Lesson Two
The Airman Specialty or “Rate”
(1 + 00 hr)
The “Brown Shoe” Navy
(1 + 00 hrs)
• During early years of naval aviation, aircraft mechanics
were recruited from enlisted personnel with similar
ratings in the surface navy:
• The surface navy “Machinist Mate” became
“Machinist’s Mate (Aviation)” which later becomes the
“Aviation Machinist’s Mate” (AMM).
• But aviation sub-specialties became necessary in WW
II. Consequently, in 1948 the Navy introduced an
entirely new set of enlisted designations to fall under
the general “Airman” rate.
 Requirements for all the specialties change with the
times, but all requirements for all ratings can be found
in the Manual of Navy Enlisted Manpower and
Personnel Classifications and Occupational Standards,
(NAVPERS 18068).
General Aviation Ratings:
 Identify E-4 through E-9 personnel with a few
exceptions, e.g., Aviation Support Equipment
Technician (AS) Rating begins at the E-6 paygrade).
 Aviation Service Ratings:
 Are subdivisions of general ratings requiring
specialized training beyond the General Aviation
Ratings. (Check Aviation Boatswain’s Mate and
Aviation Electronics Technician in previous graphic)
• Airman Duties
• For specific descriptions and duties of each rating, refer to
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
online study guide, pp. 1-8 thru 1-12.
In general, the Airman performs five major duties:
1.
Maintain equipment, compartments, and buildings.
2.
Stand security watches.
3.
Move aircraft.
4.
Participate in work parties.
5.
Perform routine duties associated with naval aviation
activities afloat or ashore.
In addition to these, Airman may be called upon to do
certain miscellaneous functions: aircraft tie-downs,
refueling, signaling taxiing pilots, and other duties
according to experience and needs of the unit.
• Airman Assignments
• As dynamic as naval aviation itself:
• ·
Shore-based squadrons affixed to domestic
Naval Air Stations
• ·
Shore-based squadrons which deploy to ships at
sea
• ·
Shore-based squadrons which deploy to overseas
Naval Air Stations
• Squadrons can be either “fleet” or “training” types,
fixed wing or rotary.
 Airman Leadership
 Leadership is necessary to perform your duties as a
petty officer. Therefore, since leadership is learned,
sailors should beginning learning the principles of
good leadership as E-1 thru E-3.
 Your divisional training petty officer or the
Educational Services Office (ESO) can assist you
prepare for advancement.
Questions
 1.
The initial Machinist Mate (Aviation) rate came
from what rating?
Questions
• 1.
The initial Machinist Mate (Aviation) rate came
from what rating?
•
Machinist Mate
Questions
 2.
Major changes to the aviation ratings structure
took place in what year?
Questions
• 2.
Major changes to the aviation ratings structure
took place in what year?
• 1948
Questions
 3.
What manual lists the requirements for all
aviation ratings?
Questions
• 3.
What manual lists the requirements for all
aviation ratings?
Manual of Navy Enlisted
Manpower and Personnel
Classifications and
Occupational Standards
Questions
 4.
What general rating begins at paygrade E-6
instead of E-4?
Questions
• 4.
What general rating begins at paygrade E-6
instead of E-4?
•
Aviation Support Equipment
Technician (AS)
Questions
 5.
What are aviation service ratings?
Questions
• 5.
What are aviation service ratings?
• Sub-specialties within the
General Airman Ratings
Questions
 6.
What officer or office should you contact for
assistance in finding the publications you need to study
for advancement?
Questions
• 6.
What officer or office should you contact for
assistance in finding the publications you need to study
for advancement?
• Your divisional training petty
officer or the Educational
Services Office (ESO) will assist
you.
Homework Assignment
 (For those cadets desiring to qualify for NSCC Airman
(E-3):
 Go online to Navy’s Airman Manual located at:
http://compass.seacadets.org/cadets/nscc_courses/air
man.htm

 1.
Read Chapter One “Mission and History of Naval
Aviation.”
 2.
Return to link and locate the heading
“Assignments” at the bottom of the page.
 3.
Select “1” and complete every five questions,
beginning with question 1-5, 1-10, 1-15… through 1-55.
 4.
Bring your answers with you next class.
**Ten-Minute Break**
Maritime Services Aviation
Officers
(0 + 50 mins)
 Aviation personnel are sometimes referred to as the
“Brown Shoe” Navy, because Aviation Officers and
Chiefs traditionally wear brown shoes with khaki
uniforms, whereas regular navy officers wear black
shoes.
• The Naval Aviation Schools
Command trains officers from
the US Navy, US Marine Corps,
and US Coast Guard to serve as
• ·
• ·
Naval Aviators (pilots)
Naval Flight Officers or
“NFOs” (In-flight warfare
specialists)
• ·
“AMDOs” (Aviation
Maintenance Specialists).
• Aviation Officers act as middle
and upper management for all
of Naval Aviation.
 Naval Aviators and NFOs
are “Unrestricted Line
Officers,” meaning they
are eligible to take
command of a Navy ship
or aircraft.

 Only Naval Aviators and
NFOs are selected as
captains of aircraft
carriers.
Recruiting Sources
• ·
US Naval Academy
graduates, 40% (approx)
• ·
Naval Reserve Officer
Training Corps (NROTC)
college graduates, 40%
(approx)
• ·
College graduates who
earn commission in 13-week
Officer Candidate School,
20% (approx)
Officers selected for flight
school are trained in four
phases:
 1.
Pre-Flight (Six
Weeks) – Challenges
students academically
and physically. Classes
include engineering,
aerodynamics, air
navigation, flight rules
and regulations, aviation
physiology, and water
survival.
 2.
Primary – Teaches
the basics of flying,
including day and night
visual flight, basic
instrument flying,
introduction to
aerobatics, radio
instrument navigation,
formation flying, and
has several solo flights.
 3.
Intermediate –
Students train solely in
helicopters, maritime
propeller-driven, or
strike aircraft (jets).
Basic flying skills are
honed, and navigation
and air traffic control
knowledge is refined by
flying to other training
bases.
 4.
Advanced – the
final stage in which
students learn skills
specific to the chosen
flying platform such as
over water navigation,
low level flying, air-to-air
combat maneuvering,
bombing, search and
rescue, and landing
aboard an aircraft carrier
at sea.
 Student pilots and NFOs,
who successfully
complete the intensive
12-18 month syllabus,
graduate and awarded
the coveted Navy “Wings
of Gold” breast insignia.
Astronaut
 Naval Aviators with
engineering
backgrounds and test
pilot experience are
competitive for selection
for NASA astronaut
corps.
**Ten-Minute Break**