Bergman

So at $4.3M per copy (USAF fact sheet pricing there!) that's $8,600,000 down the shitter. If it had been mighty tweet jets playing bumper cars, we'd be looking at $330,000 for BOTH. I wonder how much Tweet maintenance and jet fuel you could pay for with the spare change from just this one mishap. Glad to hear everyone made it out.

I haven't bothered to get mine yet, but the licenses I have seen all say "B-707 / 720" for the type rating. In my limited experience, the whole type rating system is a little flawed. I did some Beech 400 flying right after UPT, and to say that because I flew the T-1, I was therefore qualified for a BE-400 is a bit of a stretch. The avioncs were totally different, it had tape gauges vs. round dial, and of course reverse thrust (which was awesome....much like on the KC-135R, it totally escapes me why the Air Force didn't buy the reversers for the T-1). Having said all that, it only took .69 hours and landings for me to get signed off on the insurance for the Beech, so guess the T-1 training paid off. I have never talked with anyone who has flown the KC-135 and a B-707 (E-8 or E-3), but I imagine they're similar. The B-707 has full leading-edge slats and slightly different wing geometery, and thus slightly slower approach speeds (~10-15 knots IIRC). I'm not sure about the flight controls (hydraulic assist?). Anyone with experience here care to chime in?

SHACK The best one I've seen is at an old A-7 squadron...where a bomb rack hangs from the ceiling and there are wooden bombs mounted on it with mug hooks. Ken, it's time for the LPA to step up!

You can also see some videos of the show on You Tube.

I understand your point as well...but FWIW, I've been flying in the AF for 12 years. If I were AD, it'd work out to about $96,000/year. A 12 year FedEx 757 Captain would make $173,000 plus per diem. An FO makes $143,000. A 12 year UPS captain would make $217,000, and an FO would be at $148,000. Those numbers are just for "pilot guarantee" hours. You get my point. No one joins the military to get rich, which I am sure you already knew. I'm not normally one to stroke egos, but nice post. I agree completely. Having said that, I think any officer owes it to the country, and by proxy the taxpayers, to be responsible with the equipment, money, fuel, etc that we are entrusted with. But that doesn't mean doing something stupid in the name of saving a buck. For example, I think it is dumber than dirt to min-run operational mission fuel loads, whether it be coronets, pax hauls, or whatever. The extra gas just give you so many more options if/when things go to hades. Another example is the new FCIF for us to fly flaps-up in the radar pattern, at 210+ knots. WTF! That policy was clearly written by someone at Altus or Grand Forks, where they're the only game in town and can get away with grazing around at those speeds. For units that operate at a dual-use field, flying those speeds is not only dumb (see/avoid), it creates one hell of an ATC nightmare. On the other hand, we routinely land with ~30,000 lbs. on our local missions. We've cut our standard ramp load 20k already, and we could safely lower that another 10k without any trouble. The small savings from just that one change would add up quickly, when you're talking about 500 tankers.

I have been hearing rumors of this in the tanker world as well! TACC will eventually be using our (block 40.3+) end of mission reports to track how much we're landing with. We normally land with around 25,000 from most training missions, and from what I've heard that number will be mandated down to 12-15,000 on a daily basis. They're even going so far as to say if you show at the jet and it has more than 5000 extra, you will have to download the fuel rather than take the jet that heavy. YGBSM. This will get very interesting when we go overseas. Every single trip it seems that the clowns at TACC have mission planned us with less than the required fuel to make the trip, so we end up having our crew chiefs add an extra 20-25k. I can't wait to have to request a waiver to do that in the future.

That's awesome! Mythbusters had tried this one a few years ago but couldn't get an actual jet "due to insurance reasons" so they had some sanford and son test rig...and it didn't blow the car over. Go figure. Leave it to the Brits to do it the right way, without all the PC crap! MYTH: CONFIRMED

Tankers: We've been waiting for you!

Once again proving that your flying skills have little to nothing to do with getting promoted, which ought to be a crime. On the up side, at least he is proof that we're not a "one mistake Air Force"

That rumor is correct. One of our other pilots started his application from home and then discovered he didn't have his ARMS rip there, so he entered all zeros for his flight times. DOH! Murphy's Law being what it is, the system locked him out and he has been in a duel with HR for the past 6-9 months. Last week he told me that they have since "unlocked" his account and he's updated his app.

My immediate response is "why would you WANT to stop flying to be a JA?" Perhaps if you lost your medical or lost your nerve and turned in your wings (just like Cougar!) As for the d-bag, IIRC from earlier in this soap opera, he claimed to have been a JA first, then went to UPT, which is entirely possible although not bloody likely.

After you've listened to their side of the story, just repeat after me: "That's great Amn Snuffy. Can we go talk to your OIC now?" I generally consider it very bad form to pull rank on someone, but this seems to be the only phrase that works with these people. 90% of the time you will never need to actually talk with the OIC, because your problem will be magically corrected. The rest of the time, the other O is usually more than helpful. At least that's been my experience.

69, of course. The mental image of a pilot in full-up pressure suit trying to lean over with a magnetic claw while at 69,000 feet to pick up 5 dropped pencils is pretty funny. May I suggest tying a string on the pencil next time?

Are they fooking kidding me?!?!? I sure as hell wish the Air Force had given me an "18 month temporary medical retirement" so I could go knock out my master's degree (with AF paid tuition assistance, no doubt). It's nice to see her PTSD is SOOOOO terrible that she can't do her highly challenging, mentally draining, and physically demanding regular AF job in the MPF, but still manages to run marathons and study for an advanced degree. I don't know what's worse...Metzger for pulling this crap, or the Air Force for letting her get away with it. YGBSM.

You had to have known what response you'd get around here when you lead off with that sentence! Making blanket generalizations about FAIPs and folks in general isn't really a great idea. I agree that some IPs "just don't get it", but you'll find people with a small picture in any career field, at any base. It sounds like this is a friend of a friend heard from a friend that some A1C said such-and-such. If you are the person that actually overheard this, a simple "Excuse me...I may be a student, but I am still and officer" type comment would have been sufficient. Sorry, but here is where you lose me. You are not my peer. Once you get your wings then, in some sense, we will be peers. Adding stress to your life IS part of their job! If you can't handle stress in the flight room at groundspeed zero, how will you ever handle it in an airplane that is on fire?? In the pilot world, typically, experieced=better. Not always true, but the 80% rule certainly applies. Especially for student pilots vs. IPs. You may not think so, but you have NO skill compared to most of the guys who are teaching you. Even the FAIPs.

I mostly agree with you, but you have to admit that the AF memorial definitely gets you looking skyward. My personal favorite is the Franklin D. Roosevelt memorial. It's quite a hike from any of the others (across the tidal basin) but definitely worth it. There are also great views of the other memorials across the tidal basin from there.

Distrubed "10,000 Fists" - After 25 years of trying, finally a Phil Collins song I can stand to listen to (they covered "Land of Confusion"). The rest of the CD is pretty good as well. Avenged Sevenfold "City of Evil" - Young band but definitely a hint of "old metal" in their style Metallica - All albums except St. Anger - They were my favorite in high school many moons ago, and remain so today! Godsmack - "4" YouTube is a great source for videos from these and most modern artists...check out this Godsmack drum solo (7 minutes).. I saw them open for Metallica in 2004...GREAT show!

Every time a chick does something stupid in the AF news (re: Airman charged with threesome thread), it makes me wonder "WTF is the story with the crazy b1tch of the year??" and revive this thread again. Another google search, and nothing new it seems. This is a good review of the situation however. Again I say...WTF!? Does the FOIA cover this sort of thing? At what point can we start requesting the FBI reports and such?

AMEN! Although I do agree that if it brings in the ladies, then go with it. Long island iced tea is always a good go-to (see: Auger Inn recipe in 1 liter carafe). In case you SNAPs need a refresher: 1. Captain Morgan 2. Coke OR 1. Wild turkey So easy a copilot can do it.

I thought I told you to go Combat Sent or Cobra Ball? I thought I even called up there to put in a good word to help make that happen? Do you believe me now??? Nobody ever f_cking listens. Barney: There is more to life in the RC-135 than the Rivet Joint. Of all the airplanes at Offutt, that would be my LAST choice. Check out the Combat Sent or Cobra Ball. Much better deployment locations, lower TDY rate, and IMHO a more interesting "EWO-centered" mission. The RC-135 community has some of the best career broadening opportunities out there, bar none. You could get stationed at Kadena or Mildenhall in one of the attached squadrons, you can go to weapons school, there are a metric ton of NSA, NAIC, nav school, AIA, etc etc jobs out there. That is on the EWO side at least. You only need to read the AF headlines with all the talk of ISR and future missions to see the writing on the wall. ISR is where it's at. I never believed that until I was assigned to the AFOG post-9/11. I was able to do some work on the CSAF's morning brief, and it utterly amazed me every day. There would be 1 slide (of ~30 or so) that covered ALL airlift and refueling missions...probably 300-400 missions all lumped together. There would then be 1 slide each for the RJ, CS, CB, and U-2....which would equate to about 10 sorties total. Do the math. What was the CSAF interested in? It sure as hell wasn't the 690th KC-135 sortie or C-130 trash haul.

In my experience (tankers) there is no difference between AD and ANG crews. If anything, I would say most ANG pilots are more proficient that the typical AD guy. The reason is experience. The average ANG pilot is older, probably has prior enlisted experience, and probably had a hell of a lot more flying experience prior to UPT. Also, ANG guys tend to stay around a lot longer and their primary job is almost always flying...versus AD where you may be a pilot, but your Group Exec job takes up 90% of your time. I fly less hours than AD (because we mill about the flagpole a lot more vs. extended drone sorties from the Died) but my sortie count and significant proficiency events (landings, takeoffs, etc) are much higher. Our pilot average is ~3000 hours. I suspect that is a tad higher than the AD. As for ANG or AD being "more prepared"...we all have the exact same training requirements. I have to do all the same CBTs, ground training, flying training events, checkride requirements (with the same grading criteria), currency requirements, etc as any AD person. There is NO difference. Except we have to get our requirements done in only 1 mandatory ground training day per month. I would not let the level of training or preparedness of either the AD or ANG be a determining factor. Base your decision on airframe, location, PCS potential, unit cohesion, or any number of other factors.