F-15E WSO

I think it's an Intel Spook.

You son of a bitch! // sarcasm not really. Dude, Times are tough. Despite the lower gasoline prices, many people are facing tough economic choices. By contacting her, you might help her open a door to solve her potential financial crisis. You never know. Maybe you can turn that link into a topless black chick and a topless white chick. Sure, she'll initially show shock, surprise, and instantly look to get her picture off of that page. But given time, she'll probably be flattered, do some investigating into the website and the lure of easy money might just do the trick. I'm just sayin...

Pilot killed in Red Flag F-15 crash ID’d Staff and wire reports Posted : Thursday Jul 31, 2008 19:30:11 EDT LAS VEGAS — A pilot was killed and another was injured Wednesday when an F-15 fighter jet crashed during training exercises in the Nevada desert. Lt. Col. Thomas Bouley, commander of the 65th Aggressor Squadron, was declared dead shortly after the crash. A British Royal Air Force exchange pilot, whose name was withheld, was in stable condition at the base hospital, according to a base statement. The two-seater F-15D Eagle went down at about 11:30 a.m. in the vast Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas, according to a statement released by officials at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The 65th Aggressor Squadron simulates enemy forces in air combat Red Flag training exercises regularly held by the base, officials said. The F-15D Eagle is primarily used for air-to-air missions and costs $29.9 million, according to Air Force figures. Air Force Times

Him Him... Godspeed Brother!

I'm not your buddy, Guy!

"new" ISR platform coming to a theater near you. Probably making it harder to stay in your current flying job. //exerpt// For the Air Force, congressional approval would bring $197.9 million to buy intelligence systems like seven Hawker Beechcraft-manufactured C-12 aircraft, which, the document said "supports the [secretary's] initiative to put more ISR capability in the war fighters' hands immediately." Another $61.6 million would go toward integrating new imaging and defensive systems on those C-12 planes. The remaining amount intended for the air service would buy other items, including training systems, software, sensor packages and other aircraft modifications. Full article If Congress signs this, watch out. More aircraft = more requirements to pull you out of your current job. Good news is at least it's flying, but it's guaranteed to be High Demand, Low Density from the start. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Who will fly them, what will the TDY rates be like, what will this do to rated manning, how will this tie in with the current demand for UAV pilots, how much will this affect the strained flying hour program, where will the FTU be?

I think the real question is do you really want this guy flying right now? He has enough distractions as does his squadron.

<Insert WSO joke clarification here>

LANTIRN Targeting pod or a LITENING pod -- Pretty much look the same. I'm not implying that there was a SEEK EAGLE project associated with the pictures or the discussion, but removing the LANTIRN Navigation pod would force a fair bit of SEEK EAGLE work to get flight clearances for many configurations. SEEK EAGLE is generally done in Florida, not by the 422.

There's no SNIPER pod on either of those jets. SNIPER looks like: And it's not so much weight and balance as it is SEEK EAGLE.

RIP Brother!

AFSO-69 Non-availability Slip Reflective Belt Inn Club 69 Hookers and Blow 69th Services Squadron Retrograde Inn Jack and Coke 4-5-6 Student Gap Cosmo's Bachelor Pad The trough Foggy Bottoms Sammy Small Inn Conflict of Interest The pink taco --------------------- 3 Fine Irishmen Deep House Dish To add onto Hookers and Blow -- to rephrase an already coined phrase -- "$27 a night isn't much, but it sure buys a lot of hookers and blow"

You can get it weighed anywhere. Just get the ticket that shows the before/after weight. You can have it weighed full as you leave, then empty at your new location if it works best for you. Google truck scales or something along those lines. I had it done at a feed store.

The reserve unit will fly with the Formal Training Unit, so they shouldn't have to deploy. It's good in the sense you can hold on to highly experienced instructors who top out at Major or Lt Col, and its good for those getting to 20 years as they get to keep flying. There's probably details of this which I'm missing out on. Hoser -- Insight?

Varies based on what the country flies and what they want out of the exchange (FTU/OPS/Flying Staff). Here are current options for fighter pilots. 1. Turkey: MANDATORY: 750 hour F-16 IP or 750 hour F-16 4-ship flight lead who will attend IPUG after DLI & prior to arrival in-country DESIRED:Expertise in squadron and wing weapons and tactics shops, Block 50 Experience LANGUAGE RQMTS: Nominee must have Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) scores current within the last 12 months that meet or exceed 2 (listening) and 2 (reading) in the host nation language. If not, the nominee will be considered for training in Turkish if achieving a Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) minimum score of 105 or better." DLI 47 weeks. 2. Portugal: A. MANDATORY: (1) F-16 IP (2) NVG ITUP/JHMCS B. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS: Portuguese Language Proficiency L-2, R-2 DLI: 25 weeks 3. Great Britain, RAF Hawk: (1) Previous operational experience in fighter/attack aircraft (2) Qualified 4-ship Flight Lead B. DESIRED: Experience as an AETC, RTU, or Squadron instructor pilot 4. Ghedi Italy: (Tornado) MANDATORY: Rated pilot currently on flying status w/min of 750 hrs total flying time, Four ship flight lead or instr pilot in fighter aircraft, 30 hrs in the 90 days prior to entering lang trng. DESIRED: FTU IP Exp, F-15E, LANTIRN exp, LGB exp. Lang rqmts: DLI 25 weeks, Italian lang proficiency L2R2 6. Bagotville, Canada: CF-18 MANDATORY: Minimum 750 hours fast-jet, 4 Ship FLT lead, LGB Experience. DESIRED: Close Air support exp, no language rqmts, Secret Clearance

Medals are based on missions, not # of hours.

Not sure I agree with your assessment the the Air Medal and Aerial Achievement Medal are "awarded the most" If you're looking for quantity, don't discount: National Defense Medal GWOT Service GWOT Expeditionary OIF Campaign Medal OEF Campaign Medal Requirements for all: pulse and light travel

You'll often get a letter of appreciation for most efforts you do, but don't get bent out of shape if you don't get one / get recognized. Hopefully, you're not doing it for the recognition.

What people? Do what you want / Do what you feel is worthwhile... Want to feed people that can't cook for themselves or get out of bed? Volunteer with meals on wheels Want to help people get housing who can't afford it? Volunteer with Habitat for humanity Want to impact a kid's life? Volunteer to read to their class or show up for a career day if you have a career. Go to a veterans hospital and ask what you can do to help. Fly a flag. Buy a flag for someone to fly. Do taxes for people. Volunteer to talk at Airman's Leadership School. The list continues... If you're at base, there's probably a volunteer coordinator who takes requests from organizations requesting volunteers. Search your feelings, Luke...

Link to discussion from last week.

I wish I was making this up. From the Newport News, VA Daily Press newspaper, the following in the Letters to the Editor. Man, people don't know how good they've got it. This partly infuriates me, but putting it in perspective more makes me laugh. --------------------------------- Disrespect for victims At noon on April 20, when people all across the state were gathered for a time of remembrance and memorial for the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings, aircraft from Langley Air Force Base were flying extremely noisy exercises. The loud noise significantly disrupted the solemn ceremony that NASA Langley Research Center was trying to conduct. The person or persons responsible for the irresponsible, disrespectful and inexcusable decision to conduct the flight exercise owes the community a public apology. Michael Holloway Yorktown Daily Press --------------------------------

Congratulations -- proud to have you aboard. We could use more like you. Thanks.

It's a fair question, and I'm sure others could call me harsh in the way I answered. That's ok. Someone else may choose to answer it in full and that's not the end of the world either. If / when you're fortunate enough to hang out in or be a part of a fighter squadron bar, you'll probably find out. Bottom line: It's part of our heritage, and how we honor and remember our fallen comrades. If you're not in the know, then offering "A toast ..." is also a great way to show respect to a fallen warrior. Someday, you might throw a nickel on the grass for a friend. I hope you don't. If you do, then him him.

You you ...