FourFans

Cycling HAS to be in the top 3 for sure. How can it not be with a guy like Lance! "You know, once I was thinking of quitting when I was diagnosed with brain, lung and testicular cancer all at the same time. But with the love and support of my friends and family, I got back on the bike and won the Tour de France five times in a row."

While getting prepped for my solo cross country during PPL training, my crusty old instructor (learned how to fly in 1950) and I are in our 172 over Pueblo CO at about 11 at night. While flying back toward Coloardo Springs, we encounter heavy clouds all the way down and a snow storm. So here's me with less than 20 hours just trying to stay right side up in the weather and we finally landed after 45 minutes of vectors and an approach that broke out about 400 AGL. When we got back to parking, we chipped the ice off the wing and prop and measured about an inch of ice. It's a good thing I didn't know then what I know now.

So what are the chances of moving to AFSOC (AC-130s for argument's sake) after a tour in slicks? Is it pulling teeth to get AMC to let go of you...or for that matter getting AFSOC to take you? [ 06. June 2005, 17:24: Message edited by: FourFans130 ]

So this all leaves me wondering. Will our AF ground operators (Spec Ops,Security Forces, etc...the ones who have an operational need for real camouflage) will they be wearing OUR new uniforms in the desert or the Army's desert specific camo? On that line, will the AF have a desert version of this uniform? It sounds to me like there won't. PS: since everyone else is getting new uniforms...when does the new flightsuit come out? KIDDING! [ 02. June 2005, 11:57: Message edited by: FourFans130 ]

To tag on to what 3 mile said: those of us just out of UPT...realize that you know nothing..."shut up and listen" is the best advice I've ever been given. "never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut." (apply this quote in NON-FLYING situations only) On the BDUs: The pics look like they got ride of the blue idea. Not too shabby and I say let's go for it, because it'll be another 10-20 years before we have the opportunity to get new BDUs (new material, less mx, less hassle) More importantly, I'd like our Spec Ops boys to have the best equipment available! [ 01. June 2005, 23:41: Message edited by: FourFans130 ]

Go for the ROTH first. Then TSP. And I DO have experience with First Command...and stay as far away as you can get!

LOL!!! Whiting getting T-6s HA!!! Like the navy would know when it's going to happen before it happens!! That's a good one!! ... oh, you were serious...sorry...guess i'm just glad to be done with navy training. From what I hear, a few T-6s have already shown up...but the Navy doesn't know what to do with them. (that's entirely through the rumermill though, so tell all your friends that's what's actually happening) As for the tweet, AirGuardian, I share your sentiments. Sad to see the legend go. [ 14. March 2005, 08:50: Message edited by: FourFans130 ]

I've got a friend at Sheppard right now saying that they won't start their phase in until 07. Apollo is right with the other bases. (although last time I was there, laughlin had a couple 37's sadly waiting to go to the boneyard) If I had to guess, I'd give it 2 years, maybe a little longer for Sheppard.

So this may sound like a stupid question, but which airframes actually ARE on the AEF cycle? It sounds like there are a good number of "low density, high demand" airframes that live outside the cycle.

Clearedhot is still the expert here. (I heard 53s and AC-130s fly REALLY close to each other sometimes.) From what I've heard, most of the MC-130 guys come from slicks, but the AC-130 guys come from all over the place. As I understand it's a special assignment and it doesn't matter what you flew before.

I just finished up at Corpus. Backseat is right on, go to a T-44 and then pray for a good drop. We had what was considered an ungodly drop for the 9 Air Force guys in my class: 2 England MCs, 1 Ramstein, 1 Yokota (myself), 1 Little Rock, 2 Pope, 2 Dyess. From what I've seen recently, 2 AFSOC slots is pretty much the max for a drop our size. Having an AC be one of them, given the ratio of MC to AC, is even less likely. Moral of the story: be number 1 in your class at Corpus. And the key to that is to hit the ground running. Your scoring here kinda works like a GPA in highschool: the farther you get in the program, the more difficult it is to change your average. So start off strong. Question for Clearedhot: Now that I'm to be a slick guy, what road would I have to take if I want to get into an AC? I've heard that I should turn down slick IP school when/if that ever comes up, but that's about it. Any advice? Cheers, J [ 11. March 2005, 22:16: Message edited by: FourFans130 ]

Hey all, another new C-130 co-pilot in training here. I just finished corpus and I'm enroute to the rock. Final destination: Yokota AB. Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but assuming I survive CP school, any advice for moving to Japan? Thanks! J

You wanna know how to get out of ASBC? Call Katherine Torry (not 100% on the spelling) at Randolph AFPC (sorry I don't have the phone number but it's on the global if you can get that). She is in charge of every "dropped" UPT slot (slots that open up as dudes can't fill them for some reason or other)...or at least she has been for the past few years...in any case, she (or her replacement) can simply hook you up with an earlier start date which should dictate your IFT date and subsquent ASBC date. IFT is manditory prereq for UPT...ASBC is not. If it happens that your UPT date moves and allows only time to complete IFT...darn you can't go to ASBC. The only way this can come back and bite is if they make it a correspondance course...but as it is, it does not effect your promotability or any sort rank order device in the system. (yet) (if that has changed, anyone please pipe up) As for the school itself...I tragedic missed out. Every report i've heard is basically the same: lots of boozing and 4 more weeks of being a cadet. No one learns a thing...it's just another great opportunity to ruin your career with a DWI or some other brilliant act of darwinian buffoonery. Hope that helps.

I love the smell of rabbit blood in the morning...

Alright Alright here's the skinny on T-44 x-country: Out of corpus your limits are your crew duty day...that's about it. The sylabus calls for 2 "events" however, that doesn't necessariy mean two flights. That being said, you can reach either coast in about 2 hops anyway. Depart Friday, Saturday off, return Sunday. Hot Spots: - Vegas (obviously) :D - LA - Seattle - Key West - Washington DC I went to DC. You fly into Andrews and flip the navy lodging office (which you can't find) the bird on your way off base because your squadron was cool enough to put DC on your orders not Andrews AFB. Then you take a 7 dollar cab ride to the nearest metro (subway) station (i think it's the green line) and ride on in to the mall for about $1.35. After that it's a 2 block walk to the capital hilton which is just above the max lodging rate (its on the hotels section of baseops.net). Then you spend all sunday walking the mall (i recommend the air and space museum and the holocost museum). Then show up at about 12 on sunday (per the IP) and fly home. Some dudes are lucky enough to have an IP who want to go to the studs home town. In that case the only limfac is finding contract gas at a field close to home. The Navy may do everything bassackwards, but you can have some serious fun while your here too. Oh and don't forget...after your instrument checkride, you get a team solo out and back. No babysitter following you either. Just you an another student, 2ish hours out, ground for one hour, fly back. I recommend P-Cola or Chennault. Enjoy, J

In tweets at Laughlin we got a cross-country that departed on friday morning/afternoon and returned on monday. Standard is two flights for each day (roughly 1.5-2.0hrs per flight): one night flight, one day VFR and the rest simple IFR flying. We stayed overnight in Austin, Dallas, and Oklahoma City, then returned back to Laughlin on Monday. I've heard some dudes make it to Vegas. Not a lot of party time, but a lot of flying. We got 25 approaches total. As for airports, that'll depend on what you're flying, but mostly semi major airports (don't plan on flying home and landing at grandpa's airstrip in his back yard) Tweet: like Razorback said T-6: not exactly sure but a smaller runway than a tweet. I also know (obviously not first hand experience) that the 38 sylabus in standard UPT has a x-country and possibly a solo out-and-back (one day). I'm sure there's a 38 dude here somewhere who can fill in those details

To tag on to that one... I heard that Michael Jackson is off the hook. Yeah, instead of jail, the Church is just going to make him to be a Bishop. A little off topic but still amusing, heard this one from a herk driver... A brand new copilot is on his first operational flight at his new squadron. Attempting to endear himself to the crew, he tells a joke after everyone is strapped in: "So what's better than rose's on a piano?" The a/c humors him and says "what" to which comes the quick reply "Tulips on an organ!" Before anyone can laugh the crusty old FE leans forward and gets right in the CP's face and asks "What's better than making sweet love to a 7 year old vietnamese boy?" To the silence in the cockpit, the FE flatly answers: "NOTHIN!" The CP didn't say another word for the rest of the flight.

The Island is the way to go...if you're married...you're BAH ($1023) covers most or all of the cost of living in a standard duplex on the island. If you're single, you BAH ($744) will do you quite well at the Beach Club. However the best deal for the single guys is getting a roommate or two in which case you can make some mad cash on a house or duplex on the island. Money asside...i'm with the rest of these guys...the island rocks