Duck

Talked to one of my fighter buddies out at Sheppard in the T-38 world. According to him, the T-38 PIT standard for non-11Fs is absolutely ridiculous. Those guys are being held to a completely different standard. Granted some guys don’t belong instructing in the T-38, but according to my buddy (a reservist who has been there for a decade) a political point is trying to be made. Take it for what it’s worth. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Unless things change I think 10% and above means no funding fee. Someone correct me if I’m wrong! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Guys chill, relax. This has been in the works for at least 5 years. Everyone knows the product is worse. No one is even trying to debate that. The Air Force has realized that they are never going to be able to retain the pilots that they need. They made a conscious effort and even publicized it that they are going to grow out of the retention problem from the bottom. The problem is the pipe is too long to push out as many pilots as they need to grow out of the problem. Who cares about absorption, all they care about is bodies. I sat on countless meetings in T6 land with leadership trying to figure out just how much they can cut to get the very bare minimum Air Force pilot trained. Couple that with massive changes to the pit syllabus and big cutbacks to the simulators required in the instrument phase and you have what you have now. Read the tea leaves what is UPT next all about or the VR experiment going on in Austin? The Air Force has made a clear choice that they need quantity and they don’t care about your idea of quality. I agree that as a fighter pilot you would be able to add more big picture training to the T6 and T38 syllabus. You are fooling yourself though if you think that would magically make a better product. Sheppard is a great case study in that. When I left there were only 2 heavy 38 pilots who both flew 38‘s in UPT. Yet magically we were still getting complaints in the T6 world from IFF and the FTU that Sheppard grads were not living up to the standard of basic formation skills in follow on training. This has so much more to do than just a bunch of heavy guys trying to teach guys in 38‘s how to stay in position and do tac turns, but I guarantee the Air Force will use that excuse on why we need more fighter pilots and completely overlooked the fact that training has been cut by over 40%. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Which is awesome because I like the AM shows and being done with my day around noon. It’s awesome to have the flexibility. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

I got a similar email today from my airline... oh wait, no I didn’t. Everyone do yourself and your family a favor and loudly vote with your feet. And by loudly, I mean tell everyone the exact reasons you are leaving. I truly believe this is the only way us little people can make a positive change. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

I didn’t start dropping mil leave until after consolidation. I figured that would piss some people off if I had to go back for additional training because I couldn’t get my hours in the first 120 days. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

It’s amazing how different airlines look at mil leave. My place of work is extremely supportive and I can drop mil leave no questions asked. However if you started dropping mil leave during the holidays they said it would raise a bunch of flags. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Is it a pdf? Does anyone mind sending it to me? Gracias! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Got a chance to talk to my old sister squadron Commander while he was doing his new-hire orientation ride at my airline. He punched before hitting 20 and told me that during his whole 2 year stint as a commander, he did not PCS a single Major. The Wing Commander called him and the other flying squadron commanders in and was seriously confused why no one was staying in past their Initial UPT commitment. UFB. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Heading to mediation soon. The story got crazier and crazier after my original post. One day soon when the dust settles I will entertain you all with the story. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Speaking of ANG promotions, the state just told me the ANG O-4 board should be released here within a week or so. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

I bet Mav smashes Monica AKA Pilot Trainee 2 thus his terminal O-6 rank... Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

I’m sorry, let me rephrase that. I wonder if this will continue the excellent work of Jennifer’s topless scenes... Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

More importantly, has Jennifer Connelly ever acted in a movie and not taken her clothes off? Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Maybe I’m wrong but we basically have a flying only career track that tops out at O-4. Because if all you do is fly and scoff your desk job, in today’s environment you will make O-4, be passed over twice for O-5 and be continued until retirement. You will also be financially behind your peers who got out after 11 years and started flying for the airlines. If you don’t guarantee guys with no negative indicators a promotion to O-5 then it’s basically just relabeling what we already have now. At least an O-5 paycheck and retirement starts to make some of the math make sense... Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Bummer Pawnman, hate it when guys that want to stay in and make a difference don’t get promoted to places where they can affect positive change. Keep your head up brother! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Both of them are really good peoples surprisingly. But the rest of us peons were just surprised nothing was done about it. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Had an SP throw the T-6 to max power on a static takeoff while holding brakes which caused the brakes to lock up. The IP eventually took the aircraft but it still departed the runway and caused the nose gear to collapse. It took the RSU controller telling the IP to shut the engine off while the prop was grinding into the ground before the engine was secured. No Q-3 and the IP ended up as the Wing Exec and a school select shortly after. Had another IP do a touch and go on a 2500 ft uncontrolled field and no Q-3, after previously have been counseled for telling students to see how many continuous aileron rolls they could do on their solo. The student who broke the “record” recovered his aircraft around 2000 feet AGL, but was kicked out for lying about it. Nothing done to the IP. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

PickYour... nah. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

I know a dude at United doing the same thing. He’s close enough to retirement that when he gets back he will finish out. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

While I can’t vouch for his T-38 time, he did fine in the T-6 and had a great attitude. If he had sucked super bad, the Commander at the time was sending guys to T-1s at other bases due to the pilot shortage and not risking T-38 washouts. Like Pawnman said, everyone in the chain recommended retraining to a different crew aircraft but almighty Rand new better than the people below him. I’ve flown with enough terrible co-pilots to know that he would have been successful in a different aircraft. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

Good point. I meant a mobility aircraft. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

If this is the guy that I’m thinking about... similar stories. He is a really good dude and definitely didn’t deserve the treatment he got from the assclown 4-Star. I wrote that guy a letter to his FEB detailing his performance in UPT and how he would be more than fine in a crew asset. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

That’s awesome! Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

The way I read it, you would need to be done with your 10 year UPT commitment. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app