I had received a couple of emails during my deployment last year, and following my return, asking me how I came to sink my trade in the Navy as a Naval Weapons Technician NWT and take-off (he-he-he) over to the Air Force to try out for Pilot. Yes, I like to capitalize Pilot but only when being used as a professional title. Otherwise it’s… just pilot. Four… five sentences and I've used pilot three… now four times? Almost makes you wonder why someone would want the task, and profession attribute, of having to blurt out their job title every couple of sentences.

I feel filthy!

Anyway, like the old saying goes “You can take the man out of the Navy, but you can’t take the Navy out of the man”. Therefore, I have the repetitive challenge every morning of putting on my flight suit and looking at myself with disgust while at the same time turning sideways, glancing back, and giving the thumbs-up/sparkly tooth smile.

I now feel filthier for having told you that!

So the message to today…

In an attempt to help out those inquisitive friends, and future inquirers, I am going to paste as article I wrote (sure did). This was written last summer, while deployed, in response to a few individuals who requested my method of career change, how it all started, and the process I went through to wind up aircrew.

Now, I’m a charismatic guy, as most will attest to, who likes a personal touch (stop it) on everything I associated with. If you deal with me you know I’m a genuine fellow and would bend you over backwards (oops, there’s that Navy side again), bend myself over backwards for you (nope, still Navy there). I would go to good length to help anyone out that needed it. So, this article will reside here on the net, long after I’m gone, to answer the questions of how I was inspired to challenge myself, leave the comfort of an outstanding trade, and try something new. Perhaps een give someone that extra push they need to take a chance in life.

I did.

Hey stick around, it’s not that dry. Where are you going…??

June 7, 2012

From killick to captain

By Captain Steve Barnes

“Be careful what you ask for in life, because you just might get it.”

These were the words, now so true, that Petty Officer 2nd Class Norm Carmichael offered me as I put pen to paper. The memo I was about to sign was asking me to end my nine-year career as a naval weapons technician (NWT) and request a re-muster to the Royal Canadian Air Force. The plan: to become a CH-124 Sea King pilot, return to the east coast, and land on the very flight-deck(s) I had become so familiar with over my many years at sea.

After completing my NWT training earlier in my career, I was immediately sent to Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Iroquois to deploy on Operation Apollo following the attacks of September 11. It was shortly thereafter I began to mull over the idea of a career change. My academic training as an NWT was now complete; I felt I had something more within my skill set to offer the military. I was highly motivated to find a new challenge that would further my scholastic credentials but also keep me in a “hands on” occupation. I found the path to that challenge in the university training program for non-commissioned members (UTPNCM). Now, I just had to find the challenge.

In reality, it found me, and in the most unlikely place and time.

It was during an early morning transit through the Suez Canal when a lanky and cheerful Sea King pilot, now-Major Andy Haddow, accidently kicked my coffee cup off one of the ship’s bollards, over the side, and straight to the bottom of the canal.

I can still clearly recall the pose he struck that resulted in the loss of that coffee cup. One foot on the bollard, both hands locked firmly on the hips, chest out, and peering off into the horizon as if to read tomorrow’s weather.

I stood there, brow raised and thought for a brief moment that he looked the part of some colorful super hero, all dressed in blue, with countless zippers, and bright yellow patches affixed everywhere. Perhaps it was my long face, watching the cup sink out of sight, which prompted his offer.

“Oh, I’m sorry buddy. Hey, how would you like to come for up for a flight in the Sea King and be a pilot for a day?” I paused briefly, thought how I would just rather have my coffee cup back, but instead replied, “Sure, I can do that.”

Following that single Sea King flight, the seed was planted and I had indisputably locked horns with the challenge.

Approval for my re-muster came shortly following my return home. Soon after, I attended night classes at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax and then left for my initial assessment at St. Jean, Que.

Once accepted, I began the next phase of training which was primary flight training in Portage La Prairie, Man. I remember my very first flight instructor, Eric “Speedy” Fast. Speedy had been a Snowbird; naturally, his favourite obsession was aerobatics.

Phase II was basic flight training at the Canadian Forces Flight Training School in Moose Jaw, Sask., where I received the bulk of my pilot training. There was a massive leap from the spindly Slingsby Fire Fly to the brawny Harvard II.

The biggest challenge during my year-long stretch of training was not flying the aircraft but my age. Compared to the average “youngster” straight out of university, I was “the old guy”. However, my age was also my greatest advantage. I believe that had I attempted the pilot program when I initially joined the military I would not be here today. The UTPNCM program afforded me the opportunity to take advantage of my maturity and my developed skills.

Upon completion of Phase II, I was selected to fly helicopters. So far, the plan was holding up. Next, back to Portage for Phase III to learn to hover. While some people learn to hover quickly, others take much longer in comparison. What is considered longer? About four minutes.

Following flying the Harvard II, the mystery of staying aloft is gone; your hands and feet have been proven and you have the skills to get in and out of busy airports, perform flying manoeuvres, and fly formation at two hundred knots within six feet of one another. But this hovering thing is pure, fantastic magic. Never have I slipped across the asphalt, floating at four feet, on what felt an awful lot like a calm water bed. Of course, my first hover felt more like sea state six.

Having tamed the once wobbly Bell Jet Ranger, I then moved up to the much larger Outlaw (a Griffon helicopter that has been retired from operational duty and modified for training). Now it all came down to learning a completely new aircraft, becoming familiar with working as a crew and raising all the bars to a winged pilot standard.

At long last, with the final check ride complete, came our wings graduation. For me, this was the pinnacle achievement for which I had strived eight long, unforgettable years. My goal was at last realized when I received the word that I would indeed be posted back to the east coast to fly the Sea King .

Finally, after completing Phase IV on the Sea King in November 2011, I was posted to 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, 12 Wing Shearwater, N.S. Three days later I was posted to HMCS Charlottetown and returned to sea once again after nine years of dry feet. I have since regained my sea legs and spread my wings.

Currently, I am still aboard HMCS Charlottetown deployed with Combined Task Force 150, which has an area of operation that spans more than two million square miles, covering the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.

The flying is more dynamic than anything I have experienced and the challenges are non-stop. Now, with my pose practiced, zippers up and patches adorned, I’m off to kick some unsuspecting person’s cup over the side.

Thank you to my friends, my instructors and staff and my family for all of your support and encouragement. Without all of you I would be reading this, instead of writing it!

Well, there you have it, nine long years in a nutshell. I took a chance back then and I’m still taking chances today. If there’s one I will continue to do is accept challenges, set, and reach goals. I’ve got a few I’m working on right now. I will always strive to take that next step just a little further and just a little faster.

Go, reach…step…sprint.

I will never forget the tough days. The challenges I put myself through and the effort it took to over come them all were merely setting me up for today. I've never backed out of a challenge and I’m not about to start now.   

Today is a challenge,

and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Further… faster I go )))

You can read more at www.rotationelevation.com