Hacker

I'm going to do it (sts) through Tulsa Community College's aviation program, and the cost (including the DE and checkride) will be something on the order of $1500. Once I'm finished I'll post a more detailed breakdown.

The note at the bottom of the page is priceless:

From talking to actual WWII bombardiers, it's probably got something to do with the fact that none of them knew exactly how it worked. They learned to bomb with basic ballistic tables out of AT-11s over Kansas, and applied that same knowledge over Berlin. When I've had conversations with them about details like computing the parts of the bombing triangle (especially stuff of minor importance like HAT), I have usually received a blank stare in return. Turns out most of them practiced from low altitude (only a couple thousand feet) where minor errors in HAT and wind corrections didn't have that large of an effect on aiming or hitting. Once they got to medium altitude over Europe, those same 'skills' didn't exactly work as well as they did back home. Take that in concert that not every ship in the bomber formation was even really aiming and many simply dropped their ordnance when the lead ship dropped theirs, and it's no wonder they didn't really hit anything precisely. At least, that's what those guys tell me. Never used a Norden myself. Nifty fact: Both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki drops would have been scored as a "miss" by our nuke standards.

You're able to glean all of this from a patch you saw someone wear? Yeah, that's perspective all right -- a completely asinine one. I don't know what burr got under your saddle on this one, but you're taking three completely separate issues and trying to roll them all into one "Strike Eagles suck in OEF" thought, and it just doesn't have traction. Your entire underlying supposition that backs your posts in this thread is begging the question anyhow. Look, every bit of time I've spent in OEF I've seen nothing but a good act from my airframe. Mistakes? Yes. Areas where it could have done better? Yes. Clown act? No. In general I've seen exactly the same performance out of every other airframe doing the business over there including yours. Same occasional very inefficient use of firepower, same occasional low SA or stupid comm...but in general, a good act. Have there been any that have made the news? Well, yes, actually there have...but I'm not trying to mud sling because I realize that I don't know jack about the A-10 and I'm not qualified in any way to comment on the TTPs or competency of the guys who fly it. My assumption is that they're doing the best job they can based on their own capes and TTPs, even if it looks weird from my perspective in my jet. If there's anything I learned from my trip through AETC flying IFF it's that every jet raises pilots who are phenomenally biased toward their own airframe and just as amazingly ignorant about other airframes. Everyone thinks that "their way" is the only way, and that other methods of skinning cats are not only incorrect but retarded to boot. After flying, teaching, bar stories, etc, with guys from those other airframes, it was obvious that a lot of those negative opinions I had about other airframes were really because I had no idea what their airframe had in terms of capabilities and how those capes impacted their TTPs. What appeared stupid to me as an outsider actually made a lot of sense once I understood that. If you think the patch is retarded, fine...say so, but don't drag the entire community into the mix. If you think you know something about how the frat could have been prevented, and how it's related to some TTP that is flawed or if you know something about the performance of the crew on that night, then let's talk about that instead of mixing it in with a goddamn patch. Same goes for the two kids who morted practicing night strafe. If you have some experience in this airframe, and know something about how it's employed, and have an idea about how to do it better, then say so. The fact is, NEITHER of those events had ANYTHING to do with some supposed lax attitude about OEF among the F-15E community that you've surmised based on a dude's patch and the discussion on this forum.

I was there, and the most I ever saw was for a single Lt Col who was awarded three. And I've never, ever, ever, ever, EVER seen a Hog clown it up. Ever. How's the view from that ivory tower?

No, it was both. Massive respect to the Thud drivers who went north in the conflict of their day. At the same time, anyone with 100 missions of XCAS in Door Bravo South would get why it's a joke to have 100 missions in the conflict of our day.

Yes, it's a joke. I was in the squadron that made it, and it was supposed to be a takeoff of the "100 missions" Thud patch. Anyone who is taking it seriously as a token of pride has missed the point.

The housing market in Enid is surprisingly strong. Fortunately, the town is very military friendly, so you're not going to find many realtors who are going to try and shaft you. Courtney Colby is an ex-AF officer who does a lot of business with people on Vance. Ty and Kelly (who have the strange 'Laverne and Shirley' video on a previous page in this thread) are also a good realtor team. I don't see much in the way of modular homes anywhere that people from the base live. Most of the 4 bedroom houses are in the neighborhoods where Capts and above live (on the north and west side of town, primarily) and start north of $200,000. BAH in the area is enough to make such houses affordable. There's a pretty decent rental market in that price bracket, too. Schools are pretty good all around (two school districts in the area) -- Eisenhower Elementary is right on base property if you end up living on/close to base, and Glenwood Elementary is on the west side of town near where many Vance IPs live in any of about 5 or 6 neighborhoods out there.

I'm looking forward to doing this if I ever pass through this young lady's empire (sts).

I guess his PR machine is able to mask just about anything.

Lots of jets taxi with pins still in, usually armament pins. The pin on the close side could be for the Hellfire, not sure what the one up there by the FLIR turret is.

Although I agree that rude pax are really fucking annoying, why is it that this dude's adios from JetBlue is getting so much positive attention? I think he's just as much of an idiot for doing what he did.

That's precisely the reaction I'd expect when a trainee is questioning the training process.

Just heard from some guys fresh back from Atlanta that, as advertised, Flight Safety has cracked down on helping out dudes with the CL thrust restriction, and will not allow the ATP ride for anyone who has the restriction on day 1 of training. Has anyone actually gone to an FBO and had a checkride with a DE to remove the CL restriction? The one FBO I called yesterday reacted to me as if I were a complete moron when I said I just wanted a checkride to perform the Vmca demo and the single-engine approach/landing. The guy I talked to laughed as if he'd never heard of such a thing as a "centerline thrust restriction". If there's anyone else out there looking to do this, this is what FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 5, Chapter 1, Section 4, Part F says: So, the trick is finding an FBO and DE who will instruct to, and check to, only these items...else you are going to spend a lot more time and money.

There are a number of things that Sec Gates has done that I don't agree with, but FINALLY here is someone with the stones to cut needless bureaucracy, even if it's just for the financial benefits. There's certainly a lot more that could be cut in this same manner, but what a great start.

Then they'd have some average pilots and WSOs.

I much preferred the reaction at Bagram by the local Army folks when we were getting rocketed very early in the morning. After the 'boom' and the siren going off, the Army guys just stayed in their racks while I wrestled with my vest and helmet. After the 'all clear', I asked them what the deal was. Their reply -- all the attacks at Bagram are hit-and-run. By the time the rockets hit, the launcher is all ready long gone. So, by the time you wake up, put all your crap on, and run to the shelter, the attack is over. So, unless you actually got hit with the initial rounds, you weren't going to get hit...and thus it was better just to stay in bed and get additional sleep.

Isn't it apparent that this statement is applicable to *everything* the USAF does?? Unfortunately, nearly every aspect of the USAF is more about perception than it is reality. It's more about how things look than how things are. OPRs, awards, medals, hell even calling ourselves 'the world's best air force'...it's all image manufacturing. A smart man I know compared the USAF to Enron based on precisely this basis, and there were frightening parallels. Not to say there aren't some amazing people who are doing some phenomenal work, but unfortunately that's not good enough for us. We have to make it look like EVERYONE is doing that kind of work ALL THE TIME.

They're just copying the model of Finance, and Personnel, and just about every other support agency.

Apparently there is some trigger on YouTube that deletes this video automatically as soon as it is uploaded. Bastards.

Don't forget the CAT III T-38 TOLD in the summertime.

RUMINT heard yesterday says that Mr Roush may have some more permanent eye damage.

No, a Raytheon Premier bizjet.

You need to find the office that runs the DoD "Voice Call Sign List" (VCSL). That is the document (a big phonebook-looking thing) that assigns all DoD flight callsigns.

Very cool. Were you involved in the 'conversion'? That's always been an interesting airplane IMHO. My family used to own L-17B 48-1007, a Korea vet.