zrooster99

NV-CA in 5 mins? I can do that on foot...they share a border... TX-CA in 5 mins? Not likely.

If it hasn't already been said...it should go without saying, but keep at least one copy of all orders you recieve as long as you live...you never know.

I have had it suggested to me that since I will be late to rate (got 5.5 years in currently...closer to 6 when I START UPT), I will have to work twice as hard as my peers when I get to my primary MDS if I hope to get past Maj (or even to Maj?). I'm really not worried about making GO, I just want to fly and keep flying as long as possible...0-5 SQ CC would be nice too, but that's about it. I know I'll probably be way behind in my primary weapon system (whatever that ends up being), but on the plus side I've got 5+ years of experience leading units ranging in size from 50-250 enlisted troops fairly successfully as a maintenance guy(some good E-7s and E-8s helped a lot with that of course). So what does everyone think? Will anyone in the SQ care about my prior maintenance experience, and will I be able to catch up some on flying if I fly my balls off? I'll have SOS (in residence) and a MAJCOM staff tour out of the way, and have been a GOs exec (all while I've been waiting to go to UPT), so that's a few less things to interfere with flying.

G/R I happened to be sitting at Brooks on casual after I was DQed for a different reason (BTW I'm awaiting my 3rd visit for FS at Brooks, so it is very possible to go back for a reattack...I'm also active duty), when a guy walked in that had been DQed for that very reason (hard contacts). They made him wait 6 months to be retested. It probably doesn't take that long for the effects to go away, but that will be their standard answer. TR

No arguments here. I don't understand much about the ANG and USAFR world. And it would be one sweet deal to get a slot in any ANG or AFR unit, one that I would be more than thankful for if I were in those shoes. It would be a very hard call to make. As for the Charlie Sierra...my personal opinion based on my very limited understanding of that world coupled with my general observations of human nature. My point was more that the decision should be based on loyalty and character not fear of reprisal.

I understand being loyal to a unit that gave you an opportunity...that makes for a tough decision. However, it seems kind of sad to give up on the opportunity to do what you like and want to do (and are good at?). Just because of a little Charlie Sierra attitude out there...depends on your priorities I guess.

I'm kinda curious about the answer to one of the earlier questions...if you go U-2s, how much do you fly '38s, and what kind of mission profiles do you fly? I think it would almost be worth it to go U-2s just for the chance to fly '38s around all the time. P.S. Rooster, Glad to see a fellow Rooster in here...is '74 your class year?

05-14 is inprocessing...should have been with them until I was medically rolled back...any idea what class starts in November

I think I would want to fly GA every now and then during UPT just to go up without someone looking over my shoulder...plus you would be flying with your own ajenda, not per the syllibus...maybe I'll feel differently once I start UPT though. I flew out of Kickapoo a few times...always hated having to say "kickapoo" 6 times in a pattern...esp when shooting T&Gs.

HercFE, I've got just over 5 on AD...I'm one of those dirty USAFA grads...hence my ignorence. I know of a single Capt that will be looking to go halves too, I'll put you in touch if you want. I'm currently in the 352 SOG at RAF Mildenhall, but my DEROS is tomorrow, so I'll be on leave en route from now until I report to Brooks. Glad to hear you've got seniority on me...you get to be SRO! My e-mail address is on my profile...shoot me an e-mail and I'll hook you up with the guy I know.

Oh well...that's what I get for trying to sound smart...that was how I understood the explination I got from my crew chiefs and engine guys...then I made a few ASSumptions...more beer, less talk.

Herc...yep, that's my start date. I'll be bringing my wife. I know two guys from my current unit that will be in our class plus at least one recent USAFA grad. What's AMS...it's not ringing a bell...

Technically, if I'm not mistaken, you don't really fly with the throttle any way on a turbo prop. You use the engine condition lever (which contols prop pitch), to adjust the amount of power that is applied to the air (how much the blades slap the air to pull you along) which is measured by how much torq you pull. The engine operates continually between 90-100% RMP throughout flight. You T-6 and Hurc guys can explane it better though, I've only done ground runs on the Hurc. The T-6 engine has more in common with a jet then a 152 as it's actually a turbin engine attached to a prop through a gear box. The 152 uses a horizontally opposed piston engine. The T-37 uses some of the oldest technology turbin engines (centrifugal flow turbo jets) in an operational aircraft. The technology is so old that the only other place you'd find this type of engine today is in ground equipment used to start aircraft not equipped with an APU/GTC.

I kind of hope that won't be an issue for me, but I'm with you know. I'd have taken common avionics between the aircraft too. Probably won't effect AFSOC birds though (who I'm currently with)...they seem to do their own thing any way. We had a hell of a time even canning within the same MDS (MC-130Ps) becuase each one was modded a little differently depending on the system. There was a rumor that they were going to re-engine all the MCs with J model engines, but as I suspected, it was just a rumor. Hope the C-5 gets its re-engine, I hear those are responsible for a good portion of it's down time. They talked about doing that with the BUFF (putting 4 C-17 engines on it in place of the 8 TF-33s), but it never materialized...no one wants to spend that kind of money on a 50 year old bomber.

My 2 cents. Just bought a Tri Pacer...paid less than 20K for it (and 1400 hours total time on the airframe). Why not opt for something more affordable that is IFR certified now and trade up when you can afford what you want. The plane I REALLY want to own is a conventional gear bird too, but it'll be a few years until I can afford the half-a-mil for a P-51

Air Guardian, So we're looking at getting J model engines on all models? Doesn't seem likely. Right now (or until recently) I had to deal with T-56-7s, and two versions of -15s...just be happy to consolidate down to one version of -15s.

Hey, HercFE...Yup, I'll be there...my RNLT is 9 Aug...I'm coming off herc MX. Where were you an FE at?

I've worked in AFSOC on the maintenance side. It's a high ops tempo, but from what I've seen, there seems to be pleanty of folks with families around here. Just make sure your wife to be understands that you will be away quite a bit.

What's a skin graph...is that like a tatoo? Oh yeah, skin grafts aren't fun either...

I don't think the use of the word ###### is age dependant either...my Dad still calls it a ###### cap and he's in his 50s...brits use the term all the time as in "you ######", or "look at that fat ######"...I guess some people are just more sensitive to the term...

If you want to work with the STS guys, don't forget Mildenhall, Kadena, and Hurbie...

I'm not a Fighter Pilot (yet) but I think (and it sounds like that's the consensus) it's a non-issue...little to no correlation. Car-guys will put more emphasis on what car they drive (regardless of their profession) and non car-guys won't understand. I've driven a vette since I could afford one because I'm a vette fanatic...it has nothing to do with my AFSC.

NAF = place for chiefs and 0-5s who don't have a real job to hang out and harass everyone else who does...

And I've seen OTS and ROTC grads pull the same sort of crap. I know of a female pilot (ROTC)that had a relationship with one of my crew chiefs...no one ever busted her...I found out after he had long PCSed. I know a lot of good and bad coming from all three commisioning sources, and like I said I've never seen the good ole boy network at work. Maybe I will when I get my wings, but you might want to consider the possibility that it's merely your perception. I regard most of it as ubran legend. For one thing, I think the bad stands out more when it's a USAFA grad becuase people expect more, or they've heard the urban legend and are looking for it. Anyway, you have your opinion, I have mine...

I think I can give one reason as to why AFSOC wants to replace the "operationally tried and true with something untried". The MH-53M is rapidly becoming unsupportable (can't get parts, corrosion, sheetmetal cracking, no two aircraft wired the same..etc) and NEEDS to be replaced with SOMETHING. CH-53Es, MH-47s, CV-22s...doesn't matter really, but a replacement is needed fairly soon. I can go into specifics if anyone's interested. That's the MX perspective anyway. Or, we could just give the mission to the Army completely...