FUSEPLUG

"Use your situational awareness, your critical thinking, your wingmen, and make the right decision." Holy cliche, Batman! Those terms have officially lost all meaning.

Can a 130 even fly that high?

I've never worn glasses while flying until recently. The eyes don't like the sunrise much after a 5 hour ocean crossing, so I went out and bought a $20 pair of glasses at Target. (Not sure what brand, but they have the Ironman logo on them so they match my watch... a definate fashion statement). They get pretty badly abused so I didn't want to go with anything that I would feel bad about replacing every six months. As far as the headset issue goes, I've tried wearing them under the earcups, but it really kills a lot of the noise attenuation (especially if you use the Oregon Aero comfort kit), so I've started wearing them propped up on top of the earcup so they angle downward. I know it kills a lot of the coolness factor, but I still get good coverage over the eyes and it's very easy to take them off if I need to look down at the pedastal or something like that. I look like an old man peering through bifocals, but it works.

Playing the devil's advocate here... I'd keep my mouth shut at this point. Apparently you're supposed to remember every time you've EVER been to a doctor when you're filling out that paper work. I'm sorry, but that's just insane. I was truthful and mentioned a doctor's visit that I wish I never had. Two years and an appeal to the Surgeon General later... let's just say I'd be an 0-3 by now. The MEPS is where they are going to screw you. They will find anything wrong to send you packing. Get your class date, commission, get through UPT, and if it ever comes up again, I'd be very suprised. Again, I'm just playing the devil's advocate... I commend you on wanting to make the correction. If I were in your position, I would just continue along on the ride, and if anyone specifically asks, then be truthful. To this point you haven't "lied" about anything. Good luck!

I had grayout issues on nearly every flight in the Tweet. During contact, to max perform the jet, instead of "pulling the to tickle," I would "pull to the tunnel." I strained the best I could, and felt that I had a good technique going, but I just had no tolerance. It usually started right around 4 G's. I wasn't too concerned about it because I knew from my second or third flight that I wanted to go heavies, but there was a time or two where I was about a half second from hitting the stick to knock-off the instructors cloverleaf demonstration. Never G-LOC'd though. Keep on top of the strain maneuver and if the problem continues past midphase (do they still have that checkride?) I'd go back and talk to the folks in Flight Physiology. I guarantee they will be more than happy to sit down with you for an hour and work on your AGSM.

I actually have spent quite a few hours in a military aircraft conducting training in a MOA. I too was a civilian pilot and instructor for 10 years before I ever got into a military aircraft. This isn't a military vs. civilian argument, nor is it an argument of who has the right to what airspace. This is a matter of how the airspace is regulated. I agree 100% that it can be dangerous when civilian traffic starts intermixing with military traffic in these MOAs. God help the poor soul that decides to roll through a Tweet MOA. My point is that there are a lot of high-speed maneuvers going on in these MOA's but for some reason the FAA and the Military see no reason to keep the respective traffic in these areas separate. ATC will vector IFR traffic around a MOA, but the regs set no limits for VFR aircraft. Until such a time that the rules change (and I would support that), GA pilots should continue to use extra vigilance, request flight following, and traverse MOAs as necessary. As for the "50$" comment... you know as well as I do that money plays a much bigger part in the flight planning of a civilian pilot than it does in the military. Sure we have all these fuel-saving initiatives and whatever in the AF, but when some 16 year old kid is trying to knock out his private pilot cross country, that $50 in gas is a big deal.

You shouldn't be sorry and you made no misjudgement. Until MOA's become Prohibited or Restricted, you have every right in the world to be there. You did everything that you are legally required to do to transit that airspace. Part 1 of FARs defines a MOA as "...airspace established outside Class A airspace to separate or segregate certain non-hazardous military activities from IFR Traffic and to identify for VFR traffic where these activities are conducted." The AIM Section 3-4-5 subpart c says: "Pilots operating under VFR should exercise extreme caution while flying within a MOA when military activity is being conducted." It goes on to say that, "Prior to entering an active MOA, pilots should contact the controlling agency for traffic advisories." In otherwords ATC would have kept you out of there if you were IFR. You were aware of the MOA and even knew it was hot before transiting so you were extra vigilant. That's the whole point of that piece of airspace for VFR traffic. If you weren't receiving Flight Following, maybe you could have called the nearest ATC facility for advisories as stated in the AIM, but that certainly isn't a requirement. I wouldn't go out of my way to start flying around MOA's while VFR. If its a short deviation off course to miss a portion of a MOA, then sure. But if I'm going to burn an extra $50 in fuel (we're talking 172's here) to fly around, then forget it.

When we come out of Altus' Pilot Initial Qual (PIQ) program we are considered "First Pilots." What this means exactly, I don't know. But from day one, as long as we are with an IP, we can fly from either left or right seat during all phases of flight and on missions. There is no real system (that I've seen) for determining who flys from which seat. It's usually just a "which seat you want?" when we get to the jet. Sometimes an IP will feel more comfortable flying from the left seat if we are doing AR or something like that, but most of the time they try to get FP's in the left seat to build confidence. My understading of the upgrade process now is that when we go back to Altus for PCO (Pilot Checkout?) we're expected to be somewhat proficient in flying assaults and holding contact in AR (to name a few items). It's more of a "checkout" than an instructional program. When we get back to our unit, we do a few buddy rides as "acting AC" before finally doing an operational mission with an evaluator for certification as AC. That's a couple years down the road for me, so I can't speak too intelligently on it, but that's what I've heard. I'm sure someone will be able to elaborate.

Sounds like someone was trying to rehack their noisy currency at the wrong time... a simple mistake.

Just one more thing for future airmen to memorize at BMT/OTS/ROTC/AFA Wasn't the Code of Conduct more than enough?

No they can't... cause it's President's Day. It can wait til Tuesday.

A dude in my class was Security Forces in his enlisted days. After soloing, he walked from the flighline to the cop shop (chute and all) and had one of the guys on duty throw him in handcuffs and drive him back to the squadron in the cop car. The cop escorted our 'cuffed classmate through the halls of the squadron to the flight room. That definately got some looks from IP's and other students in the hallway. Needless to say, we weren't going to let SF get him into the flightroom. He was promptly tackled at the doorway, the handcuffs were removed, and he went for a swim. It was pretty cool of the SF guys to play along (probably the most exciting thing that happened to them all week on an AETC base).

Fill in the blank (usually a Bonanza) and that's how most GA accident investigation stories begin...

ABCs of an engine failure. Airspeed - Best glide Best place to land Checklist - There are different techniques out there that people use for a restart attempt and then for securing the engine before touchdown. In the Cessnas I always taught the inverted L as a logical flow for making sure everything was set up properly for an attmepted restart. Fuel Selector on Throttle just out of idle Mixture full rich Carb heat on (if not fuel injected) Mags on both Master switch on Engage starter if its not windmilling Securing of the engine before touch down is just shutting everything off in reverse order. Of course nothing replaces actual use of the POH checklist, so take it for what it's worth.

I just went cross country in January and ended up doubling up with a classmate in Nashville for a night because the place was over the $70 or so we were alloted for hotel. Even the IP's were buddying up. The hotel split the bills in half and no one ever said a thing about it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that "Clearance on Request" from ATC means that they are actually coordinating with Center (or whatever higher power) to work you into the system. The controller is telling you that he/she is still awaiting your clearance so he/she can issue it to you. Once they have it they will come back with something like "I have your clearance advise when ready to copy..." So for you to "request" your clearance at that point is moot because the controller doesn't even have it yet. That always confused me in Tweets when we'd tell Clearance Delivery, "Tweet 01, clearance on request..." And they'd provide the clearance at that point. Probably not good phraseology to take on to Non-UPT bases/civilian airports.

Do people ever use car covers when leaving their car for the extended periods of time at OTS? I can't imagine the Alabama sun is too good for the paint, or (God forbid) a hail storm.

So how do those guys log their V-22 time? Is it fixed wing or rotary... or is it divided somehow?

It took me almost one year to the day from when I first met my recuiter to the time I found out I was selected. My FC1 then came 3 months later! You have the commissioning physical, AFOQT, the paperwork, and of course the chance you may need a medical appeal or waiver BEFORE going to the FC1. Get all that stuff out of the way, then once you are selected you can worry about the FC1, and by that time you'll probably have had a year since the PRK.

I have to agree with Mike P. I went to Purdue but my girlfriend at the time went to WMU. I was always floored by the women in Kalamazoo compared to West Lafayette. Regarding your question: Purdue has a great flight program. I've been out two years now and head to OTS in April. Many of my classmates and friends have since gone on to the regional airlines, but several of the more intelligent graduates have, or are working on, careers in the Air Force. Of the approximately 60 pilots that I graduated with, I can think of at least 7 that are, or will be, flying either Active Duty or with the Reserves.

Would going for the C-21 increase one's chances of eventually getting into something like a C-37, C-32, or C-40? Or are those aircraft usually flown by guys who've been in for quite a while?

What would cause someone to become medically DQ'd during UPT? Isn't the FC1 the big hurdle to get by, and doesn't that happen before UPT?