Questions for anybody with 153A MOS

[Schnoor]

 As I am just starting my career within ARMA 3 litteraly have about 1 hour under my belt and would like to join your unit I was wondering if someone could PM or just answer some questions about 153A MOS as I have been trying to learn to fly using the simulator. I am about to put in my application for enrollment just trying to figure out the MOS to take.

1. How hard is it to get used to flying ?
2. Is there a recommended setup that you use to make it easier ?
3. What all kinds of missions do you fly regularly ?

[Capt (Ret) Brownlee]

As I am just starting my career within ARMA 3 litteraly have about 1 hour under my belt and would like to join your unit I was wondering if someone could PM or just answer some questions about 153A MOS as I have been trying to learn to fly using the simulator. I am about to put in my application for enrollment just trying to figure out the MOS to take.

1. How hard is it to get used to flying ?
2. Is there a recommended setup that you use to make it easier ?
3. What all kinds of missions do you fly regularly ?

1. If you're new to flying then the learning curb can be very steep, however in saying that it all depends on how quickly you can learn from other pilots. If you have the ability to learn quickly then you will find yourself being able to pick up the ideas and concepts far quicker. Along with that provided you have a competent pilot teaching you then you can learn far quicker.

2. Honestly no, you can truthfully fly to the same level flying with a keyboard or flying with a joystick and throttle.

3. Both attack, aggressive styled missions. Along with transport missions which involves the transportation of friendly troops. Mostly as aviation you will find yourself providing support to friendly troops on the ground, supporting typically with CAS.

[1LT (Ret) Burke]

As the name implies, the 506th Infantry Regiment is first and foremost an infantry unit so the air missions are mostly in support of the infantry. The roles vary from CAS and air/AA support to transport and resupply.  As a chopper pilot you will fly CH-47F Chinooks, AH-6M Little Birds, UH-60M Black Hawks and AH-64D Apaches.

[CW4 Stowe]

Hello PrivateBS,

You will find out soon enough that all of the pilots will patiently attend to you learning how to fly the different airframes, but as CW2 Brownlee stated, the learning curve can be quite steep if this is your first attempt at flying helicopters in Arma.  So, what flying experience do you currently have from Arma or any other flight sim with rotary aircraft?  Regardless, D/Co expects a level of maturity in its pilots where hotshot flying is not the norm but a professional (if I can say that) unit of pilots whose goal is mission success with no air or ground losses at all costs.

You have as many setups to flying as you will find pilots as all of us have our own quirks about key mapping, HOTAS or keyboard, or mixture of the two. 

All said, I highly encourage you to reach out and make the attempt and if nothing else you should fight and gain rank and experience with the infantry while you practice and learn how to fly helicopters.  I will gladly fly with you if no one else is available to go over the concepts and foundations of flying.

Enjoy,

CW2 Stowe

[1st Lt Leib]

Answering based on my 'experience' as a WOC.

.....1.) Hard as anything you've never done before in a video game. I'm quickly learning that the skills and abilities I've seen the pilots of the 506th use aren't just magically given to you when you transfer to D/Co.

.....2.) Oh I'm sure that there systems like TrackIR or joysticks that work better for different people. I don't have any head-tracking or joystick and throttle: just mouse and keyboard. And I still manage to fly in first person almost exclusively and keep track of my situation. Of course I'm still learning, but if a clutz like me can do it without anything fancy then you should be fine.

.....3.) The Phoenixes (Blackhawks and Chinooks) fly troop transport, reinsertions, and supply and equipment runs. Lancer (the Littlebird) flies low-level CAS and such operations. And of course Warlord (the Apache) runs CAS with its cannon, Hellfires, and other assorted weaponry. As SFC Burke and others more senior to myself have pointed out: this is the 506th Infantry Regiment. So everything D/Co does is in support of infantry operations. That can be anything from flying in grunts or resupplies to killing enemy armor with CAS strikes.

As a WOC learning how to fly, I can tell you right now that the flying is possible if you just focus and practice. Learn the fundamentals (any of the CWs would more than likely happily help you there) and practice them constantly. And if you want to get better then the only way is to try and push yourself as I've been instructed multiple times: start flying lower and lower, faster and faster. Pick LZs that will challenge you or ones you are comfortable with in conditions you aren't used to (such as heavy fog or rain).