HuggyU2

As with many things "airline", beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The only related fact I've seen is the that status of the crew has not been officially reported. We shall see what the morning news cycle has to say.

The TBM is a nice plane. But for $4M, I just don't get why so many owners don't go with a twin-turbine.

If it is necessary to get to a military retirement... especially one where you don’t have to wait until 60 years old to collect... I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it. I find my retirement to be very valuable

One could argue UAL is an unknown due to Scott Kirby. The guy is brilliant. He understands the competition... and my understanding is that he probably has a bit of drive to crush AA for personal reasons. He also knows a lot of their secrets. If he doesn't get sideways with the unions, there is a lot of potential with him. A lot. Many think he's the smartest leader in the industry.

New jet, new day.

It's an anonymous forum. At least for you. What wing is this?

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I have a request... I would like a copy of an ejection seat briefing guide that is given to pax. I don't mean the classroom briefing guide that the pilot briefs before the flight, but more what an egress instructor gives a pax during their seat training before the flight.... discussing seat position, canopy jettison, post ejection, etc... Obviously I don't need specifics to a particular kind of jet. I would just like the overall items so that I don't forget to include anything on the one I'm writing, which will be specific to the aircraft I'm working with. Hard copy, electronic... if it isn't that many pages, you can just photograph them and text them to me. PM me and I'll give you my contact info. Appreciate it.

12 hours at United as of last year.

If they hit Al Asad, it would definitely improve the place.

Why do "they" think that typing everything on the NOTAMS in CAPS makes it easier to read?

Who was the fired OG/CC? What was his background? His bio was removed from the CBM website before I got there.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/soleimani-colin-kaepernick-us-terrorist-attacks-black-brown-people "There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism," Kaepernick tweeted. Now that the NFL has "moved on" from him, maybe he can get back in to the books that he never really did during college. Iran: guess what, Colin? That country is made up of people that are ethnically Persians. You want to put them in to a "racial" context? How about "Caucasians for 800, Alex" ? Farsi: the language of these Persian people. It's an Indo-European language from the same linguistic family as... you guessed it... English. p.s. Nike, I'm still not buying any of your shit. Nor will I ever.

We regularly engage foreign fighters in Iraq. And we don't check their passports before going kinetic. He was in the wrong place as an enemy combatant, on a known battlefield that we have been fighting on for years. I hope for the sake of his family he had SGLI.

I'm a day late in posting this... But on 29 Dec 1845, The Great State of Texas allowed America to join it. You're welcome.

We had pm'd a few times planned to get together when he was coming out to visit relatives near me. I had no idea he was dealing with this. I will pray for him and for those that knew and loved him who have lost a treasured family member and friend. My condolences to those that served and flew with him. p.s. I never asked him what "Matmacwc" meant. Any idea, CH (or anyone)?

Yes, quite a few U-2 pilots have gone to TPS since at least the 1980's. In more recent years, one goal has been to get a TPS graduate that could eventually move up to run U-2 Flight Test at Palmdale. At least three U-2 pilots that are TPS grads are currently flying for NASA. Another (Mike Masucci) was one of the three people to fly in to space in Feb on the Virgin Galactic rocket. https://spacenews.com/virgin-galactic-expects-rapid-conclusion-of-spaceshiptwo-test-flights-after-downtime/ Mike also taught for 3 years at TPS and was heavily involved in designing the U-2 glass cockpit. He retired from the AF as the squadron commander of the U-2 FTU. For those the remember Mark Graziano, he was a TPS student when he was killed in a T-38 mishap at Edwards. Can't believe that's been 10 years. I don't believe we have had anyone there for about 2-3 years.

I was at Beale going through initial training that day. We were in the squadron and the fog was so thick there was no way anyone was doing any flying. Then, we hear the KC-135Q's fire up and taxi. WTF? We couldn't see them... we couldn't see the buildings across the street... but could hear their takeoff roll. It sounded like they rolled the entire length of the 12,000' runway without climbing. They were obviously loaded to the gills and doing something real world. I was very glad I was NOT in one of those jets, rotating just in time to clear the departure end lights with no visibility. My hat was off to those crews. As it turns out, they were the tankers that refueled the F-117's... which I believe was the first time a -117 dropped a bomb in anger. Boomer, out.

I don't understand how FedEx and UPS do their trips (which I hear is great if you want to commute), but where I work, you will start out of your domicile with 2 exceptions: 1. If a trip comes available for the next day at another domicile, you can grab it from Open Time. I see this with pilots that live near a senior base, but cannot get domiciled there because they are still too junior. 2. It's rare, but sometimes a trip will begin with a deadhead from your domicile to the city you live in. You grab the trip, skip (and get paid) for the deadhead, and show up to your local airport in time for next leg. It's been said a thousand times before... but if you choose to commute rather than live in domicile, you forfeit a significant benefit to being an airline pilot. For the record, I commuted for 18 months from San Antonio to Chicago.

Amazing. Truly idiotic. As for the nursing room, I would like to see a commander state "unable... need MILCON dollars to create it", and give them the Johnny Cash middle finger (see above). I remember when the squadron building at Laughlin was opened up and new. Except for a few VIP spots, all perimeter parking stalls next to the building were for handicapped... and empty. I did enjoy using the handicapped parking spot at Beale for a number of years. It got a lot of laughs. The cops finally realized my handicapped sticker for my hip replacement expired about 2 years earlier and finally ticketed me. For those of you that are appalled by my actions: no, I didn't park in handicapped parking anywhere else. Only at the squadron. Please, continue to be appalled, however. Next up: condoms in the women's restroom in the squadron. Discuss.

No, having a full-time designated room that is solely used for that purpose is not "legit and reasonable" when the infrastructure we have is already inadequate for the day-to-day work the military does. Do we put one in Base Ops? How about each of the aircraft hangars? What about the fuels building that is about 400 sq ft in size and sits on a pretty remote section of the base? What would be "legit and reasonable" in this hypothetical situation: my wife comes to the squadron for something, brings along my infant child, and needs to breast feed. I find a solution. Briefing room, squadron bar, whatever. I don't know what "amenities" are now required, but women that are breastfeeding generally carry what they need. And if I couldn't find a private space that would work, I'd go ask someone with a private office like my DO or CC. You know what their response would have been? "You bet, Huggy. She can use my office." In my 28 years of working on the flight line, I do not remember one time where a women came in and needed to breast feed. I'm sure it happens. But not with the regularity that requires that we give up valuable space. Space we need. Space that the US govt has been unable to provide us through MILCON dollars. Here's a possible alternative: How about letting us find a solution to this "problem" on our own? A solution that isn't mandated though more regulation, govt mandates, or social justice warrior programs. Instead, I would rely on my mostly-male squadron mates to the be gentlemen that they are and to help out a nursing mother in need. In the end, we would do what we always did, and take good care of those that visited our squadron.

No. I am not aware of this anywhere in the US.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/aclu-tampons-mens-room-menstrual-equity Fake news?

It took a long time and a lot of effort by some great people to start a U-2 WIC... but it finally happened. And the initial cadre was Patched Thursday, and graduated tonight. A very HUGE congrats to Jester, Posit and Gump. Leading the way for the Brotherhood, they are great reps for the U-2 weapons system. I was able to attend Thursday's festivities, and the O'Club was mobbed with U-2 folks... Intel, Mission Planners, 9RW Chief, and all of the Drivers. It really was an epic evening. Thanks to all involved for allowing the Old Guys to show up and be a part of it. Hail Dragons.

At PCola, it is long enough that off-base law enforcement can get to the scene and kill the shooter before the on-base military folks can. WTF?! I've been to the range with military cops and contractor-cops. Not pretty.