Talk:Naval aviator (United States)

There are a host of 'naval aviators' listed in Wikipedia
"A Naval Aviator is a pilot in the United States Navy..."

Other nations have naval aviators too... ;-)

Felix c 21:10, 9 August 2006 (UTC)

Many of these naval aviators are not (or were not) members of the United States military. This article should either be expanded to cover the generic reality or the title should be modified to reflect the narrow specificity of its subject.Markm62 19:47, 10 October 2006 (UTC)


 * Just because other navies have pilots doesn't mean they actually call them "Naval Aviators". This appears to be a USN-specific term, at least in origin, and one which USN "pilots" are very proud to use. Unless someone can provide specific reliable published sources showing that other navies officially call their pilots by this term, I'd recommend moving this page back to plain Naval Aviator. - BillCJ (talk) 05:58, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Navy C-130?
Does anyone have any info to back up the US Navy's C-130 Hercules program? --ProdigySportsman 23:34, 27 March 2007 (UTC)


 * Try Data on Aircraft in the Current Naval Aviation Inventory on the USN site.
 * See also:
 * C-130 Projects at NAVAIR
 * USN C-130 fact file
 * Naval Test Wing Atlantic C-130 page
 * Granted, these are not front-line transport units, but they are US Navy organizations which use USN naval aviators as pilots for these Navy-owned and operated aircraft. - BillCJ (talk) 05:45, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

"Not front-line transport units," what difference does that make? Anyway, see below for examples of US Navy tactical C-130 squadrons, and I believe VXE-6 qualifies as a "front-line transport unit." The Navy had two Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons (VQ-3 and VQ-4) that flew a total of 18 EC-130Qs in performing the TACAMO mission. (These squadrons currently fly 16 E-6Bs, as the EC-130s were retired c. 1991). Additionally, Antarctic Development Squadron Six (VXE-6) operated four LC-130Fs and three LC-130Rs from c. 1961 to its disestablishment in 1999. (The LC-130Rs, and the Antarctic support mission, as well as Arctic support, are now operated by the New York Air National Guard's 139th Airlift Squadron, 109th Airlift Wing.)CobraDragoon (talk) 16:01, 24 March 2015 (UTC)

no section for the Osprey
There is no seciton for the tilt rotor MV-22 Osprey. It is currently being used by the Marine Corps and also will be in the Navy and Air Force's inventory. --ProdigySportsman 23:42, 27 March 2007 (UTC)

sevice obligation?
The section on service obligation contradicts itself... RP459 (talk) 02:32, 6 February 2009 (UTC)

Marine Helicopter Pilots service commitment
The six year commitment has been extended to eight years beginning for pilots issued wings in 2010. Should be updated.


 * I would think that it would be prudent to wait until the rule is in effect prior to updating the article...  RP459 (talk) 20:52, 24 December 2009 (UTC)

Naval Aviator Insignia
Insignia is the plural, insigne is the singular form.

Usage Note: Insignia in Latin is the plural form of insigne, but it has long been used in English as both a singular and a plural form: The insignia was visible on the wingtip. There are five insignia on various parts of the plane. From the singular use of insignia comes the plural insignias, which is also acceptable. The Latin singular insigne is rare and may strike some readers as pedantic.

Probably is pedantic. Just thought I'd mention it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wgmleslie (talk • contribs) 03:00, 9 September 2010 (UTC)

Capitalizaton?
Why is Naval Aviator capitalized throughout this article? Isn't it like any other title, it should only be capitalized when used before someone's name?

Examples:

1. Naval Aviator Tom Jones flew combat missions in Vietnam.

2. A naval aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.
 * Actually it is not a title, it is a qualification, so this suggestion is unequivocally correct. Naval aviators are called such because "pilot"s are (traditionally) mariners who guide ships through hazardous or congested waters.--Reedmalloy (talk) 22:20, 28 August 2012 (UTC)

Naval Aviation Pilots - Silver Eagles
Naval Aviation Pilots (NAPs), were enlisted pilots. They wore wings identical in every respect, including the color, to officer Naval Aviators. Have researched this topic extensivley and have asked well over 100 Sliver Eagles if they ever saw an NAP with silver wings. Each insisted there was never any such thing; all wore gold. Some of the confusion might be from observer wings. Between January 1927 and October 1929 the design of Naval Aviation Observer Wings was the same as Naval Aviator Wings except the observer wings were silver. See http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP20.PDF, page 663. Other confusion might come from the NAPs fraternal organization, the Silver Eagles. If anyone can come up with a reliable source that says NAPs EVER wore silver wings, please provdide that source. Additionally, see http://bluejacket.com/sea-service_nap_index.htm or Enlisted Naval Aviation Pilots, by Harold H. Kelly, William A. Riley, Silver Eagles Association - 1997.E2a2j (talk) 17:25, 20 July 2012 (UTC)

An Officer and a Gentleman
This article mentions that "Officer and a Gentleman" is a portrayal of API. Isn't it, in fact, about OCS (or more precisely AOCS) when it was conducted at NAS Pensacola? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.226.27.222 (talk) 00:00, 13 January 2013 (UTC)

Yes, you are correct. I have amended the note to read "API/AOCS." The section as is then adequately explains the AOCS and API relationship.CobraDragoon (talk) 15:13, 24 March 2015 (UTC)

IFS/API
Now gone and rebranded as NIFE (Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation). Notable changes include the curriculum being 3 weeks for ground school, 1 and 1/2 week of flying cessna's. SNA's and NFO's no longer have a solo flight. Instead, you have 6 training flights and a checkride with a military instructor. All flights are through a company called sky warriors. All take place at Pensacola International or Jack Edwards.

Requested move 22 September 2022

 * The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion. 

The result of the move request was: moved. Per consensus. (closed by non-admin page mover) – robertsky (talk) 19:42, 29 September 2022 (UTC)

United States Naval Aviator → Naval aviator (United States) – This term, when used in the United States, refers to a class of servicemembers in general, rather than a group literally entitled "United States Naval Aviator". It is semantically related to "naval flight officer" and other kinds of line officers. In some publications, like tables of qualifications, it may have initial capitals (as Naval Aviator), but in running text (including in the preceding manual, and legislation), it is written uncapitalized. TheFeds 18:49, 22 September 2022 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.
 * Support per nom. Dicklyon (talk) 16:28, 24 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Support: It's a clear case of MOS:JOBTITLE. This one's bothered me for a while, but I've not made the time and energy to propose the change. I suspect that it's not been fixed because landing on aircraft carriers is one of the coolest things a person can do, but that's not a good reason. SchreiberBike &#124; ⌨ 19:40, 24 September 2022 (UTC)
 * Support per nom and above. -- Necrothesp (talk) 12:54, 28 September 2022 (UTC)

Changed the wings to an SVG file
THe Naval Aviator wings in this article have been changed to a photorealistic SVG file. SVG files are the preferred format for Wikipedia images, particularly for insignia. Ray Trygstad (talk) 20:09, 8 April 2023 (UTC)