UAV's

[JCJ]

Just curious about Global Hawk, Predator and other UAV's

who actually "flies" them (i mean the military ones, not CIA)

Is a rated pilot required to operate them? Does the time spent operating one count as any kind of flight time?

I'm guessing sitting on a trailer flying a UAV by radio control might not be the most popular "flying" these days?

 

[jointops]

JCJ,

Yes military piltos/navigators fly these.
No, you don't get to log any flight time for this platform.
As a pilot who actually flew this aircraft, it's pretty cool from the intelligence (read spying) side of the mission. That's about as glamorous as it got. The actual flying of it sucks.
Not to mention, you're based at Nellis (fighter weapon town USA for the Air Force) and you fly the aircraft from Indian Springs (an auxiliary field). Being in Las Vegas is cool but you feel like a red headed step child when you're on the base in your flight suit.

 

[thebluto]

I heard a rumor that the T-3 Fireflys are going to be sent to Nevada for the UAV pilots to fly so they can keep current. Sort of a better deal for the guys who thought they weren't going to be flying for a couple of years.

 

[JimNtexas]

I heard a rumor that the T-3 Fireflys are going to be sent to Nevada for the UAV pilots to fly so they can keep current. Sort of a better deal for the guys who thought they weren't going to be flying for a couple of years.

I wonder if they will let the navs fly the T-3, since they are all FAA licensed pilots.

 

[Pistlpetet]

UAV's operated by the Army all have enlisted guys flying them. They have their own MOS, and it is not really rank specific. I have talked to a PFC who flies the predator for a unit here where I am based. I have been sharing the same airspace with these things, and have not had ANY problems at all. They seem to have a real good safety record here.

 

[jointops]

PP,

Having flown these in the Air Force, their track record wasn't so great. In the time I was there, 1 was crashed and 2 shot down. Thankfully none of those were when I was at the controls. Of course, CNN was right there to show the footage so it wasn't a secret for long.

Bluto,

They were kicking around several ideas of which airplanes to augment the flying since I was in the squadron ('99). I'm surprised they're still on the fence with this issue. Of course, the pilots were being lured to fly these with the promise of a "Blue Chip" assignment to any platform they wanted after the Predator.

 

[KiloBase]

UAVs

Yeah I am sure that was the promise with the whole finger's crossed in the back.

The Army is only using one rated aviator as the commander of the UAV dets. Everyone else is a greensuiter enlisted fellow or contractor (I think TRW.)

It was funny they used to have a UAV simulator at the Joint Readiness Training Center. It was a LongEZ flown by a contractor.