ClearedHot

I am having a crappy day pushing paper through the Puzzle Palace...wanting to stick a gun in my mouth when I stumble across this thread and picture. At first site of what I wish I was doing this day, I want to expedite the process and end the misery, but as I take a moment to reflect and realize I have less that one year left in purgatory, I decide to hang on. Thanks for the pictures bra, you saved my life.

Let me offer a slightly different point of view, #1 The government is paying if it does not extend your current commitment, you are foolish to waste the opportunity. #2. I have seen several dudes who lost their medical and were suddenly trying to figure out what they were going to do with the rest of their life with regard to employment. #3. My wife works for Lockheed and there are a crap load of furloughed airline pilots that work in her office Several of them have the Embry Riddle Aviation Masters which along with their airline experience, got them in the door. They make around 100K which is average for DC. I won’t say which contract on here, but there numerous opportunities to feed your family if you can’t fly. #4. Embry Riddle makes it easy to knock out a Masters. In addition to the credit mentioned for PIT, you also credit for the following: SOS In-residence – 6, Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Office Course – 9, Weapons School – 12 (depending on division). These numbers are old and off the top of my small melon, but if you have been to any of other schools out there you are well on your way with ERAU. Don’t limit you options because you want to drink beer. I might be in the minority here, but I think if Uncle Sam is paying you are foolish not to give yourself options for the future. ERAU is not the best out there (I did it and am glad it is behind me), but it is easy and better than having nothing. Old Guy opinion only…

69 Knots...

I can see both sides of this argument. As an operator, I am grateful I had the opportunity to get my wings, that being said, I busted my ass to get them. Humility is difficult to gauge, I don’t walk around saying I am a pilot please stand to the side of the hallway when I pass…HOWEVER, for folks that have risked their lives and flown into harms way….to get shot at, to shoot back, and to survive, life and service take on a different perspective. I can’t help but look on with distain when I see a gum-shoe get all bent out of shape over a staff summary sheet. Maybe I am jaded, but I have a lot more respect for someone who puts their pink fleshy arse on the line, than for someone who has never even been TDY out of the continental U.S. It’s human nature. BTW before I start feeling all gushy about the “shoe clerks”, take a look at the latest promotion statistics…being a pilot is not necessarily good for your career. The Pilots had the second lowest selection rate to O-5, While Support officers had the highest. Acquisition officers by LAW have to be promoted at a rate equal to or higher than the rest of the USAF. I know we are all on the same team, but the shoe-clerk group hug is going to have to wait until I get back from my XXth deployment to Af-crap-istan.

Concur. When I started investing my broker was against me investing in real estate. He gave me the hard sell about the historical returns from the market. I've always maximized my traditional IRA -Roth - and TSP, but I also purchased a house at each PCS location which I kept and rented out when I moved to my next station. When I took the bonus I refinanced all of my properties to 15 year mortgages which means I will own several houses outright right around the time I am retirement eligible. While rental property can be a pain, you are typically able to write off the operating costs which with depreciation will always be more than you bring in. My wife has a great job and as a result our income bracket is such that this will be the first year I am not able to write off the loss from rental operations. Thus I am writing a big check to uncle sugar on 15 April. If I had listened to my broker I would have a nice IRA – Roth – and TSP, but I would be missing about $750,000 in equity that I have right now. Moral of the story…diversify.

The Rhino will always be the F-4.

The Blanik picture is from some flying I did in New Zealand last Novemeber. I've been doing the glider gig for over 20 years and was going to make a run at my Diamond Goal Flight (New Zealand is a great place to do it), but the conditions were aweful. Instead, I spent a few days fighting a bunch of old RNAAF A-4 pilots over Auckland...what a blast! [ 05. April 2006, 10:13: Message edited by: ClearedHot ]

I learned in a Super Cub. One of the best airplanes to learn basic flying skills in my opinion. I've also seen a Cub demo at an airshow...a very versatile airplane to say the least. I wonder how long it will take Tucker to get a new plane up and running.

I had a hot date last night, so lets make it three...

Vetter...time for some medicine. I am really tired of the “if I only had to fly routine”. I guess I am getting older and I see the crap that good dudes on the staffs have to put up with to keep people flying airplanes. I am saying everyone should work on the Airstaff or some paper-pusher job, but we are all officers and we have a responsibility to try and keep OUR USAF going in the right direction. What would it be like as pilots if we just sat in the cockpit our entire career and let someone else determine the future of our USAF? The pencil necked geeks would drive this train even further into the ground. Instead a few good dudes (myself not included), are taking one for the team and trying to do what is right while a few other whine about not getting to fly their entire career…utter crap in my opinion. This afternoon when you crawl in that jet and climb to 30,000’, drop your mask for a second and look at yourself in the mirror and remember you are flying that mission today not just for the student in the front seat, but also for chucklemelons like me who spent 18 hours yesterday trying to save a small piece of the USAF. Off my soapcontainer. [ 05. April 2006, 09:55: Message edited by: ClearedHot ]

Hey "Dude" You should have stopped at "I don't really know" Of course Navy and marines logged Viper time, they used to have them, what is the big story? Possible just like doing three flat spins and pulling out at 500'. Relax?....Go choke yourself. [ 04. April 2006, 21:28: Message edited by: ClearedHot ]

Doubtful, Would the USAF Viper Demo Team let a U.S. Navy exchange pilot fly at an airshow…

BS

Also real is the ensuing fireball.

A little too low;

Also real;

First one is fake, this one is real.

I would say there actually IS a difference in the way they are treated. Late rated folks tend to be a little more mature and commanders usually will give them squadron jobs more appropriate to their rank. I’ve even seen a late rated co-pilot who was a flight commander. There are really two groups; 1. Dudes/dudettes who were Navigators then went to UPT – they tend to upgrade very quickly and almost always get good job in the squadron. 2. Dudes/dudettes who were went to UPT after stating off in a non-rated billet. It has been my experience that it takes them a little longer than the prior rated folks to learn the ropes, but they still learn quicker than the young guns right out of UPT. One thing to watch out for, they may try to give you such a good job that your flying suffers. I can think of two dudes off the top on my pea brain who were pushed towards career development jobs (Wing Exec – Chief of Plans), and let their currency suffer. While I appreciate that you are in a position in your career where you need a job to help you get promoted, you walk a very thin line of credibility when you fly once every ten days and it takes you two years to get enough hours (even with a waiver), to upgrade.

Even more AATTC info; https://132.13.30.4/aattc/default.htm Amazing what a 6.9 second google search yeilds.

More AATTC Info; https://www.aattc.org/

AATTC Homepage

Memorial Day is big down there. Having a boat is key to Memorial Day weekend. If you go to Destin the channel will be wall to wall boats. Navarre and P-cola Beach will have a ton as well. They have a poker run from Destin to P-cola and back that is also fun, but I can't remember if it is Memorial Day weekend. Whatever you do, bring your stunt liver.

Grandma is an understatement...it is only 8 miles! Which way do you go?

Lots of good places over in P-cola as well. A bit of a drive, but worth it to checkout P-cola beach on a weekend. Saturday and Sunday afternoons make sure to stop by Juana's out on Navarre Beach. Lots of chicks playing beach volleyball. I used to put my boat in a Jaunas and Ski on the other side of the birdge. If a storm came long (like it does almost everyday in the summer), I just drove the boat right up and parked it on the beach in front of Juana's...run inside and start drinking.