Pilots, Call Sign, Tail Numbers and Small ship Assignment:

            Colonials the following SOP will cover what many have been either waiting on or have been curious about when it come to what small craft they will fly.  As well as a pilot call sign, tail number and small ship assignment.  I will discuss each one in-depth in order to provide a clear path when making a decision based on you the MEMBER.  First and foremost we have to understand a member decision must be honored and respected.  No member entering service / membership into the Battlestar Fan Club will be (Told / Ordered) to fly a particular small ship assignment.  This however will not be included into Role Playing Game (RPG) since that is storyline based.  I will be addressing the membership and their exclusive Battlestar Galactica Experience.   

PILOTS:

            Pilots are cool to have in the Fleet face it Vipers, Raptor, Shuttles and such don’t fly themselves you need members to individually manning those roles.  However let’s not forget being a Fleet Officer without a flight status is also important b/c you need a good bridge crew to also man our big ships.  Getting back to the Pilots as per my briefing.  Pilots entering the Battlestar Fan Club can choose on their own which Squadron they wish to join.  At times a Squadron may not be assigned to a Battlestar however you can still join them if you wish.  Squadrons already assigned to a Battlestar can be joined as well. This is a decision left to the new member joining the Battlestar Fan Club and not to be influenced by anyone already in said Squadrons.  We need to allow any new member to make their own decision.  Just out simple respect, courtesy and most importantly professionalism. I will hold the leadership responsible to ensure this standard is upheld.

CALLSIGNS:

            Callsigns are important in the world of being an individual pilot.  Callsigns are like a pilots finger print or identifier.  Many callsigns are usually given to new nuggets from their fellow pilots.  They are earned in many ways believe it or not as seen in Naval Aviation.  Such examples are nagging little quirks, a constant habit a person does or the best one. A new pilot makes a big mistake which stand out and they earn a nick name which sticks with them.  The nickname or namesake catches on becoming the nugget callsign.  The rule of thumb to follow here Battlestar Fan Club just like the Colonial Defense Forces is no two pilots in the same Squadron can have identical callsigns.  It helps to avoid confusion.  Many pilots will already have a callsign or nickname when they join the Fleet.

TAIL NUMBERS:

            Tail numbers are individually assigned to a Pilot upon certification.  Each pilot will have a unique identifier.  Which will follow them through their membership.  This tail number will display if the pilot is flying a Viper, Raptor or other small craft.  No two pilots will have the same identical tail number.  However should this occur a pilot will be issued a new tail number.  When submitting your examination please include what state you are residing at.  Now if you live outside the United States just let me know what country you are in.  This will assist to correctly reflect in your tail number.  From now on your tail number will be reflected on your certificate of completion.  The only exception will be if the member does not inform me via email with their exam submission.  It is not mandatory to have the tail number on the certificate.  If a member decides to switch small craft they must email me in order to update their tail number.  It’s important because you are going from one small craft to another.  Again just out of professional courtesy let me know so I can update the information.  All CAGs will also update their roster with change.

SMALL SHIP ASSIGNMENT:

            When a member joins the Battlestar Fan Club he or she will join a Battlestar Chapter of their choosing.  In this instance if a member joins a Battlestar Chapter and they wish to be a pilot they can select which Squadron they wish to join.  They can only join one Squadron, but they can at a later time choose to transfer to another squadron on the same Battlestar. Unless they request transfer to different Battlestar.  Their request will be honored by their Chapter CO.  Transfer between internal Squadrons will be approved or denied by the CAG on-board.  Pilots joining a Squadron will be assigned to fly a Viper or Raptor in said Squadron.  Squadrons may have chosen a particular model to fly in their Squadron which is fine and establishes their platform.  However consideration MUST be given to the member.  Remember we are all Battlestar Galactica fans and as such WE may have our favorite / particular small ship we love to pilot. For example if a Squadron has chosen to fly the Viper Mark I.  As their platform new joining pilots will be informed so they are aware.  In the event a member decides or already has a Viper model they like or love they can choose to fly that.  Remember its all part of the Battlestar Galactica Experience.  I am not going to impose on a member they HAVE to fly said model in the Squadron if they have a “Personal Preference”.  In this instance the member will choose what model small ship assignment they want.  As long as a member is made aware of the Squadron platform they can choose to keep their favorite or fly the Squadron particular model. 

            I fully support all Pilots flying the Viper or Raptor model of their choosing. As Commanding, Executive Officers, CAGs and Squadron Leaders must be supportive. Its part of the experience and makes fellow Pilots comfortable to fly their choice.  The old saying is, “Keep’em Flying” and that is what we need to promote.  Lets face it everyone has their personal favorite and we need to acknowledge their selection.

            Any questions can be forwarded to me via email at CAG_VF84@yahoo.com, eng33ladder49@yahoo.com  please allow 24 to 48 hours for a response.   Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter.