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