Tag Archives: Fighter Pilot

“Navy Culture” to Blame for Skipper’s Firing

A few articles across the internet have posited that CAPT Owen Honors, recently fired skipper of the USS Enterprise, was simply a product of the “military culture.”

As a retired Navy officer, my perspective is that Honors was acting as the custom of the time allowed. If the Navy wants to change its culture, it needs to get the word out on what is to be changed and only discipline future violations.

That’s an interesting perspective from several angles.  It seems reasonable that if you permit Sailors (or anyone else) to conduct themselves after a certain fashion, then that conduct becomes “acceptable,” or it is at least perceived to be so.  In truth, “allowing” or failing to discipline or prosecute conduct does not inherently make it right, thought it can understandably create a culture of confusion.

In addition, as the writer said above, if the Navy Read more

Arizona Shooter was Left-Right-Wing Fundamentalist-Atheist

It was disturbing this weekend to see the attempted assassination of US House Rep Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) — in which a 9 year old girl lost her life — devolve into a game of political gotcha within minutes.

Because Giffords was a pro-abortion Democrat who defeated a “Tea Party” candidate just a few weeks ago, some pointed at right-wing “AM radio-listening” pro-life extremists.  When the alleged shooter’s internet ramblings started to become public — in which he appears to be a confused socialist and ambiguously anti-religion — the speculation went from “conservative fundamentalist” to “lunatic.”  Apparently because to Read more

Captain Honors Relieved of Command

As a result of the videos he produced while XO, the Navy has relieved CAPT Owen “Opie” Honors of his command of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.  Said ADM John Harvey:

While Capt. Honors’ performance as commanding officer of USS Enterprise has been without incident, his profound lack of good judgment and professionalism while previously serving as executive officer on Enterprise calls into question his character and completely undermines his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command.

The Admiral did not explain how the videos from 2007 Read more

Navy Probes Fighter Pilot’s “Inappropriate” Videos

According to various sources, the US Navy plans to investigate the creation and use of “inappropriate” videos on board the USS Enterprise.  The “star” and producer of the videos, which were created in 2006-2007, was reportedly the ship’s second in command, since promoted to its Captain.  US Navy CAPT Owen Honors is a Navy fighter pilot (or “naval aviator”) as well as graduate of the Navy Test Pilot School.  The Enterprise is scheduled to deploy early this year.  The videos were apparently released to the Virginian-Pilot by Sailors who currently remain anonymous.

The Navy’s initial reaction:  Read more

Navy Uses Magnets to Launch Fighter

FoxNews caught up to the previous article here on the 18 December launch of a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet with the EMALS.  The EMALS is an electromagnetic launch system designed to replace the steam driven systems currently in operation.  Interestingly, the article notes

Newer, heavier and faster aircraft will require more force to catapult from the carrier decks than steam-powered systems can supply. Electromagnets will be able to deliver, and allow for smooth acceleration at both high and low speeds, increasing the carrier’s ability to launch aircraft, the Navy said in a press release.

Presumably, that’s a reference to the F-35, the only substantial new aircraft slated to enter naval service in the reasonable future.

The article contains a link to the Navy’s somewhat slow YouTube video of the launch.

Study: Fighter Pilots are Smarter

The University College London conducted a study comparing the brains of Royal Air Force fighter pilots with non-fighter pilots of “similar intelligence.”

The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found the pilots’ brains were more likely than the controls to have enhanced responses to both relevant and irrelevant stimuli…

Senior author Masud Husain said…”We were interested in the pilots because they’re often operating at the limits of human cognitive capability — they are an expert group making precision choices at high speed.”

So fighter pilots are smart.  Science proves it.

And they have the egos to match…

Milking the Good Deal: Fighter Pilots Investigated for Improper Pay

The Air Force Times reports that pilots at Fresno’s California Air National Guard are under criminal investigation for

padding their salaries by getting paid for more than one shift on the same day.

(The Fresno Guard flies the F-16.) Guard and Reserve pilots are often paid based on how much they work (as opposed to active duty pilots, who are paid the same regardless).  According to the reports, the pilots may have been paid for “alert” time spent at home, and for more hours than they are allowed.

If the rules and claims are clear, it should be fairly simple investigation.  It is also possible there are enough ambiguities in the rules Read more

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