di1630

You are good, ARTs are exempt.....for now.

When did the 10 yr UPT commitments start and when (if) will we see the predicted exodus when dudes can start punching?

I'd still recommend the AF for dudes even with a 10 yr UPT commitment, but just treat it like a 10 yr flying job rather than a career. I'd just be honest with them that they should start thinking about ratings and making themselves marketable to airlines much earlier and to not give a flying-fook about SOS, ACSC or masters because that is only a need if you want o stay in which I would not tell any pilot to do at current ops tempo. Be out on your ass at 32 current in a jet marketable to an airline or be out on your ass at 42 struggling for seniority which is everything in the airline biz.

You can see the smoke from where his tires touched down. Looks like he landed oh........about 4k long on an 8k runway if you count the taxiways and crosscheck it with a look at google earth plus the airfield diagram. Hopefully all the stuff they did right before landing was legal because this is going to be the std airshow/flyby was he shining his ass>to a mishap witch hunt. Stby for extra regulations......one to a full stop via ILS straight-in when arriving at airshows.

The proposed policy wouldn't keep a lot of guys who love their jobs in let alone the guys who hate their jobs. I like what I'm doing but if at 12 yrs this was offered, I'd bail to the Guard/reserves and then build seniority at an airline while working towards a guard/reserve retirement. I/my family can take the deployments/BS with a 20yr pension at the end but without that incentive, no way.

I spoke to a Marine Hornet pilot the other day and he pretty much said that the Marines do NOT want the JSF. It was forced on them for the reasons of "joint" but they all want the super hornet. As for LO, he said that the marines will treat the JSF just like a Hornet and it will be beat to shit in no time with lots of stuff hanging external. his flat out quote was, "You expect a bunch of Marines to walk around with booties on and be concerned with the RAM coating"?

Its just a political shot across the bow. The JSF program is too joint and large to fail.

Latest bar rumor I heard is that they think they might fly by end of fiscal year. I hope the world can survive that long without them.

A fighter staff guy the pentagon told me that if the af had bought more -22s we'd go broke trying to sustain them. They are extremely worried about the f-35 as well because nobody predicted the 5th gen operating costs to be so high. Current cost per hour for an ops sq f-22.....70k, mostly due to the ram mx.

How about Gates stfu and he plus everyone else involved in the jsf going through 25 million a day go to jail for starters to cut cost. I have no appetite to hear leadership talk about pay cuts while they continue to buy the wrong sht for the wrong reasons. Also glad that gates is all for pay cuts while continuing to blow billions so the afghans can have paved roads.

The fighter pilot shortage numbers are like the carrot on the end of the stick to keep people thinking....well he'll one of these days the flying hours and open cockpits will return. Those shortages fighter pilots needed to fill desks and other positions. They are not jets sitting pilotless on the ramp waiting to go get wrung out.

I say good on the guy. He obviously was intentional, probably knew the risks, got caught, ops tested the system for the rest of us. I admire his spirit. Sounds like the type of guy I'd want on my side in war. Back before the USAF was run by a bunch of pansies who would rather write rules to get promoted than fly planes, guys did stuff like that all the time. I try to keep in mind that the great pilots of the old days would shake their heads in dismay at today's AF. For all the dudes rushing to judgement, you must be shocked at the thought of Chuck Yeager, Bob Hoover, Robin Olds, etc. who all would have been crushed in today's air force. Anyone hear what 2,3,4 got for punishment?

how often do fighter pilot traditions interfere with the rest of the gayness in the Air Force? I'd love to know the details behind the firing if anyone has it. I imagine the boss showed up at the sq and noticed there were not enough female or minority pilots on the books to get him opr fodder and went to take a piss and someone had a funny article over the urinal. Here's a guy I bet who loves fighter pilot traditions and way of doing things. bio at https://www.ng.mil/ngbgomo/library/bio/1148.htm

Dude, this isn't a fighter v heavy argument so not even worth battling that aspect. The guy talks of how fighter pilots are because that is what he is and it is written from that aspect. BL is that fighter pilot traditions and way of doing things is on the way out and for those who love the culture and what it stands for, it sucks. What once was a proud fraternity of pilots, is being shit on/destroyed by people who have never been a part of that sort of thing and who do not understand the impact. The BGEN is right on. If you've never been in a fighter sq, you might not see his point fully but I think all good dudes can see the broad point of it. Unless you are one of the homo's causing the problems that is.

Backstabbing and careerism is rampant in the USAF because success has very little to do with how you perform in your job. Instead, it is mostly about pulling a BS stratification that you get by being liked by your superiors and making yourself look good. Unfortunately, some peole can;t make themselves look good so they do the next best thing: make the other person look bad. This won;t go away anytime soon since the USAF has lost its focus and the same poor leaders who succeeded by kissing a$$ and backstabbing when they were climbing the ladder are now rewarding the same behavior. Fortunately there are a few good leaders out there...but they are grossly outnumbered.

Agree with Toro, choose based on what you want to do. Viper is going to be around a while but the numbers are shrinking. Possible JSF lead in if timing is good. E Mod is going to stay at its current numbers for a long time. Great capes...WSO in back (plus or minus is all opinion) A-10 is going to stay near its same number for a while, nice upgrades, not as high perf as the others. Point and shoot killing- sounds fun. C model -- be afraid...this system is dying and without more F-22's to put the pilots into. Great jet but I know a lot of current C model guys who are plenty nervous. F-22 - Its tough to pass up a 5th gen fighter and be part of the initial batch of people flying it. Plus's are that it is leading edge technology and capable of some shithot maneuvering. Minuses (these are direct from some -22 guys) are that it is high profile so its not a lot of fun being under the microscope from leadership/politicians all the time. Also, don't expect to use that super maneuverability a whole lot....its primarily a BVR fighter with AWACs like capes so many times the legacy dudes have more fun merging with HMS and 9x's (which the F-22 does not have). I've tlked with guys flying the F-22 who love it but after flying it for a while wouldn't mind returning to -16's and -15E's to do real A/G work. I had a C mod convert say he missed the challenge of the days before the jet did all his sorts and radar work for him. I'm not a know-it-all on all those jets but do like Toro said and don't pick a jet based on airshow performance or what looks best. Also, don;t believe fighter pilot talk, they all think whatever they fly is the best....and chances are in some respect they are right that theirs is best at something....be wary when they say their jet is best at everything.

An AT-6 sq would be perfect for Afghanistan. Long loiter time with an actual pod on board + gun would be a good addition over there vs UAV's. The T-6 would be a good in between to bridge the gap between UAV's and A-10's as long as it has a gun pod on board. The AT-6 would be limited to Afghan type scenarios and I agree its probably the next great 3rd world export along the lines of the F-5 program. Single engine anything will get slaughtered in a low CAS scenario by Manpads and AAA vs an enemy with any real capes. So who is going to fly the thing and what command do you think it will fall under? Weren't they setting up a program like this out of Hurlburt not too long ago but then it got the axe?

For you pilot trainees out there. I know some of you wanted 38's because you want some good flying, Type A community. If you got the T-1 instead and have the option. Put U-28 #1. You have a chance to make a community with tradition and pride. The flying is going to be 6-9 times more exciting than anything in the heavy world. As a fighter dude, if I had to crosstrain to anything out there, a U-28 would be on the list after finding out the cool stuff they are doing.

Workout when you can. Do not ask your IP's/Flight CC why you haven't been given the mandatory gym time in AFI-6969 like all the shoeclerks on base. Once the AF stops making UPT bases cram 30lbs of crap into a 15lb bag, maybe the timeline will allow PT. Until then, plan on weekends at the gym or after hours.....or SIE and go with the shoes anytime before 9 or after 4 or during your 1 hr lunchbreak each day to supplement your 3 days a week PT time.

Why is everyone so up in arms? This rule is clearly intended for the shoeclerks. Any good CC will be smart enough to not make flyers conform to it. I will be glad to see the fatass shoes in their blues on monday. About time I say. Overall, I think we all like to bitch....I do for sure but JHC, this is small stuff compared to the AF real problems and this is no different than how it was pre 9-11. I am willing to give Schwartz chance to unf-ck things for a year or so. If this helps get the shoes recaged fine. If you are in blues as a flyer..maybe you should fight to get on the schedule more or skip work, or zap your d-bag CC's car for not sticking up for you. This stuff is nothing new, it ill go in waves. Read Yeager's book where he talks about given no notice inspection and one guy didn't have blues because they burnt up in a house fire 3 years ealrier. This has been going on LONGER than any of us have been in. I will have some fun with figuring out how to beat the system....just like I find fun in figuring how not have to show up for PT, or MEO meetings, or WG CC calls, pencil whi sexual assault training, and all the other BS the AF makes us do. Relax dudes. Some of you can even think of it as prep for the airlines, where you get to wear a tie each day....or netjets, where you get load your passengers luggage in a suit and tie.

It will depend on your leadership and how much they go to bat for ya. I knew a guy in fighters, who after his first tour proved to himself and everyone else he should not have been there and was either going to get himself or someone else killed. He was a great dude and really just wanted to stay in the AF and do something useful....not fly fighters. He got fooked. FEB'd, then force shaped mostly because leadership wanted him punished for giving up his fighter. This was a while ago though. Just curious, what is it you don't like? Deployment schedule, the flying, lifestyle??

I get tired of this "I don't want my husband to FAIP" or " I deserve better than a FAIP job" STFU!!!! Wives, girlfriends, fiances: So you want to see the ######in world......buy a plane ticket....do you realize if you husband goes to his C-17 or 135 or whatever the hell else he'll be gone 1/2 the time anyhow? Then you'll be bitchin about how bad you want him to go back and get into AETC. To you pilots who think FAIPing is a screw job in both T-1's and 38's: STFU...should have been #1 in your class then. Do you realize probably how close to you 6th choice airframe some of you might have been?? Now you have a chance to get your AETC tour out of the way and get a shot at the jet you want........so stop crying about it. FAIPs are probably the most important people in AETC. They may lack experience but I see most FAIPs being a hell of a lot better at many IP tasks than the MWS guys. So instead of bitching, be honored of your role, take seriously the fact that you have the chance to keep f-sticks from going out and polluting the air force and realize that 3 years goes by quick.

C-17 A/C or UAV driver......Hmmmm Unless the C-17 pilot is Chuck Norris, my money is on the UAV driver. Are we talkin Global Hawk here or Reaper? That adds a whole new dimension. Just bored, don't mind me.

Funny shit. Good Post. I thought it was all serious til the end..mostly right on. I won't turn this into fatty v fighter(too easy) Gotta get back to Falcon 4.0 and Ace Combat in prep for VN 09-12 and my mighty 38 with the -22/JSF follow on.

1. I bet by the time you drop there is either a UAV track or T-1's and 38's will have a "equal" portion of the UAV's. It won't take long before someone realizes sending the best studs to worst A/C doesn't make sense + nobody will choose -38's. 2. Don't give up the dream.....fighters are worth the effort and worth the chance. Unless you have always dreamed of flying a heavy(some have, more power to 'em) you need to roll the dice to fly -38's. 3. Man, I know that C-17 with the hudand stick sounds cool, but there is a reason AMC guys are skipping the bonus and gettin the hell out. I'd rather take a U-28 ANYDAY than a cargo or tanker. Better flying, probably gone less, job satisfaction to name a few. Heavy dudes will argue but if you go the fighter track...you can always go fly a heavy later on. If you go T-1's....the dream is over. 4. The 38 is the ticket. There are a TON of guys out there flying fighters who didn't get one out of 38's back in the 90's. When the fighter shortage happened, those guys got snatched up from C-130's, C-141's etc to go fly F-16's. No T-1 guy has ever gotten to Xfer to fighters. 5. Even if you only fly the 38 for 6 months, you've still gotten to fly a high performance supersonic afterburning jet solo. Not a toned(excuse the expression) down civi beechjet.