United States Naval
Flight Surgeon Handbook
2nd Edition 1998
Flight Time Requirements
Reference:
As a designated Naval Flight Surgeon, you are required to
maintain a current Aviation Medical Examination, current physiology
training requirements and a minimum of 48 hours of flight time
per year. Failure to maintain any of these requirements will result
in loss of eligibility for flight pay, recoupment of payments made
for which you are not eligibile, and possible loss of
designation.
Definitions:
1. Authorized Aircrew
Those personnel under orders to flight status who have met the
requirements as outlined above. Your orders should reflect assignment
to a 2102 billet, indicating an authorized flight billet.
2. Creditable flight time.
a. Pilot time - time
creditable as first pilot in control of the aircraft and copilot
who is assisting the pilot in control.
b. Special crew time - time not
creditable as pilot or copilot, but serving as a member of the
authorized crew.
3. NAVFLIRS (Naval Flight Record Subsystem)
This new reporting system is the compiled source of individual
flight data on Navy aircrew. Information gathered through this
system is used for a number of purposes including flight safety
analysis, flight qualification minimums and flight hour budgeting.
Each aircrew member receives a monthly Individual Flight Activity
Report (IFAR) which lists a summary of your flight time for that
month. Errors should be corrected within 3 days of receipt of your
IFAR either by your NATOPS officer, or by contacting the logs and
records clerk at the squadron with which you flew that mission.
4. Naval Aircraft Flight Record (Yellowsheet) OPNAV 3710/4.
This is the primary source of all flight data for Navy
aircraft and aircrew. This form is sent to NAVSAFCEN, where data is
transfered to the NAVFLIRS and the IFARs.
5.Flight Readiness Evaluation Data System (FREDS).
This is the USMC equivalent of the Naval Aircraft Flight Record
(also called the yellowsheet by USMC). This is not compatible
with IFARS and is not sent to NAVSAFCEN, but rather to Quantico, VA
for the Marine Corps System.
IFARS and FREDS constitute a data bank for valuable information
regarding flight safety analysis, but also to determine aircrew
compliance with established minimum standards as previously
noted.
If you fly with the Marine Corps, no entries will be sent to
NAVSAFCEN. If you fly with the Navy in other than your own squadron,
there is little incentive for the squadron file clerk to transfer
your data to the submission form since you are not in that squadron
Do not be surprised if your monthly IFAR needs correction.
To save yourself considerable trouble, you would be well advised
to:
-
Get your name on each yellow sheet.
-
Obtain a signed Record of Completed Flight Time
(OPNAV 3760/37) and maintain them for your entire career.
(Also known as a transmittal form).
-
Enter flight time in your Naval Aviator Log book, preferably
verified periodically by your NATOPS officer.
These will help you back up corrections of IFARS and substantiate
the DOD Aviation requirements.
Your log book should be kept forever. Auditors have been
known to try to recoup money even if you are retired or in the
civilian community. There is no statute of limitations for
recoupment.
Annual Flight Requirements:
OPNAVINST 3710.7 outlines your minimum flight requirements for
special crew as:
-
Semi-annual - 24 hours
-
Annual - 48 hours
These are the requirements to meet currency of flight
qualifications only. For purposes of eligibility for flight pay, the
DOD PAYMANUAL is the document the auditors will use.
-
The DOD flight pay manual requirement is - 4 hours per month,
and is based on the fiscal year.
-
"Banking" of flight time - hours flown in the preceeding five
months, not already used to qualify for flight pay may be used
against the monthly four hour requirement.
-
Catching up - you have three months to catch up if you fall
behind on your monthly requirement. In other words, if you have
not flown at all in October and November (1st quarter) you must
fly 12 hours in December to meet minimums. If you fly only 10
hours, you lose two months of flight pay, not one, because
the pay manual says you must fly 12 hours, but does not break it
down by month once you fall behind, and the "three month
requirement" starts with the first month you fail to meet
your requirements. Since you failed to meet your requirement by
the 3rd month, this becomes the first month of your three
month requirement and you lost two.
Flying while in a leave status:
Flight time thus acquired will count toward flight currency
requirements but not for pay purposes.
Simulator time:
Flight time logged in a simulator may be used to fulfill up to 50% of
annual flight proficiency requirements, but it does not apply
for pay purposes.
Summary of requirements for special crew:
-
Annual Flight Physical Exam.
-
Annual Flight Minimums.
-
NAPTP (Physiology training) - every four years.
-
NAWSTP (Water Survival) - every four years.
-
Emergency Egress Training - annually.
Flight Surgeon Flying Policy:
You are only authorized to fly operationally when under DIFOPS
Orders, assigned to 2102 billet or enrolled in the Aerospace Medicine
Residency Program.
You may fly in actual control of any dual controlled aircraft in
all phases of flight if a NATOPS qualified pilot is occupying the
other cockpit seat (CNO Msg 252228Z May 78).
United States Naval Flight Surgeon Handbook: 2nd Edition
1998
The Society of U.S. Naval Flight Surgeons |
