The History of Enlisted Pilots

[VFFSSGT]

In the spirit of recent debate, I thought a thread on the history of enlisted pilots would be pertinent.

Between 1912 and 1942, records indicate nearly 3,000 enlisted men of the Signal Corps, Air Service and the Army Air Forces became sergeant pilots. Between 1919 and 1973, about 3,700 served with the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. In all, sergeant pilots totaled a little more than 1 percent of all trained military pilots.

Training enlisted men as pilots was, indeed, a controversial concept. While it was necessary to meet the personnel needs of a rapidly expanding aviation field, it was questionable whether or not they'd make good leaders and commissioned officers. "After all," according to one opinion, "they lacked certain educational and cultural requirements."

But the need for increased manpower prevailed, as evidenced by the Air Corps Act of 1926 and Public Law 99, enacted June 3, 1941. Both pieces of legislation authorized the training of enlisted pilots.

Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault's aerobatics team -- called "Three Men on a Flying Trapeze" -- which predated today's Air Force "Thunderbirds" air demonstration squadron, consisted of sergeant pilots William McDonald, John Williamson and Ray Clifton.

In peacetime, sergeant pilots soared through the ranks, too. Maj. Gen. Charles Bennett, who served as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's personal pilot, began his career as an enlisted pilot.

The full article: http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1296/fly.htm

More on Enlisted Pilots: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...et.asp?id=1427

The need for training of enlisted men as pilots became gravely apparent in December 1940 as there was a growing critical shortage of pilot training applicants who could meet the two year educational requirements.

Talking Paper on Enlisted Pilots: http://afehri.maxwell.af.mil/Documents/pdf/enlpilot.pdf

I know there is more information out there on this subject, but though I would bring to light the history of such.

[smarg]

Ain't nevah, evah gonna happen.

[JTAC_Sean]

Originally Posted by smarg

Ain't nevah, evah gonna happen.

We jus' too dumb, masta. We just can't seem to figure out how them things stay in the air.

Would you like me to shine your boots now, masta?

[LogDog_guest]

Originally Posted by VFFSSGT

In the spirit of recent debate, I thought a thread on the history of enlisted pilots would be pertinent.


The full article: http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1296/fly.htm

More on Enlisted Pilots: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...et.asp?id=1427


Talking Paper on Enlisted Pilots: http://afehri.maxwell.af.mil/Documents/pdf/enlpilot.pdf

I know there is more information out there on this subject, but though I would bring to light the history of such.

I suggest checking out the book They Also Flew by Lee Abron. It tells the story of enlisted pilots from 1912 - 142.

[AIRFORCEAGGIE]

Yes, and in every case, the enlisted pilots were either commissioned or rifted out of the service. Bottom line is that pilots are going to be commissioned because they are the aircraft COMMANDER. As such, to be in command, you have to be an officer, ergo, commissioned officers. It has nothing to do with keeping anyone down. It has to deal with command authority. An nco only commands by the authority delegated to him.

[Sergeant T]

Who exactly is an F-16 pilot commanding when he's all alone in his cockpit?

I can understand that a squadron or flight needs to have a commander, but a one-ship flight? Do you order yourself around up there at 15,000 ft?

;-)

Thats an argument based on semantics. In the same way that an infantryman can pull the trigger when commanded to, so can a pilot.

Of course, I also think a lot of the other reqs for pilot are ridiculous too... Why is it ok to have an older pilot ferrying 300-400 passengers across the world, but not driving a Predator from a comfy chair in Nellis? Surely it can't have anything to do with instituational bias as opposed to real world reasons?

Of course, I may just disagree with your posts because you've got Aggie in your name and I'm a diehard Longhorn. :-P

[VFFSSGT]

Originally Posted by Sergeant T

I can understand that a squadron or flight needs to have a commander, but a one-ship flight? Do you order yourself around up there at 15,000 ft?

Nope, they do not order themselves around up there, an enlisted member, (or civilian depending on location and airspace) in a Tower or Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) tells them "where" to fly...at 15, it would most likely be a RAPCON.

Kind of like a UAV pilot tells the UAV "where" to fly with a click of a mouse (except take off, landing, and emergencies and then they just crash them...pretty sure we could handle that one )...

Originally Posted by AIRFORCEAGGIE

Yes, and in every case, the enlisted pilots were either commissioned or rifted out of the service. Bottom line is that pilots are going to be commissioned because they are the aircraft COMMANDER. As such, to be in command, you have to be an officer, ergo, commissioned officers. It has nothing to do with keeping anyone down. It has to deal with command authority. An nco only commands by the authority delegated to him.

Many were commissioned and many got out, but on what basis did the AF commission them? Simply because they knew how to fly, not because they had a college degree, which back then the requirement was only a 2 yr education... But, what was the "problem" then, same as today, "they lacked certain educational and cultural requirements."

But why where enlisted given the opportunity to fly? Because of military necessity...sounds familiar to today...the need that is...

But, enlisted pilots accomplished a lot of "firsts" in flying and made some pretty significant accomplishments. Try to bright to light this history and some just put it down... Again, an elitist attitude.

[DAG48]

Originally Posted by VFFSSGT

Nope, they do not order themselves around up there, an enlisted member, (or civilian depending on location and airspace) in a Tower or Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) tells them "where" to fly...at 15, it would most likely be a RAPCON.

I wanted to address this because in a combat area, an Air Battle Manager, by now they are mostly Commissioned Officers once again, control aircraft in the Combat Area of Operations, while in some instances Enlisted Folks direct Pilots to targets on the ground.

My comments about having Commissioned Officers in direct control of Nukes seems to have fallen on deaf ears in other Threads and is the primary reason we do not have Enlisted Pilots. It is why the USAF did away with Warrant Officers in lieu of sticking them in Missile Silos or cockpits as Pilots. Warrants were the evolution of the Enlisted Pilots in the other Military Branches. Giving the Command to deploy Nukes is delegated to the Ranks of the Commissioned Officers in all the services, not because the Enlisted are not intelligent nor talented, but because this responsibility is placed on the shoulders of the Highest Ranks of the Military.

Point is, we use UAVs to deliver Nukes, they are called ICBMs, ALCMs, SLCMs, and GLCMs, how do we know the other UAV's in question are not capable of deploying a Nuke? It would sure answer your questions about enlisted pilots, now wouldn't it?

[smarg]

Originally Posted by AIRFORCEAGGIE

Yes, and in every case, the enlisted pilots were either commissioned or rifted out of the service. Bottom line is that pilots are going to be commissioned because they are the aircraft COMMANDER. As such, to be in command, you have to be an officer, ergo, commissioned officers. It has nothing to do with keeping anyone down. It has to deal with command authority. An nco only commands by the authority delegated to him.

Bingo. Exactly.

Next.

[smarg]

Originally Posted by JTAC_Sean

We jus' too dumb, masta. We just can't seem to figure out how them things stay in the air.

Would you like me to shine your boots now, masta?

No, but the latrine is a little stinky. Please get your latrine-queen gear on and mop it for me, will ya? Okay, run along now.