brabus

Rotary wig stuff or “rotary wing stuff,” either way, you can bet Biff will be there!

@Pooter Nobody is arguing two pilots shouldn’t be there given the sortie duration (unless we want to take the AI route as replacement for the 2nd guy…definitely could be viable one day, not that I love the idea). Any argument I made is that two pilots aren’t needed IF we took sortie duration out of the mix. It’s been done multiple times given current day tech (fighter specific) - the continuous result is not in the WSO’s favor. Not speaking to large crew aircraft like B-1 or B-52. This whole thing comes down to emotion; they’re simply not needed on current and future tech. Just as airline pilots will not be needed at all some day (we just all hope it’s not in our careers, but it absolutely is coming).

@disgruntledemployee Sure, never said anything is impossible. But I’ve been around enough to feel pretty confident DEVGRU dudes didn’t execute people on live TV (e.g. the JOC) - that’s WaPo’s claim. And if that did happen, then by all means let’s have them in court; I’m not against that.

The only reason the EX has a backseat is due to the relative ease/cost of using the already existent tooling, etc. It’s not because any non-WSOs thought there was a WSO necessity. That said, writing on the wall says the AF may go the way of the Navy/USMC - “single seat” and “dual seat” squadrons with the same basic aircraft type. It’ll be interesting to see how it all pans out while enjoying my tray table.

Never had a positive OSI experience - I feel like every single one I’ve interacted with, even in an unofficial capacity, is a total slime ball just looking to nail anybody and everybody, truth be damned. Do not trust OSI, ever.

@Lord Ratner Yeah you did fuck up, but damn dude, what a bunch of bullshit to go through that was way beyond reasonable or warranted. Glad you got through it. Too many stories along those lines in the mil.

What do you mean? Do you think a fighter is incapable of flying for a long time with a nuke on board? I’m genuinely confused at this statement.

So you drank alcohol with the Es? Welcome to every guard squadron. WTF.

@fire4effect Lots of “credible” sources said the laptop was fake news. Lots of “credible” sources backed Russiagate. I’ve been around the block quite a bit in the terrorist killing world (as have many on here), and I’m calling complete bullshit on the whole thing. If a whole JOC watched DEVGRU execute a couple unarmed dudes who didn’t pose a threat at all, then we’ll be seeing war crimes charges and trials commencing soon. That hypothetical scenario is not something anyone (especially an E/young O) would walk away from unmolested (in the legal sense). Personally, I’ve been involved in four separate occasions where someone “credible” said something happened that was a complete lie. Thankfully every time there was data to prove them a liar and nobody got screwed.

@TheLaughingCow Consider not caring about any of this, start making connections in the guard and working on your airline apps, laugh all the way to the bank in a year or so. Obviously continue to care about flight performance/the mission/the bros, just not about the rat race.

@disgruntledemployee Well a WaPo reporter claims DEVGRU was ordered to execute unarmed people (and did), so it must be true. You actually believe this bullshit?

It’s the Barry Wood of personal rifles!

2 pilots on the B-21, sure (primarily due to mission length); point on that specific airplane is if you’re going to have two dudes, there’s no good reason to have a WSO over a pilot (unless you’re going to make financial/airline-related arguments). If the B-21 wasn’t flying long missions (hypothetically), there would be zero reason for a second dude.

So what single seat 5th gen guys do. I’m not trying to be a dick, but technology has changed substantially and those things no longer require a second person. Same way technology will continue to advance and some day we won’t even have one person in a machine (at mass scale). The idea of more is better (2 vs 1 person) is outdated for future CAF and AFGSC assets. It makes things worse (vs. enhancing) 95% of the time, given current and near term technology (not to mention further out future tech). The WSO/EWO/CSO was absolutely required in several airframes (and still is in some current aircraft), driven by the tech of their time. We’re well beyond that time in history for any newer/future production CAF/AFGSC aircraft.

For any young readers seeing this, I will say a lot depends on the community you go to, the average leadership in that community, etc etc. We all complain about the same things (aircrew have a masters degree in sport bitching), but in the end I don’t personally know a single pilot who has left the AF with extreme dissatisfaction. Obviously it happens, but I do not think it’s the norm. I think it’s fairly normal to be glad you’re getting out at that specific point in life, but don’t mistake that for equating to “it was all terrible, I hated every minute, and it was totally not worth my time.” I’m excited to be done soon and fully transition to”phase 2” of life, but in spite of the BS that drives me crazy, the last ~20 years has been phenomenal overall and I have no ragrets.