di1630

Why is this so damn complicated to get it certified? I once refueled from an Italian 767 tanker with boom and drougue......WTF USAF? Stop being a shitshow, build the damn thing, we'll figure out how to get gas from it, it's not rocket science.

Ughh, who cares. You want real danger and death defying....go teach pilot training. I have more air medals than my grandfather because he got shot down on his 17th mission over Tokyo. All air medals these days are inflated....damn shame. Let the RPA guys have some recognition or take up real injustices where some fighter doing ISR at 20k over the Stan gets the same medal as the help guy getting shot at. Lots of injustices. You probably aren't as cool as your ribbon rack makes you think.

Incorrect, the AF is dumping a lot of effort into service life extension programs (SLEP) for 4th gen, because even "they" realize we need a lot of 4th gen around to supplement 5th gen because we'll never get to an all 5th gen force, at least in the next 30 years. We're doing it right now, and have been for months...in a shit hole country. The high end threat is real and is all over; you don't need to start WWIII with China or Russia to fly in more than AAA and IR threats. Sorry, I meant where the double digit SAMs will actually shoot you if they can in war with weapons free air defense posture. I am aware of what you are talking about....just not quite the scenario I am implying.

What if you were a previous faip/aetc ip > CAF> then back to PIT? Still 3 years?

Hey dude, your not gonna orbit inside a double digit SAM MEZ whether you are in a F-35, F-22 or B-2 etc. There is some real misperceptions about what stealth offers and how. The L.O. Is simply going to shrink the detection range (at certain aspect angles). Double digit SAMS have been around for going on 40 years. They didn't become a big talking point until they were needed to sell the F-35. 5th gen may get closer to and detect the Double digit SAM threat earlier but you can jam or hide from barrage fire. We are gaining "some" access to a radar threat envelope and ignoring the bigger more likely AAA/IR threat that denies access. I'm pretty sure though the new vision for future CAS is lobbing SDBs from 30 miles/40,000 ft at static targets. Sounds "pretty darn good".

Geezus, even if we had a fleet of cost effective coin aircraft, our inept leadership would send F-35s + every other asset anyways. Gotta prove they are worth it, send a message. Anyone know how much it costs per hour to use the F-22 as an ISR asset or send F-15C's across the pond? If the vipers, mud hens tankers etc weren't in Syria, they'd still be flying home station. Again, F-22s for hi end a/a, F-35s for -16 replacement to do a bit of everything when needed, hogs for hi-end CAS.

The real key is developing the ability to effectively communicate, which I believe is what you are saying but in a more sarcastic fashion. No sarcasm intended. I'm mainly intending for the young'ens looking to get the strats or anyone wanting the F-35/KC-46....just saying the strats, assignment pushes etc go to the guys who align themselves with the leadership. When I was a young Capt, I remember working my butt off pulling 12 hour days, dedicating myself to flying, being a great IP etc.. Then I got moved to a paper pushing job for "broadening" and worked 1/2 as hard for 3x the results of when I was flying focused at least as far as OPR's were concerned. Sad truth. Now as far as communication skills....have you seems some of the ppt, memos, emails etc. that big blue loves? It's complete crap.

You guys want to get good strats and pushes in the USAF....learn outlook/excel/memo writing skills at a young age. Those $7.50 an hour secretary skills will get you further than your $3 million pilot training education. Don't crash a jet and be a good exec, you'll go places. No kidding. I wish this were sarcasm but it's not.

Situation: I'm overseas and looking at a 1 year unaccompanied remote. What are the options for my family? Can they stay in the overseas location until I have a follow on or do they pick a place conus?

Where I discontinued reading. By blew through I mean leveled off 200ft below and maintained due to a wrong alt setting. I'm not chucking spears at the action, just the aftermath and double std. We rarely have Q2/3's in the CAF but when we do, they are usually for less.

It's almost like your saying it does a pretty good job given the limitations of a bureaucracy. And if a bureaucracy didn't let a few slip through the cracks every now and then, I'd be out if a job. Overall I'd say it's a win for big blue but could be better. I don't like any clubs that have privileges unless I benefit. Here's a story: My first sq as a Lt, a patch blew thru his mda on an I-check. SEFE tried to Q2 him, sq/cc stepped in because "patches need to retain credibility". You can imagine the rumors spread and both the patch and patch wearing CC lost bro-cred if you will. The SEFE was a high time, highly respected guy and to see him overridden like that was disheartening. I've seen other sketchy stuff where a patch has screwed the pooch (like unintentionally fired a live missile) and not a mention of it at the Friday pilot meeting, but instead a mere mortal line pilot Having a patch on your arm has its advantages that go far beyond getting a priceless education at Nellis.

Nope.....multiple communities.....not that there aren't some awesome patches produced. But the whole point of WIC was to give 1 person the firsthand knowledge so they could share with everyone else. It was never intended to be a "badge of honor" or a "leadership container" checked. If there was enough time/money, everyone would go they WIC. We've turned it into a niche club, you pretty much need a patch to command in the CAF. Patches pick their future patches to groom sometimes as young as wingmen. Resources are thrown their way, they are thrown into the upgrades sooner, etc. I've seen the shot hot shiny pennies looked at as the greatest thing since sliced bread vs their peers.......yeah, because they flew with the best IPs, got more hours, experience and time spent on them. Obvious outcome. That being said, I've never met a dumb patch who couldn't fly. Almost all are credible, but we sometimes misjudge on who will be humble and approachable.

Actually, I'm amazed how many pilots only fly to further their careers while their true passion lies in making rank/power. I know some of the "wrong" types only went to WIC because that was one more way to climb. When people fight to be exec, I get worried at our system. Meanwhile, I've seen those same guys after climbing the ladder as leadership look down on hi-time fliers. We'll do ourselves a favor when we make promotion/assignments about skill vs progression thru the square filling. This goes for flying upgrades as well as jobs. When a squadron devotes 50% of its IP resources to get people spun-up for WIC and patches only groom patches, there are issues and I've seen it.

Plenty of dudes who tracked t-1s could have done just fine in -38s. I'd say most of the top T-1 guys would do good, it's the bottom of the T-1 class that doubtfully would have made it but you never know. There is a certain truthfulness when you say it's completely realistic for a person who washed from -38s to do fine in T-1s, but not vice versa. Some commanders tried to argue this, it didn't go over but I think we lose some potential pilots who would be just fine in a crew jet. Give me a dude with a killer drive and attitude to fly fighters over the reluctant top stick T-6 student anyday though. UPT performance is not always a great indicator. I had some T-38 students who we thought were lucky to get a fighter back in the day, now they are patch wearers, community leaders etc. Likewise some of the DG's were sh-t in their fighter.

That is the most unbelievable thing I've ever read. Almost like saying you made it through Captain Skyhawk without hitting a mountain on those fast levels. I shit you not...reason #69 I consider myself "worlds greatest pilot".

I have good job progression and solid strats and good top 10% Maj strats at SQ and WG level, numerous FGO awards including SQ FGOY, and a SR push that strats me 1/5 IAPZ and "if I had a DP, he'd get it" with all the right pushes. My SR didn't have a DP, and I didn't get one at MLR. I feel good about being in a good position but you never really know with a "p" and what the competition is bringing to the table. Sounds like you'll be fine. I've known people with less get picked up in years with lower rates. Chances are that if you look in the mirror honestly and say "I'd be surprised if I got passed over", you won't. Of all the guys I've met passed over, few to none have been a total shock.

Was telling my grandfather about the bonus. He shook his head. The stories I grew up with about how much fun the Air Force used to be from my grandpa were off the hook. Just a different culture. He'd tell me stories of taking planes which he had no training airborne after giving the crew chief a bottle of scotch, meeting his buddies and deciding last minute to take a jet to say they went Mach 2 in an F-106 or using a bomber to give a civilian friend a ride across country to go party. Now that was a while ago but heck, even in FTU 15 years back my IPs told of the glory days where everyone would go XC in Eagles, hogs, phantoms, you name it to party at Randolph. Good ole days in an Air Force with spare time, Cold War budgets and pilot centric. In 20 years, people will say we had it good. My Quals-I landed on the carrier first try when I played top gun on the 8 bit NES in 1987.

You gotta be in the top 50% of P's....a few decent strats, probably more importantly though job progression, duties held, etc.

STFU everyone...you arguing about landing for F-cks sake. JTFC, you aren't doing combat night traps on a carrier in bad wx. If you find landing your aircraft tough, the rest of the flying must be pretty damn lame. Nobody cares. Back to ACP discussions please.

I'm curious other peoples' letdowns with Welsh. I realize as a former hog guy, my main issue is the fact that on his watch AF brass has proven themselves as liars or tactically inept idiots when it comes to discussing CAS and the A-10 v F-35 debate and that's a big one because hearing his "statistical misrepresentations" to put it nicely and or ineptness lost my trust. But what other big things for you dissenters? Or positive views.

Well, after the Welsh hype = zero results, I'm willing to support a non-pilot type. We gotta do something different.

Are you in the zone? Having an O-9 write your PRF is a plus, it might come down to DP allocation rates for the year. Anyone have info on that #? Sounds like a solid PRF, I wouldn't sweat it.

Dan, what are current rates for a 15 year fixed refinance?

At least I get to peruse this while doing my CBT on what the AF thinks a brothel looks like.....they must be into some low class whores.

A few birds with one stone post: For reducing footprint in Europe: There's a reason the hogs are back and Eagles are doing TSP. Putin knows what we won't publicly say: NATO is a joke and the Europeans couldn't organize themselves or their jobs-program-look-good-at-air shows- ets to drive our a stray heard of goats. For funding: I'm saying USAF specific....maybe sh-tcan a sq of F-35s to buy 4 A-29 sq's. For use: the big problem is that the USAF is used like a $5 whore because we now are unwilling to put boots on the ground. We are bombing Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and look at our results. Again, nobody cares other than the people wasting time doing it and their families. Just an utter lack of leadership at all levels.