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Naval Aviator Insignia

A United States Naval Aviator is a pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.

Contents

Naming Conventions

Naval Aviator is a term strictly used for either commissioned officer or warrant officer pilots. There is currently a very small program that trains a small number of select chief warrant officers as Naval Aviators. Until 1981 the Navy and Marine Corps also had a small number of senior enlisted personnel trained as pilots. Such individuals were referred to as Naval Aviation Pilots or "NAPs." The Naval Aviation Pilot badge, while considered a separate award, was identical in design and color to the Naval Aviator badge.1 The NAPs have a fraternity known as the Silver Eagles2.

Occasionally, the term Naval Aviator is improperly used to refer to both naval pilots and Naval Flight Officers.

Prerequisites

Except for an extremely small number of enlisted personnel selected for flight school, Student Naval Aviators must first obtain an officer commission. To become a Naval or Marine Corps Aviator, you must be between the ages of 19 and 26 at the time you enter flight training. Adjustments (waivers) can be made up to 24 months for those with prior service, and up to 48 months for those already in the military at the time of application3.Naval Officers are commissioned through three sources: the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at a number of universities across the country, Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, RI, or via U.S. Marine Officer accession programs. Coast Guard Officers receive their commissions either from the United States Coast Guard Academy or Officer Candidate School, both located in New London, CT. Graduates of these programs are commissioned as Navy Ensigns, Coast Guard Ensigns, or Marine Second Lieutenants. Individuals must pass an aeronautical screening and be selected for pilot training prior to being designated as Student Naval Aviators (SNAs).

Training and Designation

Student Naval Aviators (SNAs) progress through a significant training syllabus – typically 18 months to two years – en route to becoming designated Naval Aviators. This includes ground and flight training at numerous locations.

Initial Flight Screening (IFS)

IFS is the first step to becoming a Naval Aviator. All new flight school students first enroll in a civilian flight school (normally near NAS Pensacola) for 25 hours of flight training in small general aviation aircraft. The student must solo and complete at least one cross country flight. The purpose of IFS is to screen all students to see their aptitude for flight in actual aircraft, before sending them through all of flight school. Students who already have a Private Pilot Certificate skip IFS and go straight to Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API).

Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API)

All SNAs start at the "Cradle of Naval Aviation", Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. There SNAs (along with Naval Flight Officers) receive classroom instruction in aerodynamics, aircraft engines and systems, meteorology, navigation, and flight rules and regulations. They also receive field instruction in survival tactics, survival swimming, and aviation physiology. API is currently a 6 week long program.

Primary Flight Training

Following API completion, SNAs are assigned to Primary Flight Training at NAS Whiting Field, Florida or Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas where they learn to fly the T-34C Turbo Mentor. A small percentage of SNAs attend Primary Flight Training with the United States Air Force flying the T-6A Texan II at Vance Air Force Base as part of a joint USN-USAF training effort(JPATS). Primary teaches the SNA the basics of flying, is approximately six months long, and is divided into the following stages:

  • Ground School (aircraft systems, local course rules, emergency procedures)
  • Familiarization (take-off/landing, limited maneuvers, spins)
  • Basic Instruments (common instrument scans, used during maneuvers)
  • Precision Aerobatics (aileron roll, loop, 1/2 Cuban eight, barrel roll, wingover, split-s, Immelman, etc.)
  • Formation (basic section flight, cruise formation flight)
  • Radio Instrument Navigation
  • Night Familiarization
  • Visual Navigation

Intermediate and Advanced Flight Training

Upon successful completion of Primary Flight Training, SNAs are selected for one of four Intermediate Flight Training paths: E-6B Mercury, multi-engine propeller / maritime aircraft, helicopters, or "Tailhook" aircraft. Selection is based upon the needs of the service (USN, USMC, etc.), the SNAs performance, and finally, the SNAs preference.

  • Only a small number are selected for further training leading to assignment in the E-6B. These SNAs transfer to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma for training in the T-1 Jayhawk.

Tailhook Syllabus

Student Naval Aviators selected for Tailhook training are assigned to Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas or Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi flying the T-45C or T-45A. The syllabus incorporates basic instrument flying, formation, night familiarization and airway navigation over approximately 58 graded flights lasting approximately 27 weeks. At the completion of the Tailhook syllabus, approximately 30% of those student aviators are selected for Advanced Strike training, leading ultimately to tactical jets (like the F/A-18] or AV-8B). The remaining 70% receive further training in the E2/C2 pipeline, ultimately leading to assignment flying either the E-2C or C-2A.

Advanced Strike Pipeline

Advanced Strike students continue with approximately 67 additional graded flights lasting approximately 23 weeks in the T-45A/C. The syllabus covers bombing, Air combat maneuvering (ACM), advanced instruments, low-level navigation, tactical formation flying (TACFORM), and Carrier Qualification (CQ) (see Modern US Navy carrier operations. Graduates of Advanced Strike will fly versions of the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, EA-18G Growler and AV-8B Harrier II. In addition to current aircraft, this pipeline will eventually produce pilots for the F-35 Lightning II.

Advanced Strike previously produced pilots for the since-retired F-8 Crusader, F-4 Phantom II, F-14 Tomcat, A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair II and RA-5C Vigilante. No further Advanced Strike students will be sent to train in the S-3 Viking, scheduled for retirement in January, 2009.

E2/C2 Pipeline

E2/C2 students go straight to CQ in the T-45 Goshawk with approximately 20 additional graded flights over 8 weeks. Upon successful CQ, E2/C2 students go to NAS Corpus Christi to complete multi-crew and multi-engine training (approx. 16 weeks) in the T-44A or TC-12 Huron. Following winging, they will go on to fly the E-2 Hawkeye or C-2 Greyhound.

Rotary-Wing Pipeline

Student pilots selected for helicopter training report to NAS Whiting Field, Florida and complete advanced training in the helicopter training squadrons at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida flying the TH-57 Sea Ranger. Students learn the unique characteristics and tactics of rotary-wing aviation, to include basic instrument flying, night familiarization (including use of night vision goggles or NVGs) and airways navigation. They are also introduced to shipboard landing on the Helo Landing Trainer (HLT), the Navy’s only ship dedicated to teaching helo pilots how to land onboard a moving vessel for Deck Landing Qualifications (DLQ). Once they receive their Wings of Gold, Navy helicopter pilots report to their respective Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the SH-60 Seahawk, HH-60 Seahawk, MH-60 Knighthawk or MH-53 Sea Stallion training. Marine Corps helicopter pilots report to an AH-1 Sea Cobra, CH-46 Sea Knight, CH-53 Sea Stallion, UH-1 Huey or MV-22 Osprey FRS, while Coast Guard helicopter pilots will report to the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama for the further training on the HH-60J Jayhawk, HH-65 Dolphin or MH-68 Stingray. The Navy also trains pilots from several NATO and other allied nations as military and naval helicopter pilots.4

Land-Based Syllabus

Maritime Pipeline

Maritime students complete their advanced training at NAS Corpus Christi flying the twin engine T-44A Pegasus or TC-12 Huron. Particular emphasis is placed on single-engine flight in varying conditions. Upon receiving their Wings of Gold, Navy pilots report to the P-3 Orion Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the P-3 and EP-3. Marine Corps pilots report to the KC-130 FRS, while Coast Guard pilots destined for the HC-130 will report to an Air Force C-130 Formal Training Unit (FTU) at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas or Dobbins ARB, Georgia. In addition to training all Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard Maritime pilots, VT-31 and VT-35 trains U.S. Air Force student pilots bound for C-130 duty. Coast Guard HU-25 Guardian pilots report to the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile, AL for a 5 week transition course before reporting to their fleet assignment.

Similarly, Navy E-6 Mercury TACAMO pilots complete advanced training in the T-1A Jayhawk, a militarized version of the Beechcraft 400, complete with digital cockpit displays. This training is done at the Air Force’s 32nd Flying Training Squadron at Vance AFB, Oklahoma.

The Maritime Pipeline will also eventually produce pilots for the Boeing P-8 Poseidon.

Community Selection and Winging

Upon completion of flight training, a final selection process takes place in which the Student Naval Aviators are assigned a particular fleet aircraft community (e.g., F/A-18 or EA-6B for Strike, SH-60 or CH-53 for Rotary-Wing, P-3 or E-6 for Maritime, etc.). This selection is also based upon the needs of the service and performance. SNAs are designated as Naval Aviators and are awarded the Naval Aviator insignia in a "winging" ceremony. Newly-designated Naval Aviators (no longer referred to as "students") are then assigned to a Fleet Replacement Squadron for training on their specific aircraft type. Currently, approximately 1,000 pilots are designated each year, and between 1910 and 1995 more than 153,000 Naval Aviators earned their "wings of gold".1

Fleet Assignments

Upon completion of FRS training, Naval Aviators are assigned to a fleet squadron – either ship or land based – in their type aircraft. In addition to flying, Naval Aviators also hold one or many “collateral” duties of increasing responsibility such as Legal Officer, Maintenance Division Officer, Training Officer, etc. Initial fleet assignments typically last approximately three years.

Shore Rotation

After completing a successful tour in the Fleet, Naval Aviators complete a “shore-duty” tour typically as a flight instructor, adversary pilot, or staff officer. Some complete further military schooling or are assigned specialized flight duty (e.g. foreign exchange pilot, Test Pilot, Blue Angels, presidential support in HMX-1, etc.). Typical Navy shore rotations are approximately two and a half years long, after which time personnel return to the fleet for another fleet rotation. At around the time of the second sea tour, Naval Aviators are typically eligible to separate from active service (and/or elect to join the Naval Reserve) or re-obligate for additional service. Re-obligating is often accompanied with an incentive monetary bonus.

Service Obligation

The service obligation for Naval Aviators depends on their platform and is between 6 and 8 years after winging.

Reserve Naval Aviators

Naval Reserve Naval Aviators all come from the active ranks. They fly fleet type aircraft as well as aircraft exclusive to the reserve force. These include the F-5 Tiger II used for adversary support, and the larger cargo or transport aircraft such as the C-9 Skytrain, C-12 Huron, C-20D Gulfstream III, C-20G Gulfstream IV, C-35 Citation] or C-40 Clipper. These aircraft are used to transport cargo and personnel, including dignitaries and senior leaders.

Aircraft Carrier Commanding Officer

By law, US aircraft carrier Commanding Officers must be designated Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers. Prior to assuming command of the largest warships on earth, these officers first command smaller ships or be executive officer of an aircraft carrier and go through an extensive training syllabus in ship handling and nuclear propulsion.

Naval Astronauts

Naval Aviators that fly in space are designated Naval Astronauts, and are issued the Naval version of the Astronaut Badge.

Aircraft

Fixed Wing

U.S. Navy

USMC

U.S. Coast Guard

Rotary Wing

U.S. Navy

USMC

U.S. Coast Guard

See also

United States Marine Corps portal
United States Navy portal

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
  1. ^ a b http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP01.PDF
  2. ^ http://www.vpnavy.org/silver_eagles_intro.html
  3. ^ http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/l/blpilotage.htm
  4. ^ https://www.cnatra.navy.mil/training_pilot.htm
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