Leaderboard

It's called a canopy, actually. Windows are for passengers and aviation via committee. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Ya, as a direct replacement for the UPT and IFF T-38 only on a 3 to 5 buy ratio, hoping to cover the gap via reduced attrition. The T-1 will be around well into the 2030s. Some of the more amusing calls I fielded as a T-1 Flt/CC were from my T-38 counterparts trying to poach my gunships/C-17s/AFSOC/etc in exchange for their E-3s and such. That's all well and good if it helps my guys, but the phone was quickly set to the "go fuck yourself" position when those guys tried to imply that because their students were flying the T-38 they were inherently better than my T-1 students and would have aced the T-1 program and finished ahead of my guys anyway. The fact of the matter is it is a myth that doing well in T-6s is an automatic identifier of future performance. It is frequently a result of either prior flying experience, or being a faster learner within a given medium. I saw guys who aced T-6s, chose T-1s (to the wailing and gnashing of teeth of the people who though they should go 38s) and then finish bottom 3rd in the T-1. Conversely I saw guys finish dead last in their T-6 class, come across the street to me with an apology note pinned to their lapel, and knock T-1s out of the park. So implying that students that track T-38s are inherently better than students that track T-1s is quantifiably bullshit. There most certainly are people who bottom feed the T-6, and then bottom feed the T-1, but there are also students who kill the T-6 and are gone from the T-38 before their first checkride. I'd be willing to bet those 38 washouts would have been T-1 washouts all the same. The T-1 and T-38 [programs aren't so different in terms of difficulty, it's just the nature of what is difficult. The T-38 is fast moving and demands precise and rapid decision making. The T-1 is complex, operates in a complex environment with limited to no outside decision making help (Sup, SOF, wingman, etc), and requires a lot of dynamic task management. The product of each program is different, but I wouldn't say one is better trained than the other.

And they have a long track record of stellar decision making.

This is not meant to have any connotation at all so keep everyone's panties unwadded. I'm asking because I'm curious. In the T-1, how much of the flying is done on the autopilot for the students?

I haven't seen many selfies, so it's already a step up from the last one.

Re Scorpion and AMRAAM: Kinematically, you kind of lose out going slow and launching BVR.

Answering my own question for the benefit of others. As of 0800 this morning the Superintendent of recruiting at the 124 FW still hadn't received names from the 190 FS to contact.

It would be tough - read impossible - for Scorp to intercept anything but a recip or turboprop but that's not its bread and butter. This hypothetical capability would be as a second echelon or compliment to a true fighter. Real fighters cost too much to buy and operate, they carry prestige but often can't be procured in relevant numbers or the fleet is not nearly as available as needed due to MX costs. This is the case for a lot of our budget conscious partners. Providing them an option that lets have some A2A capability but gives them a lot of ISR and Light Strike can fill a niche the F-5 used to. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe they just got busy. Hopefully we all get a call!

One weakness on the M&P Shield (at least when I bought mine) was the recoil spring assembly. The metal washer/disk that engages the barrel is thin and prone to bending. It was too easy to bend if not lined up perfectly for reassembly. When I called customer support, then didn't even ask for my serial number, just my address to ship out a new one. Perhaps Smith and/or Wesson has improved this part on the Shield. "They" make better aftermarket stainless drop-in assemblies. Out

How about you fix your own mobile home before complaining to the HOA about your neighbors McMansion. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Like a SOF, or wingman?

If you're set on getting married, and the decision is courthouse wedding either before or after OTS, why not do it before to net an extra couple thousand bucks of BAH?

No, I just responded to someone in another thread with a similar question, I will give you the same answer. It was 14 hours when I went through 4 years ago fyi. Building has no windows, food is mediocre, its a super stressful environment, and is another opportunity to loose you ticket to the big dance before you get there. If you have the opportunity to get your PPL I would recommend doing it.

I'd say the bigger factor in T-38 success is attitude. 69% of T-1 students would probably do fine in the T-38. 96%+ of T-38 students would do fine in the T-1. I knew a reservist who flew T-38s for 8+ years but had to go fly T-1's to make rank....he'd stop by with some great stories. T-1 studs should take pride in their training and jet. Just recognize it's a different mentality being taught. My T-38 students would talk about their T-1 roomies sleeping in and playing video games while they were pulling 12 hour days. That's where the animosity often lies between the tracks. Not better/worse...just different perspective. We did get some T-38 studs who just weren't cut out for single seat. Ok pilots overall but not on their own so we kept them safe enough to pass, got them crew aircraft and they've done great things. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

You can't even intercept a passenger airline.

Cool - no offense taken and good points made. As a T-1 grad looking from the outside at the potential change to SUPT, just send everyone thru T-X and at some point in the Phase 3 syllabus make the split between Fighter rec'd and everybody else with the syllabus diverging at that point. Good for the Aviation Community as it encourages common culture and gives everyone a chance up to some point to shine and get to earn a single seat fighter.

Scorpion climbs higher, moves faster, carries more payload, has better mission software, has 2x engines and the "prestige" of a jet vs a prop.* A-29 is combat proven and already flown by USAF and is likely more than "good enough" for the intended mission even without any of the above strengths of the Scorpion. I have a personal preference based on a good amount of knowledge about one of the platforms, but both seem capable and I'd love to fly either. *Jet prestige is BS IMHO, coming from a guy who rode a mighty single-engine prop steed into battle many times, but it's a valid point, especially to potential foreign customers. Princes don't fly props.

Just make everyone go T-38s again and bring back the attrition!

Well, lets just say we disagree. 38 studs have always been universally assignable - ever since the days of UPT, when T-38 studs went on to fly C-141s, OV-10s, etc. SUPT was implemented to save the Air Force money and to prolong the life of the T-38. Not to give T-1 students "dibs" on certain platforms. T-38 studs did rack their preferences, as did I years ago, knowing that I could always go fly something "heavy" later in life if I wanted to do so. Choosing to go fly 38s doesn't close any doors - choosing to fly T-1s does.

The Air Force will disappoint you. Consistently. Get used to it now. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Hopefully you'll have them better prepared by the time they bail for the airlines.

The trick to summoning the hot ones is to grab the Ship's Wheel at the Viking.

You guys are missing the point. Nobody is gonna take a paycut to live in DLF. You want those lifers in the sim building to run the flightline? Half can't pass a medical. But you go right ahead. Look, you're not gonna get any takers to come down here to District 12. You're gonna have to incentivize the $$$ in ways that make civilians a non-starter. Once you hit AGR levels of equivalent hard/soft compensation, it's not worth it to the DOD to pay a civilian that. This isn't new. They already tried to make us all ARTs down here. Didn't go anywhere. And I mean nowhere, dead in the water full stop. It was amazing to see how they even had to carve us out DLFers from the conversion. Never seen management have to be so transparent about a concession in my 12 years in this gig. You guys know the muckity mucks are going back to an ART-to-AGR retrofit with tail between their legs right now, right? 55% system-wide manning on the ART side alone. They can't staff it in GOOD locations, let alone the UPT shitholes. This whole thread is moot already. And you guys think the P-cola model of having non-ART/straight-GS GS-12 flying T-1s is gonna get traction in UPT shitholes? LOL Hell, there was a huge exodus in P-cola precisely because they wouldn't give those guys GS-13 with the SSR, only the most hardcore "live in FL over anything" townies remained. And moving UPT on a piecemeal basis to good locations in order to normalize for the inability to pay civilians AGR money and benefits? ROFL. Your god-damned chief of staff is actively lobbying for the regional industry just so he doesn't have to address servicemember non-monetary QOL drivers, and you guys think the DOD is gonna have the impetus to make basing changes? Holy shit you guys are hitting the Petrovskaya a bit hard and early on this one. Good AFSO-21 topic though. Good luck.

I know it's been a few months, but this video shows why these are pretty much useless (may required a Facebook account to watch)...

Team Applicants / Selectees:UPDATES....1. If you don't have the address for the UFT Board Webpage.... here it is. UFT Board (CAC required). Our intent is to push as much information to you all through that website to keep you all updated... transparency is our biggest goal.2. Selects: This year we selected 60 pilots, 10 RPA pilots, 10 CSOs (with 5 more seats to fill) and 6 ABMs (with 9 more seats to fill). Yes, we are currently working options right now for folks that if folks didn't get selected for anything then perhaps offering CSO or ABM. We still have a LOT of needs as of right now. So if you ONLY applied for Pilot and want to consider CSO or ABM, give us a call and we will see how things shake out; can't guarantee anything though.3. Be patient with us... it is me (Maj Travis "Pred" Halleman) and Capt Devin "Drag" Stone who are doing all the work right now for the board with twice the number of selects than last year. If you have ANY questions, feel free to drop us an email or call. Just be patient for a response... we are working assignments and training as we speak.4. Break Downs: Tuesday we are going to load this years PPL/PCSM average stats to the website. Yes, due to the larger pick up of folks, the PCSM averages have dropped a little. Stand by and please check out the website for updates.5. RPAs: We had 3 people apply and all got selected.6. Next Year: Not sure on how many slots at this time. What I can tell you this that there is a LOT of discussion on INCREASING rated production. Not sure if this will continue but as I have been telling people this year... apply. It never hurts.7. We are loading training RIPs and Assignments here soon. We are working with assignment teams and people to ensure we get things right for individuals, their families, and the needs of the Air Force.8. WE are also looking for FEEDBACK from the field. What worked and what didn't work? What do we need to approve for next year? I will let you know that we are going to REATTACK many of the processes... from my point of view, we can improve things for you.9. I have a vested interest in this process.... I was a medical officer in 2008 who applied for UFT and got a Nav spot. Yes, I didn't become a pilot but I became a B-52 EW and made a name for myself without the radiator wings. So I will always challenge folks to consider the other wings besides the Pilot wings.What other questions?--Pred

Lear, thanks for the added explanation, although I still disagree with the logic of promoting someone who is not willing over someone who is probably just as deserving but is just below the cut line for that particular board (but might not be on another). You say you don't know what scores are the cut line...but you do know that by giving someone asking not to be promoted any score at all they have a chance of bumping someone else. I don't think you can equally compare the letters of those asking not to be promoted versus those asking for consideration to be promoted...they are vastly different concepts. One should be automatic (I nor most want a field grader around who doesn't want to be there at that rank), while the other should be considered. Also, you say you don't want to give folks an "out" from their commitments...come back to me when the air force stops kicking people out then two years later deciding it needs to add 30k airmen. But that's a whole other conversation! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You are asking for pain. Unnecessary, over-scripted, high threat (dialed back in the past few years, but nonetheless) pain. Why? Why are you getting into flying? Ego? Family pressure? Is Fun anywhere in the calculus? My recommendation: don't sweat UPT. Attitude is everything in that program. Every SIE or 89 elimination that I remember came down to attitude. My own ups and downs came down to attitude. Want to knock some of your flying rust off as a form of anxiety therapy? Do some fun learning. Good ideas: -get a Glider add on -tail wheel endorsement -upset training/acro lessons -local checkout to take the girlfriend for a sunset flight You're going to spend the next several years getting nut punched and occasionally asking if this is still fun. You are literally asking to practice your anxiety. Don't: get an instrument ticket or commercial training (see above) Coming from the guy that had all his ratings going in, and thankfully missed the IFT paintrain. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Calling casual Lts "crew chiefs" because they're helping out with some relatively basic flightline tasks is profoundly disrespectful to some of the hardest working people in the Air Force.

A number of questions come to mind when reading this asinine blanket statement: WTF? Who pissed in your Cheerios? Do you honestly think we have the time or the inclination to "crap all over you"? Feel free to stop by my office to discuss.

Big blue disagrees.