thedrifter
11-21-06, 01:07 PM
November 27, 2006
Pilots now assigned directly to MV-22 squadrons
By Trista Talton
Staff writer
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The Corps has cut the competition among CH-46 Sea Knight pilots who want to switch to the MV-22 Osprey.
To build up Osprey squadrons with pilots of various experience — from lieutenant colonels to lieutenants fresh out of flight school — the Corps is skipping the selection board and directly assigning pilots to Osprey squadrons. New guidelines are in MarAdmin message 454/06, released Sept. 21.
Before, pilots from various communities had to go through a competitive board selection process that screened for the most experienced pilots. These were senior captains and majors who applied to the MV-22 transition board, which met six times between 2002 and this May.
“We were more interested in taking the more qualified individuals, and we were taking them from all communities, not just the 46 community,” said Maj. Chad Blair, rotary wing and tilt-rotor manpower analyst with Aviation Manpower.
The process was highly competitive, Blair said, leaving more applicants than space available.
“We’ve had anywhere from 22 to 58 applicants, and we’ve selected 10 to 20 per board,” he said.
In 2002, 22 pilots applied and only 13 were selected. In May, 10 of 36 applicants were accepted by the board.
But the CH-46 community, squadron by squadron, is phasing out, making way for the Corps’ new tilt rotors. So, the transition is being refashioned to become more like a natural succession.
“Now that we’ve got that initial investment of qualified folks, we’re building our population,” Blair said. “Our population continues to grow. As such, we’re aligning the selection/assignment process more in tune with other aviation communities within the Marine Corps.”
CH-46 pilots on the East Coast are switching first. The Corps is phasing out the third of six Sea Knight squadrons assigned to Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.
The West Coast transition will likely begin around late 2009 or early 2010, followed by overseas squadrons. There are six squadrons on the West Coast and two on Okinawa, Japan.
Under the new process, 46 pilots in a squadron standing down will be screened at the group and squadron levels, then sent up the chain for review.
Pilots assigned to medium-lift squadrons in transition will be given priority — over other pilots who don’t fly the CH-46 or CH-53 — to remain part of the new Osprey squadron core, according to the MarAdmin.
The guidelines state, “[Aviation officer assignments officials] will then directly assign CH-46E pilots from outside of the transitioning training.”
Not every 46 pilot will move to the Osprey program, Blair said. Pilots who are, for example, discharging or coming up on retirement will not be eligible. Pilots who are designated to join Osprey squadrons by direct assignment “will incur a two-year additional service obligation to commence on the date transition training is complete,” according to the MarAdmin.
Navy pilots will not be excluded. The annual transition board that exists to take pilots who don’t come from the 46 or 53 communities will select a small percentage of naval aviators for voluntary transition to the MV-22.
Those who are selected will incur a four-year additional service obligation that will begin the day transition training is complete.
The direct-assignment policy does not apply to the Marine Corps Reserve.
Ellie
Pilots now assigned directly to MV-22 squadrons
By Trista Talton
Staff writer
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The Corps has cut the competition among CH-46 Sea Knight pilots who want to switch to the MV-22 Osprey.
To build up Osprey squadrons with pilots of various experience — from lieutenant colonels to lieutenants fresh out of flight school — the Corps is skipping the selection board and directly assigning pilots to Osprey squadrons. New guidelines are in MarAdmin message 454/06, released Sept. 21.
Before, pilots from various communities had to go through a competitive board selection process that screened for the most experienced pilots. These were senior captains and majors who applied to the MV-22 transition board, which met six times between 2002 and this May.
“We were more interested in taking the more qualified individuals, and we were taking them from all communities, not just the 46 community,” said Maj. Chad Blair, rotary wing and tilt-rotor manpower analyst with Aviation Manpower.
The process was highly competitive, Blair said, leaving more applicants than space available.
“We’ve had anywhere from 22 to 58 applicants, and we’ve selected 10 to 20 per board,” he said.
In 2002, 22 pilots applied and only 13 were selected. In May, 10 of 36 applicants were accepted by the board.
But the CH-46 community, squadron by squadron, is phasing out, making way for the Corps’ new tilt rotors. So, the transition is being refashioned to become more like a natural succession.
“Now that we’ve got that initial investment of qualified folks, we’re building our population,” Blair said. “Our population continues to grow. As such, we’re aligning the selection/assignment process more in tune with other aviation communities within the Marine Corps.”
CH-46 pilots on the East Coast are switching first. The Corps is phasing out the third of six Sea Knight squadrons assigned to Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.
The West Coast transition will likely begin around late 2009 or early 2010, followed by overseas squadrons. There are six squadrons on the West Coast and two on Okinawa, Japan.
Under the new process, 46 pilots in a squadron standing down will be screened at the group and squadron levels, then sent up the chain for review.
Pilots assigned to medium-lift squadrons in transition will be given priority — over other pilots who don’t fly the CH-46 or CH-53 — to remain part of the new Osprey squadron core, according to the MarAdmin.
The guidelines state, “[Aviation officer assignments officials] will then directly assign CH-46E pilots from outside of the transitioning training.”
Not every 46 pilot will move to the Osprey program, Blair said. Pilots who are, for example, discharging or coming up on retirement will not be eligible. Pilots who are designated to join Osprey squadrons by direct assignment “will incur a two-year additional service obligation to commence on the date transition training is complete,” according to the MarAdmin.
Navy pilots will not be excluded. The annual transition board that exists to take pilots who don’t come from the 46 or 53 communities will select a small percentage of naval aviators for voluntary transition to the MV-22.
Those who are selected will incur a four-year additional service obligation that will begin the day transition training is complete.
The direct-assignment policy does not apply to the Marine Corps Reserve.
Ellie