First, you need at least a Bachelor’s degree from a university or the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. He is also the first member of the Navy's land-based maritime patrol aviation community, pilot or NFO, to promote to 4-star rank. This included service as the 31st Vice Chief of Naval Operations from October 2000 to August 2003; the Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet from October 2003 to February 2005; Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) from February 2005 until March 2007; and Commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) from March 2007 until his retirement in March 2008.[8]. He previously flew the P-3C Orion. For example, NFOs only serve aboard multi-crew naval aircraft and as certain multi-crew aircraft are retired from the active inventory, NFOs can become displaced, as happened with the withdrawal of the A-6, EA-6B, F-4, F-14 and S-3 from active service. Rear Admiral Benjamin Thurman Hacker was the first NFO flag officer, having been selected in 1980. Filter by location to see Naval Flight Officer salaries in your area. Naval flight officers aid pilots by operating flight systems aboard Navy and Marine aircraft. All MC2 training is conducted in the Multi-Crew Simulator (MCS), a new simulator system that allows students to train independently, as a single-ship crew, or as a multi-ship mission. The United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS), located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, provides instruction to experienced United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and foreign military experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test flight officers in the processes and techniques of aircraft and systems testing and evaluation. Captain Dale Gardner was the first NFO to qualify and fly as a NASA Mission Specialist Astronaut aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-8. Related Article: Coast Guard Pilot Requirements. The training includes introductory flight training as well as specialized undergraduate pilot training. The naval aviator insignia is identical for all three branches, as are the similar naval astronaut and naval flight officer badges. They also receive monthly aviation pay and other allowances as well as retention bonuses. A Naval Flight Officer (NFO) is an aeronautically designated commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps that specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. Students get their first hands-on experience piloting a Beechcraft T-6B Texan II or T-34C Turbo Mentor. There are other unique disqualifiers like a history with asthma or hay fever. Carter's career as an aviator includes extensive time at sea, deploying around the globe in the F-4 Phantom II and the F-14 Tomcat. He was the first NFO appointed to the position of Deputy Commander (then DCINC), Naval Forces Europe and retired from that position in 2001. She was the first woman to command a U.S. Navy fleet, the U.S. 3rd Fleet. What a difficult question to answer for aspiring pilots considering both military branches! Airborne early warning (E-2 capabilities and mission overview), Air intercept control (airborne battlefield command and control, tactics, and strike techniques), Overwater navigation and communication procedures, Surface search and littoral surveillance (community overview, target identification, sensor employment), Electronic warfare and acoustic operations (EW introduction, sonar theory), Maritime patrol and reconnaissance (coordinated operations), Communications and operations (community overview, operations, strategic command structure), Contact phase (T-45 systems, emergency procedures, carrier operations, night operations, communications), Strike phase (air-to-ground radar, low level flying, mission planning, fuel awareness), Close air support phase (CAS procedures and communications), Basic fighter maneuver phase (BFM practice), All weather intercepts phase (air-to-air radar, air intercepts, GPS), One of key characters in the popular film, This page was last edited on 1 January 2021, at 15:47. Read the full article below to learn more about the requirements, training, duty stations, aircraft, and more of each military flight program. She previously flew the land-based EC-130Q Hercules and the E-6 Mercury TACAMO aircraft. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Candidates must also earn a passing score on the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test. SNFOs will train with Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard SNAs along with NATO and allied students in the SNA and SNFO tracks, and, periodically, with student naval flight surgeons. The F-22 Raptor is primarily used for air attacks as well as ground attacks, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence. Some of the most prominent stationary Naval bases for pilots include: Air Force pilots and Navy pilots both operate some incredible aircraft. Secondly, you need to meet physical requirements like: The Air Force also disqualifies candidates that are color blind, with poor depth perception or have received laser eye surgery. [2] NFOs in the US Navy all begin their careers as unrestricted line officers (URL), eligible for command at sea and ashore in the various naval aviation aircraft type/model/series (T/M/S) communities and, at a senior level, in command of carrier air wings and aircraft carriers afloat and functional air wings, naval air stations and other activities ashore. Flight officer was a United States Army Air Forces rank used during World War II, from 1942 to 1945; the rank being created on Sep 10, 1942 On 5 November 1942 military glider pilots were commissioned flight officers after the completion of their training. > A Naval Aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a pilot in the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps or United States Coast Guard. Pilots are officers so you need to attain that rank before advancing to pilot school. In addition, as avionics have become more advanced, the need for some multi-crew aircraft using one or more NFOs has been reduced. He retired in 2014.[9]. The only real distinction is in physical requirements: SNFOs may have less than 20/40 uncorrected distance vision. All SNFOs and SNAs start their aviation training with introductory flight screening (IFS). While there’s certainly no shortage of potential pilot candidates, the biggest issue plaguing both branches comes down to one thing: retention. A small number of US Navy NFOs have later opted for a lateral transfer to the restricted line (RL) as aeronautical engineering duty officers (AEDO), while continuing to retain their NFO designation and active flight status. Training consists of four phases: After primary, students who have selected E-2s or land-based maritime aviation (P-3, P-8, EP-3, E-6) check into VT-4 for advanced maritime command and control (MC2) training. The Navy maintains and operates more than 4,000 aircraft including carrier-based jets, land-based patrol and reconnaissance aircraft , transport planes and sea and land-based helicopters. See our advertising policy here. However, the majority of NFOs (as well as Naval Aviators) from aircraft being retired have historically been afforded the opportunity to transition to another aircraft platform, such as F-4 and F-14 transitions to the F/A-18D and F/A-18F, A-6 transitions to the EA-6B and S-3, S-3 transitions to the P-3/P-8, E-2 and F/A-18F, and EA-6B transitions to the EA-18G. The ground school portion lasts about two weeks and culminates with the student completing the FAA private pilot exam. Some current and recently retired naval aircraft with side-by-side seating are also authorized to operate under dual-piloted weather minimums with one pilot and one NFO. Colonel John C. Church, Sr., USMC (Ret.) He has landed on 19 different aircraft carriers, to include all 10 of the Nimitz class carriers. Students also spend just as much time in the classroom during introductory flight training learning concepts and flight techniques. It takes years to even get considered for pilot training which indicates how difficult it is to become a pilot. AF pilots also specialize in radar and intercept work as part of their air-to-air duties. The counterpart to the NFO in the United States Air Force is the combat systems officer (CSO), encompassing the previous roles of navigator, weapon systems officer and electronic warfare officer. Navy pilots take about the same amount of time as Air Force pilots to go from indoc to winging. He previously flew the F-4 Phantom II and the F/A-18 Hornet. Students are in classes such as introduction to basic aerodynamics, aviation weather, air navigation, flight rules and regulations, and aircraft engines and systems. However, given that there is a current shortage of pilots in both the Navy and Air Force, there has never been a better time to consider enlisting. Naval Flight Officer. Pilots traditionally serve on aircraft carriers yet plenty of stationary Naval bases also exist. (3) If assigned to service group III because of Primary 2 training is also done through VT-10. The United States Coast Guard had a short-lived NFO community in the 1980s and 1990s when it temporarily operated E-2C Hawkeye aircraft on loan from the Navy. Actual flight hours vary by rank, resources, and additional duties, but current numbers state that USAF pilots average 17.8 hours a month, with 20 hours considered optimal. But the NFO will be more studied on it and will be the actually doing it. Sitting height must be between 31 and 40.9 inches. USAF pilots also fly … Advertiser Disclosure: This site may be compensated through the advertiser affiliate program (at no cost to you). Their choices are: E-6B Mercury, P-3C Orion, EP-3E Aries II, and P-8A Poseidon. It’s just very difficult to compete with the airlines, which offer competitive pay, benefits, and a relaxed flying schedule. The Air Force takes very good care of its airmen, including its pristine and luxurious duty stations. Duty stations are places that service members report to during service. Commander, Naval Air Forces, Pacific presents Naval Flight Officers. He previously flew the A-6 Intruder. Naval Aviation Forum. Related Article: How To Join The Space Force. Later in his career, he was promoted to rear admiral and vice admiral, and was the first NFO to hold the since disestablished position of Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare (OP-05). In the F/A-18F Super Hornet and F/A-18D Hornet, the NFO position is known as the weapon systems officer (WSO) and may also be mission commander qualified. The Super Hornet has tremendous capabilities as it can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. I'd imagine this is equally true for E-2's and E-6's. NFOs are not formally trained to pilot the aircraft, although they do train in some dual-control aircraft and are given the opportunity to practice basic airmanship techniques. The basic requirements for selection to the Flight Officer Candidate indoctrination and training for college graduates. The Air Force or Navy – which military branch will you join? How To Choose The Right Military Branch For You, 25 percent short of fighter pilots needed in critical areas, Air Force Aerospace & Operational Physiology (4M0X1): Career Details, current shortage of 800 active-duty pilots, How To Get Into The US Naval Academy: 5 Challenging Steps, Which Branch Of The Military Should I Join? You'll study aerodynamics, aircraft engine systems, meteorology, navigation, flight planning and aircraft safety. Aspiring Navy pilots are between the ages of 19 and 31. As a captain, Vice Admiral Richard Dunleavy was the first NFO to command an aircraft carrier, the USS Coral Sea (CV 43). Naval flight officer is similar to these topics: United States Naval Aviator, Line officer, Captain (United States O-6) and more. The Air Force also has an esteem flight demonstration team known as the Thunderbirds. Navy pilots do possess the amazing skill of being able to land and take off from tricky aircraft carriers. The program will ultimately lead to an appointment on active duty as a Navy Ensign, designator 1320. Related Article – How To Get Into The US Naval Academy: 5 Challenging Steps. SNFOs progress through one or two of 4 strands, depending on what platform they select: The common navigation strand consists of: SNFOs report to VT-86 and fly the T-45C Goshawk. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, A-5A (formerly A3J-1), A-5B (formerly A3J-2) and RA-5C (formerly A3J-3P) Vigilante, EC-121 (formerly WV-2 and WV-3) Warning Star, SP-2E/H (formerly P2V-5 and P2V-7) Neptune, List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons, List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq_-Kd98axE, http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioID=535, http://www.goefoundation.org/eagles/biographies/d/358/Driscoll-William-P, https://library.sdsu.edu/sites/default/files/DriscollTranscriptPt1.pdf, http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio_ret.asp?bioID=109, https://115marinereunion.com/115_Commanding_Officers.pdf, https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-navy-has-retired-the-ea-6b-prowler-after-45-years-o-1715596340, http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VAQ/Electronic-Attack-Squadron-33, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naval_flight_officer&oldid=997647895, Articles needing additional references from February 2014, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Contact phase (aircraft systems, emergency procedures, basic communication, take-off/landing, ELPs, spins, precision aerobatics, course rules), Instrument phase (instrument flight procedures, flight planning, voice communication), Visual navigation phase (visual flight procedures, tactical route construction, precision aerobatics), Instrument phase (simulators and flights flown at a faster airspeed and used to bolster instrument procedures), Formation phase (ground school and flights used to introduce formation flying, tactical maneuvers, parade sequence, etc. Pilot training takes place in two stages at the Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base (San Antonio). He later served in four separate 4-star assignments, to include command of two unified combatant commands. Then they are assigned to a new military base where they will learn to master the aircraft they are assigned. While both fly fighters, Navy pilots use smaller aircraft for use on aircraft carriers. The biggest difference between the Air Force and Navy pilot training is that Navy pilots also need to learn the extra skill of landing on aircraft carriers. Here are a few fast facts about Air Force pilots: Related Article – How To Get Into The Air Force Academy. Introductory flight training involves 25 hours of hands-on flying for ROTC or Officer Training School graduates that lack a civilian pilot’s license. Navy pilot training continues with Training Air Wing Five at NAS Whiting Field (Florida) or Training Air Wing Four at NAS Corpus Christi (Texas). The F-15C Eagle is a twin-engine jet that originates from the early 1970s and is still used heavily in the Air Force. Often, a senior NFO is paired with a junior pilot (and vice versa). From there, prospective Pilots and NFOs attend primary flight training. USAF pilots also fly cargo and test aircraft. Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. The national average salary for a Naval Flight Officer is $95,087 in United States. Air Force pilots get considered more specialized because of their air-to-air role. Aviator is split into a couple of categories, There is Pilot and NFO (Naval Flight Officer) for non Pilot Officers and then of course the Enlisted Aircrew, but they are all technically Naval Aviators. The Air Force also has state-of-the-art international bases in places such as Incirlik, Turkey, and Bagram, Afghanistan. Learning how to land on aircraft carriers is a challenging, time-consuming, and dangerous type of training that some SNAs are unable to master. All Student NFOs begin primary training at Training Squadron TEN (VT-10), flying the T-6A Texan II trainer, eventually moving on to advanced training at Training Squadron 4 (VT-4) or Training Squadron 86 (VT-86). In the EP-3E Aries, NFOs are initially designated as navigators (NAV) and eventually upgrade to electronic warfare officer/signals evaluator (EWO SEVAL) and EWO/SEVAL/mission commander (SEVAL/MC). He accumulated 6,150 flight hours in F-4, F-14, and F/A-18 aircraft during his career and safely completed 2,016 carrier-arrested landings, the record among all active and retired U.S. Rear Admiral Stanley W. Bryant was the first NFO selected for the Navy's Nuclear Power Program as a Commander in 1986. As a student Naval Flight Officer, you'll get specialty training on the most advanced tactical systems and complex communications systems found in all Navy aircraft. Related Article: Which Branch Of The Military Should I Join? The pilot is responsible for safety of flight and will know a lot about the mission. was the first NFO to command a Marine F-4 squadron. The stick and rudder skills, along with the intense focus and training that makes landing on an aircraft carrier an impressive feat to watch. What Was Your Primary Reason For Joining The Military? Currently, the Air Force has 12,500 pilots on active duty, while the Navy maintains a force of 7,000 active duty pilots. They specialize in sensor systems and airborne weapons. It is among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat. As a 3-star vice admiral, he was the first NFO to command a numbered fleet, the U.S. 2nd Fleet. Students complete approximately 14 hours of flight training in a single engine aircraft, including a solo flight. It is a much shorter syllabus and consists of two phases: After graduating from primary 2, SNFOs will select: E-2C/D Hawkeye selectees will continue on to the advanced maritime command and control curriculum at VT-4, while jet selectees will continue to intermediate training and remain at VT-10. Although it is true that Naval Aviators can also transition their piloting expertise into civilian careers as commercial airline pilots and that NFOs are not able to similarly translate their skills into this career field unless augmented by associated FAA pilot certificates, the military aviation career opportunities of NFOs remain on par with their Naval Aviator counterparts, as do their post-military career prospects in the civilian sector in defense, aviation & aerospace, as well as other career pursuits beyond that of commercial airline pilot. Upon completion of strand training, students receive their "wings of gold" and are aeronautically designated as naval flight officers. Another former NFO who retrained and qualified as a Naval Aviator also achieved four star rank as a Marine Corps general, commanded U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and later served as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS). Many NFOs achieve flight/section lead, division lead, package lead, mission lead and mission commander qualification, even when the pilot of the aircraft does not have that designation. Here are some of the most prominent Air Force bases in the world: Some of the finest international AF bases include: Related Article: Army Helicopter Pilot Requirements. Meanwhile, the F-22 Raptor looks as cool as its name. NFOs serve as weapon systems officers (WSOs), electronic warfare officers (EWO), electronic countermeasures officers (ECMO), tactical coordinators (TACCO), bombardiers, and navigators. Navy pilots traditionally serve on aircraft carriers at sea, or military bases on shores like the East and West Coast. NFOs have also served as instructors in the twin-seat F-5F Tiger II at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (now part of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC)) and as instructors in twin-seat F/A-18Bs in USN and USMC F/A-18 fleet replacement squadrons and the Navy Fighter Weapons School. Those entering aviation programs must first attend Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, RI, and then complete a six-week air indoctrination course at Naval Aviation Schools Command, in Pensacola, FL. Your email address will not be published. Anyways, I am still not sure whether or not I want to be a pilot or NFO. When platform selection is complete, all SNFOs remain at VT-4 for "strand" training. He retired in 2018. In a two-seat aircraft, the other officer (who navigates and operates the weapon systems) is called an "N.F.O." Initial pilot training in the Navy lasts approximately six months. And I think I'm the only one in my unit that actually wanted to be an NFO at one point in time! General qualifications may vary depending upon whether you’re currently serving, whether … Until 1966, their duties were performed by both commissioned officer and senior enlisted naval aviation observers (NAO).[1]. There is currently a shortage of qualified pilots in both branches. They function as the advance liaison (ADVON) at all air show sites and the events coordinator provides backup support to the narrator during all aerial demonstrations. Colonel Church, "the Silver Fox", had served with VFMA 115 during the Vietnam War and he and his pilot Captain James "Rebel" Denton were shot down. This is an operational flying billet for this officer and he or she flies the twin-seat F/A-18D "Blue Angel 7" aircraft (which replaced the F/A-18B previously used) with the team's advance pilot/narrator. Candidates also need to have a Bachelor’s degree in science from an accredited college or university. They can serve as aircraft mission commanders, although in accordance with the OPNAVINST 3710 series of instructions, the pilot in command, regardless of rank, is always responsible for the safe piloting of the aircraft. Salaries of Military Pilot Officers. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing about military related topics. All Rights Reserved. Students advance to one of four training tracks based on class standing. The single-seat version while the F/A 18F is tandem carriers yet serving on one is a battle between where. Both commissioned officer and senior enlisted naval naval flight officer vs pilot team used heavily in the Navy and USAF paid. Training may take place at Columbus AFB ( Mississippi ), Vance AFB ( Texas ). [ 10.. ( NAO ). [ 10 ] from 1983 to 1984 strand for MPR and 's. 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