Warbird Information Exchange

How does the military qualify UAV pilots? Do they only take existing fixed & rotary wing qualified pilots or are there some people trained only to fly UAV's?

If you're a fixed wing pilot and assigned to UAV's do you still get to fly fixed wing a/c to keep current?

Regards,
Mike

I understand UAV pilots are enlisted.

Currently USAF RQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper, and Global Hawk UAV pilots are either current/qualified USAF pilots OR Weapon System Officers with a FAA Commercial License.

The requirement for UAV pilots to be a pilot or Commercial-licensed WSO is driven by the FAA.

There was a movement within the USAF to create a new type of pilot that was exclusively a UAV operator, but just recently that initiative was squashed.

Currently there is not a "companion trainer" for UAV pilot to go stay current on their stick and rudder skills. There was an initiative to make the T-3s fill this role, but that was not approved (and the T-3s were all crunched up). There is a current movement to get some T-6As assigned for that role which may be approved eventually.

not to put down the uav operators professionalism, but i'd assume that the advent of video games with this generational age group playing them played a big factor in their operating skill, coupled with their military training.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I have a good friend who's son is in the Army (enlisted) and flying Shadows. His background is models - control line and R/C - which he has said has made a difference compared to others who he trained with. He's back from Iraq and it was fascinating to see photos and hear him talk about his experiences. He plans on going back within a few months.

HTH! Mark

All of them have had a previous tour as active fighter pilots or WSOs. That has more to do with it than their proficiency with the XBOX.

Currently there is not a "companion trainer" for UAV pilot to go stay current on their stick and rudder skills. There was an initiative to make the T-3s fill this role, but that was not approved (and the T-3s were all crunched up). There is a current movement to get some T-6As assigned for that role which may be approved eventually.[/quote]

I know where they could dry-lease some old-school companion jet trainers to stay proficient and it'd be cheaper than T-6As. Just have to learn how to read all those funny round gages and watch a yaw string on top of the nose.

So...The Air Force UAV's like Predator and Hawk ar flow by FAA licensed pilots and the Army UAV's from Hunter down to the little hand launched Pointer are flown by R/C type pilots?

Do the Army UAV's have a PC type, screen and joy stick, interface?
If so...I may have to volunteer!
(do they take 40+year old MS Flight Sim pilots with a gazillion hours in 50+ different types over the last 15 years?)

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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I've been flying R/C for many years and have trained many full size pilots to fly R/C, including several f-16 jockies from nearby Luke AFB. I will tell you that full size flying experience is not normally of any great help when learning to fly R/C and quite often can be a hindrance. Especially when their is an ego involved! One of those F-16 jockies chose, as his very first flying model, a ducted fan scale model of, what else, an F-16! Didn't last very long.

If you can get to a certain level on Top Gun for the PS2, then you make it.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Do I detect a note of ire? C'mon, Randy, tell us how you really feel about the UAV programs....

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

Did the WSO's get a commercial license in the civilian sector on thier own or is there some type of Military/FAA agreement?

Regards,
Mike

That's pretty much the same deal with the piloted aircraft as well. In the AF/Marines/Navy you have to have at lease a 4 year college degree and be an officer to fly one of their aircraft, whereas in the Army, you can be a Warrant Officer without a 4 year degree and fly helos.

I was actually filling out the paperwork to transfer from the Air Force as an E4 sargent into the Army's warrant officer pilot program when my "now" ex-wife told me if I did she would leave and make sure I never saw my kids again.... I made the mistake of listening to her and actually got out of the military right after Desert Storm If I had stayed in, I would already have 21 years in.

They have to individually foot the bill for their own training -- the USAF doesn't pay for it.

I know a lot of WSOs and Navigators who are civilian pilots on the side...

Finally a topic I can comment on with some experience (Shadow 200 program).

The army approach is very different fromt the air force. The air force treats them like airplanes, and requres a pilot. The army treats them as UAV's and trains accordingly. The whole system operates on a point and click basis. Piloting experience would probably only be useful for spacial orientation but that is all. UAV Operators, as they are called, are not given training as pilots, because they don't need it. The whole system is very well designed to be inexpensive and widely used for tactical reconaisance at the batalion level, and it is portable. An entirely different concept from the Buck Rogers traditional approach (which I am not bad mouthing as it has its purpose; just not for the Army). The downside (there is alway a downside, isn't there?) is that the things drop like flies. Thank God they don't need real pilots!

Rob

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Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton