Two VQ-1 World Watchers were recognized recently for their experience in the P-3C Orion airframe.

AEC Jeff Houk and AEC Aaron Swoyer were awarded 5,000-hour pins signifying their years of flying experience in the VP and VQ communities.

Houk began his 15-year career with the P-3 when he attended Flight Engineer school at VP-31 in 1990. His first assignment was to VP-47 in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Since he began flying the P-3C, he has flown many different versions. During his tour at the Navy Research Lab, he was a flight engineer for the RP-3, NP-3 and UP-3 variants and now, in VQ-1, the EP-3 SSIP.

While the bulk of his flight hours came from flying the P-3C with VP-47 and VP-1, Houk prefers the shorter VQ det cycle and increased flight time.

“Flying with VQ is very different,” he said. “Our missions involve more high flying vice low-level ship and sub hunting. While I don’t miss going on the six-month VP deployments, I do miss the crew building that comes from long deployments.”

Swoyer also divided his time between straight-stick P-3Cs and the EP-3E. His flying career began in 1992 as a Flight Engineer Apprentice assigned to VP-16. He qualified as a Flight Engineer and remained in VP-16 until 1996. His next tour was in VP-45, where he achieved instructor FE qualification followed by tours at VP-5, VP-30 and VQ-1. Both men commented on how the aging P-3 fleet has affected the flying, the hours and the training of the junior aircrew.

“There are a lot less planes,” said Houk, “which inevitably effects training and experience. People are getting qualified with very little flight time, and at one time that was unheard of.”

Swoyer added, “There are aircraft commanders, mission commanders and qualified flight engineers that don’t have the experience flying that I had while I was still an Airman.”

Over the years, there have been numerous changes in the mission of the P-3 fleet and this has also had an affect on the aircraft.

“My first detachment was at the tail end of the Cold War,” Swoyer noted. “We deployed to Iceland and frequently were called upon to fly missions on Soviet submarines and surface vessels. Maintenance crews and aircrews were constantly on the go and were able to keep the aircraft in the air routinely, alleviating a lot of the maintenance issues that come up when aircraft sit parked.”

While the mission has evolved and the aging fleet introduced new challenges, Houk and Swoyer have adapted to the changes. The World Watchers are lucky to have the experience of these two seasoned flight engineers to execute the mission and train new flight engineers in the EP-3E and P-3C aircraft.