HerkDerka

PAB, I don't think I've ever seen a better post on the subject. Splash One! PD

Only the AF could design the concept of a "Show" BDU and a "Tactical" BDU. Sound stupid to anyone else? PD

Talk to C-21Pilot. PD

UPT is a PCS. So if you stay in the Q, you lose your BAH. PD

I had a good friend go through TFAP when I was at Corpus. The program basically takes an AD pilot and puts them with a Guard unit for three years as a "AD Liason". You're actually attached to the nearest active Air Force base, even though you work at the Guard unit. It's actually a pretty common thing to drop out of Corpus since there's so friggin' many Herc guard units. However, in TFAP you are not "In the Guard". You just fly with them for a few years and then back to an active squadron. Regarding the original post: I wouldn't hold my breath. The Air Force just spent a but load of money training you and your ass belongs to the man. It has been done in the past in rare cases. I do know a guy who went from T-38s to reserve C-130Js. As to how it is done, I have no clue. PD [ 05 March 2004, 05:32: Message edited by: PegDriver24 ]

Anybody know where I can find some gouge for the IRC test? PD

There are some "Flying Status" jobs that don't really fly i.e. Aerospace Physiologists. These people wear flight suits even though the extent of their flying duties consist of an orientation ride once every six months and a chamber flight every week. Regarding the second post, he's right. Anyone who works on a plane wears a flight suit. Pilots, Navs, ABMs, enlisted AWACS and JSTARS, flight engineers, loadmasters, radio technicians, flight nurses, flight surgeons, also spec ops guys wear them in tactical environments. Many many more! PD

If you're wanting TPS or NASA, all you need to be competitive is a technical degree. Don't get hung up on astrophysics, physics, etc. Just get at good tech major i.e. math, engineering, physics, etc. FYI IMHO, if you want to best a test pilot, engineering would probably be most beneficial. PD

The complete Vance Gouge: Living- I suggest the BOQ. Most of the apartments around Enid suck big time. The BOQs are small, but nice. They're furnished and private. Plus, it's very very very very nice to be only a short walk from work in the morning. Especially for those 0500 shows. Restaurants- Applebee's, Chili's, and Lone Star Steakhouse. That's about it. No chow hall on base, so learn how to cook, fast. The bowling alley has some great greasy burgers, but consume in moderation or your resistance training after UPT will consist of trying to secure the velcro straps on your flight suit. BX/Commissary/Military Clothing Sales- Sixteen Words: Learn how to get to the Tinker AFB AAFES. Vance's AAFES is a joke at best. Base Facilities- The squadrons are nice. Leather chairs for everyone. Crew buses on the flight line (Damn the red tails, LOL). Classroom chairs are very good at keeping you awake. The base gym is outstanding. The bowling alley is small, only eight lanes I think. Wx- As we Okies say, if you don't like the weather in Oklahoma, wait five minutes. Hot as hell in the summer. Cold and windy in the winter. Oklahoma is generally right under the jet stream so expect some biblical thunderstorms in the spring and more tornadoes than you can count. Landscape- Flat and ugly. Good for flying though, very easy to pick out your checkpoints in the Vance pattern and at Dogface. Weekend life at Vance. I did Tweets at Vance and unless you like single mothers with more kids than they have teeth, I suggest you keep your visits to Scooters to a minimum. The base has a new club with a decent bar, crappy food, and an always busy Crud table. Start learning the game as soon as you get there, Crud gives you a feeling of accomplishment in your drunkenness. JT Grizzlies used to be a great bar, but if you go there now, expect to be hanging out with Cryps and Bloods. There's a nice bar downtown called Callahan's. Great beer, okay food, and a very nice place. However, Callahan's is crowded as hell on Friday's. IMHO, make a few trips to Stillwater, OKC, and Tulsa. Stillwater is about an hour away and is a great college town (Oklahoma State University - My Alma Mater - Go Pokes!) Lots of good bars and hot chicks, but not much else. OKC is about an hour and a half away and has some decent nightlife and great theatre, arts, concerts, etc. Tulsa is about 2 hours away and is the best place to go. Three different nightlife districts (Cherry Street, Brookside, and Bricktown). Also a beautiful city and my hometown! Training- It's AETC so just remember that time honored term: BOHICA! The flying is fun. Formal Release sucks. Any other questions let me know! Phew! PD [ 20 February 2004, 00:41: Message edited by: PegDriver24 ]

Sounds familiar, My class at Vance started with 26 and 21 winged. We had one Marine wash out for hooking his 89 ride. We also had one Navy guy fail three exams and another one who wasn't safe to solo. On the Air Force side, we had two med DQ and one wash. I was pretty depressed about the Navy guy who couldn't solo because I worked my ass off trying to keep him up to speed. I don't remember how many hours I spent in the links with him. Just be a team player in your class and help ANYONE who is floundering. PD

I'll add a few more to the thread: Informal Release - Your flight's reward for hard work and good performace. While on informal release, you will still show up in the morning for the formal brief. However, through the rest of the day, you will be allowed to leave the flight room as long as you don't have any events scheduled. Normally you will have to show back up at the flight room every flying period to see if the scheduler has anything for you. 88 ride (Progress Check) - An extra ride given after your first checkride bust or after hooking three daily flights in a row. The purpose is to see if you will progress normally at UPT. If you pass the ride, no further action is taken. If you hook it, you go to an 89 ride. 89 ride (Elimination Check) - Stay away from these. You only get one 88 ride, after that you will always go to an 89 ride. The flight is about the same as a 88 except that it is flown with the SQ/CC or the DO. If you hook this one, you go to a Commander's Board. In other words, you're gone. Slackademics - Self explanitory. Your last freedom for 52 weeks. EPQ or Stan Test - Written tests given once a week testing your general knowledge. Normally about 20 question. 85% and higher is passing. Double Turn, Triple Turn - Means you have either two or three events scheduled back to back. Triple turns SUCK. If you are scheduled for a triple, make sure to bring some snacks for in between each flight, because you'll start dragging ass. If you're doing three flights in a row, expect to hook your last one since your head tends to find it's way up your ass after the second flight. PD

I agree completely. I went through 2 PAS's when I was in ROTC and I made damn sure that they both knew what my goals were. Granted that you need to show them that you want to be an officer first, but most PAS's are good guys who know if you're serious about it or not. If you make sure to tell your PAS about your intentions and also show him your interest in aviation, he will more than likely think about you when categorization time gets close. Do your part to help him out in ROTC (work hard, don't get into trouble) and he'll do his part to help you out as well. However, just like anyplace in the military, ROTC has its sure but small share of dickheads in PAS spots. PD

Whoops, my bad. I though that Columbus already had some Texans and Vance was going to be the last. Some Laughlin people told me that the T-6 conversion should be done this summer. PD

TDY= Temporary Duty IFF= Intro to Fighter Fundamentals PCS= Permanent Change of Station There are three phases just like all AF UPT. Ground School, Primary, Advanced. Right now, Columbus and Laughlin are having half of each class fly Tweets and the other half Texans. Vance and Sheppard are still using all Tweets, but will switch soon. For base selection, you get to put in a dream sheet, but it's pretty much just to make you feel like you have a say. PD

I'll answer your active AF questions. For UPT, regardless of whether you are active, reserve, or guard, you'll go to SUPT at Vance, Laughlin, or Columbus. There is also a chance that you might go train with the Navy at Whiting or maybe go to ENJJPT. Regarding flying in the Air Force. As a young officer you tend to do alot more flying than the older guys. However, if you ever want to make rank, you will have to do a staff tour eventually. The Navy and Marines generally have more non-flying tours than Air Force guys do. As an AF pilot, your job is to fly airplanes, but you also have a squadron job (pubs officer, scheduling, etc etc. Depending on the job you have, it might take away some of your flying time. PD

Here's my advice: Go the route that you want. When it comes to flying, you have to look out for Number 1 first. Believe me, you may not think it, but your girlfriend will usually follow you. I have an extremley career oriented fiancee and she put it all on hold to stay with me after college. Just my opinion. PD [ 21 December 2003, 14:57: Message edited by: PegDriver24 ]

C-21, You do realize that the P-3 post was a joke don't you? PD

The Navy is probably gonna considering sending P-3s to TOPGUN. PD [ 20 December 2003, 10:38: Message edited by: PegDriver24 ]

Verbatim from my Broken Wings sheet. PD

First ride in an aircraft. PD

Hey Fbomb, don't pimp out the members of the forum! J/K PD

My $0.02 I always heard that 50 and above was a competitive PCSM. Mine was a 53 and I had no problems getting a slot. However, this was four years ago. That standards may have risen. PD

Hey Wsteig, I might be able to help you a little since I'm trying to get into AFSOC myself. 1st) It is possible to go to AFSOC as a helo pilot right out of UPT but the chances aren't very good. An IP of mine who was a helo pilot said most pilots right out of Fort Rucker generally do one tour as a Huey pilot in the CONUS. However, after that tour they are usually expected to cross over to AFSOC. 2nd) It is also possible for students straight out of Corpus to go straight to AFSOC, but the situation is the same as above. Few AFSOC slots come down in our drops and it is more likely to do a tour in Slicks and then cross over to AFSOC. Hope this helped ya! PD