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Stand By For A Fighter Pilot
By Slab
On my last deployment, one of my jobs as a JTAC* was to be the link between the pilots and the ground commander that I was supporting. Since ANGLICO has developed sort of a quasi-squadron atmosphere, I have started to learn a little bit more about what life is like for the pilots. Let me tell you, on the ground side we have a few misconceptions about what they do. In the words of one of my fellow ANGLICO JTACs, "I thought they just sat around drinking coffee all day, until it was time to get in the plane and go."
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing recently had a pretty good article about daily life for the pilots of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251, or VMFA-251. VMFA-251 is on deployment aboard an aircraft carrier as part of Carrier Air Wing One, Carrier Strike Group Twelve. A detachment from 251 has been sent ashore and is operating in support of I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) from Al Asad, Iraq.
For pilots, their days vary depending on the flight schedule. One could say, a pilot's day is anything but routine.
...
An average scheduled flight takes about 11 hours to plan, execute and de-brief.
You can read the rest of the article here. For those of us "dirt people" who have not had the opportunity to work with aviators on a regular basis, I hope this gives you a little better understanding of what they do in support of you. After working with some of these guys, I can tell you that there is very little they will not do to help out the troops on the ground.
* In the Marine Corps, we have FACs and JTACs. A Forward Air Controller (FAC) is an aviator who is assigned to a ground unit to provide terminal control of aircraft conducting close air support for friendly forces. A JTAC is a ground combat arms officer or staff NCO who is trained and qualified to do the same.
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Comments
Great to see some ANGLICO's online. My grandfather was one way back in Korea.
After working with some of these guys, I can tell you that there is very little they will not do to help out the troops on the ground.
Anyone who wonders what aviators do and how they really feel about the ground-pounders... take a stroll through Lex's archives.
yup, Lex is the man. Even went to Fighter Weapons School...that's "Goose" with two Os...
I'm still having a hard time forgiving him for his choice of colleges though.
Lightning, you know that Lex COULD have gone to VMI...but decided on that quaint trade school in Annapolis instead?
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Thanks for the hat-tip to the Air Wing. As a ground Marine (VietNam era), I too had certain impressions about life in the Wing. Since my son started training as a WSO in the F/A-18D I've learned a few things. One is the sheer volume of work that goes into even a simple flight. The second, and I admit this both surprised and touched me, is the absolute dedication that Marine flight crews have to their brothers on the ground. Most of them define their primary purpose in life as "keeping Marines alive".