HuggyU2

Attention Columbus AFB IP's and student pilots... Beale will be bringing a T-38A to the Columbus AFB Airshow next month. The plan is to get there Thursday, and have an informal meeting Friday for anyone interested in learning more about the U-2 Program. No rent-a-crowd... the only people that will be there should be pilots interested in learning more about a U-2 career. Myself and Lt Col "Ghost" will be there. Ghost is the U-2 FTU DO, and will become the 99 RS/CC around June. He was a former T-38 IP at CBM 18 months ago and flew the U-2 previous to that. If you won't be available Friday morning, you simply need to let me know and I can arrange for us to meet at the airshow on Saturday and chat. As mentioned, happy to talk to student pilots also. We can't get you for at least 4 years, but knowledge is power. Drop me a pm if interested.

The pilot flying the first flight of the X-59 is a friend and former U-2 pilot. I plan to go down there for that first flight. "First flights" are pretty rare these days, compared to 70 years ago. From what he can tell me about the aircraft and the research leading up to it, it's very interesting. NASA also used a YO-3A and TG-14 for a lot of the data gathering. It's neat stuff.

LOL wut? Is there no one in your squadron that you know that is getting out or has gotten out? Are any of them your friends? If so, you should speak to them.

Butters! It is good to see you back! I have not seen a post from you in a very long time.

True, but have you tried playing the audio backwards and listening?

Frontier and Spirit pilots are both represented by ALPA... so the seniority integration should go silky smooth.

Follow the science.

Haha... Hacker, it is good to see you doing what you were always meant to do. And finish your damn book!!!

Thread creep, but we had a U-2 guy that said if he was in a plane going down and knew he couldn't get out, he would unstrap... and right before impact he would shove his pencil right up his ass. Why? To give the AF accident board something to think about.

Good info. Thanks.

The claim is has come from some former VFA skippers, one of whom claims to have heard the PLAT audio. A Navy skipper who is a friend of mine vouches for him. But until that audio is released, it won't get much traction.

Y'all should drop him a note. https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-rhatigan-1814b622

Disgruntled, I have no idea if you're accurate. All I know is my QOL at UAL is great. My goal is "time off" and "schedule", not "money" or "premium pay". I will never be the guy that get's $100,000 in a month. All I want to do is fly to Hawaii and back. When I retire at 28 years with the company, I'll likely not be able to hold wide body captain. And I'm good with that. I was hired at the end of the wave. I jumpseated with a 51 year old 777 Captain last month, and when I ran "the calculator", I discovered he will retire as the #3 pilot at UAL. Timing is everything, I suppose. I can't speak to the SWA schedule or QOL. My buds there love it. When you turn 65 years old, let us know how it turns out for you. 🥃

My guess is he is referring to a U-2 cockpit environment. My understanding is those dork-suits were one-time use, throw them away. Despite the sarcasm of my post (yes, I know you're shocked), realize that I will go speak to the pressure suit specialists at Beale, and try to reply here with a factual answer. Don't hold your breath. I'm a part-timer.

Which would you choose?

Where is this Rhat guy now?

Recommend you never say the phrase "sleep apnea" around anyone. Ever.

Please please tell me you had a great reply to his question that nearly gave him an aneurism.

For having 7 paragraphs, that letter didn't have much information. Though I'm sure they meant to say that 11R's were on track for a retro-bonus to make up for being forgotten in 2021. Edit: $35,000 is equivalent to $26,000 in 2007. And the take-home after taxes won't buy you a used car. Is that the best the "Aircrew Task Force" can do? The bonus was $25,000 in 1992 when I took it. That $25k is worth about $49,700 today.

Small point, but I was under the impression that all CWO's are commissioned.

I've seen a few active duty pilots do this successfully. In all cases, the pilots were transparent with their CC's/leadership and everyone made it work. But I recall this being a week or two... not months. I do not "speak Guard" and your multitude of types of orders you are on... but I'd say if you are transparent and trust your leadership to provide top cover, it can be done seamlessly. What are the risks? I don't know. I'm sure there are some. Personally, I would not do it.

Is FedEx sending their "shiny Pennies" to Weapons School?

If you want to go to the airlines, your timing is excellent. There are instances of Majors recently hiring 25 year old pilots with no turbine time. The first-hand stories from my friends in the training center at multiple airlines are amazing. 2000 hours, I'm guessing all turbine? I think you'll be fine. Do you want to know what Henry is yelling here? He is saying "If you don't plan to stay for 20, GO NOW!!!"

Nope, the fault lies with me. My apologies for my brusk post. As others have done, feel free to pm me with specific questions about UAL. Happy to help out.

Military pilots that aren't discrete about dropping mil leave need to grow up and be adults. But it comes down to educating civilian background pilots that are ignorant of the overall situation. Today... with the exception of some Guardsmen/Reservists... the vast majority of military pilots are unable to get started with an airline before the age of 33. Civilian pilots get hired up to 10 years younger than that. Those complaining civilian pilots... and by my observations, they are a very small group... need to stop and look at the top 5% of the seniority list at the major airlines. A disproportionately tiny percentage of those pilots are military background... e.g. nearly all of the most senior pilots are from civilian backgrounds. Are the military pilots being cheated? Uh, no. But the nature or the beast is such that seniority lists favor civilian backgrounds. When these complaining civilians were hired at age 23-31, many said they "hit the lottery" by getting hired at their dream airline. So I ask them, "Why do you care if a pilot goes on mil leave? Military pilots taking 5 years of leave doesn't negatively affect you." - If they're senior to you, it's one less person to bid against for trips and vacation for 5 years. - And if they are junior to you, what do you care? They're junior to you... so is there a problem?? My bud just got hired by UAL less than a year ago. He's 49. Last week, I was on the jumpseat of a 777 and the captain was 50. I looked him up and he was hired at age 23. When he retires, he will be the #3 pilot at United. Two guys nearly the same age. But how do you think their wages and QOL potential will compare to each other in the year 2025? Each path (civ and mil) to the airlines has its pros and cons. Once you're there, work hard to maximize your QOL based on your circumstances. The seniority list is set in stone. And USERRA is a law. So control what you can, and don't be the miserable SOB that no one likes to fly with because someone else "got a better deal".