Fighters to Helos

[USMCAirWinger]

Killers,

I'm looking for some experiences on the transition from a fighter to a helo. Please reply or PM me if you or someone you know has done this before.

Thanks

Airwinger

Edited August 22, 2012 by USMCAirWinger

[Spur38]

Keep your ego in your flight bag the first time you take the controls...a humbling experience, at first attempt to fly/hover it!

[Breckey]

If you can't hover, you're queer

[busdriver]

Guard/Reserve are the only examples I know of. 60 Driver is a former A-10 guy now Pavehawk guy up in Alaska.

[sowchinook]

Is this the right thread?.... I have a Ferrari I'd like to trade/sell. It looks too awesome and It's too fast and I've been picking up too many chicks. I'm looking for an early 80's Datsun or Peugeot. Preferably an automatic.

Thanks

[youngpj]

Is this the right thread?.... I have a Ferrari I'd like to trade/sell. It looks too awesome and It's too fast and I've been picking up too many chicks. I'm looking for an early 80's Datsun or Peugeot. Preferably an automatic.

Thanks

Well done...

[Lawman]

Army Warrant is possible.

Worked with a couple Warrants who were commission guys first either in Aviation or in another Branch/Service that converted to come over.

Its a pay cut and you dont "Command" but at the same time you can spend the life of your career in an active Line Unit and never leave the cockpit for stupid shit like staff tours or trips to far away places with UAVs.

[Spur38]

Army Warrant's do "Command" CW5s

[Lawman]

Army Warrant's do "Command" CW5s

You shape and mentor, you have influence commensurate with your position if your an instructor, but outside of a place like Ft Rucker where CW4s are flight commanders and immediate raters of the IP Cadre in their flight, you dont command. A PC officer may run the maintenance plan for the Battalion, but he doesnt own any of the maintenance soldiers that work under him, the Delta Company and Line Company commanders do.

Fact is as a Warrant you can and should work all the way up at the Brigade level (CW5s) but you will never be a rater. You will have voice and dependent on your command climate a very powerful one, but you will never put pen to paper to express someones ability or flaws and why they should or should not continue in Army Aviation.

[busdriver]

80's Datsun?

More like trading in a Ferrari for a rock crawling Jeep. Horses for courses my friend.

[The-osu]

I always wondered if this was possible, do you go to rucker to learn in the huey? or train in house? is there some kind of rotary qual similar to the old FWQ?

[stract]

rucker then kirtland, at least the ones I'm aware of.

[Breckey]

Ye olde RWQ is no longer available for active duty. As has been said before, the only way you could do it is if you get picked up by one of the Guard or Reserve -60 units

[Spur38]

You shape and mentor, you have influence commensurate with your position if your an instructor, but outside of a place like Ft Rucker where CW4s are flight commanders and immediate raters of the IP Cadre in their flight, you dont command. A PC officer may run the maintenance plan for the Battalion, but he doesnt own any of the maintenance soldiers that work under him, the Delta Company and Line Company commanders do.

Fact is as a Warrant you can and should work all the way up at the Brigade level (CW5s) but you will never be a rater. You will have voice and dependent on your command climate a very powerful one, but you will never put pen to paper to express someones ability or flaws and why they should or should not continue in Army Aviation.

Not so......As an CW5 OSA Detachment Commander, I had full UCMJ authority, pen to paper and was able to promote or shit can anyone who couldn't cut the mustard to include Commanding OEF/OIF for the C-12 Avn Task Force......

[HeloDude]

Not so......As an CW5 OSA Detachment Commander, I had full UCMJ authority, pen to paper and was able to promote or shit can anyone who couldn't cut the mustard to include Commanding OEF/OIF for the C-12 Avn Task Force......

So pardon my ignorance...I'm taking it you didn't have a single commissioned officer (non Warrant) in this unit you had authority over?

[Lawman]

Not so......As an CW5 OSA Detachment Commander, I had full UCMJ authority, pen to paper and was able to promote or shit can anyone who couldn't cut the mustard to include Commanding OEF/OIF for the C-12 Avn Task Force......

Congrats on your position and Im sure it was an awesome experience, but you cannot seriously call that anything but the exception not the rule. Heck there is a CW4 "In Command" of the Task Force in Egypt last I heard, but its not a job Id start as a warrant thinking I was ever going to just get. Technical Tactical expert, thats why we're here. We have one CW5 in my brigade, and Ive never even met the guy, and he sure doesnt put his name on my OER.

Every platoon leader 1stLt in Aviation... every Captain in charge of an Shop in aviation, all the way up from the very start they are told "Here are your soldiers," when they take the job. Nobody ever tells a CW2 or newly minted CW3 with the same level of aviation experience "These are your soldiers." Thats what Im talking about when I say command.

[Guest]

Not so......As an CW5 OSA Detachment Commander, I had full UCMJ authority, pen to paper and was able to promote or shit can anyone who couldn't cut the mustard to include Commanding OEF/OIF for the C-12 Avn Task Force......

What are those things, exactly?

[Spur38]

What are those things, exactly?

C-12s or CW5s?

[Spur38]

HeloDude, on 29 August 2012 - 09:27 AM, said:

So pardon my ignorance...I'm taking it you didn't have a single commissioned officer (non Warrant) in this unit you had authority over?

Correct, no LTs or CPTs. The units were all WO aviators. In Army aviation the Warrants are the "technical experts". Unfortunately for Army aviators as a LT or CPT you generally get to the flying proficency level of being a PIC (AC) and then moved to a staff position of some sort. Not all, but most. LTs and CPTs can continue and be promoted to MAJ or as a CPT command a unit but its a small percentage. The WOs on the other hand will stay in Aviation slots and continue to "specialize" as aviators. SO its really a career chioce. Do you want to reamain in the cockpit or aspire to be a LTC, COL or GO?

Every AVN SQDN is commanded by a rated LTC or COL but you rarely ever see an Army Aviator MAJ, LTC or COL with more than 3,000 hours throughout a 20 yr career. Generally, WOs who stick with it will amass much more flight time and are always the most experienced aviators within the unit.

In the Guard however you see many former LTs, CPT, MAJs and a few LTCs or COLs who will "revert" back to being WOs so they can stay in the saddle.....another interesting point is that once an aviator is promoted to COL, in a non-operational aviation position cannot perform cockpit duties (AR 95-1) unless flying with an IP at one set of the controls. So if one wants to continue to fly, instruct or have an extensive aviation career the WO program is the way to go.

[OverTQ]

Army jacks another thread.