Leaderboard

Interesting--the latest update to the ACP take rate also includes take rates for the 18Xers' bonus. I'll get to that in a sec, but first a few highlights from the 11X community. From 8 Feb to 15 Mar, here were the following changes: Overall 11x: 16 more takers, for a 37.6% FY16 take rate thus far - Bomber: 1 more taker; 26.9% -- lowest of all communities--surprising, since they've historically had a pretty healthy take rate - C2ISR: 2 more; 48.8% - Fighter: 5 more; 29.7% - Mobility: 4 more; 36.4% - Rescue: 1 more; 71.4% -- highest of all communities (not surprising--they've always had a high take rate) - SOF: 2 more; 38.5% - Unmanned (11U): 1 more; 55.2% 18x take rate: 14.3% (2/14) thus far - Exactly 1 (out of 1) RQ-170 pilot and 1 SOF RPA pilot (out of 6) have taken the droid bonus - None of the seven 18A Pred or Reaper drivers have taken the bonus thus far - Three total RPA bonus takers thus far (between 11U, 18A, 18S); I'm curious to see how GC and company plans to build any degree of long-term experience/continuity in the RPA world Bottom line: the take rate continues to be underwhelming. Over three quarters of this year's eligibles were the true-blue types who signed up for the bonus early last year. The slow trickle of takers this FY further indicates Big Blue has some retention issues (shocker, I know). TT

Standby for announcement from 118th. Still trying to decide on date.

I'm hearing that there is serious talk of bringing back the ART bonus this year as well, which could further incentivize people to get out. Additionally, around the squadron there are serious fears about stop-loss which are driving people to get out ASAP when they might have stuck around a year or two more as they explored outside options.

Just placed an order with Vortex and thier military discount is 40% off MSRP, well below what I can find in stores and online. Great people to work with and highly recommended. Saved a good amount for my viper pst, mount, quick throw lever and bubble level. They also have a pretty sweet referral program. You get a 5% credit from a referral's purchase. PM me if you're going to order from them. https://www.vortexoptics.com/content/military_le_program

Recently did my ATP through there and was very happy. The instructors are retired fighter types and have a good handle on knowing what you'll need to watch out for if you're a fighter or military type. I have zero complaints about the program and would highly recommend it. The main examiner that they use seems like she could be a little quirky but taking 15 minutes to talk to someone that has recently checked with her will set you up for success. The biggest thing about the examiner is that she doesn't like cocky military pilots, and she's had a couple scare her during landings. However, all of this is a non-factor if you show prepared and humble. Her ground eval is a non-factor if you show prepared and that's how you set the tone for the check ride. After the ground eval and especially the first 5 minutes of the flight I really tried to be professional and set the tone right and I could visibly see her relax, and from that point on I probably would have had to have done something really stupid to fail. From then on she kept on speeding up the profile to get it over with. So, Mil2ATP is great. The examiner is very fair if you show prepared and with a good attitude. Should be standard ROE for a military pilot so no one should have anything to worry about if you go there.

Actually. I was there the day Tex rolled the -80. I grew up in Seattle and the big event that day was the annual Gold Cup unlimited hydroplane races on Lake Washington My dad, brother, and I went and were sitting on the grass next to the lake (with one or two hundred thousand others). My dad worked for Boeing as a buyer at the Renton plant and was fairly knowledgeable about the program but not an aviator. Midway through the day between heats, they announced the flyby, and the aircraft came from the South (Renton) and as it came abeam the VIP barge near the pits, it smoothly pulled up, rolled, and departed to the north. About 5 minutes later it returned and repeated the roll before departing the area. I was a little uncertain about what I'd seen so I asked my dad about it. I recall he was a little stunned but really didn't say too much. I thought it was kind of cool.

You strategically left out the per diem made in Istres France as well. And I'll fly 21 hour augmented duty day sorties if you told me I never had to do STRATCOM stuff again. You know what a AMC good deal is? Go to McGuire and sit Alpha for a week. Trust men, I've spent three of my last five assignments in AMC. I got better "good deal" teaching at the FTU in Altus. Grass isn't always greener.

And for every time Gazmo and I had a cool trip like those, we had about 600-900 hours sucking it up in the desert. So in my opinion, Big Blue definitely gets the better end of the deal out of its aircrew, even when taking into account some of the sweeter deals out there.

Was telling my grandfather about the bonus. He shook his head. The stories I grew up with about how much fun the Air Force used to be from my grandpa were off the hook. Just a different culture. He'd tell me stories of taking planes which he had no training airborne after giving the crew chief a bottle of scotch, meeting his buddies and deciding last minute to take a jet to say they went Mach 2 in an F-106 or using a bomber to give a civilian friend a ride across country to go party. Now that was a while ago but heck, even in FTU 15 years back my IPs told of the glory days where everyone would go XC in Eagles, hogs, phantoms, you name it to party at Randolph. Good ole days in an Air Force with spare time, Cold War budgets and pilot centric. In 20 years, people will say we had it good. My Quals-I landed on the carrier first try when I played top gun on the 8 bit NES in 1987.

Getting too old to read it on the phone anyway...

Premature, there are still navs.