E-2D Hawkeye & C-2 Greyhound

[johnsonrod]

Just found out that the son of a neighbor just got assigned either the E-2D Hawkeye or the C-2 Greyhound out of Navy flight training school (not sure of exact name). I think he was headed to Norfolk for training (or for his base).

Is this a good assignment? Anyone fly either of these airplanes? Fun to fly? Obviously very cool to be able to land on carriers - you join a rare fraternity of people able to do that...

I've looked up pictures of both - I am more familiar with the Hawkeye. Are these airplanes still relatively old up front or do they now have newer, glass cockpits? Have they been retrofitted up front?

Not too familiar with the process, but can people start on these airplanes and then transfer over to higher-performance jets later?

 

[SIG600]

C-2's are the hidden secret of carrier aviation. Best quality of life of any platform that gets to land on the boat.

 

[TMMT]

Just found out that the son of a neighbor just got assigned either the E-2D Hawkeye or the C-2 Greyhound out of Navy flight training school (not sure of exact name). I think he was headed to Norfolk for training (or for his base).

Is this a good assignment? Anyone fly either of these airplanes? Fun to fly? Obviously very cool to be able to land on carriers - you join a rare fraternity of people able to do that...

I've looked up pictures of both - I am more familiar with the Hawkeye. Are these airplanes still relatively old up front or do they now have newer, glass cockpits? Have they been retrofitted up front?

Not too familiar with the process, but can people start on these airplanes and then transfer over to higher-performance jets later?

Norfolk?

Normally they go to NAS Corpus Christi for E-2/C-2 school.

 

[johnsonrod]

I think Norfolk was mentioned in the conversation (perhaps some Hawkeyes are based out of Norfolk) - this is 2nd hand information as I wasn't involved in the conversation...

 

[TMMT]

I think Norfolk was mentioned (perhaps some are based out of Norfolk) - I was not privy to the conversation.

As many carriers that calls NAS Norfolk home, I can't imagine there are no E-2 or C-2 squadrons stationed there.

Perhaps that's where he's going after C-2 school.

 

[pilotyip]

Norfolk?

Normally they go to NAS Corpus Christi for E-2/C-2 school.

After winging at Corpus, they go back to the jet to get the car quals as part of the C/E-2 pipeline, then to Norfolk for C-2/E-2 type training. Or that is the way it was a few years back. BTW Any flying assignment, is a good assignment. The experience of a first tour pilot in a squadron is one of the most fantastic adventures of a person's life, or at least it was for me.

 

[AA717driver]

The son of a friend is slated for XO of a C-2 sqdn after he finishes his shore tour.

He could have had Hornets but this is a sweet deal.

Besides, he won't live on a boat but can still go to Tailhook. (Now, if he can find a time machine that will take him back to 1988 so he can have some fun there...)

TC

 

[pilotyip]

The son of a friend is slated for XO of a C-2 sqdn after he finishes his shore tour.

He could have had Hornets but this is a sweet deal.

Besides, he won't live on a boat but can still go to Tailhook. (Now, if he can find a time machine that will take him back to 1988 so he can have some fun there...)

TC

Where will he be based? In the ole days these squadrons has lots of DETs. Some included being attached to the ship as it deployed to areas normally beyond the range of the shore stations. So he may get some time in the bunk room under the fwd port cat. When I was on the Enterprise back in the mid 70's the ship has it own COD, a C1A, this was used to support the ship when outside of C-2 support. Sheep's company got to fly the COD.

 

[SIG600]

As many carriers that calls NAS Norfolk home, I can't imagine there are no E-2 or C-2 squadrons stationed there.

Perhaps that's where he's going after C-2 school.

The E-2 RAG, all east coast E-2 squadrons, and C-2 are all stationed at Norfolk.

Pt. Mugu for west coast E-2, and North Island San Diego for C-2's.

Norfolk is where he'll go through the RAG, after that platform/squadron will determine where he goes from there. I'd shoot for C-2's myself, and I'm a Hornet guy FWIW.

 

[Captain Morgan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjlAGq1nDGI

Doesn't seem all that bad to me!