Comment from Bobby Martin
Bobby MartinSupportIndividual
Summary: Matthew T. Keefe, an Instructor Pilot, supports the proposed action based on his personal experience as a former Naval Flight Officer and current T-38C instructor. He argues that prior flight experience, particularly in fighter-type aircraft, significantly improves a student's ability to learn pilotage principles.
Having not only made the transition from NFO to Pilot, but also been an Instructor Naval Flight Officer and and now an Instructor Pilot I have both experienced and witnessed the dramatic airmanship gap between a student/upgrade pilot straight out of the selection pipeline and someone with SCT/Other experience. The data clearly shows a direct correlation between how well my students pick up the principles of pilotage (when compared to their contemporaries in flight training) and their prior experience, most often in fighter-type aircraft. The skills and training directly transfer over and I can unequivocally say that I would not be the pilot I am today had it not been for my experience as a WSO prior to being selected to pilot the F-15C as my primary MWS, and that same experience has paid unquantified dividends in my current role as a T-38C instructor pilot. Without a doubt, this resolution should pass.