Your flight instructions guide
 

Welcome to our flight Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #92: Becoming An Aerial Gunner, Navigator, Or Crew Chief For The Air Force

(Browse for more articles)

 
I have interviewed an Air Force Crew if you don't show your mentors, the gods,
Chief: "What are the criteria for the crew chiefs, a desire to learn or
becoming a aerial gunner/navigator? Is it willingness to help out with maintenance
better than being a crew chief? First, effort - you will gain no credibility or
you need to join a unit that flies helos respect and your aspiring dreams to be a
if you want to be a gunner (aka Aerial fly-boy will be squashed to the amount of
observer A/O). You can't be a Crew chief a mis-formed cat turn that missed the
unless you lat move and go to the litter box."
schoolhouse for the MOS - there is an "Delta probably included the most info.
exception to that in the case of First you need to be in a squadron that
'homegrown', but that's not in your cards 'need' aircrew. You can imagine, like
unless you've been flying as an A/O working at a tanning booth rubbing
previously." massage oil on hot ladies, Flying jobs
"Second - there has to be a need to have are easy to fill. 'Make yourself
you as an AO - squadrons only have so marketable'! You have to be able to swim
many people they can have on flight and you WILL need to be a Plane Captain.
orders at one time (it's all about the If you don't know what a Plane Captain is
money) and number of aircraft vs. T/O - then you should probably give up now."
it's all spelled out in the Training and "It depends on the squadron. I was a Huey
Readiness (T&R) manuals. Third - you need Crew Chief. We had the following chain of
to be recommended by the squadron in the Learning. Get on Flight Orders. Observer
form of a Standardization Board (Stan (Go to NVG Classes) Responsible to keep
Board) - which consists of the XO, Ops O, your side of the aircraft from hitting
Natops O - and a few of the more senior stuff at night. You really got to fly at
SNCOs who have been flying for a long night unless needed for another mission.
time)." Gunners (Take the Gun Syllabus) are
"Fourth - you need to be fit for the duty responsible for shooting all targets on
- swim quall, physiology and a flight your side. 'Also', responsible to 'not'
physical. Fifth - If you make it this far shoot remember , you get whatever gun the
- you should be able to start flying an Crew Chief does 'not' want to shoot that
initial A/O flight syllabus which day."
includes different types of flight "We had 3 gun quails M60, .50 cal, and
regimes." Mini Gun. Crew Chief are responsible for
"It depends on aircraft maintenance, 'every' thing. You are the senior guy in
aircraft availability and scheduling - the back and make 'all' decisions from
and if you don't show your mentors, the back of the pilots head to the rear
the'gods', the crew chiefs, a desire to of the bird. You are the go to guy for
learn or willingness to help out with the pilots for mechanical issues and make
maintenance effort - you will gain no sure nothing falls out. "
credibility or respect and your aspiring "You are equally responsible to keep the
dreams to be a fly-boy will be squashed plane in the air as the pilot". Each
to the amount of a mis-formed cat turn mission is different. As a Crew Chief you
that missed the litter box." can fly as an observer -- but, as an
"There is a gunner/observer that is part observer you 'cannot' fly as a Crew
(part time that is) of a helo crew. No it Chief. My squadron did not wing you until
is not better than being a Crew Chief. you finished the Crew Chief syllabus. We
Although if you are in another shop and had guys in fight suits with EGA's
not a Crew Chief, then yes, it is a cool instead of wings because they were
extra gig to do." gunners 'not' Crew Chiefs. I 'think' the
"Remember, Crew Chiefs are god like. And C-130 may use an enlisted navigator.






1- A- B- C- D- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45-