Fair enough ShyT, if thats what the manual says then that's that I suppose, ordinarily.
The Gazelle and Lynx are single pilot helicopters anyway, so I can see Shy T s point there, in the crewing requirement for the more 'complicated' aircraft. (please explain)
However the definition of 'pilot', possibly can be what the 'service' decides it to be surely?
brandnew,
Our Door Gunners / Door Sliders are Private Soldiers. The Air Corps has never seen the need to give someone three stripes and entry into the Sgts Mess just because then can operate a Door Handle. We have Pilots of that Rank and below!
That is of course apart from the L/Cpls, Cpls, Sgts who are door gunners.
I realise that they are MT/Sigs on 'flying duties' with no recognition of aircrew status, associated manning plot problems and not life insured for flying duties, etc.
As for the door handle line, well you could have fooled me!!!
Anyway, where did the rank thing come into it?
You could quite easily have a L/Cpl or Cpl as the second pilot, with a suitable type rating course and ground instruction to back that up. Ticks in boxes, second pilot/navigator.
(at less cost in pay and they wont clog up the mess!)
In summary
What is the line between aircrewman and pilot?
Why does Blackhawk need 2 pilots?
Is rank an issue?
These door handles, are they the push/pull types that I always get wrong, or handles that operate a catch of some sort?
SS