For pilots/aviators, at what rank are you finally done flying for good (assuming you command at every level)? This question is mostly for Air-Force and Navy because I know for Army it happens quite early. Like would a CAG or Carrier CO still need to do carrier quals?
>>29794318
Id say major, i still see light colonel and full birds fly but its uncommon. Full birds and up usually only go when they want to like for funsies, theyll see a local training flight and just kind of take over
>>29794318
I was in the Navy, spent most of my time as a plane captain. Our skipper was always flying; CAG not as much, but I assume he rotated squadrons; the boat's skipper flew a few times; the stike group commader (a one star) flew our birds a couple of times. And I think COMNAVAIRLANT flew a fighter, or at least in one, when he came out to visit.
>>29796811
>I think COMNAVAIRLANT flew a fighter, or at least in one, when he came out to visit.
that sounds kind of kick ass.
>>29794318
i'm pretty sure the CSAF flies just enough to get his flight pay.
>>29796329
i've flown with full birds, and i fly with O-5's all the time. not all O-5's are the same. the DO and the CC don't fly as much as the ADO's or whatever.
>>29797445
Well he rode on the COD out to the ship, but I'm pretty sure he took a flight with a VFA during his visit.
Does the CAG or the Commander of a Composite Wing in the Air Force need to know how to fly all the different aircraft he is in command of?
>>29798639
do you have any idea how much time/money/effort it would take to make sure every CAG/Comp Wing CO knows how to proficiently fly each aircraft under his command?
>>29798639
Couldn't speak to the AF, but CAG flies whatever, most squadrons are gonna have at least one IP and CAG just has to go on a local flight or two and get certified, not hard or expensive. It would be just another routine flight.
>>29800254
>>29798639
from a USAF perspective, i don't think we have composite wings anymore except at Nellis/Eglin/Edwards where they're testing a bunch of different aircraft and perhaps the two AFSOC bases. Herby/Cannon have half C-130 based jets and half random-ass assortments and helos. i'm sure the Wing King could get a brief checkout in whatever, but he's not going to become an instructor in something that's not his MWS. probably just get some senpai flights in.
then again one of the graduation exercises for TPS is to solo an A-10 (assuming you're not an A-10 dude) after 3 days of systems and sims.
>>29800287
goddamit word filter. senpai = familiarization, not family.
>>29796329
My uncle made full bird right before 9/11 and was still flying combat missions until he retired in 2006
I was in an Army Aviation unit or three. Even the full bird colonels flew missions every once in a while.
In fact, the Blackhawk unit I was in. The Bn Cmdr always flew the A2C2 missions.
One of the Apache units I was in. The Bn Cmdr flew escort for our convoys.
The other Apache unit I was in. The Regiment Commander flew a lot during field exercises. He once even brought donuts to the TOC out in the field, in his Apache. Landed the bird right outside our concertina wire barrier and the gunner's lap was full of boxes of donuts.
