AF Huey question

[Wing Sweep]

For any USAF H-1 pilots out there, do you fly your night sorties on NVGs? I'm not familiar with the AF Huey mission. Maybe someone can elaborate on mission profiles and/or normal training mission scenarios. Thanks.

[scoobs]

I don't know if they use NVG's. At Rucker they teach them how to fly using them. The mission of the Huey is to support the space and missle people.They also do stuff with survival school and VIP tranport.

[ 23. June 2005, 20:57: Message edited by: scoobs ]

[Guest croftfam]

Quick and dirty of it... yes. At Rucker they get around 30-35 hours flying on NVG's, and it's probably the funnest time there. All the N model guys love their mission which is a lot of space site support. It isn't the taxi service most people think it is though. They actually have a pretty cool mission. In fact, a lot of the N model guys have plenty of civilian rescues. If you never want to deploy, then N's are the way to go. You'll have to talk to an N model guy about all the details though. As for 60's and 53's, we almost fly more NVG time than we do regular time.

[ 23. June 2005, 21:26: Message edited by: heloguy ]

[Wing Sweep]

To clarify my question with some more detail... Do they fly the space site support missions on nogs (when they have night lines) or is everything lighted with pretty colors for them to land on at the sites?

Heloguy,

You say it isn't the taxi service most people think it is. Can you elaborate or should I PM you?

[Guest croftfam]

Originally posted by gabe2surf:

To clarify my question with some more detail... Do they fly the space site support missions on nogs (when they have night lines) or is everything lighted with pretty colors for them to land on at the sites?

Heloguy,

You say it isn't the taxi service most people think it is. Can you elaborate or should I PM you?

They do fly on NVG's on their night lines. Unaided isn't done unless you have to for some wierd reason. I think at Rucker they have one unaided flight early in their program. They did when I was there not too long ago.

By not being a "taxi service" I mean that there is a whole lot more to their mission than just that. They work with security forces quite a bit, go on convoys scouting ahead for anyone that might try to steal a nuke on the move, arrest protesting nuns at the fence that trip alarms (true story), and all sorts of other things. Other places are strictly DV support (taxi service) like Andrews, or Yakota. Others do a lot of work with the DEA like Vandenberg, and the rest do a TON of civilian SAR. I know guys with 10 rescues and they're young still. Try finding that in my community. Granted, it's not as glamorous, but it'll get your name in the paper faster than flying an AFSOC bird will. Anymore questions PM me and I'll put you in touch with some current N model guys.

[scoobs]

Can you stay in the Huey for 20 years?

[Wing Sweep]

Thanks heloguy,

Good info on Yokota's Hueys too. Didn't know they were mostly DV support. So I know they have Hueys in Minot, F.E. Warren, Malstrom, Fairchild, Yokota and D.C. I heard Vandenberg was going away? Any truth to that? Is there any other H-1 locations I didn't mention here? Thanks again.

[Guest rotorhead]

There is a small test support unit at Eglin that flies Hueys. The 6 SOS at Hurlburt trains folks in various countries (South Amer, Mid East, Korea, etc.) and they fly Hueys for currency. Of course, there are training units at Kirtland and Rucker.

Flying at night without NIGHT VISION is kookytalk. The H-1s do night training with NVGs, but most support/ops missions are day. (The missile cops and maintainers wouldn't like moving warheads at night...in the old days, you had to do it during the day, in a specially marked semi so the soviet satellites could watch). If there is something to search for at night, or a night medevac, you betcha they use NVGs.

[ 24. June 2005, 07:23: Message edited by: rotorhead ]

[Champ Kind]

What's the likelihood of going into H-60s out of Hueys?

[Guest croftfam]

Rotorhead, I've heard that they are starting to do more with nights and that the reason they didn't do too much before was because they didn't have FLIR. From some of the guys I've talked to they are getting FLIR everywhere eventually if not already, so they can do more night ops.

gabe, haven't heard anything about Vandy going away. Doesn't mean it isn't true though, I just have no idea.

Phlash, don't know. I went out of Rucker, but at Kirtland in the class behind and in front of me there were transition guys. It all depends on how bad you want it. When you get to a Huey unit let your SQ/CC know right off the bat that if one comes down the pipe you want it. Gotta work hard and let them know you want it without stepping on anyone's toes because some it's almost like the difference between going fighter and heavy, and some people are diehard fans of the fighter, and some are diehard fans of the heavy. Just feel out the situation.

[Eeyore]

Yes, Huey units fly Nogs. It has been a slow painful progress to get this accomplished in AFSPC. This has occurred within last few years. AFSPC has recently begun procuring FLIR for their units. Andrews flies Nogs but in the DC area is like flying with 50% or better illum. They do not have FLIR. AFSPC has slowed the civilian SAR work since 9/11. Fairchild (Survival School) still does plenty of civilian SAR. Normal mission at FE/Minot/Malstrom is security sweeps, convoy support, and crew/Mx support to the LFs. Vandy security sweeps, range fire support, civil SAR. These places are a great place to build time and experience in "N", but some folks transitioning to H-60/H-53 are a little overwhelmed with mission management. Currently, very limited opportunity to transition to H-60/H-53 only four slots a year. This is cause of GPGL and producing 50 helo folks an year with roughly 30-35 going to Hueys rest split between H-60/H-53. hope this helps answer questions.

[Wing Sweep]

Are the Eglin and Hurlburt H-1 assignments usually a second tour vs a first tour straight out of UPT?

[Eeyore]

Most assignments to Hurlburt are second and three tour. The folks at 6 SOS spend plenty of time overseas TDY and they need seasoned folks with a solid Tactical background. This makes it harder for "N" model bubba to crack the nut from Andrews/Space. Eglin better shot at second tour than first. Eglin does some unique work with the fighters on the range for testing and not a place for newbie right off the bat.

[Guest croftfam]

Originally posted by gabe2surf:

Are the Eglin and Hurlburt H-1 assignments usually a second tour vs a first tour straight out of UPT?

It is impossible to do this right out of UPT. Eeyore is right, they want solid experienced pilots there. Going to Eglin out of N models isn't as big a deal as Hurlburt because you're only dealing with other N model guys heading over there, usually. At Hurlburt, you're competing against all 3 "bubbas". I know a guy on a deployment with the 6th right now that came out of N models on a kind of trial basis. He's not actually in the 6th perm. party. It is more difficult to get into the 6th out of an N model, there's no way around it.

Hope that clears some of it up. Helicopters are challenging to fly, and very fun. You'll love whatever you get!

[scoobs]

With such limited slots to trasfer over to the 60 you could stay in Huey for a long time?

[Guest croftfam]

You can chill in a Huey your whole career if you want, and I know a bunch who do just that. Good dudes for sure. Not gonna lie, career options aren't as plentiful, but they are there.

[scoobs]

Will that affect promotion rates?

[ 24. June 2005, 19:01: Message edited by: scoobs ]

[Guest Jollygreen]

Gabe,

Keeping in mind the caveat that there are no bad flying jobs (if you think otherwise, please, have my desk).

UH-1s are fun to fly. But I do recommend going into a combat aircraft if at all possible. The HHs and MHs have a far greater breadth of missions, opportunities...and lets face it...really frickin' fun stuff to do.

Good luck and have fun in whatever you decide.

[Wing Sweep]

Jolly - I agree. MHs or HHs would be the ticket for me if I did the Helo track. I just heard a good chunk of people get Hueys out of Rucker. Everyone on here has given me tons of good info.

I'm not even sure what I want after 34s. Right now I'm saying 130s or helos, but that could easily change. I'm just kind of gathering data right now and keeping an open mind. Seeing as how I'm just starting UPT, it'll be about 6 months before choosing time comes anyway. Oh, I can't forget "AF needs" need to be factored into the equation as well.

[Guest croftfam]

Originally posted by gabe2surf:

Jolly - I agree. MHs or HHs would be the ticket for me if I did the Helo track. I just heard a good chunk of people get Hueys out of Rucker. Everyone on here has given me tons of good info.

All of their drops (97%) are half tactical, half Huey.

[Guest croftfam]

Oh, the 97% number was pulled out of my butt! Not sure what the exact percentages are, but everytime I have personally seen a drop or heard about one afterwards it has gone that way. Sorry if I mislead anyone

[Wing Sweep]

[/qb]

[Guest croftfam]

If you mean with Security teams then yes.

[Wing Sweep]

So they have guys with heavy machine guns out the sides, ready to blast missile and spacecraft thieves away?

[Wing Sweep]

About the above post, I'm actually asking seriously. All I know about the AF Huey mission is from what everyone here has told me. Yeah, even when I read it, it sounded funny. It's a serious question though, so please educate me. Thanks.