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you don't have to maintain a TX emissions test, but you do have to get one for the state you're in if that state requires it. I haven't run across many states that require an emissions test (CO was really the only one, now that I think about it and then it was only required to register my car on base).

SpeedCleanCheckFeatherLookLock TurnClimbCleanCheckDetermineDeliverReduceLower CrewCanopyCordsMaskHarnessCrouchDivePull (when all else goes to hell)

2 years ago when I went to Germany on leave with my aunt, we rented a car at their version of Enterprise in Heidelberg. All we had to do was show our stateside DLs (And mine was even expired by 15 days but still good with the mil ID, heh). Didn't have any issues. We drove to France and back (Strasbourg, to catch the Prologue of the Tour de France). Like M2 said, the big asspain was trying to get my Aunt on base. First the German gate guards didn't want to let me on since my CAC wasn't in their system, and then they didn't want to give me escort privileges. Finally got documentation from the Provost Marshall that I was allowed, by virtue of being AD mil, to escort up to 4 individuals on base, and then it wasn't a problem. It's funny b/c we were there for HER brat reunion (grandfather was stationed at Heidelberg), and she was on an EAL at the HQ, but not the housing areas or the PX.

here's a more in-depth article. https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123112691 Looks like ops and MX are staying apart, among other things.

AERPs sucks. I got to do ground testing on JSAM last year and saw them do more ground testing on it this year (purportedly after fixing findings we had from the first ground test), and JSAM is a million billion times better than AERPs, if they can get it fielded. Put it on, walk around the sq with it for a bit, maybe wear it while sitting in front of your computer, so that you get over the willies in a 1-g environment. In 60s, we have to wear it in flight for "about 1 hr" twice in a 20 month cycle, and we CAN hack it in the sim, but we only go to the sim once every 24 months.

and that's the rest of the story...

ditto on what ViperStud said about the ALFA tour option. It might not be exactly what you want to do, but it would get your out of the cockpit and burn less bridges in the long run...and open up opportunities a few years down the road for the potential retrain.

Autorotate.

is bubba houser back from Iraq? You know the Army is hurting for folks when they recall a guy who's been an LSI instructor for a looooong time (well, to be fair, I guess they activated his Guard unit), and send him to Iraq. It was weird running into him downrange at DFAC 4 last year, when we considered him one of the "old farts". It would be like running into Edmunds at some random FOB as we both FARPd at the same time.

the one that crashed was "buried at Duke Field" WTF?

unless something has changed, you won't take the FACT at Whiting. You just do the Navy PT test during API, which is amazingly similar to our current test except 2 min for pushups/situps vs 1 min.

she came and flew with us last year and basically tried to take the A code sitting in the back of the helo, from what I heard. Apparently she got freaked out by a vehicle 4 miles away from where the bird was operating (at night) and caused the formation to lose most of their intended training for the evening when she ordered the flight lead to depart the area. Luckily we were on the other side of base and didn't receive visits often.

was she the ops group deputy at Balad last year?

if you click on "jet pilot" listeners also bought Dos Gringos!

that's not a discussion for this forum. Go ask your intel folks.

U-28 X 6 NSA X 3 In one class? Wow. At least they aren't UAVs....

WARNING WARNING!!! SA LOW, SA LOW! Go read Sneedro's post a little closer.

I just moved. The movers can pack AND pick up 4000 lbs in the same day. I had approx 2500 lbs of stuff, they showed at 0900 and were done packing and picking up by 1430. TMO says to guesstimate 1000 lbs per room, FYI. You can also designate someone else to watch the movers pack your shit, you just need to give them a Special Power of Attorney and notify TMO.

no but I come through KIKR often (helo schoolhouse). In fact I'm here right now for sim refresher. I'll add on to what others have already said: The new building at lodging (22018) has wireless in the lobby, and the rooms are decent. There's also a community kitchen in the lobby area with pots/pans. Chama River Brewing Company (next to TX Land & Cattle @ I-25 and Jefferson) brews some pretty incredible beers. Also hit up Korean BBQ House on Central. If you find yourself up in Santa Fe, eat at a place called La Choza (espanol for "the shed"). Their other restaurant, called "The Shed" is in the downtown plaza and is more for the tourists. La Choza is where the locals eat.

1. Since when was it called Joint Base Balad? Does this mean the AF runs it or the Army? Guessing AF, since it would probably be called JLSA Anaconda if the Army was in charge... 2. How the fvck did they get 5 53s in the air at the same time? Those must be the last 5 waiting to go to DM...

Best quote about the CSAR-X I've read in a while: https://www.military.com/features/0,15240,1...C=airforce-a.nl second best quote, found in the discussion forum linked at the bottom of the article:

there's no such thing as using a half day of leave. If your leave starts at 1200 on Fri (i.e. your flight is late enough that you can be at work until 1200 then leave from work and make it to the airport), then your first day of chargeable leave is Sat. Then Sat/Sun would only be charged. Also, your CC can authorize you to go into negative leave. Which, if you had a flight before noon on Fri you'd be at -.5 for all of five days until you got your Oct leave. Permissive TDY does not count against your leave balance. It's like a TDY in that you aren't charged leave, but it's like leave in that you aren't reimbursed for your expenses.

Lockheed Martin, teaching academics/sims and possibly doing some flying. They wear desert flight suits. L3-Vertex would be in the same vein, just a different company, not teaching, just doing FCFs when the aircraft break.

there's "talk" aka a rumor of standing up a reserve associate unit with the 512th for HH-60 IPs to help out with the schoolhouse. I don't know that's it's gotten much past the "talk" phase, so if anything DOES come of it, it's probably at least a few years from fruition. But I bet you could get a job with LM as a brown-suiter! I've heard from reliable sources that they're looking into some of them becoming flight instructors in addition to all the ground stuff. And don't discount the whole FCF thing with L3-Vertex out there. Have no idea if they've got openings but it's a thought, and it keeps you in the cockpit. The next closest Reserve units flying your airframes are down at DM. The 305th flying 60s and I'm not sure about the HCs.

one of my IPs at UPT (A-10 driver) was named FLAPWHEL (######ing Lied About Pickling With His Elbow).