How much of being a fighter pilot do you believe is genetic?
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I’m assuming it was all genetic - given how easy it was and how good we were. 😉
It would save a lot of time if you could do a quick blood test and from that weed out all the twin seaters.
It would save a lot of time if you could do a quick blood test and from that weed out all the twin seaters.
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Originally Posted by dook
As we used to say in Fighter Command:
big watch - big d..k - pay by cheque.
big watch - big d..k - pay by cheque.
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Orca #21 Love It!! You learn something every day.
And there was I thinking that all that was required was to be hirsute, have prehensile toes and a fondness for bananas.
Brian48nav #15
If you add "suave and urbane" you get the VC10 Nav rather than the "Duelling Banjos" Herc Nav.
And there was I thinking that all that was required was to be hirsute, have prehensile toes and a fondness for bananas.
Brian48nav #15
If you add "suave and urbane" you get the VC10 Nav rather than the "Duelling Banjos" Herc Nav.
Last edited by Tengah Type; 7th Feb 2019 at 17:26.
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Originally Posted by Brian 48nav
My ex-fighter pilot son is first born, 6'4" and reckoned he was the 'G King' when he was on Jaguars ( 2000-09 ) - big ego and I believe well-hung - I stopped checking when he overtook me at about 12 months old!
Don't know about genetics - when I had a go at a PPL just before taking my 8yr option I was absolutely useless. Perhaps my dearly beloved passed on the FP genes?
He's certainly " God's gift to women " - or so he keeps telling us!
Don't know about genetics - when I had a go at a PPL just before taking my 8yr option I was absolutely useless. Perhaps my dearly beloved passed on the FP genes?
He's certainly " God's gift to women " - or so he keeps telling us!
Originally Posted by Pontius Navigator
Oh dear, Fighter pilot and Jaguar in the same sentence 😁
CG
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
I don’t believe it did so in the 50-70s, it was just that Darwin weeded out those that shouldn’t procreate.
Not sure since then, but the retreat from low level and increasing use of data-links, pods and other systems seem to indicate that, as in billionaires and elsewhere the geeks are taking over the world.....
Not sure since then, but the retreat from low level and increasing use of data-links, pods and other systems seem to indicate that, as in billionaires and elsewhere the geeks are taking over the world.....
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BomberH
Did you never meet a WIWOL ( or BEagle ) who told you what a REAL FIGHTER PILOT was ? It did not involve mud moving, but did involve lots of hand movements in the bar,, while describing various combat manoeuvres.
Did you never meet a WIWOL ( or BEagle ) who told you what a REAL FIGHTER PILOT was ? It did not involve mud moving, but did involve lots of hand movements in the bar,, while describing various combat manoeuvres.
Originally Posted by Brian 48nav
My ex-fighter pilot son is first born, 6'4" and reckoned he was the 'G King' when he was on Jaguars ( 2000-09 ) - big ego and I believe well-hung - I stopped checking when he overtook me at about 12 months old!
Don't know about genetics - when I had a go at a PPL just before taking my 8yr option I was absolutely useless. Perhaps my dearly beloved passed on the FP genes?
He's certainly " God's gift to women " - or so he keeps telling us!
Don't know about genetics - when I had a go at a PPL just before taking my 8yr option I was absolutely useless. Perhaps my dearly beloved passed on the FP genes?
He's certainly " God's gift to women " - or so he keeps telling us!
BTW one of my intake made fun of another, who wanted to be a helicopter pilot, saying he would rather m**t**b*te than fly a helicopter. He ended up being a helicopter pilot, and rescued 44 men off a burning oil rig, 2 at a time. Not always the fighter pilots that have the b**ls!
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Originally Posted by Tengah Type
BomberH
Did you never meet a WIWOL ( or BEagle ) who told you what a REAL FIGHTER PILOT was ? It did not involve mud moving, but did involve lots of hand movements in the bar,, while describing various combat manoeuvres.
Did you never meet a WIWOL ( or BEagle ) who told you what a REAL FIGHTER PILOT was ? It did not involve mud moving, but did involve lots of hand movements in the bar,, while describing various combat manoeuvres.
Hand movements like in this video?
Uncertain what BEagle has to do with real Fighter Pilots.........
My QFI at BFT was a WIWOL - excellent chap.
Absolutely nothing against them - they were great in their time.
But life goes on.
I did a bit of Jaguar, but mostly Harrier, plus a bit of USN and USAF, both on exchange, obviously.
I mixed with some pretty good fighter pilots in my time - unsure of their genetics though, to go back to the thread.
But CG is clearly a perceptive and intelligent individual.
My QFI at BFT was a WIWOL - excellent chap.
Absolutely nothing against them - they were great in their time.
But life goes on.
I did a bit of Jaguar, but mostly Harrier, plus a bit of USN and USAF, both on exchange, obviously.
I mixed with some pretty good fighter pilots in my time - unsure of their genetics though, to go back to the thread.
But CG is clearly a perceptive and intelligent individual.
Bit harsh, BomberH? Admittedly I only achieved 619 hrs on fighters (Hunter and F-4), plus another 146 on the Hawk - which is NOT a fighter to my mind. 47 on the Bucc too...
Anyway, you can take the man out of the fighter, but not the fighter out of the man!
I was chatting to an ex-Luftwaffe F-104 mate yesterday - and it wasn't long before the hands were moving!
Anyway, you can take the man out of the fighter, but not the fighter out of the man!
I was chatting to an ex-Luftwaffe F-104 mate yesterday - and it wasn't long before the hands were moving!
To answer the OP:
None of it. Had plenty of students in training with quite a bit of talent, or even natural talent, who washed out due to two problems:
1. Inability to learn quickly
2. Failure to work hard.
Had a number of them surprise me by earning the chance to fly jets and succeeding when I wasn't sure if their talent level was up to it. (Good on 'em!)
Caveat: There are some fine potential fighter pilots who never got to fly due to anthropometric* limits (which has to do with "what part of your body will you leave behind you if you have to eject" and "can you reach that switch under 6 gs?")
*Thanks langley, oops!
How much of being a fighter pilot do you believe is genetic?
1. Inability to learn quickly
2. Failure to work hard.
Had a number of them surprise me by earning the chance to fly jets and succeeding when I wasn't sure if their talent level was up to it. (Good on 'em!)
Caveat: There are some fine potential fighter pilots who never got to fly due to anthropometric* limits (which has to do with "what part of your body will you leave behind you if you have to eject" and "can you reach that switch under 6 gs?")
*Thanks langley, oops!
Last edited by Lonewolf_50; 8th Feb 2019 at 21:30.
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Originally Posted by Lonewolf_50
To answer the OP:
None of it. Had plenty of students in training with quite a bit of talent, or even natural talent, who washed out due to two problems:
1. Inability to learn quickly
2. Failure to work hard.
Had a number of them surprise me by earning the chance to fly jets and succeeding when I wasn't sure if their talent level was up to it. (Good on 'em!)
Caveat: There are some fine potential fighter pilots who never got to fly due to anthropomorphic limits (which has to do with "what part of your body will you leave behind you if you have to eject" and "can you reach that switch under 6 gs?")
None of it. Had plenty of students in training with quite a bit of talent, or even natural talent, who washed out due to two problems:
1. Inability to learn quickly
2. Failure to work hard.
Had a number of them surprise me by earning the chance to fly jets and succeeding when I wasn't sure if their talent level was up to it. (Good on 'em!)
Caveat: There are some fine potential fighter pilots who never got to fly due to anthropomorphic limits (which has to do with "what part of your body will you leave behind you if you have to eject" and "can you reach that switch under 6 gs?")
