Ask a Naval Aircrewman

[FlyNavy]

Originally Posted by bwall0430

I'm graduating NACCS soon and was curious about the active duty side of AWF as well as AWS dry. These are the two common billets being given out right now. Where can you get stationed as an AWF and is it a decent gig?

I'm assuming you're asking about the FE track, and not the FTS route.

I'm not an FE myself so I can't speak to everything for them, but they do work long hours and are pretty involved with maintenance; much more so than the rest of us. That being said though, you're flying a lot more you're in the cockpit 90% of the time, and you get a great rapport with your pilots.

Since P-3s and my beloved EP-3 are destined to go away, most FEs that aren't in the community already can most likely expect to head to platforms like the C2 and I also think they might be taking a few people down at Tinker AFB for the E-6B. Additionally, AWFs that aren't FEs will serve as Loadmasters in VR squadrons.

Either way, you're flying. And flying is pretty dope.

Fly Navy!

/r
CTT1

*EDIT*
Just took a look at the AWF community sheet; it indeed looks like most of their new folks are headed for E-6B and C-2 platforms.

[bwall0430]

Originally Posted by CTT1(SW)Griffin

I'm assuming you're asking about the FE track, and not the FTS route.

I'm not an FE myself so I can't speak to everything for them, but they do work long hours and are pretty involved with maintenance; much more so than the rest of us. That being said though, you're flying a lot more you're in the cockpit 90% of the time, and you get a great rapport with your pilots.

Since P-3s and my beloved EP-3 are destined to go away, most FEs that aren't in the community already can most likely expect to head to platforms like the C2 and I also think they might be taking a few people down at Tinker AFB for the E-6B. Additionally, AWFs that aren't FEs will serve as Loadmasters in VR squadrons.

Either way, you're flying. And flying is pretty dope.

Fly Navy!

/r
CTT1

*EDIT*
Just took a look at the AWF community sheet; it indeed looks like most of their new folks are headed for E-6B and C-2 platforms.

Thank you so much for the reply, not a whole lot of info on these two rates that's available haha. How about the dry AWS side? I understand you're flying on 53's and only out in Norfolk. What exactly do they do? Also, aren't the c-2's getting phased out? That's what we were told at least

[FlyNavy]

Originally Posted by bwall0430

Thank you so much for the reply, not a whole lot of info on these two rates that's available haha. How about the dry AWS side? I understand you're flying on 53's and only out in Norfolk. What exactly do they do? Also, aren't the c-2's getting phased out? That's what we were told at least

C-2s are planning on getting phased out for V-22s. The Navy is buying about 4 a year and they're looking at making the full transition around 2021. Personally I think transferring the COD mission to V-22 is insanely dumb, so I'd expect they're going to run into plenty of issues along the way that might delay that timeline. So yes it's in the works, but it's not happening for a while.

53's I can't really speak to that much since I've never worked with them. I know they do a ton of mine clearing work though.

/r
CTT1

[BobL]

Originally Posted by FlyNavy

I'm assuming you're asking about the FE track, and not the FTS route.

I'm not an FE myself so I can't speak to everything for them, but they do work long hours and are pretty involved with maintenance; much more so than the rest of us. That being said though, you're flying a lot more you're in the cockpit 90% of the time, and you get a great rapport with your pilots.

Since P-3s and my beloved EP-3 are destined to go away, most FEs that aren't in the community already can most likely expect to head to platforms like the C2 and I also think they might be taking a few people down at Tinker AFB for the E-6B. Additionally, AWFs that aren't FEs will serve as Loadmasters in VR squadrons.

Either way, you're flying. And flying is pretty dope.

Fly Navy!

/r
CTT1

*EDIT*
Just took a look at the AWF community sheet; it indeed looks like most of their new folks are headed for E-6B and C-2 platforms.

My daughter graduated NACCS 11-22-17 and I believe her entire class went AWF. She is currently at FRS in Norfolk. She is training for C-2's.