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(Major rewrite for clarity and to purge old/bad info)
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|difficulty = Medium
|difficulty = Medium
|superior = Command staff
|superior = Command staff
|duties = Pilot and protect the dropships
|duties = Pilot and maintain the dropships.
|guides = N/A
|guides = N/A
}}
}}
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''"We're in the pipe, five by five."'' ― Cpl. Ferro, Aliens
''"We're in the pipe, five by five."'' ― Cpl. Ferro, Aliens


So you decided to be a Pilot Officer eh? You glorious bastard. You've just enlisted yourself in one of the most adored jobs the [[Marines|USCM]] can afford.  
The '''Pilot Officer''', as the name indicates, pilots the ships of [[USS Almayer]]. They transport marines between the Almayer and the Landing Zones (LZ), protect and maintain their dropships, and provide Close Air Support (CAS) for those marines who want a fireworks show earlier than the 4th of July.


=Overview=


The '''Pilot Officer''', as the name indicates, pilots the ships of [[USS Almayer]]. It's your duty to defend the dropships from any invasion and piloting between the Almayer and the groundside, you'll also be tasked with providing CAS (Close Air Support) should the Marines call for your assistance, or if they want to see a fireworks show earlier than the 4th of July.
Congratulations Ensign! You finished your pilot training, got yourself a shiny commissioned rank, and have a badass ship to fly in the frontiers of space. Report to your fellow officers and command staff over the command channel (''':v'''). Your Pilot's Bunks and adjacent Pilot's Office, both south of medbay, should have everything you need for the mission. '''If you're going somewhere cold, grab a coif!'''


=Introduction=
The two dropships assigned to the piloting team at the hangar are the '''Alamo''', which lands at LZ1, and the '''Normandy''', which lands at LZ2. They can fly two different kinds of missions: '''Transport''' and '''Close Air Support'''. You can ride the Powerloaders at the repair bay to install specialized equipment and ammo onto the dropships to support these missions, though usually it's better to yell over the engineering radio (''':e''') for the more skilled [[Maintenance Technician]]s to do it.


Congratulations Ensign, you just finished your training in the Colonial Military Academy in the pilot school, got yourself a shiny low rank and a badass ship ready to fly in a mediocre ship in the frontiers of space. You'll start at the Pilot's Office. To the south is your personal locker, it's conveniently labelled, Pilot Officer's locker. Take a look at the stuff in it. You probably won't be using it anyway. The most important of all the objects is your extra helmet. Your stylish helmet is not only amazing and unique. It makes you a hit with all the ladies and adds an internal slot to store pocket-sized items. It's useful. Don't forget to grab a coif for any low temperature missions, sadly our drop-ships aren't capable of producing enough heat to counteract harsh weather environments.


=The essentials of piloting=


You have two ships: The '''Alamo''' which lands at LZ1, and the '''Normandy''' which lands at LZ2. You should be aware that command can activate autopilot on both drop-ships if required.
The lions' share of your piloting is orchestrated in the exclusive cockpit of your UD-4 Cheyenne dropship. Seating two, it offers three consoles with plenty of buttons for you and your co-pilot to push while the autopilot does all the work:


=Preparations=
* The '''camera console''' on the left allows you to watch over the dropship's cameras as well as any extra sights provided by the installable LZ or laser detector electronics systems.
* The '''flight console''' in the middle lets you launch the dropship, toggle the flight mode between transport and fire mission, and close the shutters and doors. It also lets you ''optimize the flight path'' - only available to trained pilots like you - to cut down on transport and cooldown time at no cost.
* The '''weapons console''' at the right lets you fire your weapons systems in mid-flight towards ''laser designated targets'' that troops on the ground mark with tactical binoculars. It also lets you deploy your automated sentries when landed.


Moving on when you've taken a look at your office, you'll want to '''converse with your fellow PO''' to decide who will be flying which dropship, usually one is a dedicated transport with the other being used as a dedicated gunship, after that you'll want to ask an [[Maintenance Technician|MT]] on the engineering channel to assist you in gearing up your drop-ship or if no-one is available you'll need to hop into a powerloader and handle it yourself. Once that's done you'll probably want to equip yourself with something a little harder-hitting than the 88 MK4 you're provided and head to RO to grab some attachments for it. You can read about attachments [http://www.colonial-marines.com/wiki/Marine_Equipment#Weapon_Attachments here.]
So with that in mind, what are the differences between your two flight modes, '''transport''' and '''fire mission'''? Well, in short, '''transport mode''' lets you move marines and supplies between the hangar and LZ, but sacrifices your ability to fire the bigger guns, while '''fire mission''' mode lets you use the killingest weaponry you can load, but your dropship will only return to where it launched from.
Once all that's done you'll want to double-check all your gear, make sure you're fed, and go over your drop-ship's systems once more before the marines finish their briefing.




Once briefing is done, join the stampede to the hangar (if you weren't there awaiting the marines already). You want to get to your cockpit, which is basically your second home, as soon as possible and announce in the Command channel that you're ready to depart. Give the marines some time to make it to the respective drop-ship and organize themselves but after a couple minutes when all the seats are filled then you should depart.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|
! Transport
! Fire Mission ("Close Air Support")
|-
! Where does the dropship go?
| Moves you from A to B, or B to A. If you take off from the Almayer, you move to the LZ, and if you take off from the LZ, you move to the Almayer.
| Moves you from A to A, or B to B. If you take off from the Almayer, you return to the Almayer, and if you take off from the LZ, you return to the LZ.
|-
! Which weapons can the dropship fire in mid-air?
| Only the GAU-21 and Laser beam gun.
| All weapons.
|-
! How long does the dropship stay in the air?
| Depends on engine upgrades and whether the flight plan was optimized, to move men and supplies as fast as possible.
| Always the same amount of time, to ensure there's enough time to fire all your weapons.
|}


=Transport Missions=
'''Transport''' missions as the PO effectively means you'll be ferrying marines to and from the planet which helps keep a steady stream of reinforcements coming in and Injured being evaced. Make sure each time you land to announce over general communications that you've landed and make sure to state that you'll be departing in X minutes. By doing this it allows for marines to say if they require you to hold so they can load on injured.


=Dropship Upgrades=


During transport missions you may come under attack, if that becomes the case remember to use the shutters button to lockdown the drop-ship and then notify the marines over general communications that you are under attack at the relevant landing zone.
The key way to customize your dropship is to slap new systems on it, such as weapons, electronics, or engine upgrades. These systems are available in the repair bay at the south-east of the hangar, with ammo for the weapons to be found at the north and east of the hangar as well.


=Close Air Support Missions=
Simply climb into a powerloader (''click-drag yourself onto it, or right click -> enter powerloader''), pick up your desired attachment, and slap it into the appropriate port on your dropship. Before they can be fired, weapons need to be reloaded using their appropriate ammo (minirockets, 30mm, etc); just collect some with an empty clamp and stuff it into the weapons system. If there's already expended ammo inside, just take it out with an empty clamp. Finally, note that engine upgrades can only be installed after opening the engine port cover with an empty clamp to expose the insides.
Most pilots can get you from Point A to Point B, but only the more skilled ones are capable of blowing the fuck out of Point C at the same time.
'''Close Air Support''' or CAS for short, is one of the few duties the USCM's pilot officers have outside of transporting troopers, a PO wanting to go on a 'Fire Mission' as the console labels it, will need to click on the Toggle button below where it states what mission you're set to, keep in mind the console likes to swap back to Transport at the end of a Fire Mission so double check what you're set to before launching again.  




Once you've selected fire mission and launched your dropship, you'll want to select one of your ship's weapons in the little menu provided, simply click on the name of the gun and await for a target button to appear in the area below your weaponry table, once a laser designator has marked a target the option to fire on it will appear here with a Target: Location Name indicator, click on this until you either run out of ammo or the laser disappears and you'll have done your job.
==Attachable Weapon Systems==
 
If you want to pimp your ride, the USCM's got nothing but the best and most dangerous armanents.
=Attachable Weapon Systems=
Alright so you're looking to pimp your ride with the '''best and most dangerous guns''' the USCM can afford? Well, while keeping in mind you've only got four weapon slots per drop-ship, here's what we've got available:
 


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 56: Line 69:
|-
|-
![[File:Rocket_Pod.png|64px]]<br>Standard-Issue Rocket Pod
![[File:Rocket_Pod.png|64px]]<br>Standard-Issue Rocket Pod
|Technology like this stands to prove the old adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", by utilizing a delivery system that's been widely used for centuries, and still managing to improve on it in regards to accuracy, payload quality and a substantial decrease in equipment weight. These suckers only pack one missile at a time but they've got various flavours of death to load up, such as the penetrating Keeper II's, the highly explosive Banshees or the Napalm laced Widowmakers.
|"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". A time-tested delivery system that's been refined over the ages, these suckers pack one missile at a time, but have the largest selection of flavors of death to choose from.
 
{| border="1" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ style="text-align:left;"|'''Ammunition:'''
|-
|-
![[File:Minirocket_Pod.png|64px]]<br>Standard-Issue Mini-Rocket Pod
![[File:Widowmaker_Rocket.png|64px]]<br>AIM-224<br>'Widowmaker'
|The bigger rockets are all well and good, but when you've got hostiles right on top of your fortifications the last thing you want is to be lit up by a Widowmaker or a GAU strafing run, that's where the Mini-rocket system comes in with a smaller payload, more ammunition and it's ability to soften up hostile armour and take out infantry that are right next to you without actually hitting any friendlies. This thing's only takes standard issue and napalm munitions, no special armour-piercing rockets for this one, however the lower likelihood of friendly-fire still makes it an appealing choice.
|One of the larger rockets, the Widowmaker is packed with high grade explosives ready to make sure nothing it hits gets back up anytime soon. Basically a standard High Explosive Missile. An excellent option against large amounts of infantry.
|-
![[File:Keeper_Rocket.png|64px]]<br>GBU-67<br>'Keeper II'
|A smaller casing, the Keeper delivers a strong, fast, concentrated blow. Put simply, your AP rocket. While a direct hit obliterates armored foes, don't expect it to be useful against large groups of hostiles due to its small area of effect.
|-
|-
![[File:GAU.png|64px]]<br>GAU-21 'Rattler' 30mm Cannon
![[File:Banshee_Rocket.png|64px]]<br>AGM-227<br>'Banshee'
|Throughout the history of mankind, military men and women have always known that the best solution to any problem where brute force isn't working, is to apply even more excessive amounts of brute force, and in terms of high-velocity weaponry suited for both air combat and CAS, this is the USCM's solution for their drop-ships. The 'Rattler' fires 30mm high-explosive rounds in 20 round bursts at an incredibly high velocity in a general area around the designated target, ensuring any and all targets will feel the BRRRRRRRT, with each box magazine containing 200 rounds this baby can hold her own for long enough in a real firefight, just make sure your buddies stay out of danger close, this bad-girl doesn't care what she hits.
|The Banshee will scream "Welcome to Vietnam" for you, scorching its impact zone with a custom Napthal mix. Essentially your incendiary rocket. Effective against both light armor and decent groups of hostiles.
|-
|-
![[File:Laser.png|64px]]<br>Laser Beam Gun
![[File:Napalm_Rocket.png|64px]]<br>XN-99<br>'Napalm'
|The Laser Beam Gun has been recently developed by the USCM for dropship armament use. It fires a battery-fed laser beam at lightspeed, perfect for roasting anyone who disagrees with the boots on the ground policy. Note that this armament is still undergoing field testing during active operations.
|The XN-99 'Napalm' is an incendiary rocket used to engulf areas in giant fireballs. Not much can survive the ensuing firestorm.
|-
|-
![[File:Sentry_Deployable.png|64px]]<br>Sentry Deployment System
![[File:Fatty_Rocket.png|64px]]<br>SM-17<br>'Fatty'
|This handy-dandy system contains one UA-577 Gauss Turret, much more powerful and accurate than the standard UA-571-C Sentry Guns, these things are great for drop-ships landing in hot LZ's and do a good job of deterring any hostiles attempting to sneak aboard when nobody's looking. They come installed with a super-cell battery as well as a 300 round box magazine, both of these will ensure it remains powered and loaded for a while but they will eventually run out of both bullets and power, so keep these things in mind for those longer missions.
|The SM-17 'Fatty' is a special ordnance rocket. Nicknamed 'Fatty' for its slow velocity and large payload, which splits into a large cluster of devastation preceded by a single centered hit.  
|-
|-
![[File:Machinegun_Deployable.png|64px]]<br>Machinegun Deployment System
|This container holds a modified M56D smart-gun attached to a sandbag nest, and goes in the crew served attach point in the back of the drop-ship, providing a solid barrier against any hostiles attempting to outmanoeuvre the side-mounted Gauss Turrets and any other defences you may have. It's got 1500 rounds locked & loaded as well as an enhanced scope for extra range, just make sure you don't try shooting past friendlies with this thing, unlike the handheld smart-guns this thing doesn't have an IFF feature.
|}
|}
|-
![[File:Minirocket_Pod.png|64px]]<br>Standard-Issue Mini-Rocket Pod
|Bigger rockets are all well and good, but when hostiles are right on top of your position, the last thing you want is to be lit up by a wide-area strafing run. The mini-rocket system steps in for these encounters by being a precise, moderate choice to soften up the enemy without risking hitting friendlies.


=Reloading Procedures=
{| border="1" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
 
|+ style="text-align:left;"|'''Ammunition:'''
So you've fired your weapons, and now need to reload. Not to worry, here's a basic guide to reloading!. Please note, you will need a Powerloader to perform any reloading action.
 
*The first step you need to do is unload the expended ammunition from the desired dropship armament. To do this, simply walk up to said weapon in your Powerloader, and click on it with an empty clamp.
 
*Next, collect the ammo (mini-rockets, 30mm, etc) you wish to load with a powerloader. Please note, whilst most dropship armaments will only take one type of ammunition, Rocket pods can take 3 missile types.
 
*Finally, walk it over to the weapon, load said ammo in, and light up more hostiles to your hearts content!
 
 
==Weapon System Ammunition==
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background-color:#A9A9A9;" width=150|Weapon System Ammunition:
! style="background-color:#A9A9A9;" |Description:
|-
|-
![[File:Keeper_Rocket.png|128px]]<br>GBU-67 'Keeper II'
![[File:Minirocket_Stack.png|64px]]<br>Minirocket Stack
|A smaller casing for a payload that packs a huge punch, this thing's used mainly for cracking bunkers and blowing up hostile armour, it's got a small blast radius to maximize the damage on a single area however, so it's not great against large groups of hostiles.. To put it simply, it's your AP rocket. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Rocket Pod'''
| A pack of 6 laser guided minirockets.
|-
|-
![[File:Banshee_Rocket.png|128px]]<br>AGM-227 'Banshee'
![[File:Minirocket_incin_Stack.png|64px]]<br>Incendiary Minirocket Stack
|This one utilizes a larger casing than the 'Keeper II' because it contains a custom Napthal mix, commonly loaded for ground targets due to it's highly flammable nature and large burn radius, it also works well against infantry and lighter armoured vehicles. This one's basically your "Welcome to Vietnam" rocket, aka Napalm. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Rocket Pod'''
| A pack of 6 laser guided incendiary minirockets.
|-
|-
![[File:Widowmaker_Rocket.png|128px]]<br>AIM-224 'Widowmaker'
|}
|The largest of the three rockets initially available, this thing contains a high explosive payload to ensure that whatever it hits won't be getting up anytime soon, easily your best option against large groups of infantry as it has a sizeable blast radius. Think of it as your standard High Explosive Missile. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Rocket Pod'''
|-
|-
![[File:Napalm_Rocket.png|128px]]<br>XN-99 'Napalm'
![[File:GAU.png|64px]]<br>GAU-21 'Rattler' 30mm Cannon
|The XN-99 'Napalm' is an incendiary rocket used to turn specific targeted areas into giant balls of fire. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Rocket Pod'''
|Military men and women know best that the best solution for when when brute force doesn't work, is to apply even more excessive amounts of brute force. The 'Rattler' system delivers bursts of 30mm high-explosive rounds in a general area around the designated target, ensuring any and all targets will feel the BRRRRRRRT.
 
{| border="1" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ style="text-align:left;"|'''Ammunition:'''
|-
|-
![[File:Fatty_Rocket.png|128px]]<br>SM-17 'Fatty'
![[File:30mm_Ammo.png|64px]]<br>30mm Ammo Crate
|The SM-17 'Fatty' is a special ordnance rocket that only requires laser-guidance when first launched. Nicknamed 'Fatty' for its slow velocity and large payload, which causes devastation on impact. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Rocket Pod''''
|A crate containing 200 30mm high-explosive rounds. Fired in bursts of 20.
|-
|-
![[File:Minirocket_Stack.png|128px]]<br>Minirocket Stack
![[File:30mm_Highvelocity_Ammo.png|64px]]<br>High-Velocity 30mm Ammo Crate
| A pack of 6 laser guided minirockets. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Mini-Rocket Pod'''
|A crate containing 400 30mm high-velocity rounds. Fired in bursts of 40.
|-
|-
![[File:Minirocket_incin_Stack.png|128px]]<br>Incendiary Minirocket Stack
|}
| A pack of 6 laser guided incendiary minirockets. '''Load into the Standard-Issue Mini-Rocket Pod'''
|-
|-
![[File:30mm_Ammo.png|128px]]<br>30mm Ammo Crate
![[File:Laser.png|64px]]<br>Laser Beam Gun
|A crate containing 200 30mm high-explosive rounds. '''Load into the GAU-21 'Rattler' 30mm Cannon'''
|The Laser Beam Gun has been recently developed by the USCM for dropship armament use. It fires a battery-fed laser beam at lightspeed, perfect for roasting anyone who disagrees with the boots on the ground policy. Note that this armament is still undergoing field testing during active operations.
 
 
{| border="1" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ style="text-align:left;"|'''Ammunition:'''
|-
|-
![[File:30mm_Highvelocity_Ammo.png|128px]]<br>High-Velocity 30mm Ammo Crate
![[File:Laser_Ammo.png|64px]]<br>High-capacity laser battery
|A crate containing 400 30mm high-velocity rounds. '''Load into the GAU-21 'Rattler' 30mm Cannon'''
|A high-capacity laser battery used to power laser beam weapons.
|-
|-
![[File:Laser_Ammo.png|128px]]<br>High-capacity laser battery
|}
|A high-capacity laser battery used to power laser beam weapons. '''Load into the Laser Beam Gun'''
|-
|-
![[File:RotatingAmmoDrum .png|128px]]<br>M30 Box Magazine
![[File:Sentry_Deployable.png|64px]]<br>Sentry Deployment System
|M30 Box Magazine (10x28mm Caseless) '''Load into the UA-577 Gauss Turret '''
|This handy-dandy system comes prepackaged with one UA-577 Gauss Turret, an upgraded version of the standard UA-571-C Sentry Guns that stops would-be dropship assailants dead in their tracks. Can be repaired, refueled, and reloaded just like standard Sentry Guns.
|-
![[File:Machinegun_Deployable.png|64px]]<br>Machinegun Deployment System
|This container holds a modified M56D smart-gun attached to a sandbag nest, and goes in the crew served attach point in the back of the drop-ship, providing a solid barrier against anyone sneaking in from the backyard. Loaded with 1500 rounds and given an enhanced scope for extra range, just make sure you don't try to shoot past friendlies as this '''does not have IFF targeting'''.
|}
|}


=Dropship Upgrades=
 
==Attachable Electronics==
==Attachable Electronics==
Want to improve the accuracy of your weapon systems? Or perhaps you'd rather install a couple spotlights to ensure no LZ goes un-lit, either way keep in mind you've only got 2 electronic slots when Detective Gadget'ing up your ship with these fancy gubbinz:
Want to improve the accuracy of your weapon systems? Or perhaps you'd rather install a couple spotlights to ensure no LZ goes un-lit, either way keep in mind you've only got 2 electronic slots when Detective Gadget'ing up your ship with these fancy gubbinz:
Line 155: Line 168:
! style="background-color:#A9A9A9;" |Description:
! style="background-color:#A9A9A9;" |Description:
|-
|-
![[File:Cooling_System.png|128px]]<br>Cooling System
![[File:Cooling_System.png|64px]]<br>Cooling System
|Essentially a better version of the one the drop-ship already employs, plop this in your engines and you'll see a huge decrease in engine cooldown times, ensuring you'll be ready to take-off at the drop of a hat, even if you just landed.
|Essentially a better version of the one the drop-ship already employs, plop this in your engines and you'll see a huge decrease in engine cooldown times, ensuring you'll be ready to take-off at the drop of a hat, even if you just landed.
|-
|-
![[File:Fuel_Enhancer.png|128px]]<br>Fuel Enhancer
![[File:Fuel_Enhancer.png|64px]]<br>Fuel Enhancer
|This piece of tech improves thrust produced by fuel combustion, decreasing the time it takes to get from Point A to Point B and provides that extra bit of maneuverability when avoiding hostile fire.
|This piece of tech improves thrust produced by fuel combustion, decreasing the time it takes to get from Point A to Point B and provides that extra bit of maneuverability when avoiding hostile fire.
|}
|}


=Dropship Part Fabricator=
==Dropship Part Fabricator==
The dropship part fabricator works by a point system, a point is gained every two seconds, You can spend these points on the below items if you have enough of them.
The dropship part fabricator is the primary way for you to get better equipment than what you start with, or to replace ammunition that you've completely run out of. It works by a point system, with one point being earned every two seconds. Points can be spent on the below items if you have enough of them, and the part will usually print after a dozen seconds or more.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!Equipment
!Cost in points
!Amount of time required to generate that many points
|-
|Sentry deployment system
|500
|17 minutes
|-
|Machinegun deployment system
|300
|10 minutes
|-
|Fuel enhancer
|800
|27 minutes
|-
|Cooling system
|800
|27 minutes
|-
|Spotlight
|300
|10 minutes
|-
|Targeting system
|800
|27 minutes
|-
|Laser detector
|400
|13 minutes
|-
|LZ detector
|400
|13 minutes
|-
|GAU-21 30mm cannon
|400
|13 minutes
|-
|Rocket pod
|600
|20 minutes
|-
|Minirocket pod
|600
|20 minutes
|-
|Laser beam gun
|500
|17 minutes
|-
|High-Velocity 30mm ammo crate
|400
|13 minutes
|-
|30mm ammo crate
|200
|7 minutes
|-
|High-Capacity laser battery
|300
|10 minutes
|-
|AIM-224 'Widowmaker'
|300
|10 minutes
|-
|AGM-227 'Banshee'
|300
|10 minutes
|-
|GBU-67 'Keeper II'
|300
|10 minutes
|-
|SM-17 'Fatty'
|450
|15 minutes
|-
|XN-99 'Napalm'
|500
|17 minutes
|-
|Incendiary mini rocket stack
|500
|17 minutes
|-
|Mini rocket stack
|300
|10 minutes
|}


[[File:Dropship_part_fabricator_ItemList.png]]


=Communication=
=Communication=
Communication as the Pilot Officer, otherwise known as the PO is key to being a successful pilot. You may ask why communication is required as someone who flies a dropship all day, well it's required because otherwise you aren't playing the job to it's maximum potential and being useful to the marines. When you find yourself playing the PO you'll want to be communicating in general comms and announcing the time when you plan to leave to depart from your current location giving marines and other jobs the time to get to your dropship of choice, if someone says "Hold" or "Wait" it's usually because they need to evac someone so wait for them to get the injured aboard, if it's on the Almayer you'll generally here "Wait" and "Hold" because a marine is late and in that regards just launch, it's better that the you keep flying at a continuous rate then wait for one marine because they took too long getting an attachment. In regards to Fire Missions, you will most likely want to set one drop-ship as a Dedicated Gunship and it will be the pilot of that ship's job to stay in contact with [[Squad Leader|Squad Leaders]], whom will mark targets with their Laser Designators for the Gunship to fire on, be sure to let SL's know when you are and aren't ready to go on a Fire Mission lest they are led to believe they have Air Support available when really they don't.


It's all well and good to know how your dropship works, but at the end of the day you're also an officer with a duty to plan, coordinate, and share information regarding your flights. The key to being a successful Pilot Officer is to use your downtime wisely to communicate with others on the various channels to ensure everything goes as smooth as possible.


===Requisitions===
== General channel (''';''') ==
Requisitions will normally load crates onto your dropship meaning that when you land you will need to announce that you have supplies to drop off to the marines otherwise they won't know they have any. Sometimes if the supplies that are loaded onto your dropship are specialised for example, sentry crates and specialist weapon armour it's good to announce that so the relevant jobs can come to the LZ to pick up the supplies. It's useful as a PO to relay supplies that are needed if you see that the marines are lacking anything but usually that can be left down to command.


The general channel is where you will likely spend the most of your time if you're on transport runs. You will want to set a schedule for departure over the general channel; one way to go about this is to state that you will be leaving at XX:XX, then give warnings when you're one minute away from leaving, and then state when you're launching. This lets others plan around your departure, as well as call out a "HOLD" or "WAIT" if they won't make it on time. It'll be your discretion if you want to wait for others or launch anyway. Some factors you might take into account when judging is their rank, role, squad, and how necessary it is for you to launch on time. It's often better to launch on a continuous basis than to


===Medical===
On the ground, the general channel takes a special importance for coordinating dropship defences and being prepared for wounded coming onto the dropship. You'll also want to call out any targets that your sentries are firing on or that you spot, and order marines to defend your dropship if necessary. In times where planetside communications are down, you have an intercom next to your seat (''':i''') that you can use to relay orders received before you arrived, and coordinate the marines near your dropship.
If injured are loaded aboard your dropship you'll want to inform command/medical that injured are on the way if possible, if you needed to leave straight away prepare a general comms message (general comms because that way you'll also get normal marines help move injured to medical.) for when you land that injured are aboard and need to be taken to medical.  


== Command channel (''':v''') ==


===Engineering===
As the PO, you'll want to reach out over the command channel to inform them of the status of your dropship, flights, and the LZ, as well as communicate with Squad Leaders lasing targets on the ground. The most effective fire missions are the ones that communicate clearly to determine the purpose of the mission, and use the appropriate payload.
If your desired ship gets battered and beaten by the lizard savages then not fear because if you contact the MT's or [[Chief Engineer|CE]] they'll fix your precious flying machine if given the time, if marines desperately are calling to evac wounded or they need a ride to retreat back on, launch as soon as possible even if you are missing windows and doors, it's better that you reach the marines in time to help.


== Medical channel (''':m''') ==


===Command===
If you have injured on your dropship, it's a good idea to inform doctors on the Almayer that injured are coming up. In the case your dropship gets invaded, you might have patients in critical condition who need to be attended to, in this case using the channel is a good idea to have medics come by and heal them.
Contacting command as the PO is highly useful for the members in command as you can give an opinion on if the LZ (Landing Zone) will hold against the alien savages that are attacking or if it won't as usually by that point the marines over squad comms are silent or are screaming for an evac, so make sure that when you arrive to marines requiring an evacuation give an opinion to command on whether thee marines can hold the current defences or if you are retreating with the marines as it'd just be a waste of manpower and resources to carry on holding.
 
== Requisitions channel (''':u''') ==
 
Requisitions will often load crates onto the transport dropship, with you responsible for announcing that you have supplies to distribute once you've landed. For that reason, cooperating with the requisitions staff beforehand is a good idea.
 
==Engineering channel (''':e''') ==
 
Should savages batter and beat your dropship, the engineering department will need to be informed so that they can make repairs. As well, it's a good idea to have them load your dropship with attachments in the first place, owing to their superior skill in the use of a powerloader.




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=Tips=
=Tips=


* Try to wait a bit for the marines to load up the wounded and late comers to load up in the shuttle before making a trip. Announce on the Common frequency when you've just arrived and are about to depart. You want to be efficient with your trips as much as possible.  
* Try to wait a bit for the marines to load up the wounded and late comers to load up in the shuttle before making a trip. Announce on the Common frequency when you've just arrived and are about to depart. You want to be efficient with your trips as much as possible.  

Revision as of 14:00, 14 November 2017

COMMAND
Pilot.png
Pilot Officer
Difficulty: Medium
Supervisors: Command staff
Rank: Not defined
Duties: Pilot and maintain the dropships.
Guides: N/A
Unlock Requirements: Not available.
Detailed Description:
|__________|
Not defined
|__________|


"We're in the pipe, five by five." ― Cpl. Ferro, Aliens

The Pilot Officer, as the name indicates, pilots the ships of USS Almayer. They transport marines between the Almayer and the Landing Zones (LZ), protect and maintain their dropships, and provide Close Air Support (CAS) for those marines who want a fireworks show earlier than the 4th of July.

Overview

Congratulations Ensign! You finished your pilot training, got yourself a shiny commissioned rank, and have a badass ship to fly in the frontiers of space. Report to your fellow officers and command staff over the command channel (:v). Your Pilot's Bunks and adjacent Pilot's Office, both south of medbay, should have everything you need for the mission. If you're going somewhere cold, grab a coif!

The two dropships assigned to the piloting team at the hangar are the Alamo, which lands at LZ1, and the Normandy, which lands at LZ2. They can fly two different kinds of missions: Transport and Close Air Support. You can ride the Powerloaders at the repair bay to install specialized equipment and ammo onto the dropships to support these missions, though usually it's better to yell over the engineering radio (:e) for the more skilled Maintenance Technicians to do it.


The essentials of piloting

The lions' share of your piloting is orchestrated in the exclusive cockpit of your UD-4 Cheyenne dropship. Seating two, it offers three consoles with plenty of buttons for you and your co-pilot to push while the autopilot does all the work:

  • The camera console on the left allows you to watch over the dropship's cameras as well as any extra sights provided by the installable LZ or laser detector electronics systems.
  • The flight console in the middle lets you launch the dropship, toggle the flight mode between transport and fire mission, and close the shutters and doors. It also lets you optimize the flight path - only available to trained pilots like you - to cut down on transport and cooldown time at no cost.
  • The weapons console at the right lets you fire your weapons systems in mid-flight towards laser designated targets that troops on the ground mark with tactical binoculars. It also lets you deploy your automated sentries when landed.

So with that in mind, what are the differences between your two flight modes, transport and fire mission? Well, in short, transport mode lets you move marines and supplies between the hangar and LZ, but sacrifices your ability to fire the bigger guns, while fire mission mode lets you use the killingest weaponry you can load, but your dropship will only return to where it launched from.


Transport Fire Mission ("Close Air Support")
Where does the dropship go? Moves you from A to B, or B to A. If you take off from the Almayer, you move to the LZ, and if you take off from the LZ, you move to the Almayer. Moves you from A to A, or B to B. If you take off from the Almayer, you return to the Almayer, and if you take off from the LZ, you return to the LZ.
Which weapons can the dropship fire in mid-air? Only the GAU-21 and Laser beam gun. All weapons.
How long does the dropship stay in the air? Depends on engine upgrades and whether the flight plan was optimized, to move men and supplies as fast as possible. Always the same amount of time, to ensure there's enough time to fire all your weapons.


Dropship Upgrades

The key way to customize your dropship is to slap new systems on it, such as weapons, electronics, or engine upgrades. These systems are available in the repair bay at the south-east of the hangar, with ammo for the weapons to be found at the north and east of the hangar as well.

Simply climb into a powerloader (click-drag yourself onto it, or right click -> enter powerloader), pick up your desired attachment, and slap it into the appropriate port on your dropship. Before they can be fired, weapons need to be reloaded using their appropriate ammo (minirockets, 30mm, etc); just collect some with an empty clamp and stuff it into the weapons system. If there's already expended ammo inside, just take it out with an empty clamp. Finally, note that engine upgrades can only be installed after opening the engine port cover with an empty clamp to expose the insides.


Attachable Weapon Systems

If you want to pimp your ride, the USCM's got nothing but the best and most dangerous armanents.

Attachable Weapon System: Description:
Rocket Pod.png
Standard-Issue Rocket Pod
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". A time-tested delivery system that's been refined over the ages, these suckers pack one missile at a time, but have the largest selection of flavors of death to choose from.
Ammunition:
Widowmaker Rocket.png
AIM-224
'Widowmaker'
One of the larger rockets, the Widowmaker is packed with high grade explosives ready to make sure nothing it hits gets back up anytime soon. Basically a standard High Explosive Missile. An excellent option against large amounts of infantry.
Keeper Rocket.png
GBU-67
'Keeper II'
A smaller casing, the Keeper delivers a strong, fast, concentrated blow. Put simply, your AP rocket. While a direct hit obliterates armored foes, don't expect it to be useful against large groups of hostiles due to its small area of effect.
Banshee Rocket.png
AGM-227
'Banshee'
The Banshee will scream "Welcome to Vietnam" for you, scorching its impact zone with a custom Napthal mix. Essentially your incendiary rocket. Effective against both light armor and decent groups of hostiles.
Napalm Rocket.png
XN-99
'Napalm'
The XN-99 'Napalm' is an incendiary rocket used to engulf areas in giant fireballs. Not much can survive the ensuing firestorm.
Fatty Rocket.png
SM-17
'Fatty'
The SM-17 'Fatty' is a special ordnance rocket. Nicknamed 'Fatty' for its slow velocity and large payload, which splits into a large cluster of devastation preceded by a single centered hit.
Minirocket Pod.png
Standard-Issue Mini-Rocket Pod
Bigger rockets are all well and good, but when hostiles are right on top of your position, the last thing you want is to be lit up by a wide-area strafing run. The mini-rocket system steps in for these encounters by being a precise, moderate choice to soften up the enemy without risking hitting friendlies.
Ammunition:
Minirocket Stack.png
Minirocket Stack
A pack of 6 laser guided minirockets.
Minirocket incin Stack.png
Incendiary Minirocket Stack
A pack of 6 laser guided incendiary minirockets.
GAU.png
GAU-21 'Rattler' 30mm Cannon
Military men and women know best that the best solution for when when brute force doesn't work, is to apply even more excessive amounts of brute force. The 'Rattler' system delivers bursts of 30mm high-explosive rounds in a general area around the designated target, ensuring any and all targets will feel the BRRRRRRRT.
Ammunition:
30mm Ammo.png
30mm Ammo Crate
A crate containing 200 30mm high-explosive rounds. Fired in bursts of 20.
30mm Highvelocity Ammo.png
High-Velocity 30mm Ammo Crate
A crate containing 400 30mm high-velocity rounds. Fired in bursts of 40.
Laser.png
Laser Beam Gun
The Laser Beam Gun has been recently developed by the USCM for dropship armament use. It fires a battery-fed laser beam at lightspeed, perfect for roasting anyone who disagrees with the boots on the ground policy. Note that this armament is still undergoing field testing during active operations.


Ammunition:
Laser Ammo.png
High-capacity laser battery
A high-capacity laser battery used to power laser beam weapons.
Sentry Deployable.png
Sentry Deployment System
This handy-dandy system comes prepackaged with one UA-577 Gauss Turret, an upgraded version of the standard UA-571-C Sentry Guns that stops would-be dropship assailants dead in their tracks. Can be repaired, refueled, and reloaded just like standard Sentry Guns.
Machinegun Deployable.png
Machinegun Deployment System
This container holds a modified M56D smart-gun attached to a sandbag nest, and goes in the crew served attach point in the back of the drop-ship, providing a solid barrier against anyone sneaking in from the backyard. Loaded with 1500 rounds and given an enhanced scope for extra range, just make sure you don't try to shoot past friendlies as this does not have IFF targeting.


Attachable Electronics

Want to improve the accuracy of your weapon systems? Or perhaps you'd rather install a couple spotlights to ensure no LZ goes un-lit, either way keep in mind you've only got 2 electronic slots when Detective Gadget'ing up your ship with these fancy gubbinz:

Attachable Electronic System: Description:
Spotlight.png
Spotlight
A high-powered spotlight with a protective glass casing ensures you'll always have an illuminated landing zone, plus a bit extra.
Targeting System.png
Targeting System
An advanced system that's much better at tracking laser-guided beacons than the standard equipment the drop-ships come with, essential for drop-ships planning on making accurate rocket strikes or a few GAU strafing runs.
Laser detector.png
Laser Detector System
Advance camera system that allows the operator to observe the target area of a painted laser target on the ground, can assist the operator to determine if a laser target is worth firing upon.
Landing detector.png
Landing Zone Detector System
Camera system that lets a pilot observe all available landing zones via a long range camera. Can help the pilot assess the situation on the ground. Only works while in flight, not while docked.

Attachable Engine Upgrades

Not getting enough thrust out of the standard engines? Tired of waiting so damn long for the suckers to cooldown before you can take-off again? Well here's a couple solutions to your problems, keep in mind you'll want to actually open up the engine ports with a powerloader before trying to shove these things inside:

Attachable Electronic System: Description:
Cooling System.png
Cooling System
Essentially a better version of the one the drop-ship already employs, plop this in your engines and you'll see a huge decrease in engine cooldown times, ensuring you'll be ready to take-off at the drop of a hat, even if you just landed.
Fuel Enhancer.png
Fuel Enhancer
This piece of tech improves thrust produced by fuel combustion, decreasing the time it takes to get from Point A to Point B and provides that extra bit of maneuverability when avoiding hostile fire.

Dropship Part Fabricator

The dropship part fabricator is the primary way for you to get better equipment than what you start with, or to replace ammunition that you've completely run out of. It works by a point system, with one point being earned every two seconds. Points can be spent on the below items if you have enough of them, and the part will usually print after a dozen seconds or more.

Equipment Cost in points Amount of time required to generate that many points
Sentry deployment system 500 17 minutes
Machinegun deployment system 300 10 minutes
Fuel enhancer 800 27 minutes
Cooling system 800 27 minutes
Spotlight 300 10 minutes
Targeting system 800 27 minutes
Laser detector 400 13 minutes
LZ detector 400 13 minutes
GAU-21 30mm cannon 400 13 minutes
Rocket pod 600 20 minutes
Minirocket pod 600 20 minutes
Laser beam gun 500 17 minutes
High-Velocity 30mm ammo crate 400 13 minutes
30mm ammo crate 200 7 minutes
High-Capacity laser battery 300 10 minutes
AIM-224 'Widowmaker' 300 10 minutes
AGM-227 'Banshee' 300 10 minutes
GBU-67 'Keeper II' 300 10 minutes
SM-17 'Fatty' 450 15 minutes
XN-99 'Napalm' 500 17 minutes
Incendiary mini rocket stack 500 17 minutes
Mini rocket stack 300 10 minutes


Communication

It's all well and good to know how your dropship works, but at the end of the day you're also an officer with a duty to plan, coordinate, and share information regarding your flights. The key to being a successful Pilot Officer is to use your downtime wisely to communicate with others on the various channels to ensure everything goes as smooth as possible.

General channel (;)

The general channel is where you will likely spend the most of your time if you're on transport runs. You will want to set a schedule for departure over the general channel; one way to go about this is to state that you will be leaving at XX:XX, then give warnings when you're one minute away from leaving, and then state when you're launching. This lets others plan around your departure, as well as call out a "HOLD" or "WAIT" if they won't make it on time. It'll be your discretion if you want to wait for others or launch anyway. Some factors you might take into account when judging is their rank, role, squad, and how necessary it is for you to launch on time. It's often better to launch on a continuous basis than to

On the ground, the general channel takes a special importance for coordinating dropship defences and being prepared for wounded coming onto the dropship. You'll also want to call out any targets that your sentries are firing on or that you spot, and order marines to defend your dropship if necessary. In times where planetside communications are down, you have an intercom next to your seat (:i) that you can use to relay orders received before you arrived, and coordinate the marines near your dropship.

Command channel (:v)

As the PO, you'll want to reach out over the command channel to inform them of the status of your dropship, flights, and the LZ, as well as communicate with Squad Leaders lasing targets on the ground. The most effective fire missions are the ones that communicate clearly to determine the purpose of the mission, and use the appropriate payload.

Medical channel (:m)

If you have injured on your dropship, it's a good idea to inform doctors on the Almayer that injured are coming up. In the case your dropship gets invaded, you might have patients in critical condition who need to be attended to, in this case using the channel is a good idea to have medics come by and heal them.

Requisitions channel (:u)

Requisitions will often load crates onto the transport dropship, with you responsible for announcing that you have supplies to distribute once you've landed. For that reason, cooperating with the requisitions staff beforehand is a good idea.

Engineering channel (:e)

Should savages batter and beat your dropship, the engineering department will need to be informed so that they can make repairs. As well, it's a good idea to have them load your dropship with attachments in the first place, owing to their superior skill in the use of a powerloader.


Your Skillset

PO skill set.png

To find out about how the skill system works head over to the skills system page.

Tips

  • Try to wait a bit for the marines to load up the wounded and late comers to load up in the shuttle before making a trip. Announce on the Common frequency when you've just arrived and are about to depart. You want to be efficient with your trips as much as possible.
  • A special benefit to being a Pilot Officer is that you're allowed to boss around marines while they're on your shuttle. Don't tolerate rowdy and loud marines but be ready if they fight back. Follow proper escalation procedures. Remember, you out rank them and its your ship (and the USCM's ship and thus the Commander's ship).
  • Leaving the dropship is not recommended unless you have just landed. Try not to stray too far from your craft. Retrieving marines is okay but if it leaves without you then you are in deep shit. You have a high chance of being 1. killed, 2. maimed, 3. captured, 4. killed again, 5. wounded. Although competent command staff will ask for you in the radio before manually piloting your craft.
  • If there is damage to your craft. Be sure to request for a Maint. Tech or the Chief Engineer to come repair it, the next time you're on the Almayer.