Which Service Has Better Pilots
 

I'm not trying to troll here, I'm just honestly asking a question here. Which tends to on average have better pilots.

• The USAF or the RAF?
• The US Navy or the RN's Fleet Air Arm?
• The RAF vs the RN Fleet Air Arm?
• The USAF or the USN?

I could be wrong, but I have a hunch that the Royal Air-Force would probably have the US Air Force beat. As for the Fleet Air Arm compared to the US Navy, I'm not sure -- though the FAA was involved in helping the US Navy create Top Gun.

FAA were better at landing on a pitching and yawing deck in the dark.

I think you'll find that they all have/had their fair share of excellent and average.

LETTER ON WHETHER TO BECOME AN AIR FORCE PILOT...... OR A NAVAL AVIATOR......

The piece is written by Bob Norris, a former Naval aviator who also did a 3 year exchange tour flying the F-15 Eagle. He is now an accomplished author of entertaining books about U.S. Naval Aviation including "Check Six" and "Fly-Off".

In response to a letter from an aspiring fighter pilot on which military academy to attend, Bob replied with the following:

22 December 2005
Young Man,

Congratulations on your selection to both the Naval and Air Force Academies. Your goal of becoming a fighter pilot is impressive and a fine way to serve your country. As you requested, I'd be happy to share some insight into which service would be the best choice. Each service has a distinctly different culture. You need to ask yourself "Which one am I more likely to thrive in?"

USAF Snapshot: The USAF is exceptionally well organized and well run. Their training programs are terrific. All pilots are groomed to meet high standards for knowledge and professionalism. Their aircraft are top-notch and extremely well maintained. Their facilities are excellent. Their enlisted personnel are the brightest and the best trained. The USAF is homogenous and macro. No matter where you go, you'll know what to expect, what is expected of you, and you'll be given the training & tools you need to meet those expectations. You will never be put in a situation over your head. Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family events. Your Mom would want you to be an Air Force pilot...so would your wife. Your Dad would want your sister to marry one.

Navy Snapshot: Aviators are part of the Navy, but so are Black Shoes (surface warfare) and Bubble Heads (submariners). Furthermore, the Navy is split into two distinctly different Fleets (West and East Coast). The Navy is heterogeneous and micro. Your squadron is your home; it may be great, average, or awful. A squadron can go from one extreme to the other before you know it. You will spend months preparing for cruise and months on cruise. The quality of the aircraft varies directly with the availability of parts. Senior Navy enlisted are salt of the earth; you'll be proud if you earn their respect. Junior enlisted vary from terrific to the troubled kid the judge made join the service. You will be given the opportunity to lead these people during your career; y ou will be humbled and get your hands dirty. The quality of your training will vary and sometimes you will be over your head. You will miss many important family events. There will be long stretches of tedious duty aboard ship. You will fly in very bad weather and/or at night and you will be scared many times. You will fly with legends in the Navy and they will kick your ass until you become a lethal force. And some days - when the scheduling Gods have smiled upon you - your jet will catapult into a glorious morning over a far-away sea and you will be drop-jawed that someone would pay you to do it. The hottest girl in the bar wants to meet the Naval Aviator. That bar is in Singapore.

Bottom line, son, if you gotta ask...pack warm & good luck in Colorado.

Banzai

P.S.: Air Force pilots wear scarves and iron their flight suits.
P.S.S. And oh yes, the Army pilot program, don't even think about it unless you got a pair bigger than basketballs. Those guys are completely crazy.

And there is this

The three best things in life are:
- a good landing,
- a good orgasm,
- a good bowel movement.
The night carrier landing is one of the few opportunities in life to experience all three at the same time.

I'd say go Navy.

Jane,

The fact that you didn't even list the Army Aviators demonstrates that you genuinely didn't know the answer to this question.

The fighter pilots poem (Navy or Air Force) says it all.

"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
:}

Doors Off

Thanks to Dave it is no longer possible to answer the first 3 questions.

2s In
 

The fact that Jane didn't list Army pilots would seem to indicate that she knows a lot more about it than she's letting on. :E

She didn't mention flying either. Does she mean personality?

I thought I had joined the Air Force. Judging by the snapshots I was in the Navy.

It used to be the RAF, now it's the RN that's the best.

Agreed with Tourist for shiz :ok:

In the UK at least, it will be the last service left with an operational airframe that wins this contest, still looking like the Army.

No mention of CHF ? They're the best at everything.

Jane:

They all pale into insignificance when stood beside the Airborne Gods of II Sqn. RAF Regiment... For they are just cabbies that take the real men to war or come when a target is found for them... :E

Problem solved.

The entire RAF/AAC can PVR and hand the entire military aircraft inventory over to both of the remaining FAA pilots.

One can do Tue-Wed, one can do Wed-Thu, that way they can carry out formation tasking on Wednesday afternoons.

See ya.

That girl is probably a bloke.

Aussie Av:


...You're joking

Good pilots come from all sources.

It's only forks in the road that determine what path aviators take en route to the destination.

Based on more than a few Red Flags, Cope Thunders, 30 years of USAF, and 3 combat theatre's experience, man for man, IDF is the benchmark.

I got into a discussion once about what makes the best pilot. Some know the book by heart, some have golden hands, some are natural leaders and politicians, some are always cool and collected. But the best is the one who is not lacking in any of these things, these tools, even though he may not be particularly outstanding at any of them.

Combat, stress, fatigue and challenge reveal the worthy.

The RN FAA? They cannot be in the running, no fixed winged aircraft for a start and no carriers for an end. Forget it.

Brian

Me, ex-USAF, brother and several squadron mates, ex-USN, that posting has it absolutely correct. But for pure lethality, the USAF and the IDF are tops and that is the ONLY standard. If a war is ever decided by a competition of shipboard traps, my last dollar is on the USN.

GF

A USAF Colonel once told me;
" If you guys (RAF) had our airplanes, we'd still be a colony"

Mind you, this was 2am, shortly before the visiting airshow crews literally drank their air base out of beer.