And while they're at it, they'll take some engineers…

By Kevin "Hognose" O'Brien

Walking around Oshkosh's sprawling pavilions, I came upon a strange tableau in Building B. Two naval officers were standing at a small booth. We're over a thousand miles from the nearest sea, and I briefly worried about whether they were teaching New Math For Navigators. It turned out that they were not lost at all: they were here on a mission from their command.

The two officers were commander Mike "Yuke" Yukish, who flew the E-2 Hawkeye (below, right) from carriers, and instructed in T-2 Buckeyes, and Commander Rory "Hound Dog" Rieger, who has done tours in H-60 helicopters, and later worked as a test pilot.

Oddly enough, "Hound Dog" was in Afghanistan, flying HH-60s on an exchange assignment with the US Air Force, at around the same time I was there, flying nothing. Guess who had the better job!

Five other Naval Aviators also work the booth, in shifts. For them the show is a serious attempt to communicate with the aviation public. They work for NAVAIR, the Naval Air Systems Command. NAVAIR develops the "stuff" Naval Aviation needs to do its job, everything from procedures to protective clothing, to honking great steam catapults.

The NAVAIR booth at Oshkosh highlights partnerships between NAVAIR and civilian entities of all kinds. You see, the Navy has resources that it absolutely, positively needs: laboratories, skilled engineers, powerful computers, specialized aeronautical devices like wind tunnels, custom software, you name it. But the Navy can't keep all these people and stuff busy full time. On the other hand, the Navy's brass realize that as good as the sea services are, they don't have any monopoly on good ides or bright people. So they are also interested in how people and organizations outside the navy can help its mission of giving Naval Aviators the best "stuff" possible.

So, you want some Navy tech?

These public appearances are an attempt to reach some of the organizations that might work well with NAVAIR. There are many ways to do it: You can buy services, like wind tunnel time for example (such deals are called Commercial Service Agreements), you can sell stuff to them, if you're a small business you can get special research funding. There are several technology transfer programs available. Businesses can license Navy patents for commercial use, or can enter into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements if research goals match up.

Finally, these gentlemen were recruiting, but not for sailors in little white hats or for officers. They were looking for civilians: specifically for engineers, scientists and technical professionals that can advance the organization's goals.

I couldn't get either one of these great officers and pilots to say anything negative about their jobs at NAVAIR, and could just barely get them to say that they kind of preferred their previous flying assignments. Judging from them and from the stuff in the NAVAIR propaganda packet, there is a profound cultural emphasis on supporting the warfighter. When an officer or sailor works in NAVAIR, he is working for his shipmates, to steal a Navy word. That explains the dedication and pride that these guys display.

Next time you're at an air show, take the time to talk to the uniformed people there, and see what they're doing for you and your fellow citizens.

FMI: http://www.navair.navy.mil/