HeyEng

The AF needs to subscribe to VASAVIATION on YouTube! There’s hundreds of videos of just how busy it gets when a single engine goes out and ATC is bugging you while you are trying to run checklists to get configured to land heavyweight!

This is an interesting video, in a nutshell the video claims that airlines have essentially become banks (due to things like loyalty programs) and actuall flying passengers around is a secondary business.

I posted this thread because I retired back in 2014 but this subject still eats at me like a corroded battery in a forgotten flashlight hidden in a junk drawer! I used to brag that that the people who joined the AF were those who scored high on their ASVAB but at the end of my career I realized that the AF was run by a bunch of dullards! I think the tipping point for me was when I was flying a local with our AD advisor. He was approaching 20 years of AD and for his reward for being a highly qualified examiner C-5 pilot, Big Blue was going to deploy him to Afghanistan to work in a prison! I think I was more pissed than he was! He pealed me off the ceiling of the cockpit by telling me that he had a bad knee that he kept from the med squadron and that would be his ace card from being deployed. As a Reservist in a flying squadron who was already mobilized I was spared being deployed to the sand box and only had to RON in that shit hole for a night or two, but the amount of dead wood deployed in Afghanistan for the sake of checking off a box to advance your career basically jaded me from staying in any further than I could have.

Since it’s been about ten months since the pullout from Afghanistan and the failure of wearing reflective belts and having our PT shirts tucked in to achieve total victory, has the shoe clerk moved on? Or is he/she doubling down? It would be unusual for your typical martinet to be introspective and re-evaluate his/her choice of leadership style but who knows.

Apparently China has been conducting military drills and exercises on their northeast border with Russia. China and Russia have always been “frenemies” ever since the Soviet-Sino split which peaked with Zhenbao Island incident that resulted in a brief armed conflict between the two countries in 1969. Nixon adroitly exploited this rift with his visit to China in 1972. https://www.theklaxon.com.au/home/china-russian-border-drills

Yea, that frustration results in about a million Chinese women a year being kidnapped to become “wives” by poor, rural men! As usual with the Chinese system, any effort to bring attention to this problem results in the typical repression and lack of prosecution to those doing the kidnapping.

This trend first came to my attention about ten years ago with an article in The Ecominist, but really has started after WWII as countries become more urbanized and you don’t need a bunch of kids to work the farm or other nasty jobs before we invented teenagers. Back when that Ecominist article was written, European birth rates were dropping below replacement values. Sweden was so concerned about the trend that they started “paying” mothers to have babies, I think they get a monthly stipend for each kid they have until they are pre-teens or something like that. As a result their birth rate is 1.9 which is higher than most other European countries. Whats funny is that Sweden expects their mothers to work too! Stay-at-home mothers are treated as somewhat of a pariah.

I think everyone is getting hung up on the term productivity, if you use the economic textbook definition and apply an apple to apple comparison between Chinese and U.S. workers, then the Chinese are more productive than US workers based (largely) on the disparity of cost. I would argue and I think Peter is also arguing that while the Chinese are great at making widgets, the United States is good at making widgets and really great at creating those widgets (and marketing them). Most of the products made in China are designs for US companies or stolen or copied from us and other countries. When you take into account the electricity costs to run factories in China vs the U.S. and the fact that you have to ship those products here then the productivity formula favors the U.S. Peter Zaihan has been making the talk show rounds because his book is releasing in June which claims that we are nearing the end of globalization.

Peter Zeihan also did a briefing for the MWFC at Fort Benning which shows some sort of interest in military circles of his ideas. One thing he failed to mention in the that presentation (he did sort of allude to it indirectly) is that in addition to loosing a pool of a nations production age population (ages around 20-50 depending on country), a country also faces a shrinking pool of military age adults (ages 18-40). The US has a birth rate of about 1.7 (the birth rate needs to be 2.1 for replacement value) so for the time being we still have a sustainable pool of military age adults, but countries like S. Korea are struggling to recruit enough troops currently and will face difficulty in the near future (probably N. Korea as well but who knows). China’s years of their “one child” policy (which they have abandoned) has really screwed with their demographic makeup resulting in the world’s fastest aging population. Peter claims by 2050 China will have half the population that they have today!

The first twenty minutes or so of the video talks about Russia and Ukraine, but really Peter’s whole presentation is really about the end of globalization and the declining birth rates (China being the most egregious example, their population will shrink by half after 2050), the changing energy and wheat market, as well as numerous other topics. I probably should have picked a better title as Russia only occupies a small portion of the briefing There were numerous officers in the zoom audience so I wonder if this was some sort of DOD sponsored event. The video is over two hours long and I’m still digesting all the implications presented in Peter’s presentation.

As I am posting this, I’m watching this video by Peter Zaihan and only about twenty minutes or so into this video but there is a ton of information that I have not seen or read anywhere else. This should be shown at intel briefings for an insight into what it going to happen in the next few months with the conflict in Ukraine!

Dr. John Campbell has a good video of how the current Monkeypox was brought to Europe and the U.S.

Juan Brown posted the latest update on his Blancolireo YouTube channel of the AirFrance 777. Apparently the two pilots were inadvertently fighting each other on the controls and decoupled the yokes.

Except Uncle Sam has not been paying the tax that the service member allegedly owes! The poor service members have had to fend for themselves. DOD is just now doing a survey to see how many people have been affected by this!

So apparently certain members of the Armed Forces stationed in Germany are being taxed by various local German authorities. They say if your job is not essential to the defense of NATO you are there voluntarily and not only are they taxing you on you base pay but also consider the on-base gym, commissary, BX, shoppet, clothing sales, etc. an additional benefit to your tax liability! https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2022-04-12/tax-germany-us-troops-eucom-pentagon-5661053.html

As I have been both a civilian and AF FE, the Air Force did much more extensive training on runaway trim than the civilian world.

Try this, don’t request to get anything issued until September. When the new FY bearing down on them they will be begging you to take stuff! I remember in my old unit sometimes September would be like Christmas! Survival knives, Ford wrenches, winter flight gloves, Gortex would suddenly appear out of nowhere! Seriously though, your position must have came with some sort of funding to include x amount of equipment issue.

Being retired since 2014, I miss the monthly UTA intel briefings of what’s really going on around the world. The closest I can get now is following Tom Cooper on FB. He either works for or owns Helion and Company Publishing, which publishes books on smaller or little known conflicts around the world. Tom has posted daily updates on the Ukrainian conflict on his page, (like everything on the internet, you have to take it with a grain of salt) getting into detail that the media lacks.

That might be a little bit simplistic, I regularly watch DW News and France24 (I have almost given up on US News channels) and there is quite a bit of coverage on events in Ukraine and mobilization in Europe. Even Sweden has a bit of war nerves and has mobilized troops to reenforce Gotland Island. Personally I think the idea of a full-blown war happening in the dead of winter and before the Winter Olympics is a bit of hyperbole especially since the hybrid conflict has been more effective for Russia but all it can take is one wrong move!

Could the AWACS guys chime in, could the E-3 act as an ad hoc airborne ATC? And if so, why was it not used?

You would think the way Big Blue pushed us to wear that reflective belt and make sure our PT shirt was tucked in and free of sweat stains was the only way to victory!

This video just showed up on my YouTube feed so it must be gaining traction fast!

I saw this on FB from a guy who broke down each countries air assets that are evacuating people from Afghanistan. I cannot vouch how accurate it is but lacking anything else I guess it’s a starting point. From Tom Cooper: Today is something like the 7th day of ‘non-combat evacuation’ from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul (‘Kabul IAP’). The airport is reported as ‘safe’, now, with a firm perimeter defence, and Afghan, US, and British troops guarding all the entries. However, it’s getting ever harder to approach the airport (see the end of report why). Regarding involved forces and their operations: Afghanistan - 400-500 AIA and NDS commandos are still there holding the perimeter of the Kabul IAP. What happened with up to 50,000 other personnel of the two agencies, nor if anybody in the Washington DC might ever come to the idea to try saving them – is unknown. Austria (this just ‘for the records’) - Austrian Chancellor Kurz proudly announced he’s against taking in ‘any more’ Afghans… Instead, Austrian government is going to pay one of neighbouring states to take in the refugees… Australia - After growing pressure at home, the Australian PM ordered the RAAF into action. - 1 C-17A flight evacuated 26 on/around 17 August, another 76 were evacuated by a RAF (British) transport on Thursday, 19 August. Bahrain - Is permitting aircraft carrying evacuees to stop and refuel – and that’s it (I’m always flashed by the much-praised ‘Islamic solidarity’) Belgium - 2 C-130s and 1 A.400M (from Luxemburg) are involved; couldn’t find additional details right now. Canada - 2 C-17As involved since Thursday, 19 August. Czech Republic - 3 flights by A.319s evacuated 170 Afghans that used to work with the Czech Army, and all of the embassy staff (most were picked out of Kabul by the Czech Army SF teams). No further action is planned. Denmark - 2 C-130Js are used to evacuate Danes and eligible Afghans to Islamabad, from there they’re flown to Denmakr by airliners chartered from Sweden, including SAS A.320NEOs registered as SE-ROG and SE-DYC, plus the DAT MD-83 OY-RUE. An SF detachment is involved, but I’m not sure if it’s still at Kabul IAP. EU - The usual lots of talking but, except for negotiations with ‘Taliban that are not recognised by the EU’, little action. The EU announced on Thursday, 19 August, that 100 EU staff and 400 Afghans working with the EU (and their families) had been evacuated, while 300 additional Afghans are still trying to leave. However, it also stated that it’s ‘mathematically impossible’ for the USA and allies to evacuate all the Afghan personnel that had worked for the foreign forces. Great to see the honourable politicians paid to plan and act came to the idea to think about this at all – and only now… Finland - 2 C.295M transport aircraft and a squad of Utti Special Jaeger Rgt (SF), facilitating evacuation of Finnish nationals. France - 1 A.400M and one C.130H-30 are evacuating people to Dhafra AB, in the UAE; from there, A.330s of the Air Force are evacuating to France. - Like Italians and Spaniards (see below), French RAID SF unit evacuated over 240 people from different spots in Kabul of the last few days – until ordered to stop, by US commanders. Germany - 7 A.400Ms are involved; they have evacuated over 2,000 people by now; - the KSK team and two H.145M helicopters at still at Kabul IAP, but in the light of US commanders prohibiting any ‘externals’ (at least until yesterday), they were standing idle for much of the last two days: first ops over Kabul were reportedly flown the last night. - So far, at least two German citizens were shot and wounded during diverse of ‘external’ evacuation ops outside Kabul IAP. Great Britain - Globemasters and Hercules of the RAF are involved, and evacuating via the UAE. Like the French, the 900 troops of the 2nd Para/16th Airborne Brigade were excelling at bringing additional evacuees to the Kabul IAP, until interrupted by US commanders, two days ago. London intends to evacuate 6,000-7,000 people, but no aid workers and none of 125 Afghan guards that used to protect its embassy (these were hired by a PMC). Hungary - taking out own citizens, and might accept some Afghans that worked for its government over the time (details remain scarce) India - Either on 16 or 17 August, 150-170 Indian nationals were escorted by the Taliban to Kabul IAP (yup, the embassy arranged this), and then flown out to Jamnagar and New Delhi by a C-17A of the Indian Air Force. Another 50 were flown out before the Taliban took over. Indonesia - 1 B737 (A-7305) evacuated 33 people from Kabul on 18 August, including 26 Indonesian, 5 Philippino, and 2 Afghan nationals. Italy - 4 C-130Js are evacuating to Kuwait, where 4 KC-767s are flying evacuees out to Italy. - Italians have teams from the 1st Tuscania Airborne Regiment and the 7th Trentino Alto Adige Regiment (both Carabinieri). They might have some paratroopers of the Folore Division in situ, too, and they seem to have run several ‘externals’ outside the Kabul IAP, until stopped by US commanders. There are reasonably lot of photos showing them ‘all over thee place’. Nominaly at least, the government in Roma plans to evacuate 2,500 Afghans that used to work for it. - Over 1,000 Afghans were evacuated to Italy as of yesterday, another 211 arrived the last night. Japan - 12 diplomatic personnel evacuated by foreign aircraft on Wednesday, 18 August. Netherlands - 2 C-103H-30s and running one flight each – a day. Probably to the UAE. - 1 A.330M tanker evacuated about 180 from Islamabad, on 20 August; a C-17 flew out 86 yesterday, another 160 were flown out by an A.330M early this morning. Poland - 3 C-130s involved, evacuating from Kabul to Uzbekistan; LOT airliners are flying people out (five sorties so far) - BTW, some of German media is using photos of Polish C-130s to ‘illustrate’ the Qatari deployment of US-made C-17s to fly the Taliban leadership from Doha to Qandahar…. Qatar - I love reporting about Qatari involvement, really – because it’s ‘murky waters’ all the way. Official statements say ‘continuing efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan… additional flights schedule for the upcoming days’, and they have also shown one of C-17 – perhaps the same that brought the Taliban leadership to Qandahar? – picking up evacuees in such a well-organised fashion, that even Hollywood would have a problem to organise it that way. But, have no doubts: Biden is – endlessly – thankful for Qatar’s ‘help in Afghanistan’ and the mainstream media is full of reports about Qatar ‘housing thousands of evacuees (until they can enter a third country)’. Some of French commentators are ‘overwhelmed’ by the Qatari help, too. Makes me wonder how much did Doha pay for that (if it had to pay anything at all)… Romania - 1 C-130 flight to Islamabad evacuated 2 Romanians, 1 British, 1 Bulgarian, and 1 US citizen. No new on 14 Romanians that were waiting to be evacuated as of Thursday. - 1 C-27J remains on hold for possible involvement. Slovakia - 1 C-27J flew out 24 people on 19 August. Slovenia - 5 Slovenes evacuated to Italy and France, also an Afghan translator that worked for them (was flown from Paris to Ljubljana by a Slovenian Falcon bizjet). Spain - At least 3 A.400Ms are involved, and evacuating to Dubai in the UAE. For example, one transport with 110 Afghan refugees – including 36 that used to work for the US administration – arrived at Torrejon yesterday. - Spain has two teams deployed at Kabul IAP: a squadron of EZAPAC (SF troops) and one from GEO (SWAT asset). They run several externals into Kabul over the last days – until stopped by US commanders, like everybody else. - Contrary to its troops, the government was a mess in regards of Afghanistan, initially, but now official Spain announced it is providing two additional military bases as transit stations for Afghan evacuees: Moron (de la Frontera) AB, near Seville, and (NAS) Rota, near Cadiz. South Africa - Nothing. Indeed, one is left to wonder what’s going to happen with hundreds of South African private military contractors (PMCs), known to have been in the country only about a week ago… Sweden - 2 C-130H/TP-85 transports involved. Switzerland - 230 people evacuated by foreign aircraft: 40 Afghans that used to work for the embassy are going to be allowed into Switzerland. Turkey - 3-4 A.400Ms and at least 1-2 C-130s involved - Turkish Army has 650 troops from the 2 Bolu Commando Brigade, 5 Hakkari Brigade, and some Gendarmes, reinforced by 120 Azerbijan Army troops, at Kabul IAP. UAE - United Arab Emirates reportedly ‘facilitated’ the evacuation of 8,500 people from Afghanistan in the last week. USA - Rear Admiral Peter Vasely is in overall command of the evacuation - Major-General Chris Donahue is in command of Kabul IAP - Ground units are including 2nd Bn/1st Marines, 1st Bn/8th Marines, 1st Combined Bn/194th Armour (Minn National Guard), 3rd BCT 82nd Airborne Division, and 4th Bn/31st Infantry 2nd BCT/10th Mountain Division. There is ever less to see of SF ops. - Top cover provided by F/A-18E/Fs from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) - After holding back everybody else for days, Vasely and Donahue have granted permission for an US external: yesterday, at least 96 Afghans were evacuated by CH-47 helicopters to Kabul IAP. - 2,500 US nationals were evacuated over the last six days, and then 3,800 over the last 24 hours. It remains unclear how many US citizens are still in the country, but plan is now to fly 5,000 Afghan nationals to the UAE, on temporary basis (for 10 days), of course. After reviewing diverse videos of the last six days, my estimate is that about 30 people have been killed at or around Kabul IAP since evacuation began: 5-6 were shot, 7 crushed to death, up to 20 fell off USAF C-17As (not the usually reported ‘three’), or were overrun… BTW, the worst is yet to come, then the Taliban have handed over the security of Kabul to Sirajuddin Haqqani (who barely survived COVID-19, back in July) and his ‘Haqqani Network: Haqqani was sought for by the USA as much as OBL, and nobody knows how many Afghans were killed by UCAV strikes at ‘Haqqani headquarters’ over the years… Ah yes, and right on Haqqani’s heels, and in addition to the Taliban releasing thousands of the TTP from Afghan jails, another lovely piece of news is that the ‘Islamic State of Khorasan’ (IS-K or ISIS-K) – the Afghan branch of the Daesh – is active again: supposedly, it’s planning a terror attack on the Kabul IAP. Surely enough, the IS-K was smashed by the ‘non-fighting’ Afghan Army and the USA, back in 2019, and is it at war with the Taliban, but well: when one simply lets thousands of jihadists out of prisons in Afghanistan (thank you, Pakistan!)… As always, all updates and corrections are most welcome. BTW, anybody got the e-mail address of the US command at Kabul IAP? **** 'History-buffs' might recall that the RAF run its '1st' (or second) 'airlift' ever - to Kabul, when evacuating about 600 women and children from there, in 1928-1929. (Second if one counts the airlift in support of the British troops besieged by the Ottomans at al-Qut, in Mesopotamia, in 1916.)

The WSJ is reporting that the WH is considering activating the CRAF fleet to help transport refugees and evacuees (if that is a word) out of Afghanistan. They would not fly out of Kabul, but out of an intermediary airport. It looks like it’s happening already: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-tells-airlines-to-help-fly-afghan-evacuees-from-foreign-bases-11629632843?st=56vby7m9fef7wlo&reflink=article_copyURL_share

The WSJ is reporting that the WH is considering activating the CRAF fleet to help transport refugees and evacuees (if that is a word) out of Afghanistan. They would not fly out of Kabul, but out of an intermediary airport.