VMFA187

It is. The Department of the Navy does two investigations just like you described. The first only to assess what happened IOT get the information out to the fleet to prevent further accidents linked to the same cause(s). The second investigation can be punitive, ultimately assigning blame for the mishap.

SIB/AIB = Safety Investigation? If so, I know that it'll take > six months for the report to come out. If you have more specific questions, shoot.

That's probably valid. I'll buy that argument.

Would you need AAMs with lasers? Regardless, I don't think I want to be in the game when that stuff is around.

That was a great course. I wish I had attended when I was more senior/experienced as a tactical aviator, I feel I would have assimilated more of the information. That's what they get for sending a Marine with a social science degree from FSU!

Well stated. While I'm probably not going to retire from this community, I wouldn't trade it. The friends I've made and the experiences I've had - Your college buddies won't even be able to comprehend. I'd do a couple things a bit differently here and there, but I don't regret any of it. Flying fighters will go down as one of the best decisions I've ever made and ever will make.

I'm not strictly speaking about employing ordnance. Fighting your bros in BFM, a 4vX, etc... is largely what I was speaking to when I referenced "fighting."

That sounds like fun flying. I'd miss the fighting though. Flying is a means to fight.

Looks like I showed up to the party a year too early. Shame.

The guy is a weapons school grad.

The Hornet underground is saying the pilot with the kill is now in the hospital with a broken arm from all the high fives.

I'm assuming you're being sarcastic which I can appreciate.

How much effort does it require to pass a fitness test? Not much. No officer should ever fail a fitness test.

So this should count less than manned aircraft, but less than a WSEP drone - Right?

Years back an Enlisted Navy SEAL got commissioned and ended up flying Hornets. Bet he had some stories.

Absolutely brilliant. Shared amongst Miramar fighter pilots.

We needed a hell of a lot more of the former.

Do you guys not get automatically passed for not doing PME? Our distance PME, EWS, is a two year program and a number of guys who are not complete - Purposely or not, despite being great in all other aspects, have been and continue to be passed over for O-4.

Valid.

Sharp looking airplane. I'd hate to have to go to the merge in that thing, however.

Forgive me - I'm a Marine, perhaps a little more dense than most.

I flew the T-34C and this reference is lost on me...?

That's insane. I found the best way to connect with my Marines when I was Airframes OIC, well second to taking one or two of them to the gym with me, was walking out to the flight line and asking what they were doing, then having them show me how to do it. That's a big difference between AF and Navy/USMC aviation - If it doesn't say we can't do it, then we can. We actually had a WSO Powerline OIC who got his turn qual to start the jets for Mx turns. The CO at the time actually wanted him to get a taxi qual so he could go do high power turns. He had this elaborate plan of setting up a course with cones out on the flight line and everything. Ultimately the WSO decided against it.

I can't speak to the way the AF trains their Mx officers, but the USMC sends them to school for 4-6 weeks to learn their trade. That is considerably more than the two days of six hours of powerpoint training I received before I took over airframes, the same that all pilots receive when working in maintenance on this side of the house.

It's a difficult life to balance leading 30-40 maintainers who do something you have no training in, while also perfecting your skill in the air and learning flight leadership. Not un-doable, but difficult.