without any knowledge of it, but there are those who get involved. Combined with the laid back attitude of the community and the better locations, its a solid choice.
Carrier Onboard Delivery: C-2 Greyhound
Locations: North Island NAS, CA; Norfolk, VA
Synopsis: The envy of the fleet. If you want to fly carrier aviation, but boat life is not for you, this is it. You spend your time training with the Hawkeye people since its essentially the same aircraft. The big difference is you spend 5 out of your 6 months on dry land, living it up in 5 star hotels and villas making mad cash. All you are is a cargo pilot though, but it leads to international flight ratings and is a great stepping stone for commercial aviation. Most of these guys end up flying small passenger planes for the navy out of cool destinations all over Europe and Asia."
While I must take these paragraphs with a grain of salt, it got me interested in a few different airframes (E-2C/D, C-2, Growlers) which I never gave much though to previously. While my particular interests are nothing to bank on, it's good to know how to load your wishlist when the time comes. If anyone has any personal insight to share on the ups and downs of their community I'd love to hear about it.
Thank you.
"Carrier Aviation: IS ****ING AWESOME. We are the rockstars of the fleet/ship. We are what the whole strategy is based on. We're our own little club, and we always will have that together. In carrier aviation you have 4 types of aircraft.
Fighters: F/A-18C Hornet, F/A-18E Super Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet and lord knows if the F-35 will be working by the time you get there.
Locations: Lemoore, CA (middle of the central valley bleh); Oceana NAS (Virginia Beach), Japan
Synopsis: Flying fighters is exciting for sure, but it comes at a price. Its a lot of hard work. So much so that most people stop doing it after their first couple tours because it just burns them out. They have to fly and fight. Its awesome though if you want to make it a career because so many people drop out that the retention bonus is sooo high and the possibility for promotion is just as high. I did want to fly jets, but now seeing their lifestyle, I prefer what I do.
Jammers: EA-6B Prowler, EA-18G Growler
Locations: Whidbey Island, Washington (just across the sound from Seattle), Japan
Synopsis: If you don't wanna mix it up like the fighter guys, but still wanna fly something cool, go this way. These guys do a lot of flying and are high demand, but in a shooting war, they'll be hanging back. The Prowler is kinda old and getting transitioned out though, so that means you may be lucky enough to fly the new hotness Growler. The down side is that you live in Whidbey and since the crews are being downsized from 4 to 2, it'll be a lot tougher to get promoted in the community.
Airborne Early Warning: E-2C Hawkeye
Locations: Norfolk, VA; Pt Mugu NAS, CA; Japan
Synopsis: I have loved my time in the Hawkeye. Its probably one of the best communities if not the best out there. We know we're not glamorous, but we love it and embrace it. We have a huge crew (relatively) and you can actually stand up in the airplane. So on those long flights, you aren't just sitting there thinking to yourself. The community is getting a new airplane soon, but we are still gonna be a ***** to fly. Unlike the hornets which can land autonomously on the carrier, you're flying this guy down everytime, oh and did I mention we are the biggest thing on the flight deck? Yeah, it takes a lot of training and skill. As a pilot in the community though, that's all you do is fly. You aren't very responsible for the tactical stuff. Some people get by without any knowledge of it, but there are those who get involved. Combined with the laid back attitude of the community and the better locations, its a solid choice.
Carrier Onboard Delivery: C-2 Greyhound
Locations: North Island NAS, CA; Norfolk, VA
Synopsis: The envy of the fleet. If you want to fly carrier aviation, but boat life is not for you, this is it. You spend your time training with the Hawkeye people since its essentially the same aircraft. The big difference is you spend 5 out of your 6 months on dry land, living it up in 5 star hotels and villas making mad cash. All you are is a cargo pilot though, but it leads to international flight ratings and is a great stepping stone for commercial aviation. Most of these guys end up flying small passenger planes for the navy out of cool destinations all over Europe and Asia."
11-10-2012 | 09:47 AM
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From: Engines Turn or People Swim
Fighters (and maybe jammers) are the path to aircraft carrier command and flag rank, if that interests you at all.
COD seems like a good lifestyle, although I have no idea what that guys is talking about with "international flight ratings". Also COD and E-2 pilots are interchangeable, so there's no career-long guarantee that you will live in hotels on per diem as opposed to flying AEW off the boat.
COD seems like a good lifestyle, although I have no idea what that guys is talking about with "international flight ratings". Also COD and E-2 pilots are interchangeable, so there's no career-long guarantee that you will live in hotels on per diem as opposed to flying AEW off the boat.
11-10-2012 | 02:01 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 13,843
Likes: 1
From: FAA 'Flight Check'
Nope - no biases there 
If this guy really is aN NFO in the Hawkeye community, I have to wonder about his actual experience level.
E.G. - Pilots in a community not having any other duties other than flying?
FlyBoyd - have any comments about the C-2 commentary?
USMCFLYR
If this guy really is aN NFO in the Hawkeye community, I have to wonder about his actual experience level.
E.G. - Pilots in a community not having any other duties other than flying?
FlyBoyd - have any comments about the C-2 commentary?
USMCFLYR
11-10-2012 | 03:56 PM
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Admittedly biased opinion here (Prowler guy, worked on Growler Fleet Intro team as my last tour in the Navy)...
Especially now with the Growler and its capabilities, "hanging back" during a shooting war is not likely. Talk to the guys that spent thousands of hours over Iraq and Asscrackistan. Regarding career, can't quote you percentages, but a good portion of current CVN COs and XOs come from the VAQ world. As long as they don't run the ship aground (or doink an underling or get a DUI), those guys are pretty much shoe ins for Flag after their CVN command tours. And Whidbey a "downside"? Holy $hit - ever been there??!! Only the most beautiful place in the country with some of the best low level training routes in the world. Other than that, yeah, it sucks.
Especially now with the Growler and its capabilities, "hanging back" during a shooting war is not likely. Talk to the guys that spent thousands of hours over Iraq and Asscrackistan. Regarding career, can't quote you percentages, but a good portion of current CVN COs and XOs come from the VAQ world. As long as they don't run the ship aground (or doink an underling or get a DUI), those guys are pretty much shoe ins for Flag after their CVN command tours. And Whidbey a "downside"? Holy $hit - ever been there??!! Only the most beautiful place in the country with some of the best low level training routes in the world. Other than that, yeah, it sucks.
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