Jon - Trident Home Loans

Just knocked out my practical with Downtown Aviation in Memphis. The study materials, gouge, instruction and check ride were great. Dr Ray is an awesome evaluator. The whole program cost me $1850 including the examiner fee...I don't think anyone can beat that. Day 1 is ground school and an instructional flight and Day 2 is the check. They do it either in a Comanche or Dutchess. No military pilot who has been flying should have any problem. Get scheduled now because they told me they are booked through Feb '16 and get 25 phone/e-mails a day about their ATP program. BTW...my written expired 2 months before I took my check ride because I got a short notice deployment and couldn't knock out the practical in time. If you get in the same position feel free to PM me, but SFAR 100-2 gives deployed military a 6 month extension on their written to complete their practical. A copy of your orders needs to be included with you application. This was a life saver for me.

Glad it helped!

Removed

Around 20 pipeline slots an FY if you count both H & U model EWOs and Navs. FCO isn't really an option for pipeline guys anymore because of their washout rate. Most FCOs come from other platforms or X-Flow from the Nav or EWO seat.

I'm up at SERE now and they could care less what you have on your uniform when you're in the field or doing RT. When you're on base you need to be in a proper uniform.

Wow...are you joking? Telling your CC and cadre who have 25yrs+ of military experience that their collective assessment of you is wrong...good idea. I'm not saying that ROTC isn't out of touch with reality and just loves kids who kiss a$$, but sometimes you just have to STFU and prove people wrong by your future deeds. Arguing with your superiors will always get you no-where...learn this lesson now so when you do get to UPT someday you won't make an a$$ of yourself with an IP or check pilot like so many studs do thus ruining any chance of ever getting the plane you want. The lesson still applies even if you don't want to be a pilot.

The LSI guys at CBM sell them at the sim desk...the one they issue is a 8.5x11 piece of junk

Definitely not true...go to any UPT base right now and ask about corpus slots. CBM had one class who had 7 studs put it #1 on their list. Maybe back in the day your view was correct, but not today with the sh!tty drops coming out of T-1s and -38s. Some of the best sticks coming through here right now are AF guys who are all pumped to go fly the herk.

Corpus 08-37 drop: AC-130U Hurlburt AC-130H Cannon MC-130H Kadena MC-130W Cannon NSA Cannon RC-12 C-130 Pope C-130x2 Little Rock HC-130 Moody EC-130 DM

You need to talk to your Sq or GP exec for guidance on the application process. It basically works like this: 1) take the TBAS, AFOQT & fill out your 215. 2) Send it up for your Sq/CC to review and rank you 3) Sq exec sends it up to the GP/CC then WG/CC to get review and then you're rack and stacked at the WG level. 4) WG sends it up the chain and eventually ends up at AFPC. You don't submit anything yourself. As far as how to package it...just make it look professional. Your WG exec might have some tips for you.

As long as there was nothing else then you should be fine. I have one for a -2.75. Might take a little while to process though.

I'd type up a push note to go along with his package for your CC to sign off on. Usually, the WG/CC will allow a few non standard medals for those that are really deserving. Talk to your Group Chief or Command Chief and get their feel on it. They are the ones that will have a good feel on how the system has been working. As far as templates are concerned search around AFCENT's secure website until you find a link to the PRU's (personnel readiness unit) decoration page. All the templates are on that website including a search function to see the status of medals submitted.

Anyone heard anything new on basing or the manning plan for the RC-12 as it comes online? https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/09/...d_rc12_091708w/ Guard to train RC-12 pilots, sensor operators By Sam LaGrone - Staff writer Posted : Thursday Sep 18, 2008 7:40:31 EDT Crews for the Air Force’s newest intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft will be trained up by the National Guard. The 186th Air Refueling Wing in Meridian, Miss., will train 1,000 pilots and sensor operators for the RC-12, an Army ISR aircraft the Air Force plans to bring online this year. “The pilots and the sensor operators will come to us qualified in the RC-12,” said Lt. Col. Brad Crawford, the 186th’s executive officer. “The piece that we’re responsible for is training these crews on the mission qualification part of it.” The RC-12 training program, called Project Liberty, will begin in January, draw $100 million dollars and provide seven of the converted Beechcraft King Air planes to the 186th. Crawford said the mission qualification training could take six to eight weeks once the training specifics are nailed down. The service plans to acquire 30 aircraft in addition to the seven at Key Field to operate primarily in Afghanistan and Iraq in support of battlefield commanders on the ground in small-scale engagements. The acquisition of the RC-12 is part of the Air Force’s stated goal of providing more manned and unmanned ISR capability inside theaters, especially Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

The only AF office here at Corpus. There is a Maj who is in charge and works all the drops with AFPC. Almost forgot...the Navy is changing the NSS system this week so you'll be able to see your "projected" NSS whenever you want. Should be available to VT-31 studs next week or so.

If you want a U-28, have a NSS above 50 and let the AF office here know ahead of time then they can work a specific assignment into your class's drop. They'll go out of their way here to work an assignment for you if you do good.

Anything you do will help including getting some hours. Bottom line is there are lots of dudes who want to go to UPT and only a fixed number of slots. Do whatever you think will make your package shine above others. There is tons of info on what successful applicants have done to get picked up on this forum.

I've seen a lot of the AD guys who get picked up come from either the Nav world or Aircraft Mx. Engineers also seem to be pretty popular.

Anyone know if it'll be an AFSOC or ACC asset?

Looks like another Moseley plan in the trash... Maintenance shake-up put on hold By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Jul 1, 2008 16:12:35 EDT The move to reorganize maintenance groups and missions support groups —which was supposed to start today — is on hold. Acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley issued orders June 27 setting aside the changes until he has had time to discuss them with service officials and decide if realignments are needed. “Secretary Donley directed the delay in order to have an opportunity to discuss the appropriateness and timeliness of these changes with Air Force senior leaders within the context of today's new realities,” the Air Force said in a written statement to Air Force Times. There was no word on when Donley anticipates making a decision or if he will consult with chief of staff nominee Gen. Norton Schwartz. Just two weeks ago, before Donley became the acting secretary, Air Force officials were expecting wings to begin making the changes July 1 and to be done by November. Outgoing Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley has been the prime proponent for reorganizing wings. But with Moseley set to leave by Aug. 1 as part of the shake-up of Air Force leadership ordered by the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Donley shelved Moseley’s plan. The proposed changes — called the “Global Wing Structure” — would have moved airmen assigned to fighter, bomber and rescue aircraft maintenance units into flying squadrons. The crew chiefs, weapons loaders and other maintainers had been in maintenance squadrons. Aircraft maintenance units assigned to special operations and mobility wings would not merge into flying squadrons Air Force-wide, the reorganization called for the creation of wing-level “materiel groups” and the disbanding of the maintenance groups. Each material group was to have included back-shop repair squadrons that had been part of the maintenance group, plus the wing’s aerial port squadron and logistics readiness squadrons that had been under the mission support groups.

Seems to be at least 1 helo in every drop at UPT. We got briefed before track select that if you're planning on putting T-44 or helo's 1st to let them know a couple weeks out so they can try to trade with other bases for enought slots.

CBM 09-02 Track Select (AD studs only): 3 T-44s 3 T-38s 1 UH-1 10 T-1s

09-01 CBM AD Track Select: T-1: 10 T-38: 3 T-44: 3 Helo: 1

I wouldn't wastle the money/time to become an airline pilot unless that is something you want to do. Building hours and experience is a great thing however you do it. I have multiple people in my class who we're desk jockey's before getting selected for UPT. That being said it is extremely difficult to get a UPT slot out of OTS. You may consider looking into the ANG or AFR and applying with them, that's what worked for them...just my 2 cents

Having a PPL is common for AD board guys, but is not a pre-req. If it was then they'd list it as one. You can make up for limited hours by having a kickass pilot score on your AFOQT and doing well on the TBAS. Those 2 scores combined with your flying hours equal your overall PCSM which is really the key to getting selected by the AD Board. If you can pull over a 90 PCSM then you'll be pretty well setup. All you'll have to do from there is write a good 215 and hopefully have some awards to include in it. Remember the AF is looking for well rounded guys to pick for UPT. Just my 2 cents...Good Luck!

I have a couple married classmates that don't have 2 cars and it's a big pain in the ass for them. You'll be showing up and leaving at different times then other people throughout your training. If you take that car then your wife is suck at the house all day. You can bum a ride here and there, but it'll get old quick. If you have 2 cars, definitely bring them.