OCU Ab Initio Pilot Training

[Wander00]

ISTR a mention on some previous thread suggesting that some navigators were re-trained as pilots on one (or more) OCUs, and that the programme was "very successful". Never heard of this before, and wondered if anyone could verify and expand on the topic. Thanks.

[Ken Scott]

Quite a number of navs have been re-trained as pilots but by completing the whole flying training system, I can't imagine that any just jumped into the front seat on an OCU. Airmanship & experience can take you a long way but not that far.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Sounds ridiculously expensive to teach stalling in an FJ, and impossible to teach spinning on most types.
To quote the Fast Show
"It's all bollocks, innit?"

[T6NL]

Don't have any knowledge of this in the FJ world, but I think it did happen on the VC10 about 15 years ago......BEagle I guess you'd be the best to give us all the full story?!

[Tiger_mate]

A lot of Rotary Navs were restreamed Rotary pilot and a few went en-route to fixed wing types after a rotary tour. I dont think that there was a plonker amongst them, although this is Pprune and I stand by to be corrected.

Fixed wing pilot conversion was not available to them immediately upon restreaming. The 'project' to fill helicopter front seats with only pilots at a time when rotary pilots were not in abundance, was a success.

[Dan Winterland]

It was tried on several fleets (inc FJ) with varying success. I think only a few Helo and the VC 10 chap passed. The latter was awarded his wings in a small ceremony at Brize and he was already flying on the Sqn when the red and white world got hold of the news and he had to go back to fly the Jetstream for a bit before being allowed to continue on the Sqn. He's now. B777 pilot for BA.

[Dan Winterland]

I should have mentioned that he had a couple of hundred hours piloting civil aircraft and a CPL before he changed seat. Also, I know one of the Helo navs who was a chopped pilot.

[just another jocky]

Not so sure about "very successful", but it was done to at least one FJ Nav I know.

TTTE Instructor (1st half of Tornado GR1 OCU), sat in the front seat of a trainer variant for a few trips (not sure of number, 20 or so I think), then went 'solo' with a Nav in the back seat.

It's not often you get a FJ airborne without a single qualified pilot on board, but I saw it happen. :eek: Twice iirc.

Anyway, they sent him to the OCU and it didn't work out, not surprisingly, as his formation and a few other areas simply didn't have the depth of experience you'd get from going through the full FTS.

[Wensleydale]

I also remember a (failed) attempt to place a fighter controller into the back seat of an F3.

[Background Noise]

Anyway, they sent him to the OCU and it didn't work out, not surprisingly, as his formation and a few other areas simply didn't have the depth of experience you'd get from going through the full FTS.

But he subsequently went through 'proper' pilot training and did very well.

[Fixed Cross]

Hi All. I've posted on this subject in the past. Several back seaters successfully converted to the front and some went on to fly fast jets (I'm certain of these facts because I was one of them). However, all of us had to complete the normal pilot training syllabus without any attempts to short cut the procedure. I do remember having a distinct advantage over my colleagues on the course as a consequence of three years in the back of a Javelin but then some on the course already had PPLs.

I cannot imagine any rear seater, no matter how extensive the experience, flying operationally in any role as a pilot without the full flying training process.

And it was bl**dy good fun!

[Background Noise]

I think we've strayed off the point here - the original question was have any navs trained as pilots on the OCU. Plenty have re-roled through normal channels.

[Pontius Navigator]

I also remember a (failed) attempt to place a fighter controller into the back seat of an F3.

And a fighter controller in the back of a Shack, that wasn't wholly successful either. (Jock sounding name - MacPlonker of some such) :p

[Darvan]

I know of a few buccaneer navs who became pilots (some single seat) but none of them took a short cut. All went through the full syllabi at Linton, Valley and then an OCU.

[ancientaviator62]

Not just Navigators have re roled to pilot. On the Herc we had ex Siggies, Air Engs and ALMs. But all of them went through the normal pilot training scheme.

[Wander00]

Not trying to attack the system, I just remember a post on another thread that mentioned it in passing and it crossed my mind when there was nothing else in the way - not so much of a problem these days. But all the inputs have been very interesting. Many thanks.