September 18, 2008

CAP-ers



I would like to introduce you all to a new, somewhat-regular feature on 'What's a Flight Officer'. "CAP-ers" is a new, online web comic that will poke some fun at the culture within CAP. Since the end of "Swivel Chair Patrol", and thus the end of "Auger In", CAP has no real method of self-parody like the Air Force does. Above you can see Roy Gage, a ground team leader, putting Flight Officer Nick Fletcher a Mission Pilot in his place.

Fletcher is certainly a parody of myself, with all the worst attributes of me during my first two years amplified to mega proportions. There are some differences, however. Fletcher is a certified Mission Pilot with Instrument and Complex ratings. I have neither of those qualifications. Basically, Fletcher is a hot-shot, and has some skills to back it up, but not all. He's full-time in college studying aviation management.

Roy Gage on the other hand is a composite character of many people I know, both in and out of Civil Air Patrol. Unlike Fletcher, he is a hot shot, with the skills and experience to prove it. But he doesn't show it off like Fletcher does.

EDIT: This comic is meant to poke a little fun at us aircrew, while re-enforcing the idea that both air and ground operate as a team.