Who has the best pilots?

[CALL911]

Who has the best pilots? The US Navy? Or the US Air Force?

Talking about sheer talent here. For example, take a common fighter, and put both pilots against each other who would win?

[Fastbird]

No offense Ben, but Navy. More air to air combat experience (most air force roles are ground support and bombing anymore, I think the last few fighter kills were navy guys IIRC) and...........

Air Force pilots don't have to land on a rocking boat.

[CALL911]

Actually the last air to air kills were by the F-15C. During the gulf war we shot down 101 enemy and lost 0 (air to air, not air to ground). All of which were Air Force kills. An A-10 pilot was actually the first to shoot down a helicopter in the first gulf war which he did with the GAU-8 (the big f'n gun on the A-10).

The Navy may land on ships at sea, but I don't think that makes them better pilots with greater skill as far as the flying goes.

Just my .02 cents. What does everyone else think?

[Fastbird]

Actually the last air to air kills were by the F-15C. During the gulf war we shot down 101 enemy and lost 0 (air to air, not air to ground). All of which were Air Force kills. An A-10 pilot was actually the first to shoot down a helicopter in the first gulf war which he did with the GAU-8 (the big f'n gun on the A-10).

The Navy may land on ships at sea, but I don't think that makes them better pilots with greater skill as far as the flying goes.

Just my .02 cents. What does everyone else think?

I gotta bone up on my Gulf War history then. I can't remember them talking about any air kills then.

[grn95t/a]

i live just outside of LAFB. they had there annual airshow today. and after seeing the F-22 RAPTORS do there thing, i voted USAF!

[Colossus]

The F-15C is the greatest fighter in history. Unrivaled with NO air to air losses. Its over a 100:0 kill ratio. NOTHING in the HISTORY of the world can compare. The Navy's most successful modern fighter was the F-14 and they retired it.

[CALL911]

"You figured it out yet?"

"Whats that?"

"Who's the best pilot"

"I think I can figure that one out on my own"

[Tony Shepherd]

"You figured it out yet?"

"Whats that?"

"Who's the best pilot"

"I think I can figure that one out on my own"


Thanks Maverick!:jest:

[CALL911]

Thanks Maverick!:jest:

Hey, you can be my wingman anytime :cool:

[AChotrod]

I say both fuckin rule!!!!!

[CamaroZGuy]

i think the majority of fighter pilots are stuck up a$$ holes....i give full respect to the Heavy pilots! (no offense Call911 if your going to be a fighter). but taking the best of both branches i think i would be close...so i say USAF cause I'm bias!

[CALL911]

i think the majority of fighter pilots are stuck up a$$ holes....i give full respect to the Heavy pilots! (no offense Call911 if your going to be a fighter). but taking the best of both branches i think i would be close...so i say USAF cause I'm bias!

I will be a heavy pilot :finger:

[CALL911]

Really the thread was asking about sheer talent. I definatly believe that just because you are a fighter pilot doesn't mean you have more talent than a heavy pilot (or helo pilot or bomber pilot for that matter).

I have met and flown with pilots that can do some amazing things in the air, and others that frankly I was just thankfull to be back on the ground in one piece after flying with. Fighter pilots are the same way. Some suck, some are stellar. Keep in mind the level of the suck factor though. They still are pilots trained by the Air Force. They still have standards that have to be met (check-rides they have to pass), so they literally can't be terrible to the sense that anyone off the street could pilot a plane better.

[CamaroZGuy]

the way i look at it is, yes both heavy and fighter pilots are skilled but times the heavy's still get in to some chit and i personally give more respect to them seeing how they can handle there giant aircraft. i think of it as a Bus Vs. sports car.
and fighters are just way too annoying! i swear they play "lets see who can use less of the runway!" to my knowledge, 16's don't HAVE to take off with full burners...

right know thats the best way i can put my thinking in to words.

(sorry for throwing your thread off topic)

[CALL911]

Not all fighter guys fit that profile. Sure, I have met my fair share of them that truely believed they were Gods and not people, but I have met others that are some of the coolest dudes I have had the honor of serving with.

Same goes for heavy pilots I suppose, but most of them don't live on the heirachy of the fighter pilot life where they preech to you every day that you are the first and last defense in an air war. That mentallity alone can often breed such characters. And to an extent, its probably a good thing we have guys that literally believe they are invincible. It sometimes is that attitude that seperates the confident from the hesitant, and can mean the difference between life and death.

[black hawk]

i would say talent lies with in the pilot, not the branch

[Transamman25]

I'm gonna say Army pilot's are the best mainly because many a A10 pilot has saved my unit's butt in Iraq ... I would chop off my left testicle with a plastic spork to fly an A10!
YouTube - A-10 Thunderbolt in the action

[CALL911]

I'm gonna say Army pilot's are the best mainly because many a A10 pilot has saved my unit's butt in Iraq ... I would chop off my left testicle with a plastic spork to fly an A10!


Uhhh... dude....

The Army doesn't fly the A-10. Heck, the Army doesn't barely have any planes at all. 99% of all the Army aircraft are helicopters.

That was yet again the Air Force with the A-10.

[PoorMan]

Marines. Try to fly a Harrier or an Osprey.

[95Yardbird]

MARINE CORPS

[CALL911]

MARINE CORPS

So why the Marines? If your going to pick other than the USAF, or USN, explain why.

I do find it interesting someone else who voted Marines stated it just because they happen to fly certain airframes (one of which the Air Force also happens to fly).

[1SLOLT1!]

I would say both!!!!!!!!! we both have awesome demostration teams and i am in the Navy and work right next to Travis AFB in CA. i have had the chance to see both sides of the coin! i do love the Navy Blue Angels!!!

[CALL911]

A little something to back my vote

YouTube- F-16 Falcon vs F-14 Tomcat Dogfight

Air Force F-16's vs Navy's F-14's
Its obviously a little older (since F-14's are retired, and the F-16 will be retired fairly soon), but never the less it shows Navy pilots vs Air Force pilots. Granted this is just air to air combat, and I don't think that pilot skill is all about that, but it is a part.

This is perhaps not the best example, as the F-14 and F-16 are much different jets, and each has its own different capabilities.

[Wooshie]

FWIW The Marines and Navy are commanded by the same branch of the military so it doesn't even matter. (Dept. of the Navy) I vote Air Force though.

[CALL911]

FWIW The Marines and Navy are commanded by the same branch of the military so it doesn't even matter. (Dept. of the Navy) I vote Air Force though.

Yeah, I know. However I am not sure if they all train together (Navy specific training) or if the Marines have their own seperate training/pilot program.

The Air Force shares two pilot trainning bases with the Navy. Corpus Christi (T-44's for C-130 training), and Pensacola (joint T-1, T-38 training). At these bases the Navy runs the program, and the Air Force sends their pilots to them. Some of my buddies who have gone to these bases after their initial pilot training with the Air Force can't believe how easy the Navy program is compared to the Air Force program. They all say its really a joke compared to Air Force pilot training. Usually the Air Force pilots who go to these two bases (there aren't many that do) end up WAY behind the power curve when they get to their assigned MWS (major weapons system/ airframe).

One of my buddies said there was one guy who returned from leave and the scheduler didn't even notice until a month later when he somehow realized, "hey, Lt so and so hasn't flown in a month and a half, I guess I should put him back on the schedule". :laugh:

[Future_Z_Owner]

Navy hands down. They land on 900 ft carrier decks where USAF lands on runways a mile long. Air force probably dont get as good of training either because of noise issues. Dont have to worry about that when you are on the water.
BTW the F15 is not "the best fighter hands down" as previously stated. The Mig 29 is a much better fighter.

[1963SS]

Several tears ago I was stationed at a base that only had Marine and Navy pilots. One of the crusty old Marine Lt. Col's had a Tee shirt that said:
"I'd rather have a sister in a whorehouse than a brother in the Air Force"

That kinda says it all. IMHO. Former Marine

[CALL911]

Navy hands down. They land on 900 ft carrier decks where USAF lands on runways a mile long. Air force probably dont get as good of training either because of noise issues. Dont have to worry about that when you are on the water.
BTW the F15 is not "the best fighter hands down" as previously stated. The Mig 29 is a much better fighter.

I definatly give props to the Navy pilots who do carrier landings. That is something that takes a lot of sheer talent.

However, I don't think that the Navy pilots who do the carrier landings are always the most talented. Personally I think theres a lot more than landings that go into it, but this is something to be debated as it can not be prooved.

Noise issues are neglageble. The Air Force doesn't have noise restrictions anywhere they train past the bases where they land. They go to MOA's (military operated areas) to do all their training, which includes supersonic flight for example. The Air Force pilot training is a lot more intense and in depth than the Navy pilot training is (I can say that from first hand experience). But again, not always the deciding factor on who would be the best.

I never said the F-15C was the best fighter. I just said it had the highest air to air kill ratio of anything in the USAF history (including shooting down 4 Mig 29's on the first day of Operation Allied Force, 24 March 1999). If you want to know what the best fighter is, then that is a no brainer, its the F-22. They have already put it up against everything possibly worthy in the inventory (to include F-18 superhornets), the F-22 has taken down everything before any of them could see them coming. The F-22 is 3rd generation stealth, the only aircraft to have the ability to go supersonic without the use of afterburner, and would far exceed the abilities of the 30+ year old Mig 29.


Several tears ago I was stationed at a base that only had Marine and Navy pilots. One of the crusty old Marine Lt. Col's had a Tee shirt that said:
"I'd rather have a sister in a whorehouse than a brother in the Air Force"

That kinda says it all. IMHO. Former Marine

I wouldn't expect much different from an old crusty Marine :D

[SgtZ28]

To be honest, I think the carrier landings are a little inflated. What do they use? Some kind of ILS? I imagine they are way past a simple NDB. Fighters just hit the glideslope anyways. At least the viper guys I have talked to do.

Not to completely discredit the feat. I don't think I could get it. You hit brick one with a 130,000lb C-130 and stop in 1500ft WITHOUT a hook and that's some skillz...

But, nobody is better than ME!!




at Ace Combat 4 HA HA HA!!

[CALL911]

To be honest, I think the carrier landings are a little inflated. What do they use? Some kind of ILS? I imagine they are way past a simple NDB. Fighters just hit the glideslope anyways. At least the viper guys I have talked to do.

Not to completely discredit the feat. I don't think I could get it. You hit brick one with a 130,000lb C-130 and stop in 1500ft WITHOUT a hook and that's some skillz...

But, nobody is better than ME!!




at Ace Combat 4 HA HA HA!!

It's not the approach that is difficult. I think most pilots can fly a decent ILS approach. Its the landing itself on a moving insanely short runway, that you have to hit at just the right angle and location.

Again, not that this particular pilot skill is what all makes a great pilot. Whos to say that I, a tanker pilot am not better than a fighter pilot?

[Mr.Right]

Far and away, the navy.

The air force just fly the better aircraft for dogfighting.

NOT saying the F-18 is junk, because it is able to do ALOT of stuff.

[SgtZ28]

I know a couple of 135 guys who Phoenix'd over to the Herc. Those guys have good hands (insert joke here)

I did learn that carriers have TACAN's.