Lets face it anyone could operate from a ship, the FAA have proved it!!
Having served in 2 different CVS (on 4 or 5 different tours) I lost count of the number of RAF GR7/9 pilots complaining that they "didn't join the RAF to go to sea".
How many light blue are prepared to remain at 48hours notice to embark in a FF/DD for up to 10 months continuously? (yes, including during your leave periods.)
How many, once embarked, would be prepared to fly 300 miles at night to a foreign airfield and then another 300 miles back, arriving at that Ship with no diversion fuel to land on a deck no more than 15 feet longer than your aircraft which is moving at 15 knots and also pitching and rolling in and out of limits?
How about when you're embarked, you're at AL 60 for SAR any time the Ship is at Sea?
Or even when you're not flying you could be called upon to don a BA set and conduct a re-entry into a burning compartment, or a flooded one?
Anyone thinking this is not routine for a FAA crew is sorely mistaken and I invite anyone who thinks this is easy to request an exchange tour to an FF/DD flight. We could use the extra personnel.
Perhaps anyone
could, but the FAA
do.