P-3 Engineers

[pilotyip]

keydey, you must have been a treat to be in the cockpit with. Back in the old days, we cross trained with the second mechs. They were a great much of highly dedicated aircrew members, and I am better person for having worked with them.

 

[VaB]

keydey, you must have been a treat to be in the cockpit with. Back in the old days, we cross trained with the second mechs. They were a great much of highly dedicated aircrew members, and I am better person for having worked with them.

and they've trained you well. Apparently.

 

[Keydet]

keydey, you must have been a treat to be in the cockpit with. Back in the old days, we cross trained with the second mechs. They were a great much of highly dedicated aircrew members, and I am better person for having worked with them.

I had a feeling someone would misunderstand where I was coming from on this. Believe me, I got along with just about everybody on all the crews I was on and still keep in contact with many to this day. In the military, rank has its privileges, but respect is always a two way street. There were plenty of occasions when the cockpit preflight was complete and as the AC, I had no qualms going to the back and helping the rest of the crew load buoys or whatever. Like just about any crew position, I had some FE's that were truly a pleasure to serve with, but then there were others that I really didn't care for.
When you've got an FE who repeatedly pi$$e$ and moans about how much gas we have to take and who never bothers to attend the tactical briefings to find out what we're doing and maybe why we're going to need a little extra for that 6 or 10 hour flight, it gets old. Some of these guys just never seemed to comprehend that if we have to come back early unnecessarily, it's going to be me NOT them, that's going to be standing tall in front of the man explaining why while they hang out in the smoke pit and talk about the "stupid pilots."

 

[pilotyip]

no harm no foul, we all ran across one of these who we wish was in another squadron in our careers.

 

[jobear]

Stupid pilots? you,me, we, us, them, ahh crap now I'm a stupid pilot.

Having been on both sides now when I brake something I go on bended knee to the men/women who actually own the planes we fly,YEAH for the MECHS. I usally bring honorariums or beef jerky as a bribe and plead MIA CULPA several times before I am forgiven my transgression.


HAPPY EASTER

 

[p3hawk]

My time as a FE

Hey Barnie, P3tweet,and all the rest of my fellow crew members on the Orion.
Great to hear from Ya'll. I was an FE through out the 80's. I went thru VP-30 as a retread after a year as a second mech. The pilot group was some of the best the navy had to offer and i had a blast training them on elect. and prop syst. Like wise I personally atribute their expertise in the way that I manage my cockpit. I would not be the capt. that I am if it werent for them.

The reserve's was the next best thing the navy could offer. Barnie, I have a lot of contact's PM me if you want and I'll do my best for ya.

Happy Trails, Ken
AD1 USNR-R (retired)

 

[p3hawk]

By the way

Hey P3teek, you mentioned the VP-9 ditching a few threads back? One of them well the surviving one, He was my division chief. He also attended my wedding. great guy. He's RTB.

Live to fly, fly to live.

 

[P3 Tweek]

P3 encounter group

Darn it's good to see so many shipmates coming out of the woodwork here at Flightinfo.com.

As an AX2 IFT and being a Commercial AMEL/I pilot while I did my Navy duties waaaay back then, I would routinely sit on the forward radar console and maintain a quiet `watch' on the PPC and 2P - always looking over their shoulders. They all did a VERY good job in some very tough CONDX and LOOOOOOONG days. Unless the crew needed me back in `the tube' to fix something or during `set condition 5', I would get a sore a$$ sitting there on that radar hard deck in the cockpit.

Now the FE's had a job that I didn't have a real good grasp on. An `atta-boy' to the FE's I knew. Always really admired them.

P3C IFT Tweek


PS. p3hawk...Chief RTB? I'm not sure I know who your referring to.

 

[p3hawk]

Chief RTB

I was Inferring that he had retired from the navy, slang term for return-to-base.
or in his case his home of record.

 

[P3 Tweek]

RTB Chief

Whew! Thanks `p3hawk'. I was getting prepared to review http://www.vpnavy.com to see if I knew any recently deceased chiefs. Sadly, there have been a few lately.

AX2 `P3 Tweek' IFT

 

[Barnie]

after reading these...

So guys, now that we know there are some out there that (and figure they will do it all by themselves), I can only go back to those RUMORS coming out of the commercial airline industry of the 'two seat' flight station of times that someone inadvertantly dumped too much gas waaaaay out over the pond and then flying on fumes to get to land. Of the time inflight when someone inadvertantly bagged the wrong engine during during an engine fire (two engine aircraft). Doing 220 kts at 300 feet is tricky enough and having another set of eyes up front is only wise thinking. It could go on and on but why? I grew up in the three seat cockpit and will probably go out that way. I don't harbor any bad thoughts to those out there that want to have all of the latest balls and whistles, it's just not for me.
Keep em in the air and keep em safe guys. Barnie

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Of the time inflight when someone inadvertantly bagged the wrong engine during during an engine fire (two engine aircraft).

Of course, no engineer has ever bagged the wrong engine in haste...

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the F/E's. But everyone is human. When it comes right down to it, 3 heads are better in a cockpit than two, but the times, they are a changin'.

I'm just wondering how the F/E's are handling the news that they will all be AW's now!

 

[Barnie]

aw's?????

Since I'm retired now, I really couldn't tell you what they think but most FE's I know would think about cross-decking to Hercs. Couldn't imagine any of them WANTING to get gelded just so they can ride in the back of the bus. Barnie

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Barnie, haven't you heard the news? They'll be AW's no matter what plane they are on. All aircrew are going to be lumped into one rate...AW. Dumb move, but nobody asked me.

 

[1080+/-2]

A nickel?? I'd be Donald Trump rich for every penny I heard the following:

"Why do we have to take that much gas, sir??"

or

"Don't touch MY power levers" (that was genuine entertainment when they would be reminded of what the block "Pilot in Command" meant on the A-sheet and how it was NOT their signature below it)

While discussing the P-3 being replaced by the 737, FE's would ask, "How are you guys going to fly without us?" My answer--"very easily"

Egomania in any of the 3 seats was ridiculous. Yes it's ultimately the AC's decision, but in the P-3 world, knowledge is power, and I knew very few pilots who had enough systems knowledge to over-ride a GOOD FE's recommendation and not answer to the old man. It boiled down to the idea that an OFFICER wasn't going to let some ENLISTED scum critique his performance. It's a team effort, but even a PIC isn't going to put me into the side of a glacier or into the drink no matter how much authoritai he may or may not have. I had a good working relationship with 99% of the pilots I flew with, but I didn't pull punches with the 1%, and they are the ones who get the bruised vaginal lips when the FE makes a smart-alecky comment.

Enjoy your power trip while it lasts! And thanks to the cool pilots who returned the respect that I gave to them.