RAF Reapers in Afghanistan
 

RAF outlines Afghan experience with Reaper UAV

How are flying hours logged for this?

Is it considered 'flying' if the pilot / crew are not actually in the air. Do they still get flying pay?

If it is considered as flying, when would it not be considered as flying as some drones are no larger than model aircraft?

Answers

In a normal RAF log book, 'yes' and 'yes' and Reaper is bigger than some light attack aircraft, so its hardly comparable to a model!!! :ugh:

B

No idea what the correct answer is but it seems to me that 'piloting' a UAV is much more akin to simulator time than flying time.

This has been done to death, could you kindly do your fishing elsewhere...

I am aware that the Reaper is somewhat larger than say a Desert Hawk but both are flown.

I suppose that because Desert Hawk is Army, it doesn't count :hmm:

Flying pay is a retention bonus for aircrew that have an obvious skill that could be transferred to civvie street. whether it is flying a "model" or not it is still a skill that for example a clerk doesnt have.

Would you expect an SF soldier to lose his SF pay if he was doing a job in MoD rather than jumping through embassy windows? or a submariner to ose his submarine pay if he was doing a training job on dry land?

Its the same thing

HG

Aircrew (2 per crew) are in a flying role and get flying pay as well as the opportunity for things like "Above average in the air"

The int person is in an int role so doesn't get flying. They are in a role just like they would be back in the UK.

BGG, maybe, maybe not.

Take the case of the flying radar station. The UK approach is to take fully competent and trained ground environment personnel of suitable aptitude and fitness and employ them as aircrew for a couple of tours.

The USAF approach was to recruit airborne radar operators. The latter approach means you don't have to train them twice.

So, RAF UAV crews: take aircrew and train them twice.

Alternative: recruit them and train them once.

The people that you kill/aide to kill are certainly not simulated though are they? I understand that's not all they get upto but it certainly must be a key role.

So do they get campaign medals, etc:confused:

They do when they do the LRE. - and most get to do the LRE during their tour

Saintsman

The difference between Reaper and DH3 is HUGE. With DH3 you pre-program a route and then just punt it airborne and it pretty well flies itself and then crash-lands back near you when it is ready. The X-Box controller that is often seen in Army adverts is for controlling the payload (ie. a small EO sensor) and not for flying the aircraft - the control box is for viewing where the DH3 is and for watching the sensor image. The Reaper on the other hand has a pilot at the controls at all times and is flown either through use of throttle/stick, a pre-planned route or an emergency routing should it lose the satellite link.

Here's DH3's control box...
http://www.satnews.com/cgi-bin/displ...cgi?1044501517

Here's Reaper's control box...(an ISO container! called an MGCS)...
http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/...7379970b-800wi

The pilots for Reaper need a full and current Instrument Rating because they fly under IFR - the DH3 operators (not pilots) do not beacuse the do not!

Enough said???

LJ

...that picture is a Mobile GCS and is a little more cramped. There are also fixed facility GCS which are a little more roomy...BTW the chick in the picture is cute...:ok:

L J R

LRE...? Lunches Ready to Eat????
:ok:

Is there any reason for the Reaper crew in that photo to be wearing flying clothing?:ugh:

Yep, because they can :p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

Do you really mean IFR, or do you mean IMC?

Relocation.
 

Are there any plans to relocate the operation at Creech back to the uk?
I suppose that mutual support would suffer if that happened but maybe technology would ease that situation.

There are plans but there is no budget and still a question as to the 3 bases in the running.