clsage Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Thought that this question would fit here as well as anywhere else..... If an Admiral was needing a personal pilot to operate a vehicle he was going to be traveling on/in, what rank does modern protocol say is needed for the pilot ? I mean, I wouldn't expect (except under extreme circumstances) for a staff pilot to be less than a lieutenant. But that is just going by my very limited exposure to such things. Anyone with more armed services knowledge have any info they could share ? Thanks. -Carl- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaplayboy Posted October 29, 2007 Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Whenever I see a pilot's name mentioned in the news, he's either a captain or a major. It takes about 5-8 years IIRC to make captain, so that sounds about right. Of course, I don't know whether a naval pilot would have the same designations as an Air Force pilot(probably not), so perhaps "ensign" would be more apropos. Looking at how the rankings progress, offhand I'd guess either "Lieutenant"(O-3) or "Lieutenant Commander"(O-4), since Captain is a much higher rank in the Navy than in the Army or Air Force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clsage Posted October 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Whenever I see a pilot's name mentioned in the news, he's either a captain or a major. It takes about 5-8 years IIRC to make captain, so that sounds about right. Of course, I don't know whether a naval pilot would have the same designations as an Air Force pilot(probably not), so perhaps "ensign" would be more apropos. Looking at how the rankings progress, offhand I'd guess either "Lieutenant"(O-3) or "Lieutenant Commander"(O-4), since Captain is a much higher rank in the Navy than in the Army or Air Force. Yeah, that's what I had thought too....just going by popular cultural references and such. Thanks. -Carl- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starwolf Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Whenever I see a pilot's name mentioned in the news, he's either a captain or a major. It takes about 5-8 years IIRC to make captain, so that sounds about right. Of course, I don't know whether a naval pilot would have the same designations as an Air Force pilot(probably not), so perhaps "ensign" would be more apropos. Looking at how the rankings progress, offhand I'd guess either "Lieutenant"(O-3) or "Lieutenant Commander"(O-4), since Captain is a much higher rank in the Navy than in the Army or Air Force. Heh... Ok first my bonafides. I am a Navy retiree and spent 17 of my 20 years in the Naval Aviation community. It takes an average of 15 to 20 years to make Captain in the Navy, as the equivalent rank in the other services is a full Colonel (0-6). In fact Captains are only one rank below flag rank officers (commodore/admiral). Admirals don't have personal pilots, or even assigned aircraft. When an admiral wants to travel his staff contacts the local CAG/Air Wing Commander or the local airbase ops office and they schedule an aircraft to transport the admiral and his staff. It would be extemely unlikely for a nugget (a junior officer most likely ltjg or new lt) to transport an admiral, but an experienced LT or LCDR would be most likely. By the time an aviator reaches CDR, he most likely is a squadron commander. Then by the time he makes Captain he is most likely a Wing Commander, CAG, or bucking for a Carrier Command. In order for a line officer to become an Admiral he must have commanded a deep water vessel at some point (like a carrier or Amphib). It is possible IF the Admiral was an Aviator and keeps up his flight quals, that he could fly himself in an available fighter/helo etc. Also one point of order... There are no pilots in the Navy, they are Naval Aviators. Pilots are relegated to the lesser services (Army, Airforce, Marines ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clsage Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question It would be extemely unlikely for a nugget (a junior officer most likely ltjg or new lt) to transport an admiral, but an experienced LT or LCDR would be most likely. By the time an aviator reaches CDR, he most likely is a squadron commander. Then by the time he makes Captain he is most likely a Wing Commander, CAG, or bucking for a Carrier Command. In order for a line officer to become an Admiral he must have commanded a deep water vessel at some point (like a carrier or Amphib). It is possible IF the Admiral was an Aviator and keeps up his flight quals, that he could fly himself in an available fighter/helo etc. Also one point of order... There are no pilots in the Navy, they are Naval Aviators. I recalled the 'aviators" point a bit belatedly. So for my scenario, a Lt Commander pulled from local flight ops would be an appropriate rank to act in the transport of an Admiral...If he chose not to fly himself. Thanks. -Carl- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted November 4, 2007 Report Share Posted November 4, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question There are no pilots in the Navy, they are Naval Aviators. Pilots are relegated to the lesser services (Army, Airforce, Marines ) Now this is a fact that you can use in a game... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted November 4, 2007 Report Share Posted November 4, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Also one point of order... There are no pilots in the Navy, they are Naval Aviators. Pilots are relegated to the lesser services (Army, Airforce, Marines ) If the Navy calls their flyboys "aviators" rather than "pilots" it's because in nautical terms a "pilot" is a guy who guides a ship into port. Don't get me started on stupid nitpicks in military terminology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maur Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question That's what happens when you tack on new positions to an already existing structure. The Navy wasn't about to redo all their naming classifications just to fit in Pilot to mean the dude flying the aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question What did the Navy call "commanders" of their lighter-than-air craft, back when they were in that business? Were they aviators then too, or captains, or something more exotic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question My memory is that naval airships' crews fit comfortably in the Navy's standard ship-command structure, but that could be a memory from fanfiction, not history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question My memory is that naval airships' crews fit comfortably in the Navy's standard ship-command structure' date=' but that could be a memory from fanfiction, not history.[/quote'] So, if that's true it sounds like you'd be a Captain of an airship? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Also one point of order... There are no pilots in the Navy, they are Naval Aviators. Pilots are relegated to the lesser services (Army, Airforce, Marines ) I was with you right up to alleging "Marines" as a lesser service, you #$@%@#$ squid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Lookat the relevant Wikipedia entry, looks like the airship USS Akron was under the command of a lieutenant commander when she crashed. By courtesy, the CO of a ship is referred to as "Captain", even if he's not a "real" four-striper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorPse Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Lookat the relevant Wikipedia entry' date=' looks like the airship USS Akron was under the command of a lieutenant commander when she crashed. By courtesy, the CO of a ship is referred to as "Captain", even if he's not a "real" four-striper.[/quote'] Cool... Thanks as always C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Thought that this question would fit here as well as anywhere else..... If an Admiral was needing a personal pilot to operate a vehicle he was going to be traveling on/in, what rank does modern protocol say is needed for the pilot ? I mean, I wouldn't expect (except under extreme circumstances) for a staff pilot to be less than a lieutenant. But that is just going by my very limited exposure to such things. Anyone with more armed services knowledge have any info they could share ? Thanks. -Carl- Most pilots/aviators are officers regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayapuppies Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Re: Military rank Related Question Most pilots/aviators are officers regardless. Yes, whether they Warrant it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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