Could all Pilots be Navs?!
 

Did anyone else see the UKTV documentary about the BOAC Hermes lost in the Western Sahara last night?

We've always known that not all Navs can be Pilots, but it appears that not all Pilots could be Navs, contrary to what some of you think!

(Donning tin hat, and TFIC!!!) :ok:

Could All Pilots Be Navs?
 

Yes, and have to be!

Theres not room for one in my current steed! :E

There are GR4 pilots who are qualified to do the navs job up at XV Sqn. It allows them to train pilots from the back seat during the weapons phase of the course.

Navigating is a fundamental skill that all pilots must possess, any pilot who cannot read a map should be taken outside and shot or, re branched as an FC. Not sure which is worse!;)

If thats the case, how come at OASC you can be selected as pilot even if you fail the nav tests? I know someone who is a chopped pilot but didn't have the aptitiude to be reselected as nav? How does that work?

Goatmanni,

There is navigation and there is fighting the weapons system. All pilots can navigater but some are better than others at fighting the weapons system.

Your friend had demonstrated a lack of ability in some area which probably reflected on his abilities for navigation too. Many u/t pilots are remustered to WSO and their pilot training is usually very useful especially for SA.

Its all down to numbers dear boy! The requirements for navs is quite small these days with the reduction in the number of 2-seat fast jets, thus if they have all they need from those that are recruited direct to nav training they are not going to bump one of them off a course just to make room for a failed pilot. Additonally what part of training did he fail? Could it have been low-level nav? A GIB needs to have good appitude in nav skills to sit in a fast jet at low level as well as capacity to take in situational awareness, fight an ECM battle and control a formation (yes navs can lead from the rear) thus if your mate was chopped at ME training then the possibility of him re-roling as a nav will be slim considering he was probably assessed during his previous training as having sufficient skills for a multi-crew environment but not for the fast jet role.

Don't you have to be lobotomised?

(take cover!)

Kipper

:ok:

Let's not get too stove-piped here.

Of coure, pilots can navigate an aircraft. Otherwise, how will single seat cope! The advantage of having a 2 seat ac is the workload that can be taken on by the crew.

The argument is often whether 2 seat is better than 1 seat. It depends on the ac, the avionics, the task and, what is often forgotten the task that the ac was never designed to fulfill!

...navigator perhaps, but could they be a radio operator or even a rear gunner?

Radio operator... No brainer.

Rear gunner... Nope, my AA gunnery skills are erm, average...

Why I ask myself would ANY pilot want to be a Nav, I mean what a backward step it would be................simply barking idea:rolleyes:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

Cylinder of excellence, surely?
Oh, and I've never got lost in 20 years (well, never majorly - trg fix, trg fix, trg fix...) and have never had the pleasure of a nav....no, not even in that sense!

But without a Nav how did you know you were never lost.:}

Now Navs are never lost, merely temporarily uncertain of their position.

Arse, elbows.....:confused: = navigator.

I'm far too good looking to be a butt ugly navigator:p

Pilot revert to Nav.....might as well suggest a Loadmaster could find the aircraft without following the Engineer about.

BEags you're talking out of your elbow again!:=

I once heard a story about an Argie FJ mate who, whilst being chased down by a SHAR during the skirmish of 82, seriously considered using his Nav's bang seat rocket plume as a decoy for any inbound AIM9s! :eek:

Pound for pound, I'd rather have the fuel! ;)

All pilots are navigators by virtue of training. However this pilot, for one could never be puking ballast :yuk: in the black hole of a Canberra/Vulcan etc. - that requires a special kind of masochism that I don't possess.