No more T-1 team sorties

[Guest awalkertx]

Word here at Laughlin is that as of this morning all team sorties in the T-1 have been cancelled here on out. Love them budget cuts!

[Zepplin559]

Word here at Laughlin is that as of this morning all team sorties in the T-1 have been cancelled here on out. Love them budget cuts!

I didn't know that they had even been reinstated.... There were no team sorties when I went through Tones at Vance in '03. That sucks for you guys, those would have been pretty cool.

[Aurora85]

we were one of the last classes to get them here at xl..it was a blast. they have been trying to throw them out for awhile now

[Guest PilotKD]

No team sorties at CBM in '04 for us. I thought I remember something about stress cracks in the landing gear that they were inspecting, but I'm not sure. I never knew they were reinstated either. I couldn't imagine the Air Force ever letting two new pilots go play as PIC's in a Beechjet anyway. Seems like an open invitation for bafoonery.

[Techsan]

Word here at Laughlin is that as of this morning all team sorties in the T-1 have been cancelled here on out. Love them budget cuts!

Budget cuts? If they are looking to save a little cash, why don't they cut a few of those good-for-nothing copilot rides they had, and leave to team rides. Damn those good deal police!!

I never got a team sortie either.

[Mambo]

What's a Team Sortie? Just curious...

[CHS17]

What's a Team Sortie? Just curious...

Two T-1 studs trying not to kill themselves on a simple out and back. Similar to T-38 solo x-country.

[SPiF]

You'd figure for cutting costs, they wouldn't skimp on the initial skills-type training, they'd skimp on qual rides and training rides.

IMHO, getting the skills should take priority over other things. Granted, keeping skills honed especially in today's AF is important. But kinda like riding a bike, it's easier to do it again after you've learned it once than to try to learn it the first time.

[Guest AKANGselectee]

In our welcome brief to the T-1 squadron here at Vance this week they mentioned the team ride and that we may be able to do it. They did mention the thing was under review, but that seemed to have been the deal for some time. We haven't heard anything else yet. Hope we get to try it out.

[speedy782]

I got to do the team sortie a little over a year ago at CBM. As far as I know it is still around, however, I don't know what the future is for it. It was a good time. Went to Lake Charles and got the crawfish etoufee.

[SUX]

The team sortie was a fun flight but we could only fly one approach to a full stop. So in my opinion the training received was pretty minimal.

[Phil Ken Sebben]

Yet another of the many reasons to go HERCS. The T-44/TC-12 AIRNAV solo. Even though the typical spring gulf coast fog screwed us out of 4 hours flight time it was still cool to take the plane somewhere else without being evaluated the entire time.

[nrodgsxr]

No team sorties at CBM in '04 for us. I thought I remember something about stress cracks in the landing gear that they were inspecting, but I'm not sure. I never knew they were reinstated either. I couldn't imagine the Air Force ever letting two new pilots go play as PIC's in a Beechjet anyway. Seems like an open invitation for bafoonery.

buffoonery? no way..

Edited April 29, 2007 by Kraeji

[brabus]

According to a T-1 IP I know here at Vance, they do a team sortie in the sense that two studs do go by themselves, but they're part of a "train" of jets taking off where the first jet has 2 IPs, then the next 4 have studs, then the last one has 2 IPs...and they all go to the same place. So it would be cooler to just go some place completely by yourself, but at least they still have rides where there's no IP in the jet with you.

[Flare]

According to a T-1 IP I know here at Vance, they do a team sortie in the sense that two studs do go by themselves, but they're part of a "train" of jets taking off where the first jet has 2 IPs, then the next 4 have studs, then the last one has 2 IPs...and they all go to the same place. So it would be cooler to just go some place completely by yourself, but at least they still have rides where there's no IP in the jet with you.

That's the same way the T-38 solo O&Bs (Bobos) happen here at Sheppard.

[brabus]

Same goes for the 38s here at Vance...forgot to mention that.

[Boxhead]

Yeah, NASCC was letting two students go as far as one bag of gas could take them, spend the night, then return the next day. Then, they had some WX keep them out an extra day or two and they had to be "rescued" by two IPs...since the solo was only authorized to take place with in a certain time frame after the checkout. So, while the class before me did that cool thing, I did a huge circle around Texas to Randolph, then back the other way once we swapped seats.

I hear that has fluctuated a few times since then (2002) (eg, "yeah, go out all weekend, no wait, stay here and go in a circle") No matter what, it was fun.

Edited April 30, 2007 by Boxhead

[Champ Kind]

Did my T-44 solo XC from Corpus to Pensacola. We really just wanted to go to Corpus Int'l and taxi around for four hours and then get some slushies at the FBO, but oh well.

Came back and shot the ILS down to 50' above mins. Fun stuff.

"Dude, do you see the rwy yet?"

"Nope"

"....see it yet?"

"Nope.... Wait, I see it! I see it!"

"Props full fwd, three down and loc.... SCREECH"

Fun stuff.

The training itself (one to a full stop) may seem lame, but there's something to be said in training for letting two studs take a plane out away from home station (without getting violated or dying).

[pcola]

Class 06-03 was the first to do Team sorties after it was reinstated. Sometime around September '05. Guess that didn't last long. Oh well, knowing some of the guys in Vance 06-03, I'm surprised it lasted more than a month.

When I went we had a jet with 2 IP's, 3 jets with 2 studs each, then a trailing jet with 2 IP's. I believe we took off in 10 minute intervals. You would hear the other crews screwing up the radios, but other than that you wouldn't see anybody else on the "gay train" until you landed.

[Zippy]

Did my T-44 solo XC from Corpus to Pensacola. We really just wanted to go to Corpus Int'l and taxi around for four hours and then get some slushies at the FBO, but oh well.

Came back and shot the ILS down to 50' above mins. Fun stuff.

"Dude, do you see the rwy yet?"

"Nope"

"....see it yet?"

"Nope.... Wait, I see it! I see it!"

"Props full fwd, three down and loc.... SCREECH"

Fun stuff.

The training itself (one to a full stop) may seem lame, but there's something to be said in training for letting two studs take a plane out away from home station (without getting violated or dying).

Gotta love it.

Airnav copilot was the best duty to waiting to get winged... except when they sked you with an Italian student

"He's the A/C for the flight, but you signed for the plane so its your ass if he F's it up."

"And why don't we get soft winged here???"

By the time i was out of there, I was one trip away from the free Freebirds Burrito.

Edited April 30, 2007 by Zippy

[Guest Warhawk]

The training itself (one to a full stop) may seem lame, but there's something to be said in training for letting two studs take a plane out away from home station (without getting violated or dying).

I agree. I think it will make the transition from co-pilot to a/c a little easier, esp. on that first flight that you are the only a/c onboard. You've managed before. That and team sortie made for some good stories. Hearing your buds fvcking up on the radio is also entertaining.

-WARHAWK-

[Guest Safe&Clear]

After almost 3 years of trying, I finally got the C-12 AIRNAV solo back to a real trip. Although still not overnight, I convinced the CO to approve about 20 potential destinations for out/backs. (It previously was TWO!) And for those of you who remember the gay-a$$ "Texas Round Robin", it's now gone!

Enjoy, guys....

[Herk Mafia]

I think it will make the transition from co-pilot to a/c a little easier

I dont think a team sortie has any bearing on a persons ease of transition from co-pilot to AC. 800+ hours in your MWS and a couple deployments under your belt make for an easier transition to AC.

[Guest Safe&Clear]

It does help the transition from "simulated AC" (which is most of UPT) to Copilot-- which is what you'll be for the next 3 years.

At some point students need to realize that the dude sitting next to em ain't perfect so they'll help out and speak up. A team-solo with a peer teaches the lesson well.

Heck, I don't think I realized it until I was CP for ClearedHot on his AC check! :)

[Rocker]

The night pattern solo at Corpus was pretty cool too. Barely halfway through the program, flying a King Air with your buddy at night. Nice little morale booster and milestone to cross. The Navy, for all its gayness, it's definitely a lot more trusting of studs than the Air Force.