by Phil Rowe
My first real experience on an operational flight crew came when I joined the B-52 program. Prior to that time my flying had been strictly in Air Training Command as a student and later a navigation and radar bombing instructor. I had never been assigned to a regular flight crew.
I have already described our introduction to the B-52 Stratofortress in another story. We went through transition training at Castle AFB, California (near Merced) and learned about the airplane and how to fly it. It was there at Castle AFB that I joined the flight crew.
In Strategic Air Command (SAC), in those days of the mid-l950's, aircrews were small teams of flight professionals who worked together as a unit. The Aircraft Commander (the 'AC') was the team leader, the boss and the one who wrote the effectiveness reports on all of his crew members. We worked as a group, flew as a regular crew and often socialized as a group. It was a pretty tight-knit collection of individuals.
My pilot was Captain Ray Grant, an interesting fellow with a truly professional approach to flying. He was a stickler for crew precision and without doubt the most qualified instrument pilot in the entire organization. Ray was much older than other pilots in the outfit, a gray-haired 'retread' from WWII who had been recalled to active duty during the Korean war. He was old for being only a captain, but his break in service had cost him on promotions. He had flown for the airlines in the years between WWII and his recall, including a stint with China Air Lines flying over much of mainland China and Southeast Asia in the late l940's and early '50's.
But Ray had some peculiar approaches to handling his men. I had never before worked for an individual so demanding. As the electronic countermeasures (EWO - electronic warfare officer) specialist on the crew, I was next to the bottom in the pecking order. Oh yes, there was a definite hierarchy on B-52 crews, a tradition which carried over from B-17, B-50 and B-36 days. The AC was on top, followed in order by the Radar Bombardier, Co-pilot, Navigator, EWO and tail gunner. Our AC was determined that his crew would know its stuff and perform professionally.
Maybe it's because I was the youngest man on the crew, or because I was also the newest to aircrew life, but Ray was always quizzing me on the airplane, flight operations procedures and various aspects of our mission. Reflecting back now, many years later, I guess he had singled me out for special treatment and a bit of harassment. Maybe it was because I was easily intimidated in my younger days.
Preflight inspections of the exterior of the B-52 before each flight were lengthy and very complete. We checked everything from the condition of the tires to the security of all systems and equipment. In those days crews began preflight checks four and a half hours before take-off. We literally inspected every inch of the airplane before getting aboard for the Power-ON and Engine Start checklist procedures.
I remember that Ray would have me accompany him on his part of the inspections (after I had checked my own systems). He would both instruct me and quiz me on all sorts of things not specifically related to my EWO duties. I really learned more about that airplane than any of the other crew members, even Ray's copilot was not subjected to as much rigor as I.
Ray would point to an obscure black box, partially hidden behind equipment in the flap wells and ask me what it was, what it did, how it operated and so forth. If I didn't know, I'd better find out before our next flight. I quickly learned about every system, component and part of that airplane. Ray was a tough task master.
Even in our casual conversations in the Alert facility or at slack times in the squadron area, Ray would quiz me on ' what ifs ? ' about the airplane. What if a particular component failed in flight ? ... what could happen ? .. and what could be done about it ? And the subjects covered everything about the plane. About the only area where he was not fully conversant was my ECM equipment, but then he expected me to know everything about that anyway.
As much as I used to dread some of those sessions, especially the ones where I was not as knowledgeable as he thought I should be, I must admit (on reflection) that Ray was probably the best teacher I ever had when it came to airplanes and flight operations.
In later years, particularly when I became a crewmember on the B-58, that demanding approach to knowing and understanding all about the airplane was to serve me well. Few of my other non- pilot associates ever concerned themselves as much about the whole aircraft. In those years that Ray was my AC I was terribly intimidated and pushed by him. And, at times I resented it because none of the other EWO's, navigators or even co-pilots were subjected to such treatment.
It's probably too late to really thank Ray for his mentorship and insistence that I learn and know my stuff. But I really came to appreciate what I had gained from those days. And I acquired a great appreciation for aircraft systems and a desire to become an expert of sorts on my own.
For example, when I got to the B-58 program a few years later and found myself filling the dual role of Defensive Systems Officer (DSO) and de facto flight engineer, my outlook and perspectives about airplanes (acquired through Ray's demanding tutelage) really paid off. I knew what I must learn and that it would be to my benefit to become thoroughly expert on the B-58 and its characteristics. I smugly prided myself on being more knowledgeable about that airplane and its systems than most pilots. But the motivation to acquire that knowledge stemmed directly from that professional old grouch who was my first AC.
I wonder if there are any other fellows out there now like that, interested enough in their fledgling subordinates to insist that they learn. I certainly hope so.