I have a fair amount of experience in civilian aircraft (never military)...A380 down to a 15 seater whatever,and everything in between.I've been in one or two situations where I was *somewhat* concerned,but not panic stricken,in the air;a sudden,extreme "dive" in a 707 flying from Cairo to Dar Es Salaam being the most memorable.Perhaps your Navy experience gives you a knowledge advantage over us amateurs.
I will say, aviation has an absolute surplus of pucker-inducing material.
I spent fours years in the Navy, most of it on a carrier (during peacetime, no less) and I saw a lot just from my vantage point. Four years worth, and then I think of people like you who have spent a career in it, I can only imagine the things you see.
I’ve seen five mishaps. It gave me a sense of scale later on, when I thought “I am one person in a unit, and there are a lot of “units” out there...”
“...That’s a lot of planes crashing.”
During peacetime, just practicing at war...that many planes go down.
Yeah. Aviation ranks up there as a place to see wild things, and not always good things, and that while we are just trying to fly routinely without attempting to destroy something.
Or evade something...like the ground.