Leaderboard

The one who gets irrationally angry when someone wants the standards upheld? No, I'd agree you're the commander and I'm the guy trying to be the voice of reason.

Can’t break the rules, credibility is gone and nobody will follow you. And what in the trailer park tornado with a 84 Camaro was the CC of the team doing with his hands around another members neck, so beneath what we’d expect.

This is symbolic of my base ops relationship w pawnman...I think I’d be the thinderchicken CC choking him but I’m sure he’d disagree.

The airlines have greatly benefited from being able to hire experienced pilots from the Air Force. They get a $10m guy with no cost to them. It isn’t good news for the airlines when the Air Force gets on the back side of that production curve. The hiring wave has already overtaken the military’s ability to feed it, so the airlines will either have to train their own guys or hire less experienced pilots. So it’s a problem for “management” across the board, but the pilots are in great shape.

My two cents (maybe three since I'm in it to win it)... I was a Guard bubba (C-130 Slick Nav) and took a VLPAD 3 year tour (started July 2017) as a AFROTC Det CC. I had about 15 years total AD time when I started the tour so the long game was to get to the 20 year AD retirement. When the FY18 AvB Expanded Program was announced, I put in some questions to AFPC along the lines of "Hey, I'll sign a five year bonus if you just put me on AD and you can send me to whereveristan after my ROTC tour ends" to which I heard what amounts to crickets. Therefore, I believe AFPC currently has no program for anyone to go onto AD indefinitely from the ANG/AFRC. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they are considering it. So, it could open up anytime I suppose. During my AWC via correspondence course, one of the facilitators told me that is what got him to AD retirement (Reserve to Indef AD). Back to the Bonus issue for those scorekeeping at home, they gave me the bonus anyway until the end of the VLPAD tour. Yes, they gave me a bonus for doing what I was already committed to anyway (and for a rated position which actually no longer exists on active duty). I guess you could say I got a bonus for all those "Nav Bonus" jokes I got to listen to for all those years. For the original question, I recommend taking the VLPAD tour if they will give it to you and just consider yourself a "Free Agent" going forward. From where I sit on this VLPAD tour, I can start "negotiating" my next VLPAD tour about a year out from the end of this one assuming the program is still open. Yeah, no guarantees but I definitely hold the cards on the next assignment. If I don't like what they offer, I'll just go back into the AFRC/ANG. To be honest, is that all that bad? Cheers!

That’s how I did It. 20 years and 3 days. 100% flying.

Must not have liked the guys rotation technique.

When is whatshisnuts sitting Top 3 again? Asking for a friend.

Homestar.... your level of blue koolaid consumption is commendable. Your comments make it sound like “since I had to, YOU have to”

2000 hrs and I've never in all aircraft I've flown heard the technique of "rotating early to ensure the nose is up by rotation speed." It has always been "pull the stick back at rotation speed." I don't blame the guy that much, it sounds like there is a community wide culture/understanding of this is how it's done (at least from reading the AIB). To me the logical fix is refresher on what TOLD items mean, stop this trend of rotating early on purpose, and do not put the gear handle up until FPM/CDM is at least 3+ degrees above horizon line with a positive VVI. If after that you're concerned with a gear overspeed, mitigate via increasing pitch and canceling AB early if required. I think this is a lesson learned that applies to all fighter aircraft. I can't speak for heavies.

There's still a few of us left in the B-1, B-52, F-15E, RC-135, and AC-130 (to name a few).