Air Force vs. Navy flying

[HoursHore]

My theory on how the differences in the Air Force and Navy developed is this.

The AF evolved from the Army, which is a very top down organization. The smallest units are never really "over the horizon" They are always part of a larger force. The rules have been developed to keep the forces in the constant control of the guy in charge.

The Navy evolved from the tradition of trusting a Ships Capt with a set of goals and sending him over the horizon to accomplish them. Thus you tried to provide him with rules that guided his behavior, but didn't handcuff his initiative.

I think you see this reflected in the regulations of either service.

 

[JungleJett]

Well said.....

My theory on how the differences in the Air Force and Navy developed is this.

The AF evolved from the Army, which is a very top down organization. The smallest units are never really "over the horizon" They are always part of a larger force. The rules have been developed to keep the forces in the constant control of the guy in charge.

The Navy evolved from the tradition of trusting a Ships Capt with a set of goals and sending him over the horizon to accomplish them. Thus you tried to provide him with rules that guided his behavior, but didn't handcuff his initiative.

I think you see this reflected in the regulations of either service.

 

[tomgoodman]

Get it done, then report

The two USAF flying communities I've been in have stated what I couldn't do. Seems to be a very different approach than what was posted above.

I guess that's maybe part of the reason I'm attracted to the community that I work in.

Huggy,

AF Systems Command was like that, probably out of necessity. A mix of oddball aircraft, some crewed partly by civilians, frequently operating out of unusual locations like foreign civil airports. The "customer" could be a non-AF agency like NASA or another military branch. Micromanagement was just impossible.

 

[b707guy]

Huggy,

AF Systems Command was like that, probably out of necessity. A mix of oddball aircraft, some crewed partly by civilians, frequently operating out of unusual locations like foreign civil airports. The "customer" could be a non-AF agency like NASA or another military branch. Micromanagement was just impossible.

Yep, we pretty much wrote our own manuals, all approved by the ALCs of course, and did what we needed to do to get the job done safely and efficiently. Our Ops Regs and Supps under AFSC and the early days anyway of AFMC were less stringent than other MAJCOMs or at least allowed for some improvisation. I'm having fun now doing what I'm doing, but those days included the best flying/trips/colleagues of my life. I really miss it.

 

[Col Reb]

I can't speak for the USN TACAIR side, but in the EP-3/P-3 community it becomes next to impossible to find flying orders as your career progresses. Also, I've never knew any AF guys to get a phone call from their detailer (or equivalent) telling them they were going to Iraq in 2 weeks for a 399 day IA w/ the infantry.

The USAF IPs who I worked with seem to have no trouble getting flying orders, and I believe you could fly for the vast majority of a 20 yr career in the AF if you wanted.

I thoroughly enjoyed my two operational flying tours w/ the USN, but they didn't last long enough.

 

[SIG600]

Good reason to go TACAIR. None of the above issues.

 

[bubble]

Thanks for all the information. I've been out talking with other military pilots as well, and I am beginning to like what I hear more and more about flying in the military. I am just doing my homework right now about my options at this point in my life before I decide to go full tilt down one particular career path or another. The one thing that I fear more than anything is joining to be a pilot and ending up scraping paint off of houses. Not that scraping paint is a bad thing, but I've already done my fair share of it (and will probably do much more in the future anyway).

So far, the best words of wisdom that I have been told is that I can always go out and fly ag or fly corporate, but I will not always be able to compete for a fighter slot with the military.

As far as the two branches of military go, I've been studying them as well. While I have always dreamed of landing on an aircraft carrier at night ever since I learned about Naval aviation, I am not a big fan of either boats or the ocean. I am leaning more and more toward the Air Force, and have been doing some research on the Air Guard (which this forum has tons of information about already).

I do have another question about previous flying experience though. I have heard that some guys who have already flown a lot in the civilian world have a hard time doing things the military way and in that respect it is easier for the guys who have little or no previous flying experience. How much truth is there to this? I'm nearing 1200 hours right now flying everything from Champs to Learjets and I would honestly give just about anything to fly a fighter if I decide to go for it. I realize that civilian and military flying are two different animals, and I am thinking that the best way to go about military flight training is to basically shove everything that I have learned about flying aside and relearn the military's way of doing things.

Again, thanks for the information already provided and I look forward to anything else I can learn here.

 

[SIG600]

I do have another question about previous flying experience though. I have heard that some guys who have already flown a lot in the civilian world have a hard time doing things the military way and in that respect it is easier for the guys who have little or no previous flying experience. How much truth is there to this? I'm nearing 1200 hours right now flying everything from Champs to Learjets and I would honestly give just about anything to fly a fighter if I decide to go for it. I realize that civilian and military flying are two different animals, and I am thinking that the best way to go about military flight training is to basically shove everything that I have learned about flying aside and relearn the military's way of doing things.

Just don't be an ass. Realize that when you show yup you're a just as stupid in the eyes of the instructors as the zero flight time studs. Fly the way they tell you, and how the syllabus dictates. You have absolutely no street cred when it comes to making suggestions or changes. The first time you open your mouth about prior experience (unless specifically asked) you're doomed. I showed up to primary with >1000 TT, and never said a word. Just let your skills do the talking and the rest will fall into place. Also realize that your edge is gone after Primary, all the Lear time in the world hasn't taught you a damn thing about tactical flying.

 

[instructordude]

Air Force has the Falcon, the deadliest fighter to ever grace the sky. Nothing else needs to be said.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Air Force has the Falcon, the deadliest fighter to ever grace the sky. Nothing else needs to be said.

What took you so long?