Helicopter Pilots

Please reread his first response. In no way was he rude or condescending. His answer was completely appropriate. I would urge you not to turn this into something it isn't. Don't start a fight on FSM. This isn't a place for that.

Again reread what he posted, this time don't add in any emotional prejudice and see what he said.

You wanted to know if pilots placed names on the aircraft. He stated that was to general because it is. Give a person a time period, country and type and a better response would follow. All he was trying to do was explain that there are to many variables to give a yes or no answer that you later stated you want.

How would you answer a question like this " Does a person have a middle name? Yes or no answer only please."

Cut him some slack and besides, for the above post seems like you already knew the answer.

I was a CH-53 mechanic in the Marine Corps from 1993 to 2004.  It was pretty rare for crew names to be painted on an aircraft.  If you saw a crew name stenciled on a plane, it was usually because that crew was assigned to that plane while aboard ship, and it simply wasn't removed when the plane came off deployment.  In that case, you would usually find the same crew on that plane, (while aboard ship) but still not necessarily so.  

The reason it was rarely done, is because crewing an aircraft, at least helicopters, is nothing like hopping in your assigned car and driving off.  Any crew, even the people that consisted of a crew were changed on a daily basis, would get whichever plane was available for the flight schedule.  So, since the plane is always changing, and the individuals on a crew was always changing, it makes no sense to stencil an aircraft with said crew names.  In the case of being on ship, the crews could somewhat stay with their planes, because we usually took a smaller number of planes on deployment, and those planes were run through the wringer to make sure they would need as little maintenance as possible while it was deployed.

Running a squadron is a very planning and maintenance intensive evolution.  It is absolutely nothing like the stuff you see in the movies.  Basically, there is no "this is his plane."  Things simply changed too often and to fast for that to happen.  Many times, you could see a persons name on a plane, and within a couple of months, either the plane was going somewhere else, the person was getting out, or the person was going to another squadron.

#Hijac allert!#

Here in Southern Africa, particularly South Africa any nose art is rare to the extreme on AIrcraft. The most you will have is maybe a CO's name on the canopyrail.

There was however the "practice" of ground crew writing "mesages of ill wishes" on bombs loaded on aircraft.......morale boosters maybe??

Some of the APC's used "in theatre" would sometimes have a little "art" on it , but done temporary in chalk as it was not "official polocy"

I had the name "Bush Baby" on the side of my armoured Ambo when doing training at the Army Battle school in Mech Infantery tacticks. But it was not as common to do so.

#Hijac mode off#

Theuns

supercobra

Digital_Cowboy

supercobra

I'd say the question is too general.  Some do, some don'[t.  It not only depends on the service but it also depends on the type helicopter, the individual squadron, the time period, etc.  For the USMC in general, it is not common for the pilots.  For the crew chiefs/plane captains, it may be more common but it typically isn't done.  

SC,

     How do you figure that it's "too general?"  I would have to think that it is either a yes or no question.  Do helicopter pilots and their crews get their names painted on "their" helicopters or not?  Yes, I realize that it will also depend on the unit SOP.

     But I can see it being a boost to a helicopter commander and their crew to have their name painted on "their" helicopter.

Maybe I should have said too broad rather than too general.  Does that clarify my comment?  If all you wanted was a yes or no answer then alot of people here wasted their time by assuming you wanted something more than that.  The "yes" or "no" answer for your broad question is "yes" because somewhere in the world in the last 75 years at least one helicopter pilot has had his name on the side of a helo. I was trying to be helpful by adding some service/country/unit specific caveats beyond that obvious answer.  But you didn't specify a service or even a country for that matter.  That is what I meant by "your question is too general". I was just hoping to get some clarification if you had a specific type you were modeling so we could provide the best answer to your question.  A simple yes would have been technically correct but wouldn't have been really useful, since, although it is/has been done, it is not comon practice to put names on helos (in the US at least).  That is why myself and others went out of our way to provide you with additional examples.

As for it boosting morale, that is a two way street.  Most squadrons have more pilots and crew than helos.  You may boost morale for those who get a helo with their name on it but it decreases morale if there aren't enough helos to paint everyone's name on.  Also, what happens when someone's helo becomes a hangar queen and doesn't fly for a long time.  That may also decrease morale.  Also, by since you can't put the names of the hundreds of people in a unit that support the flights, is it really fair to single out the crew for recognition?  Those of just some examples of why, in my experience, painting names creates more harm than good.  That is why most units I've been in don't do it. 

SC,

                One could make the presumption that you sir are going out of your way to be both rude and condescending.  I am sorry that you feel that my question is either “too broad” or “too general.”  I do not feel that it is/was either “too broad” or “too general.”

                I asked because I was genuinely curious about it.  And I wanted to learn what the practice is/was.  Yes, I know that different posts/bases/camps will (and DO) have different SOP’s, and what is allowed at one unit/squad/wing/etc may not be allowed at another.  I also spent enough time in the U.S. Army to know that not all units/squads/wings/etc. are going to have enough equipment/crafts/vehicles for EVERY pilot/crew chief/crew to have their own “personal” craft or vehicle and that only the higher ranking personnel will have their own “personal” craft/vehicle, but I also know that there are also units/squads/wings/etc. that DO have enough to go around so that “everyone” can and will have their own “personal” whatever. And if I am remembering correctly, when I was stationed at Ft. Riley, most if not all of my fellow medics were not only assigned to a particular vehicle they also had their name(s) painted on the side or door of “their” vehicle.

                So it makes sense that Helo pilots might likewise have their name(s) painted on “their” helicopter.

                As for the morale booster, if in a given unit/squad/wing/etc. doesn’t have enough of whatever to go around, and only the “higher ranking” personnel will have their own “personal” craft.  Think about this for a second.  We have a “lower ranking” pilot or crew chief or what have you.  Who is lucky enough to draw a particular craft, don’t you think that it’d be a boost to their morale to be able to fly/drive/use so-and-so’s “personal” craft?

                I also realize that given the size of the various support crews that it would be impractical to list ALL of the various support crews on the side(s) of a particular craft/vehicle.

                Also, granted NOT in this particular sub-forum I have made it quite clear that I have served in the U.S. military, and had hoped that it would have been obvious (if one had looked at my other posts) that I probably would have been asking about the U.S. military.  Also when I asked this question in the Armor sub-forum I got a much better response.  And no one responded in the same or close manner as you did.

                So, maybe the problem is with your perspective/interpretation and NOT with my question.

While researching for my CH-113, I found a few pictures with the aircraft commander's name written in black Sharpie below his window.  They could write it on just before takeoff, and probably find a suitable solvent around the hangar to remove it later.  I would guess that it would be uncommon, though.

While I was in the Marine Corps, the enlisted crew members would sometimes have their names on the aircraft they were assigned, but I don't recall having it done while I was in the Army.

In both the Army and Marine Corps we never had pilots assigned to a specific aircraft...It just wasn't practical.

I don't know what the practice is now, but when I was a crew chief and flight engineer, the enlisted crewmembers usually stayed with and performed maintenance on the aircraft they were assigned to. If pilots were on the flight schedule, they flew in whatever aircraft was assigned to the flight schedule.

I could get into the nuances of "maintenance flow charts"  and how those related to flight schedules,  and how Maintenance Control / Production Control tried to manage it but it would take too much space and would probably bore everyone to death.

The simple answer is that in the Army and Marine Corps, pilots were not assigned to specifc helicopters, so as a result they wouldn't havetheir names painted on them.  Of course, there were aircraft that both pilots and enlsited crewmembers preferred to fly in and there were pilots and enslisted crewmembers that were more popular than others...I know I had my preferences of who I wanted to fly with and I wasn't above trying to get Maintenance Control / Production Control to change aircraft around on the flight schedule. 

Digital_Cowboy

supercobra

I'd say the question is too general.  Some do, some don'[t.  It not only depends on the service but it also depends on the type helicopter, the individual squadron, the time period, etc.  For the USMC in general, it is not common for the pilots.  For the crew chiefs/plane captains, it may be more common but it typically isn't done.  

SC,

     How do you figure that it's "too general?"  I would have to think that it is either a yes or no question.  Do helicopter pilots and their crews get their names painted on "their" helicopters or not?  Yes, I realize that it will also depend on the unit SOP.

     But I can see it being a boost to a helicopter commander and their crew to have their name painted on "their" helicopter.

Maybe I should have said too broad rather than too general.  Does that clarify my comment?  If all you wanted was a yes or no answer then alot of people here wasted their time by assuming you wanted something more than that.  The "yes" or "no" answer for your broad question is "yes" because somewhere in the world in the last 75 years at least one helicopter pilot has had his name on the side of a helo. I was trying to be helpful by adding some service/country/unit specific caveats beyond that obvious answer.  But you didn't specify a service or even a country for that matter.  That is what I meant by "your question is too general". I was just hoping to get some clarification if you had a specific type you were modeling so we could provide the best answer to your question.  A simple yes would have been technically correct but wouldn't have been really useful, since, although it is/has been done, it is not comon practice to put names on helos (in the US at least).  That is why myself and others went out of our way to provide you with additional examples.

As for it boosting morale, that is a two way street.  Most squadrons have more pilots and crew than helos.  You may boost morale for those who get a helo with their name on it but it decreases morale if there aren't enough helos to paint everyone's name on.  Also, what happens when someone's helo becomes a hangar queen and doesn't fly for a long time.  That may also decrease morale.  Also, by since you can't put the names of the hundreds of people in a unit that support the flights, is it really fair to single out the crew for recognition?  Those of just some examples of why, in my experience, painting names creates more harm than good.  That is why most units I've been in don't do it. 

Ghostrider114

I'm not sure if the same applies for choppers, but as I understand, in most fixed wing navy or marine squadrons, only the Squad CO, XO and the CAG get personal aircraft, everyone else generally flies whatever is available, regardless of the name on the canopy rail.  Only the plane captain "owns" an aircraft.

Not exactly.  The CAG, Skipper and XO normally get their names painted on aircraft with modexes "X00", "X01", & "X02" respectively within a given squadron, but they aren't their "personal" aircraft and are assigned to different crews based on flight operations and availability.  The other aircraft usually will have names painted on the cockpits, but they can change often.

Mark

Ghostrider114

I'm not sure if the same applies for choppers, but as I understand, in most fixed wing navy or marine squadrons, only the Squad CO, XO and the CAG get personal aircraft, everyone else generally flies whatever is available, regardless of the name on the canopy rail.  Only the plane captain "owns" an aircraft.

GR 114,

     Thank you for that.  I never knew that, but being as I was in the Army and "just" a medic I never knew how it worked with pilots and getting their names on "their" crafts.

CG Bob

For USCG aircraft, the answer is no.  USCG air stations will have a ready aircraft, a standby aircraft and usually one in for maintenance.  The ready aircraft will be used for a SAR call, the standby aircraft may be used for training and  as a back up SAR aircraft.  There may be exceptions at aircraft museums, with USCG aircrew names listed on USCG aircraft; usually the aircrew volunteers time restoring the aircraft or helping out at he museum.  I remember the HU-16 Albatross at the USS INTREPID Museum had a USCG Crew listed on the side; it may have been the last crew of that aircraft or USCG volunteers who restored it.

CG R,

     Thank you for the information, it is very interesting.  I wonder what the "logic" is behind not putting helicopter commanders and/or their crew names on "their" helicopters.  As I'd said, I'd think that it be a great boost to their morale to do so.

supercobra

I'd say the question is too general.  Some do, some don'[t.  It not only depends on the service but it also depends on the type helicopter, the individual squadron, the time period, etc.  For the USMC in general, it is not common for the pilots.  For the crew chiefs/plane captains, it may be more common but it typically isn't done.  

SC,

     How do you figure that it's "too general?"  I would have to think that it is either a yes or no question.  Do helicopter pilots and their crews get their names painted on "their" helicopters or not?  Yes, I realize that it will also depend on the unit SOP.

     But I can see it being a boost to a helicopter commander and their crew to have their name painted on "their" helicopter.

I'm not sure if the same applies for choppers, but as I understand, in most fixed wing navy or marine squadrons, only the Squad CO, XO and the CAG get personal aircraft, everyone else generally flies whatever is available, regardless of the name on the canopy rail.  Only the plane captain "owns" an aircraft.

The Navy does sometimes....usually on deployment, but no every pilot will get thir names.  Crew's names will be on the personnel door for -53 and above main mounts on -60

US Army helicopters do not have pilots' names painted on them either.

For USCG aircraft, the answer is no.  USCG air stations will have a ready aircraft, a standby aircraft and usually one in for maintenance.  The ready aircraft will be used for a SAR call, the standby aircraft may be used for training and  as a back up SAR aircraft.  There may be exceptions at aircraft museums, with USCG aircrew names listed on USCG aircraft; usually the aircrew volunteers time restoring the aircraft or helping out at he museum.  I remember the HU-16 Albatross at the USS INTREPID Museum had a USCG Crew listed on the side; it may have been the last crew of that aircraft or USCG volunteers who restored it.

I'd say the question is too general.  Some do, some don'[t.  It not only depends on the service but it also depends on the type helicopter, the individual squadron, the time period, etc.  For the USMC in general, it is not common for the pilots.  For the crew chiefs/plane captains, it may be more common but it typically isn't done.