Posted on Sep 28, 2015
What do you think about having enlisted drone pilots in the USAF?
78.7K
137
89
14
14
0
A lot of info here about the RPA career field any how the decision will be made in 2016 on whether or not to allow enlisted Airman to be RPA pilots...possibly even fly conventional aircraft in the future.
With all of the changes over the years with enlisted jobs being switched to officer jobs such as Sensor Operators on AC-130s and enlisted Weapons Directors being taken off of AWACS what are your thoughts on this subject?
http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/careers/air-force/enlisted/2015/09/28/enlisted-drone-pilots-decision-expected-early-next-year/72806812/
With all of the changes over the years with enlisted jobs being switched to officer jobs such as Sensor Operators on AC-130s and enlisted Weapons Directors being taken off of AWACS what are your thoughts on this subject?
http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/careers/air-force/enlisted/2015/09/28/enlisted-drone-pilots-decision-expected-early-next-year/72806812/
Flying
Pilot
Enlisted
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 39
24
24
0
Re-instate Warrant Officers and promote into these billets after "flight" school
(24)
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
That I've long thought was most definitely desirable...when I was in, they were being stopped in USAF, which, to me at least, made virtually zero sense...even USPHS is allowed them by statute, though has never sought to use them...to me, not making use of such grades seems an utter waste, if Army and the other svc s can use them, I see no reason why IS AT and USPHS shoukdnt, by allmeans, esp USAF for both pilot and nav/WSO spots, absolutely...Navy has their enlisted pilot program in WW2, as well as naval observer, which my Dad very nearly went for...as I'd said, total lunacy to me to not make use of those grades...if an associates needs to be a requirement, unlike Army allowing only high school, as I'd read, for rotary wing aviation, so be it, however, the grades themselves should most definitely be reinstated, to my way of thinking, at least, though, of course, no one's gonna listen to me, obviously, I entirely realize that, certainly....
(1)
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
Enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots (NAP) History
Introduction to listings of U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard enlisted receiving the designation of Naval Aviation Pilot (NAP) from 1917 to 1947
(0)
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
The Observer Badge is a military badge of the United States armed forces dating from the First World War. The badge was issued to co-pilots, navigators, and flight support personnel who had received a variation in the training required for the standard Pilot's Badge. The Observer Badge survived through the Second World War and into the 1950s, at which time the concept of an Observer Badge was phased out in favor of the modern Aircrew Badge and...
(0)
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
https://getsnap.link/W8odSXq7d11
I use SnapTube, a freebie version of youtube, however, the film is called Against the Sun, a true story of Naval enlisted aviators crashing into the Pacific in WW2, the NCOIC got I think the EFF for saving his crew, I believe, you should be able to find it on YouTube directly, as well....
I use SnapTube, a freebie version of youtube, however, the film is called Against the Sun, a true story of Naval enlisted aviators crashing into the Pacific in WW2, the NCOIC got I think the EFF for saving his crew, I believe, you should be able to find it on YouTube directly, as well....
(0)
(0)
19
19
0
Having a baccalaureate degree has absolutely NO bearing on ones ability to fly a drone, unless Drone flying was their major in college!
(19)
(0)
CW5 Edward "Tate" Jones Jr.
In fact the Army started the RPV/UAV/UAS (Drone) program WITH enlisted pilots and system operators. Piloting was then taken over by Aviation Branch and that ended that, unfortunately. However, INTEL birds operate with a combination of Aviation Pilots and INTEL Systems operators at this point and the system appears to work adequately.
(0)
(0)
12
12
0
I don't really have a particular issue with a drone pilot being enlisted or an officer. My guess for why pilots have traditionally been officers is two-fold. One for the leadership aspect in a multi-crewed aircraft (not an issue with any current drones) and two for "aptitude" for education. They know an officer made it through 4 years of college and has a "better" chance of making it through flight school. To start with far more enlisted personnel have degrees than ever before, and second I don't know that making it through college is a good indicator anymore anyways.
Long story short it doesn't particularly bother me.
Long story short it doesn't particularly bother me.
(12)
(0)
MSG Brad Sand
LCDR (Join to see)
I think the a third reason why one might argue why a Commissioned Officer was placed behind the stick of an aircraft was to make the on spot call as an officer and gentleman. With a drone pilot being supervised...maybe a half a world away...these issues are removed.
I think the a third reason why one might argue why a Commissioned Officer was placed behind the stick of an aircraft was to make the on spot call as an officer and gentleman. With a drone pilot being supervised...maybe a half a world away...these issues are removed.
(0)
(0)
LTC Paul Labrador
SFC James Barnes - that is true nowadays, but when a lot of these regs and "traditions" were instituted, the enlisted ranks were nowhere near as educated as they are today. Back in WW2 and Korea (and before), you'd be lucky if half your enlisted men had HS diplomas, let alone college, so the requirement to have a commission (which carried with it the requirement for a post-HS education) made sense. That is not the case nowadays, and maybe the regs need to be re-looked at.
(1)
(0)
SSgt John Carter
The Army has had Warrant Officer helicopter pilots since the Korean War, not only are they successful, many have been awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroic service as pilots.
(0)
(0)
CW5 Edward "Tate" Jones Jr.
Very few Army WO pilots start their flying careers with degrees. Career development and advancement potential pressures in the Army today STRONGLY encourage continuing education but a high percentage of WO Aviation candidates are recruited right out of High School.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google