Prozac

Instead of sir or ma’am, how about “batshit crazy motherfucker”? Direct, to the point, and totally gender neutral. I really don’t think this gu....ahem.....individual could argue with that description.

Interesting article. Everyone serving should read Boyd. As to the Be vs Do choice, I think it’s simple. Be a “Do”er and let the chips fall where they may. If your career doesn’t take the trajectory you wanted, well at least you can look at yourself in the mirror. I’ve seen too many people compromise their character using the justification that if they can just move up the ranks they can affect real change. The moment you start down that rabbit hole is the moment your lobotomy begins. Next thing you know you’re pulling people out of scheduled training events to attend your mandatory all call where you stand around in ABUs (even though you’re a rated officer) where you pat yourself on the back repeatedly and insist on spending over an hour handing out awards to everyone on the base except for those who directly accomplish the mission.

This. When the other party does it it’s the evil imperial presidency. When your guy does it.......well it seems perfectly reasonable/ there is plenty of precedent/ extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, etc. THIS is exactly the kind of thinking that erodes the constitution. I’m FLOORED by the number of Republican lawmakers that seem perfectly fine with abdicating their power to the executive.

Cool mini doc featuring an American photo recce Spitfire pilot.

As a guy who leans Democrat, I’m inclined to agree with you. There is some great commentary lately from the likes of David Frum and James Carville basically arguing exactly this. If the dems loose in 2020 it will be because they are continuing to ignore exactly those Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc. voters who handed Trump the win in 2016. It seems both parties these days are totally beholden to their bases and the centrists (whom I believe are the real silent majority in this country) will be perpetually left out in the cold.

Cause most of the bad shit/illegal aliens come through legal ports of entry. Determined people tend to find ways over, under, or through walls. Berlin Wall? What a great reference proving that walls have a tendency to be seen as oppressive.

Ahhhh, wuuuuuut? The guy who compulsively lies through his teeth on a daily basis is honest? The guy who shits on gold toilets, rides gold elevators, and writes his name in gold letters 50 feet tall on all his buildings is a pragmatist? Uh.......okie dokie.

Well you’re certainly entitled to your opinion, as is the President. It would appear however that the current congressional climate is not conducive to making a wall deal (nor was it when republicans held both houses). Here’s the part that really has me scratching my head—Trump had a deal (last year I think) where Schumer agreed to wall money in exchange for a dreamer deal but the hardliners in the admin weren’t having any of that. He had agreed to a deal keeping the government open in December as well but Ann Coulter called him a pussy and now here we are. I can only imagine the outcry from the right if the tables were turned and it was a Democrat throwing temper tantrums, constantly tweeting incoherently, apologizing for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, etc, etc, etc. The man took an oath to represent all Americans yet he seems to have convinced himself that his base is all that matters and the rest of us can go fuck ourselves. And people wonder where the “not my president” attitude comes from? How wonderful for America.

‘Cause they don’t want to pay for it either. The President’s ego is apparently blocking his brain’s view of the bleak outlook of funding the wall. The democratic house majority was elected precisely not to give into Trump. Pro tip: They ain’t caving. If he had any advisers worth a shit left in his circle, they’d be telling him that. Instead he listens to Hannity and Limbaugh. Hamberders for all! Covfefe!

That’s not what your mom said.

Wait, I thought Mexico was paying. That was the campaign promise right? How’d we end up at a government shutdown over a wall that was promised to be paid for by funds that didn’t involve American tax dollars? I’m confused. Are we taking the president literally or figuratively this week?

Stories of the MD-11s demise are greatly exaggerated. It is getting harder to support internationally but is still a very viable domestic freighter, especially on higher density routes (think SDF-DFW). It’s also really tough right now to get 767 or 777 production slots so even if brown and purple decide to replace the MDs tomorrow, it will be a while before they can be phased out. It’ll be around at least another decade. Probably longer if oil prices remain low.

I think I work pretty hard already. I’m not really willing to be more productive just so my company (which makes a BILLION dollars a quarter in PROFITS) can be that much more efficient. I’ll concede that PBS may be workable, and even preferable to some at many airlines. I don’t work for an airline though. I work for a trucking company that happens to run an airline and tends to view me as an overpaid hourly that should be frisked every time I leave the property just in case I’m stealing toilet paper from the lav. Our lines are constructed with many night hub turns and often have us flipping between those and second day air (day flying) over the course of a trip. Better schedules are a non starter during negotiations with this company which fought hard to keep us out of Part 117 because apparently freight pilots are unaffected by scientifically proven rest and circadian requirements. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great job. One of the best in the industry. But it’s great because of the many benefits that our union has negotiated and protected, one of which is is the ability to turn vacation or training events into much needed additional opportunities to rest.

This. Again, leaders need to step up and make decisions. If the AFI is getting in the way, commanders need to have the balls to say “Ok, ignore a, b, and c for now and let’s get the mission done”. Their next phone call should be to their boss: “Sir regulation X is preventing my people from doing their jobs efficiently. I’ve directed them to ignore certain provisions. Here is my supporting documentation. Don’t like it? Feel free to replace me with a yes man. Delta is still hiring.”

This is a leadership problem. OSS/CC: We can no longer do our job. OG/CC: Are you too lazy or are you lacking resources? If too lazy, you’re fired. If lacking resources, tell me what you need and I’ll get it for you. These are the fights Colonels should be fighting but many seemingly would rather not. Instead they tend to focus on stupid shit like whether the spaces in the parking lot should be perpendicular or diagonal. No shit. I’ve seen that one.

PBS = more productivity = fewer pilots required = longer upgrade times. Period. It may lead to some more flexibility in your own schedule planning, but you’re gonna have trouble convincing me that it’s good for any pilot group as a whole. As with anything, it’ll fit better with certain applications than with others. Right now things are good at the majors and there is good movement on the seniority lists. I think PBS will be a big liability the next time the economy turns south and airlines start tightening belts again. Admittedly that looks to be quite a ways off though.

Wow. Good to know. Still, can’t help but think that the established KC-767 already in use by the Japanese & Italians would’ve been a perfectly functional and safe bet.

So what’s the deal. Boeing fucking it up by the numbers? USAF induced mission creep? Both? I was kind of up on things a couple years ago and knew of some of the problems with the program but they didn’t sound insurmountable and I would’ve expected a fix by now. Somehow Boeing managed to get the Navy their P-8s, which is a much more complex weapons system. Why can’t they manage to deliver tankers? Something tells me the USAF shoulders most of the blame here.

Are there any operational -46s yet?

Ditto what JW said for UPS. PBS would be a disaster at this place. Conflict bidding is one of the few ways guys have to recover from some of our more grueling night freight schedules.

Seems to also be Big Blue’s strategy for the pilot shortage. Come to think of it, this the apparent de facto mentality for any number of problems facing the AF.

Jesus. We’re going to drop this ordinance on you that is designed to rip you and everything around you apart in an extremely violent and unpleasant manner, but we’ll be sure to be culturally sensitive about it, so you’ve at least got that going for you. Also, rest assured, we won’t be drawing ANY dicks while in the process of killing you and breaking your shit. Good to see that we’re finally starting to get our priorities straight.

Almost all of it. I think we are just now beginning to see the world start to shake off the effects of this conflict and the ones that were a direct result of it.

I looked into these jobs a few years back when we moved to California. Very dynamic, interesting flying for sure. I’m in SoCal so the length of the season was a non starter for me (two young kids at home) and I took a cushy airline job. Tons of respect and hats off to the guys that do this job though. These guys literally saved my home last year when it was threatened by the liberty fire. Had there not been air on scene very quickly, there’s no doubt in my mind that hundreds of homes would’ve been destroyed. Instead, one home and an out structure were all that was lost. If there’s anyone here who worked that fire, PM me. Seriously. I owe you a bottle.

Don’t forget the braided belt.