Sunday, March 12, 2006
VT-28 Rangers
Well I'm finally part of a squadron, the VT-28 Rangers. V is a Navy and Marine Corps designator for a fixed wing squadron (H is for helicopters) and T is for training. There are two T-34C squadrons here, the Rangers and the VT-27 Boomers. VT-28 is reputed to be the more laid back of the two squadrons; we don't stand watch 24 hours a day, we don't have to put on our service charlie uniforms for watch (we wear flight suits), and things are apparently more relaxed. I kinda chuckled to myself when a Navy guy told me that 27 was "hardcore", I mean how hardcore is any Navy run squadron going to be?
I did find out that I am restricted from flying the EA-6B Prowler due to my sitting height; I don't fit safely in that aircraft's ejection seat. In our Aviation Training Jacket there is a NACES (Naval AirCrew Ejection Seat) report which lists the aircraft we can not fly. The Prowler is not really a sought after aircraft and their aren't many spots out there anyway. Unfortunately, for much the same reason my old roommate and friend Leah is most likely going to be an ECMO in the Prowler. She is a small statured woman and many of her classmates are bigger men. They can not fit in the Prowler, so they have to get Hornets. There are only two options for NFOs so she will likely fill one of the seats in the Prowler.
Squadron check in was long and boring, as most are. One brief after another and more information than we wanted to or were able to take on board. There comes a time when your brain just can't effectively take in any more information and any more talking just sounds like the teacher in Peanuts.
After finishing the first two weeks of ground school, we did paraloft check-in. The paraloft is the section responsible for maintaining all of the flight crew's equipment from the parachute all the way down to what kind of boots we are wearing. In a combat unit this would be staffed by Navy and Marine Corps enlisted personnel, but here it is staffed by Lockheed-Martin employees. They took the lot numbers of all my issued equipment; my boots, my gloves, flight suits, jackets, kneeboard, etc., apparently to let me know if any of it shows up on a recall. I can just imagine that call "Umm, Lieutenant Greer we need you to bring in your flight suits for exchange, apparently they aren't as flame retardant as we first thought." Government contractors, gotta love them.
A few of us were fitted for the new CMU-33 AIRSAVE vest. The Navy is phasing out the old SV-2 vest and rolling this one in. It is much more adjustable and versatile than the older system because you can move the pockets around to wherever it is most comfortable. Helo crews apparently love them, and I can see why they would in those aircraft, but they aren't very convenient in the T-34. We have to wear this vest, then on top of that we wear a parachute, and on top of that we wear a seat harness. It's a lot of stuff to arrange and it will likely take some time to get used to.
The first guy who tried to fit me was a little suspect. First of all, he wanted me to tighten down my leg straps until they were about to cut off circulation. If I ever get lifted by this harness, sure, I'll tighten the leg straps down, but I am not flying around every day with no feeling in my legs. So after asking him about it, he acquiesced and said that I could loosen them. The same thing happened with the chest strap. What we were fitting for is velcro tabs that they sew onto the straps to hold the excess strap in place. When I check out my gear, I will just step into the leg straps, I won't adjust them every time. The chest strap has to be tightened every time, but there still needs to be a velcro tab to hold the excess. After going through this I was a little concerned about getting my oxygen mask and helmet fitted.
Fitting for an oxygen mask and helmet was a pain in the ass. As you may be aware I am blessed with a large romanesque nose. While this may be good for attracting the ladies ;)- it's not so good for fitting oxygen masks. I have always had troubles with any kind of masks. The M42 gas mask, the one the US military uses, really cut into the bridge of my nose. So I wasn't suprised when the standard oxygen mask, the MBU-17 (the style in Top Gun) didn't fit. They messed with different sizes, moving the mounting points around, noting worked. They debated amongst themselves many different ways of adjusting the straps and moving the mounting points before finally admitting to themselves what I had already told them, it just wasn't going to work.
So they fitted me for an MBU-23. The 23 is almost exactly the same mask as the Combat Edge mask (MBU-24), part of a system which involves an air bladder around the pilot's chest, a bladder in the helmet, and a positive pressure breathing system designed to help the pilot stay conscious longer with less strain in high g maneuvers. It's the future of tactical aviation. The MBU-23 sounds a little different when you exhale and is easier to breathe through as well. The best part is that it's made with a softer rubber and fits me much better. They tentatively agreed that I should go with the 23, but said that I should come back a little later when Mike came in. Apparently he was the duty expert on the subject matter.
Mike is indeed the duty expert. I've always said that no matter what job I am doing, whether it is working hardware at Home Depot or flying an airplane, I want to be the best at it and know as much as is possible about it. Mike is the same kind of guy. He was previously a parachute rigger in the Navy and is very knowledgeable and professional. Within ten minutes he had my mask situation figured out and adjusted the mounts on my helmet to get everything matching up perfectly. Made me a little peeved that the other yahoos didn't know what the hell they were doing, but I was happy that I was now in the hands of somebody who knew what he was doing.
Just this week (a week after my initial paraloft check-in), Mike did my second fitting on my CMU. He went right to work, just about having to rebuild my CMU because someone else had jacked it all up. But in the end, everything fit right and felt good. I'm gonna have to take this guy with me to my next unit.
So, with checkin complete, flight gear issued and adjusted, I am getting close to my first flight. Don't expect pictures, there is a very strict Navy rule against us taking pictures in the cockpit while flying. I'll just have to wait until they give me my own plane to sneak some pics in ;)
I did find out that I am restricted from flying the EA-6B Prowler due to my sitting height; I don't fit safely in that aircraft's ejection seat. In our Aviation Training Jacket there is a NACES (Naval AirCrew Ejection Seat) report which lists the aircraft we can not fly. The Prowler is not really a sought after aircraft and their aren't many spots out there anyway. Unfortunately, for much the same reason my old roommate and friend Leah is most likely going to be an ECMO in the Prowler. She is a small statured woman and many of her classmates are bigger men. They can not fit in the Prowler, so they have to get Hornets. There are only two options for NFOs so she will likely fill one of the seats in the Prowler.
Squadron check in was long and boring, as most are. One brief after another and more information than we wanted to or were able to take on board. There comes a time when your brain just can't effectively take in any more information and any more talking just sounds like the teacher in Peanuts.
After finishing the first two weeks of ground school, we did paraloft check-in. The paraloft is the section responsible for maintaining all of the flight crew's equipment from the parachute all the way down to what kind of boots we are wearing. In a combat unit this would be staffed by Navy and Marine Corps enlisted personnel, but here it is staffed by Lockheed-Martin employees. They took the lot numbers of all my issued equipment; my boots, my gloves, flight suits, jackets, kneeboard, etc., apparently to let me know if any of it shows up on a recall. I can just imagine that call "Umm, Lieutenant Greer we need you to bring in your flight suits for exchange, apparently they aren't as flame retardant as we first thought." Government contractors, gotta love them.
A few of us were fitted for the new CMU-33 AIRSAVE vest. The Navy is phasing out the old SV-2 vest and rolling this one in. It is much more adjustable and versatile than the older system because you can move the pockets around to wherever it is most comfortable. Helo crews apparently love them, and I can see why they would in those aircraft, but they aren't very convenient in the T-34. We have to wear this vest, then on top of that we wear a parachute, and on top of that we wear a seat harness. It's a lot of stuff to arrange and it will likely take some time to get used to.
The first guy who tried to fit me was a little suspect. First of all, he wanted me to tighten down my leg straps until they were about to cut off circulation. If I ever get lifted by this harness, sure, I'll tighten the leg straps down, but I am not flying around every day with no feeling in my legs. So after asking him about it, he acquiesced and said that I could loosen them. The same thing happened with the chest strap. What we were fitting for is velcro tabs that they sew onto the straps to hold the excess strap in place. When I check out my gear, I will just step into the leg straps, I won't adjust them every time. The chest strap has to be tightened every time, but there still needs to be a velcro tab to hold the excess. After going through this I was a little concerned about getting my oxygen mask and helmet fitted.
Fitting for an oxygen mask and helmet was a pain in the ass. As you may be aware I am blessed with a large romanesque nose. While this may be good for attracting the ladies ;)- it's not so good for fitting oxygen masks. I have always had troubles with any kind of masks. The M42 gas mask, the one the US military uses, really cut into the bridge of my nose. So I wasn't suprised when the standard oxygen mask, the MBU-17 (the style in Top Gun) didn't fit. They messed with different sizes, moving the mounting points around, noting worked. They debated amongst themselves many different ways of adjusting the straps and moving the mounting points before finally admitting to themselves what I had already told them, it just wasn't going to work.
So they fitted me for an MBU-23. The 23 is almost exactly the same mask as the Combat Edge mask (MBU-24), part of a system which involves an air bladder around the pilot's chest, a bladder in the helmet, and a positive pressure breathing system designed to help the pilot stay conscious longer with less strain in high g maneuvers. It's the future of tactical aviation. The MBU-23 sounds a little different when you exhale and is easier to breathe through as well. The best part is that it's made with a softer rubber and fits me much better. They tentatively agreed that I should go with the 23, but said that I should come back a little later when Mike came in. Apparently he was the duty expert on the subject matter.
Mike is indeed the duty expert. I've always said that no matter what job I am doing, whether it is working hardware at Home Depot or flying an airplane, I want to be the best at it and know as much as is possible about it. Mike is the same kind of guy. He was previously a parachute rigger in the Navy and is very knowledgeable and professional. Within ten minutes he had my mask situation figured out and adjusted the mounts on my helmet to get everything matching up perfectly. Made me a little peeved that the other yahoos didn't know what the hell they were doing, but I was happy that I was now in the hands of somebody who knew what he was doing.
Just this week (a week after my initial paraloft check-in), Mike did my second fitting on my CMU. He went right to work, just about having to rebuild my CMU because someone else had jacked it all up. But in the end, everything fit right and felt good. I'm gonna have to take this guy with me to my next unit.
So, with checkin complete, flight gear issued and adjusted, I am getting close to my first flight. Don't expect pictures, there is a very strict Navy rule against us taking pictures in the cockpit while flying. I'll just have to wait until they give me my own plane to sneak some pics in ;)
// posted by Josh @ 3/12/2006 11:40:00 AM 
