GpsGamePlay.com - Do USAF Air Battle Managers do any actual flying?

Do USAF Air Battle Managers do any actual flying?

I realize that they're not pilots but I read on Wikipedia that they are actually required to do a certain number of flight hours each month in order to maintain their rating. Which is convenient for me since I plan to continue with my civilian flying anyway, even after I'm on active-duty. I failed my flight physical; they DQ'd me for pilot because of my depth perception. They say I may have a good shot at getting qualified for a nav slot, but I've decided I don't want to do that. Everybody I've spoken with says that nav is a boring, meaningless position, and besides, with the advance of automated cockpits, GPS technologies, etc., those jobs are going the way of the dodo. Or maybe I could be a simulator instructor. I have a Private Pilot's License and my PCSM score was near-perfect. Too bad, because if I had been medically qualified I might have had a good shot at a pilot's slot.

Public Comments

I'd rather be a navigator, than an AWACS jockey. You might want to brush up on navigator roles, you could have the time of your life. on the other hand, I really don't give a rat's butt what you wind up doing because you have come to the dumbest place on the planet looking for advice. out
Good question, all aircrew need to maintain certain "currencies" but those flight hours you are referring to are not flight hours like you are thinking (pilot in command flight hours). The currency you are talking about and read about is referring to how often they must fly in their aircraft in the role of air battle manager, not pilot (NAV works the same way) although they are in the aircraft and have a vital role in the operation and mission of the aircraft the pilot is the only one who will actually "fly" the aircraft. Flight surgeons also need to maintain that same type of currency although they are not pulling double duty as both a pilot and doctor they are simply flying in a given airframe. Another viable job if you are interested is a weapons system officer or WSO (wizzo). (F-15 B-2's etc.) The sim instructor community is a small community in the military consisting primarily of retired military aviators many contracted by independant companies (for instance LSI-Lear Siegler Services, at my base).