Does the Army have a regular aircrew like the Navy(ie. door gunners and the such)? Or are these usually just infantry guys? Is there an actual MOS for Army Aircrew(if it exists( I just got out of the Navy after four years, and I have considered going into the Army if I hate civilian life. Thanks for any info.
Jason, The Army does indeed have crewmemebers just like the Navy. Each airframe has a crewchief (CE). The person/persons take care of the maintenance of the aircraft and is overall responsible for taking care of that aircraft. Depending on what kind of airframe, depends on whether or not that the nonrated crewmembers (NRCM)get to fly with the aircraft. The AH-64 and OH-58D, there is nowhere to sit. The other airframes in the Army, the NRCM fly with their respected aircraft on a day to day basis. Depending on your type of unit, depends on how many NRCM's are onboard. You might be in a MEDEVAC unit. In a MEDEVAC unit you will also be flying with a flight medic (MO). Their job is pretty much self explanatory but if their not performing any medical duties in the flight, they are expected to perform as one of the crew. The CH-47 also has more people onboard performing various duties. So yes, the Army does have NRCM duties like the Navy does.
Originally posted by uh60dustoff: Jason, The Army does indeed have crewmemebers just like the Navy. Each airframe has a crewchief (CE). The person/persons take care of the maintenance of the aircraft and is overall responsible for taking care of that aircraft. Depending on what kind of airframe, depends on whether or not that the nonrated crewmembers (NRCM)get to fly with the aircraft. The AH-64 and OH-58D, there is nowhere to sit. The other airframes in the Army, the NRCM fly with their respected aircraft on a day to day basis. Depending on your type of unit, depends on how many NRCM's are onboard. You might be in a MEDEVAC unit. In a MEDEVAC unit you will also be flying with a flight medic (MO). Their job is pretty much self explanatory but if their not performing any medical duties in the flight, they are expected to perform as one of the crew. The CH-47 also has more people onboard performing various duties. So yes, the Army does have NRCM duties like the Navy does.
Thanks, just what I needed to hear. What would the MOS of an enlisted guy that performs in-flight duties be? I couldn't really pin it down when I was on the Army website.
Originally posted by MN3RESCUESWIMMER: Thanks, just what I needed to hear. What would the MOS of an enlisted guy that performs in-flight duties be? I couldn't really pin it down when I was on the Army website.
Realize that in either of these MOS', you start out as a mechanic, and after you've proved your mechanical skills and value, then you may be transferred to flight. Aircrew duties are NOT immediate or guaranteed. You could be assigned to an AVIM, which does not have flight units, or there may not be flight (crew) slots available.
One of the biggest differences I saw when I came over from the Navy was that CE's are not shop specific. Tangos and Uniforms (as we call them) diagnose system malfunctions, remove and install components, perform all the scheduled aircraft inspections, keep the logbook/paperwork straightand help the test pilots as well as regular flying duties and so on, and so on. We don't have say hydraulic mechanics or structural mechanics from various shops flying along. Like a jack of all trades, ya know? On a side note the Army has much more to offer than the Navy in the way of advancement and training.
Great job in my opinion (15T), and it really helped me prepare for flight school later on. Good luck.
I would suggest as the others have 15U or 15 T. I have been a 15U for almost 10 years now. I did a grand total of 3 months in Maintenance, and then went to Flight Platoon, where I have been for the last 9 or so years. I have to tell you that being a Chinook Non-Rated Crewmember is about the best enlisted job in the Army. it does make for some long days, but it's cool having the keys to a $64 million helo, and knowing everything about it. Oh, and yeah, we get to shoot things and blow sh*t up too! If you have any more questions let me know...
I disagree totally with the not as much training statement the Navy is much more in depth with Aircrew training, (NACCS). The Army does promote faster though, I will agree with that...
I agree you have an all encompassing Aircrew school in P'cola and we have one at Rucker but it's only for our FI/Si's now. And I'll go further in saying that has alot of merit. Most of the crewchiefs in the Army get their knowledge from on the job training after AIT. That and we don't fly the same missions overall that the Navy does, we are more ground oriented. A crewchief school would be great but a mandatory central one is impractical for the Army due to our size. We do that progression stuff in house and are just beginning to write standards in the 60 community for CE's (although the 47's have been doing it for a while). Also, in the Army we are more subordinate to the infantry which allows us to cross train in fields not normally available to Aircrew members in the Navy, does that make sense? What I was referring to was training outside of your job/specialty. In my experience their is much more available in the Army than in the Navy.
That is all true. In the Navy I was aircrew, an aviation electronics tech, and had over 2000hrs in airframes and power plants. We also had to do OJT, it was in the form of a JQR. The real difference that I have seen about standards is that the navy has a central wing that writes sop's that are airframe specific. It keeps every unit on an even keel... so to speak. I do understand that we are at the mercy of the ground guys, I love supporting the grnd guys, I just wish aviation had a little more support... All the CE's that ive flown with have been just as good if not better than those ive flown with and been a part of in the past. Listening to them, they would like more support from the Army as well...
Good luck in your aircrew knowledge hunt. My experience is only one of many. In 13 yrs ive often found that everybodys opinion varies and we learn from all of them. Have fun out there, no matter what you do in aircrew you learn something new everyday, and have a blast doing it...
Thanks for answering that. That was going to be my next question as in the course description for the flight medic course it says
"...in addition to Aviation related classes which would enable the soldier to be integrated into the aircrew training program as a non-rated crewmember."
