HuggyU2

Had not heard that... thanks! Weebol was at Beale during my last three years on active duty. Pretty varied background, he should do well.

The specifics of the pay scale haven't been announced completely. However, the intent of this program is to start the new intern pilot at a GS-7 grade with annual grade increases based on successful performance during the three year program. Upon completion, the graduate will outplace to a GS-12 grade, then after the required 52 weeks of service, increase to a GS-13 grade based on successful performance. Also, if your start date is more than 2 years past your graduation from a Part 141 accredited pro pilot degree program, you are ineligible. As of now, that is a hard and fast rule.

Hearing around ACC that 19th has decreed that UPT IP's cannot be given alcohol for initial solo, nor can they display their already-received bottles. Was there a specific offense or event that made this happen? Or is the sight of bourbon considered pornography?

The AF "needs" you. I'm of the belief that the AF can be told to wait. While on Active Duty, each of us... and our families... were often managed in a crisis manner of "we need you to deploy NOW!" Many things seemed to be an emergency because of lack of planning. As an AD pilot, we didn't have a choice. Now that a pilot has left active duty and has an airline job along with their Guard/Reserve job, it's time to tell the AF they will have to wait. And 6 months is not unreasonable. The AF will not crumble because you cannot meet their timeline. Giving up union protection by remaining on probation is probably not going to be a factor. But... what if it is? Will the AF rescue you because you went on mil leave 6 months before your probationary period was up to help the AF out? How's your family going to feel about your gamble if you lose? Most of you have SGLI, right? Why? It's because it is very cheap insurance. Waiting a few months and getting off probation before diving back into the squadron is ALSO cheap insurance.

His name is "Shaved Dog's Ass". But you knew that.

Don't be so cynical. It's pretty obvious that they did this because they have solved the pilot retention crises.

Impossible! The AF modernized that system? I don't believe it. How long did it take the IT specialists to do it? But as we know, the AF puts the "IT" in "shit".

DNIF: no. To include a long-term illness (my opinion). You have a Class I? You're GTG. I have a friend that has MS. He was able to get a Class I, and was hired by one of the Big 6. Form 8 or FAA checkrides only.

Maybe... but I don't know if this is proven. Like many of you, I got typed on the 757/767 in about 20 work days using nothing but sims. Now it may take more than 20 work days to train a low-time pilot. But I find it hard to believe that a sim syllabus... combined with other methodologies that will likely include time in the actual aircraft... can't be successful in creating a qualified and skilled aviator. It goes back to what Danger41 stated, and he is spot on. The AF will make many mistakes as they attempt to use these new tools to create a vastly different syllabus. But each iteration should distill into a better process. It is better that they attempt to evolve rather than keep doing UPT the same way we did it when I went though. I hope that UPT in 2030 looks vastly different than when I graduated from Laughlin in class 86-05. If it doesn't, are we really the world's cutting edge air force?

Had they pulled it off, I'm wondering how this would be playing out. Luke is an interesting guy and has done some great and innovative work.

There is no new contract. There is not even a TA yet, just an Agreement in Principle (AIP) I'll post info when it comes out.

Attn Travis AFB pilots: Beale is sending a U-2 and T-38A to the airshow this weekend. If interested in learning more about the U-2, there will be pilots at the static displays, so swing by and ask them your questions.

A kill's a kill.

You mean like the "unborn Americans"? I'd say they are being "pitted against" already.

I'm not sure I completely agree with Hugo, but his inputs are worth considering. I live NE of Sacramento, exactly 125 miles from the SFO employee lot. Especially since Covid, things have not been too bad. Last Friday, I crossed the Bay Bridge at 0710 (without extra pax, so no HOV) and only waited about 10-15 min at the toll booths. That was the only traffic I hit. I leave home ~4 hours to show and it's comfortable. That includes the 25 minutes to leisurely find a good parking spot, change into my shirt, and walk to Ops. I don't recall having any flow delays going into SFO over the past 6 years that affected my return. Driving from SFO up I-80 to greater Sac can be longer if you are leaving SFO after around 1530 on a weekday. And for heaven's sake, don't try to drive to Oakland or SFO on a Sunday afternoon most of the year. Everyone is coming down the mountain and I-80 is a mess.

I'm assuming they have. But irrespective... in this climate, I would find it rather amazing that these pilots, with their extensive turbine aviation backgrounds and letters of rec would be overlooked due to a missed error on their application. Certainiy, it's up to these pilots to produce an error-feee product... but c'mon.

Still... I'm seeing some really experienced and quality military pilots not getting called. Yet seeing new hire classes with a lot of pilots under the age of 26.

Wedgetail? Seriously? What is that supposed to mean? This has got to be a British thing. I mean... a country that would name a plane a "Nimrod" or a "Beverly" is probably the same one that would name this jet "Wedgetail".

On the Airbus 319/320/321, it is only about 5" left of the center of the console. And it is well aft of the throttles, which allows both pilots to use it without the throttles interfering. Much better design.

The issue isn't the TOGA switch location. Instead, I ask "why do I have to reach all the way over to the left side of the center panel to get to the speed brake?" Why can't there be one on the FO's side? Boeing simply won't move it to a better place. It's like that on all four Boeings I've flown.

You're thinking of these 737 mishaps... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_585 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/USAir_Flight_427

My rule of thumb: if I cannot drink the tap water in a country, I won't fly on their national airline.

I've found "easier" means that the folks in the squadron are left dealing with the shortfalls of that course of action.

The FTU. Duh!

The pilots that got the early retirement were the beneficiaries of this. I've yet to meet one that regrets doing it.