Fly often

Interesting email that showed up today from someone of experience.

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Many moons ago (circa 1970) while working on a GAO study of the relative value of simulation to reduce the cost of pilot currency flying, I suggested that a better solution would be to equip every fighter squadron with three or four A-37 and/or a few turbo-prop airplanes with the objective of having each pilot fly one of them two or three times a week (day and night). It is important to fly often, even if not in your combat airplane (trust me); simulation doesn't get it. The airborne experience, maneuver, acrobatics, practicing engine out landings, formation flying, etc. keep your senses sharp and, believe it or not, there is a transfer to flying your combat aircraft (beats the hell out of exercising your iPod or TV). Another consideration re the alternative of simulation: a fighter squadron must operate as an organization if it is to be effective when called upon: the line maintenance personnel, supply folks, schedulers, et al need to be busy every day if they are to function effectively when the balloon goes up. Real operations (regardless of the type airplane) build cohesion and moral; lack of flying operations will erode effectiveness and morale of the organization. Simulation is relatively more C/E for airline pilots because in addition to the time they are in the simulator, they are flying a hundred or more hours a month and their entire organization is exercised every day. Somebody needs to wake-up to reality! Christine Fox, CSAF, CNO: are you there??

Chuck

PS: By the way: simulation is not inexpensive!


C.E. Myers, Jr.
President
Aerocounsel, Inc.
Flying M Stock Farm
14560 Madison Run Road
Gordonsville, VA 22942

CTR Support to NAVAIR (ASET), USTRANSCOM, USEUCOM

Interesting side-note. Two of the B-52 Wings I was stationed at in the 1980s had an "ACES" program run by ATC which did exactly that with the T-37. I don't know the performance effectiveness of that program.