Termy

If you are indeed totally debt free, maxed out on tax advantaged methods, and looking to invest more, don't be afraid to buy some individual stocks. I keep no more than 8% of my portfolio in low PE dividend paying stocks. It is certainly engaging to research and own individual stocks-and in the last four years, profitable!

You may have to "bump the stick" in Falcon 4.0 or whatever video game you play, but not in the Viper.

Best gouge for airline stuff is on www.airlinepilotforums.com I can save you some time though: - You gotta meet all the mins. Period. - 99.8% chance you need a 73 type for SWA. Yes, a few guys have been hired without it, but it is really, really, really rare - Having someone you know walk your app in is almost required at Delta, FedEx, and SWA.

Nice work. It's ok to be confident; in fact, I prefer my wingman to be very confident.

Ugh. Heart hurts for the NCANG, the families, and the whole C-130 community.

If you fly fighters, work on fighters, or can identify a fighter on the flight line, spend the $9.99 and get this. Brilliant.

No and yes.

I believe that "Sabatoge" remains the single greatest video ever made for MTV.

Huh?

Crime was way worse for me at ABQ/Kirtland (a break in, a stolen car, and a fun filled episode of me escorting someone off my property at gun point) than here in the AV. Here are my thoughts on the area: Cal city/Mojave: out of the freaking question. Too remote and shitty. Tehachipi: it is ok up there, but not worth the long drive in my opinion. Rosamond: Close to base and Palmcaster...a great compromise for commute to work and close to shopping. (I live in Rosamond.) Lancaster: sucks. Palmdale: There are some nice areas. If I was going to live that far south, I would choose the extra ten minutes to Palmdale over anywhere in Lancaster. The area around the golf course and near the mall are pretty nice. And remember, California is a giant half off sale right now. Feel free to PM me if you want any other Camp Eddie gouge.

Don't PM it; send the link!

I was in the Guard for nine years and never heard the word "Masters" once; I've only been in the Reserves for two and hear about Masters degrees almost daily. As Rainman would say, no shit.

I went in December and enjoyed it. There was indeed a "test" on day one that accomplished nothing other than to make us laugh at our pathetic scores. You don't need to do anything to prepare. You don't need to bring anything other than a flight suit and your credit card. I stayed off Meridian but would encourage you to stay downtown. Make an effort to rally the class a couple times to dinner. Don't let the group split by MWS; some of the best learning in that course was listening to people who fly different airplanes. Lastly, make time to see the OKC Bombing Memorial; it is worth visiting.

Good article and will be read by many since it is in USA Today. Tac Airlift is an important mission.

I was a fixed wing qual guy with 1100 hours helo and about 150 fixed wing from out of pocket civilian renting. I did Fwq for tweets but since Vance hadn't had a fighter follow on "in a long time," I went though T-38s with a UPT class. I did fine in that and IFF and RTU. I would have gladly gone though UPT if that's what they wanted, but the age thing would have screwed me. That is the issue to me. Call it cost savings or whatever, but it doesn't seem fair to call a guy who has been flying helos "too old." Let the guard or reserve unit that is hiring the pilot determine if age is a factor.

Here is the bulk of the email that came from a two star: SUBJECT: Fixed-Wing Qualification (FWQ) 1. As of 31 October 2011, Air Staff terminated funding for the Fixed-Wing Qualification course. This leaves two courses of action for rotary-wing pilots wanting to transition to fixed-wing. First, any individuals who completed fixed-wing primary training (T-34, T-37, T-6) will go directly to the Flying Training Unit (FTU). Second, IAW AFI 36-2205, any individuals that did not complete fixed-wing primary training and Army pilots will be required to compete and be selected to attend Undergraduate Pilot Training. The age 30 limitation will apply for admission to UFT. 2. Commanders need to consider these changes when hiring helicopter or Army pilots into your flying units. AFRC POC for this subject is...

Can't go down (so to speak) once you are stationed somewhere, correct? It's decreased a ton in California.

I think what was too subtle was trailmix writing in two separate sentences two different issues: finding agr work and finding a job at a different unit. I didn't read what he said as those being one in the same; they most certainly are not.

AGR? No. But at least in the F-16 guard units, getting hired as a MR junior captain is not too tough right now. I think the combo of the 10 year UPT commitment and to a lesser extent the fact not everyone makes it through the pipeline means that guard units always look for "young but mission ready" guys. When my last viper guard unit lost its jets, every O4 and below that wanted to continue to fly vipers found a new home. (rough breakdown: three agr, four full time art, and a couple traditionals.)

Is it not true there are civilian IP/CFI instructors at IFS? Are there any instructors who have never attended UPT?

My father in law just bought a beautiful Cessna 170. Why did he buy it? I loved his answer: "The guy sold it because he is 75 years old. I bought it because I am 75 years old!"

Their lyrics but no one who flies a jet that can kill people can claim that Dos Gringos don't rock.

Good time for some Dos Gringos Lyrics: Yeah, all you ######ers wish you flew the Viper Probably since the time you wore a diaper We got every mission that you do And we fly 'em all better than you Yeah, all you ######ers wish you flew the Viper 'Cause we're single seat, multi-role We can fly right up our own asshole Yeah, all you ######ers wish you flew the Viper

Global Express is a phenominal type rating to have, if you are into that kind of thing.

In the three Guard fighter units I have flown with, we didn't use a term like "Rated Pilot Hiring Manager." For fighter units, asking for the "Ops O" or "DO" is the best place to start. If he has designated someone to be in charge of hiring, he will send you there.