Top Gun question

futurepilot1

futurepilot1

Well-Known Member
Ok, so I'm watching Top Gun today. In the opening scene after Mav gives the Russian Mig28(F-5) the bird, Cougar freezes up, and won't land the plane.

My question for you military pilot types:
1. Does the F-14 have dual controls?
2. Is the rear usually a qualified pilot?
3. Assuming the answers to 1 and 2 are yes...why didn't the other guy just land the frickin plane??:dunno:
 
futurepilot1 said:
Ok, so I'm watching Top Gun today. In the opening scene after Mav gives the Russian Mig28(F-5) the bird, Cougar freezes up, and won't land the plane.

My question for you military pilot types:
1. Does the F-14 have dual controls?
2. Is the rear usually a qualified pilot?
3. Assuming the answers to 1 and 2 are yes...why didn't the other guy just land the frickin plane??:dunno:
Click to expand...

No
No

NEXT. :D
 
futurepilot1 said:
Roger.

I thought I had just exposed a major plot hole.:D
Click to expand...

Naval tactical aircraft do not have dual flight controls for where the NFO (Naval Flight Officer) sits. The only exceptions are the two-seat Hornets that are in the training squadrons.....but there's a pilot IP in the back seat to train the student in the front seat; and the former S-3 Viking, which had the original co-pilot who was a pilot/aviator, replaced with an NFO, but the flight controls were retained.
 
Mike hit it on the head. Backseat guys are Naval Flight Officers.......professional aviators who operate weapons systems, work nav, radars, etc, but who do not actually physically fly the airplane. They get a very small amount of stick time early on flying the T-6 in Pensacola (a couple hours), but in fleet aircraft, they don't have any controls anyways.
 
elnino32 said:
Yup, backseaters are NFOs who are usually referred to as RIOs or radar intercept officers.
Click to expand...

It depends on the platform.
F-4/14: RIO
F-18: WSO (Weapon System Officer)
A-6: BN (Bombardier/Navigator)
EA-6B: ECMO (Electronics Counter Measure Officer)
etc.
 
Nihon_Ni said:
It depends on the platform.
F-4/14: RIO
F-18: WSO (Weapon System Officer)
A-6: BN (Bombardier/Navigator)
EA-6B: ECMO (Electronics Counter Measure Officer)
etc.
Click to expand...

Or if you wanna go way back to a sexy jet (well before my time), try RN.....and not talking the medical profession :)
 
Sort of related question, will taking my shirt off greatly enhance my agility during beach volley ball games? And will Ray Bans protect my eyes from sand?
 
Anyone have that number for the truck driving school? I think he was giving us all a big hint on what was to come...
 
I read "Palace Cobra" recently and that book talked about RIOs in F-4s having flight controls.

When did they do away with them?
 
killbilly said:
I read "Palace Cobra" recently and that book talked about RIOs in F-4s having flight controls.

When did they do away with them?
Click to expand...

USAF F-4s have them, USN/USMC ones never did. Rasimus was a USAF pilot who transitioned from F-105s to F-4s. Is he referring to Navy jets? Been a while since I read the book.
 
MikeD said:
Naval tactical aircraft do not have dual flight controls for where the NFO (Naval Flight Officer) sits.
Click to expand...

I would never know this from listening to the retired F-14 backseater that I work with. We're lucky to be regaled with his stories about "teaching rookies to fly the meatball", "pushing her through mach", and his 250+ "night landings on the boat".
 
Justin172 said:
I would never know this from listening to the retired F-14 backseater that I work with. We're lucky to be regaled with his stories about "teaching rookies to fly the meatball", "pushing her through mach", and his 250+ "night landings on the boat".
Click to expand...

Depends on the context. Many times, new pilots are paired up with an experienced RIO. So helping the pilot fly the landing from a visual sense, isn't that far off.

For the "pushing through Mach" or "landings on the boat", the NFO is along for the ride.
 
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