SocialD

LEDs are a lot cooler than the kerosene lanterns you guys had to use as landing lights back in the day.

Ya, we've done that nearly every year since I've been here. Just pointing at that AA isn't the only one doing this, so it could just be a slow down for an all hands on deck summer.

I think Delta is stopping classes for the summer as well. They did up hiring from 500 back up to 800 but I think they've just found some efficiencies in the new contract.

If you wear a morale patch or a friday shirt, you'll clearly not follow the TO, the plane will crash and babies will die.

Sadly, many that were hired in mid-2000s, got stuck at the regionals and/or just got comfortable. I think there was even a time where many though that some of the high time regional guys weren't get hired because they were viewed as "untrainable." I'm not sure if there was anything to that or not though. I knew a handful from college who stayed at their regional because they were not commuting, flying day turns M-Th and the QOL was just too good to pass up. Unfortunately for them, their regional shut down and now they're all at United and way junior than they could have been.

You know the system is fucked when it's much easier to fire a technician by non-retaining them militarily.

This should fix that shitty morale and retention problem! 🤣 https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2025/02/18/air-force-reviewing-four-day-weekends-amid-civilian-leave-crackdown/

This is exactly why I left when I did. Finished up a CC tour with 22 YOS and less than zero desire to continue down the leadership track. I knew I'd just be a deadweight O-5 DSG, soaking up sorties and holding up an O-5 slot. Unfortunately, way too many of those Mr. Bumpers out there who are filling a seat, dug in like a tick, maintaining the status quo. Walked into the local FSDO a few years back and the place looked like a geriatric facility. Talking with one of the reps, most were retired military, who already were fed retirement eligible and clearly old enough to collect SS. Anyone who has worked with the FAA knows how painful some of those crotchety old dudes can be. I understand the desire to keep working, but new blood is a good thing. Hell, one of the reasons we can't get enough DPEs in the area is because the early 70s dude at the FSDO doesn't want to manage more DPEs (per a friend/DPE).

Nah man, life actually couldn't get much better now that I'm retired from the military lol. Just had flashbacks to dealing with GS employees who were just road block after roadblock, rather than supporting the people their shop is supposed to support. I just see those types as easier to let go than a bunch of newhires, especially those closest to SS age. Best way to figure out who to keep/dump would be to talk to those who they're supposed to support.

At the very least it should be heavily scrutinized. Auto 50% for Sleep Apnea? How many (likely non-pilots) claiming PTSD out there who never saw a deployment outside of Qatar...nice way to pump up their VA rating. I don't believe in means testing but payouts could probably be looked at big time. I'd actually be OK with just submitting expenses that I incur to fixing/tending to all ailments from a career of high-G flying. I'm guessing by the time I'm SS eligible, it will be means tested, which is bullshit, but it is what is. Truly a take from the "rich" and give to the poor situation. If we're going to talk means testing, then DOGE is firing the wrong people. They need to take a hard look at the top of the tenure chain. Find that, retired military pension guy, 100% VA and getting paid another $100k+ from the federal gov, especially those at/near SS eligible. We've all ran across these types...the ones that are more of roadblock to progress than anything, never wanting to upset the fiefdom they have built for themselves and stuck in the days from when they were in the military.

I've been pouring over a bunch of zoning information today (horrible reading), you're right, LOTS of work to do on this. Sadly, it's tough to even find someone willing to build such "small" houses. The problem with that "ideal life" is that wasn't really all that idealistic as we want to remember. Or maybe we just come from different classes, but my parents upbringing wasn't exactly "ideal," based on what they were required to do to raise a family on a single income. break break When you factor everything right down to things like real estate tax, etc...(taxed money on taxed money), we already pay a huge portion of our income to taxes. After looking at my needs and this years final tax bill, I'm already working less this year lol. Anyway, I'd entertain backing higher tax rates if I knew it would be spent wisely. Based on what I've seen after a career in the military, some of the things we fund coming out lately and having a family member heavy into an industry that is heavily subsidized by taxpayer money, I just don't believe that will happen. On the latter point, I sure wish my family had a few hundred acre of land because govt subsidized cheese is great for many landowners right now...

Yes take a look at the pots of money concept. Also, mil construction regs need gutted....being forced to make an alert facility ADA compliant is beyond ridiculous. Also, taking the vastly more expensive option for remodeling a building because the cheaper option is funded from a pot of money you don't have is insane. So many anecdotes we all have seen that, by themselves aren't big $$$, but would probably equal big money if applied across the entire DOD and Federal government.

Love it! However, you missed a great opportunity to not have to fly another painful NVG sortie. Signed, night train guy for half my deployments and ORIs.

In our case, it's a Thursday and Sat of drill shirt lol. I'm sure they were thankful for your top cover....they might need it again lol.

As always, visual lookout, especially at night during a circling maneuver in tight airspace to a short(er) runway, isn't foolproof. Sure, we're all still responsible for vis lookout. But at this point in the game, I'd have expected some type of backup from tower that they wouldn't let a helicopter get that close to me. However, this is one of the reasons I would not have accepted that runway change. It's kinda like flyovers, at best, you did your job... Before someone gets their panties in a wad. I'm not blaming these pilots for what happened. I'm sure they've done this circling approach many times and it's no sweat to them. I have not doubt they can fly their jet better than I could fly mine in that environment, because I just never do it. I'm just saying that I won't accept it because I don't see any good reason to do so.