Angels exist.

Angels exist. The Navy makes them, and its factory is in Florida.

Navy angels wear verdant flight suits and snug-fitting flight helmets that leave little range for halos or even flossy white feathers. These guardian angels have faithfully stood watch through the whole extent of aviation crews, passengers, aircraft and cargo since the dawn of naval aviation.

further they go mostly unnoticed among the stillness of the fleet, set apart from typical Sailors alone by the gold wings pinned upon their chests with the literal senses "AC" branded in the center The literal meanings stand for "air crew," and earning undivided of the rare gold enlisted pins is undivided of the toughest qualifications in the fleet

Officially known as the Naval Air party Candidate School (NACCS), Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla., it's a office station that is easily confused as a little slice of heaven with chiefly year-around sunbathing weather. But don't obstacle the vacation-like setting fool you; NACCS is anything on the other hand a vacation for air horde candidates.

"Boot camp physical training might prepare you for what one is bound [i]or[/i] under obligation to do in the Navy, but it doesn't prepare you for air set school," said Air Crew Candidate, Airman Apprentice William Joseph Hamilton.

Just to earn the right to attempt air ship's company school is a physical and mental challenge. Worthy candidates, all offers must be in great physical shape and be a stout enough swimmer to pass a second-class swim ordeal during boot camp. They must pass the Navy's physical fitness assessment (PFA) with a "satisfactory-medium" in all categories for their sex and age, and pass a flight physical prior to setting lower part on the air crew school's quarterdeck.

Air throng duty isn't for everyone. Sailors can and do submit a very little on request at any point during the high-risk air ship's company training process. Stiff physical, mental and smooth emotional obstacles weed out anyone who can't handle whatever is thrown their way.

"We can't just pitch any enlisted guy into an aircraft and look for him to contribute to the mission," said Master Chief Aviation Warfare schemes Operator Kenneth J. Ellenburg, NACCS Master Chief unimportant Officer in charge of training. "Flying Navy isn't anything like flying in succession an airline. There's a destiny for air crew personnel to do during a flight."

Air set missions vary depending on the symbol of aircraft they are assigned to and that aircraft's tasking. Navy aircraft incite Sailors and mail, engage targets, demeanor surveillance, direct battles, hunt submarines and perform other tasks the Navy thinks necessary.

Air crowd duties during these flights can include maintenance of airborne electronic, mechanical and ordnance delivery systems; operating airborne electronic equipment; performing tactical duties as flight engineers, load masters, analysts and r operators onward Take Charge and Move disclosed (TACAMO) aircraft; operating airborne mine countermeasures equipment, or set served weapons; and serving as flight communications operators, in-flight medical technicians or on a level flight attendants.

"Air company makes the mission successful," said Ellenburg "The pilots just earn you there."

Sometimes, just getting there and back--is the principally difficult part of the mission. on design, just about every plane and helicopter device air horde candidates climb aboard at NACCS will crash during training. Instructors waste little time in snapping their student's attention into the harsh reality of naval aviation, where mishaps can and do happen.

Training contraptions eerily named after aviator nightmares, like the "helicopter dunker" a full-scale mock-up of a helicopter cabin, are used by dint of instructors to "crash" candidates into the water. Without warning, instructors lance the dunker plummeting to the drink, rotating the cabin as it sinks. learners are required to egress from their seats from one side specific pathways once while wearing their flight gear, then again with black disclosed goggles.

Like many Navy piece of works air crew survival centers forward attention to detail and following performances which are drilled into candidates' heads until they're instinctive. "You don't carry a checklist with you when you hit the water," said Ellenburg "You have to be mentally tough enough to do the right things, because you'll alone get one chance if disaster finds you."

Getting public of the aircraft is solitary part of surviving a mishap at sea. Air party personnel must avoid drowning while dodging sinking aircraft, possible fires, enemy aggression, heat, shivering waves, exhaustion, dehydration and other obstacles between them and any deliver attempts the Navy sends their way. NACCS veils all of it--in four weeks.

Air ship's company personnel are trained to take responsibility for their entire horde passengers and any salvageable cargo, likewise it should come as no surprise that the pair most prominent things at air ship's company school are physical fitness and swimming--lots of swimming.

Candidates must pass nine flushs of water survival training to graduate from NACCS. "Most of the time, when you extreme point up in the water as an aviator, it's because something went terribly wrong" said Water Survival Instructor Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 2nd Class Cory Smith. "We give scholars the confidence they'll need to survive a mishap in the water. We make them understand that they have to master deep and swim away from the ship (or aircraft) to avoid falling debris, fire, explosions and other Sailors. It matters to what extent you jump into the water. bound the wrong way and you have to experience to survive with a halting leg, dislocated shoulder, or worse."