How do you feel about your airframe and mission?

[Tonerd]

Looking for some info on the KC-46. Currently a T-1 FAIP with assignments on the horizon. Wondering how the  locations are and family life? What’s the mission look right now and is the 46 something people should want to do?

 

 Thanks for any info y’all can give!

[Guest PeggyDriver46]

6 hours ago, Tonerd said:

Looking for some info on the KC-46. Currently a T-1 FAIP with assignments on the horizon. Wondering how the  locations are and family life? What’s the mission look right now and is the 46 something people should want to do?

 

 Thanks for any info y’all can give!

DM'd

[Majestik Møøse]

Still a U-2 guy, still the best job in the world. We’re always looking for kickass Bros that want to work hard and do cool things, so give us a call.

[StoleIt]

89th guy now. If you want to occasionally fly in blues but go to awesome locations then don't immediately delete the MyPers email for once.

[texancrier]

13 hours ago, StoleIt said:

89th guy now. If you want to occasionally fly in blues but go to awesome locations then don't immediately delete the MyPers email for once.

Any current info on the application process, or where to find it? Currently first assignment C-5 and interested. Know next to nothing about applying.

[Standby]

6 minutes ago, texancrier said:

Any current info on the application process, or where to find it? Currently first assignment C-5 and interested. Know next to nothing about applying.

AMS Robot emails. Typically 3 hiring boards per year. One closed out yesterday. Applications typically due ~1-2mos  before in-person interviews which are mandatory attendance if selected to interview. In-person interview is about a 6 day calendar commit but can be shorter depending on your circumstances.

Min requirements used to have cut-offs for hours and the like , but the following are still true: AC or above in an MWS, IP in any manned aircraft, no single-seat only, 3 years TOS by a cut-off date, current/passing PT score.

I PM’d you a link. 

[Ch33s3]

Howdy! Just curious about the 46, hoping for some updated gouge ferda boys looking to move that way

 

1.  Ops Tempo/Deployment

        How much do you fly, how often do you get trips? (good and or bad ones)

2.  Lifestyle/ Family Stability

       Typical PCS cycle in effect for y’all?

3. Community morale

4. Advancements & Future of the airframe

       Timeline for AC/IP upgrades?

5. Preferred PCS Locations

[12xu2a3x3]

On 5/24/2022 at 7:53 PM, Ch33s3 said:

Howdy! Just curious about the 46, hoping for some updated gouge ferda boys looking to move that way

 

 

1.  Ops Tempo/Deployment

        How much do you fly, how often do you get trips? (good and or bad ones)

2.  Lifestyle/ Family Stability

       Typical PCS cycle in effect for y’all?

3. Community morale

4. Advancements & Future of the airframe

       Timeline for AC/IP upgrades?

5. Preferred PCS Locations

i am not a 46 guy (yet) but i just had dinner with a 46 friend and he answered some of this so, fwiw:

 

1. still in testing so no traditional deployments right now, not sure how long this will last. on the road one week a month is the standard, more available as desired.

 

2. not quite as typical as it will probably end up being, but people are still able to take in community assignments. vectors outside are probably a few years away.

 

3. people seem to like flying the plane quite a bit, especially coming from older aircraft. can't speak to the pulse of the whole community.

 

4. hearing a year or so ac to ip but it depends.

 

5. Pease, McGuire and Shady J all coming online, Travis and i hear March to follow. McConnell and Altus are what they are.

[Guest PeggyDriver46]

I've been a 46 guy for awhile now. DM me and I'll answer literally any question you have about it that I can. I don't want my answers blasted out in public, especially with number 3. 

[StrikeOut312]

6 hours ago, LoveDumpster said:

I've been a 46 guy for awhile now. DM me and I'll answer literally any question you have about it that I can. I don't want my answers blasted out in public, especially with number 3. 

Say no more fam, that about sums it up for the -46.

[Runr6730]

17 hours ago, StrikeOut312 said:

Say no more fam, that about sums it up for the -46.

I’ll bite on #3.  The community is still figuring out what it’s culture will look like as it builds its capabilities past those if legacy tanker platforms.  This is more prevalent on the AD-side, where they purposely built the initial cadre with folks from 21+ different backgrounds to develop a diverse range of thought and tactical experience.  On the ANG/AFRC side the community is largely prior KC-135 drivers. These things take time to work out.

[Scooter14]

On the ANG/AFRC side the community is largely prior KC-135 drivers.

These things take time to work out.

Which unit are you with?

The two ANG/AFRC units on the east coast have prior AV-8B, A-10, F-15E, F/A-18, MV-22, KC-130, E-6, F-16, C-17, C-5, KC-10, RC-135, guys who have exchange tours, former CRG guys, former loadmasters turned pilot or boom as well as KC-135 guys.

Many flew the KC-135 pre-conversion, but don’t sell their experiences outside of the community short. The ARC also “purpose built” their units to incorporate guys with receiver AAR, Datalink, etc experiences.

EDIT Plus, unlike the AD, the ARC units tend to retain this talent because they are not subject to a PCS cycle.

I will agree when you have this melting pot it does take time to work out.

[Majestik Møøse]

9 hours ago, Runr6730 said:

I’ll bite on #3.  The community is still figuring out what it’s culture will look like as it builds its capabilities past those if legacy tanker platforms.  This is more prevalent on the AD-side, where they purposely built the initial cadre with folks from 21+ different backgrounds to develop a diverse range of thought and tactical experience.  On the ANG/AFRC side the community is largely prior KC-135 drivers. These things take time to work out.

What sorts of capabilities? Is it about getting more fuel to more people or is it a distraction from that?

[dream big]

10 hours ago, Majestik Møøse said:

What sorts of capabilities? Is it about getting more fuel to more people or is it a distraction from that?

Probably more about getting fuel to people who need it *closer* to the fight? 

[FLEA]

18 hours ago, dream big said:

Probably more about getting fuel to people who need it *closer* to the fight? 

I was thinking they were going to put another pipe down the boom that plugged into some additional plumbing that filled a Rip It dispenser. Was that still not on the POM? 

[timberlin]

On 5/29/2022 at 11:06 PM, Majestik Møøse said:

What sorts of capabilities? Is it about getting more fuel to more people or is it a distraction from that?

Outside of the higher fuel load, talking with some of the early cadre, they are able to conduct AAR at much lower speeds than the -10 and -135 (don't know what is class or unclass for their stuff, so I won't post the number I was told).  This is a pretty big win for the power deficient receivers.

[ClearedHot]

On 5/29/2022 at 11:06 PM, Majestik Møøse said:

What sorts of capabilities?

More cud chewing capability.

[Orbit]

On 5/29/2022 at 11:06 PM, Majestik Møøse said:

What sorts of capabilities?

A really big refrigerator and cold AC.

[lkgray11]

Hello! I am currently going through pilot training and wondering if some folks would be willing to give some updated info on deployments/time away from home and lifestyle.

I am mostly interested in these airframes. All help is appreciated! Trying to learn more to do what is best for my family. Thanks in advance.

C-17
C-130 (all variants)
KC-46
KC-135
RC-135
C-21

[dream big]

14 hours ago, lkgray11 said:

Hello! I am currently going through pilot training and wondering if some folks would be willing to give some updated info on deployments/time away from home and lifestyle.

I am mostly interested in these airframes. All help is appreciated! Trying to learn more to do what is best for my family. Thanks in advance.

C-17
C-130 (all variants)
KC-46
KC-135
RC-135
C-21

C-130J: “Deployments” are 6 months on 18 months off…with opportunities to switch out at the 3 month point.  Quotations as CENTCOM deployments are significantly more chill with the drawdown.  
 

Only stateside units deploy, expect a 3-4 day TDY per month besides that.  Not bad at all.  Overseas units don’t deploy but are TDY much more often.  PM me with questions. 

[Fly4five]

Hello! I am currently going through pilot training and wondering if some folks would be willing to give some updated info on deployments/time away from home and lifestyle.

I am mostly interested in these airframes. All help is appreciated! Trying to learn more to do what is best for my family. Thanks in advance.

C-17
C-130 (all variants)
KC-46
KC-135
RC-135
C-21

KC-135 has been a great aircraft to fly up until Blk45 became more of a negative than a positive (see autopilot issues in other threads) but for as old as she is she is really a great plane to fly. The 135 is definitely a more hands on airplane to fly that you have to handle and understand we don't have the automation many newer airframes have.

Deployments: all depends on your unit but right now we're doing squadron Deployments and those are lasting about 4 months but with covid and times changing we're seeing a lot of changes.

Ops tempo is extremely high right now. As a copilot it won't be too bad for you but once you upgrade expect to be other road a lot TDY and etc. The KC-10 is slowly going off line so we have been picking up a lot of taskings and we've even had to cancel leave for ACs we are so short manned. Let me know what other questions you have but overall I've liked my time in the tanker.

Sent from my SM-F926U1 using Baseops Network mobile app

[12xu2a3x3]

On 11/7/2017 at 1:25 AM, Springer said:

RF-4C

1.  Ops tempo:   Outstanding.  Best kept secret.   Basically a flying club.  As a 1Lt it's your airplane with great responsibility; "All we ask is bring it back in one piece."  Flying is mostly low level single ship to where ever YOU and your WSO decide to go that day.  Not flying,  review your film from previous day, do a tour in the RSU, perhaps a little studying in the vault, shelf check at the BX.   TDY's and deployments minimal and considered a good deal.  AAR training every couple of months. Night AAR is always scheduled with a full moon.  If stationed in Germany always save a little fuel for the fur ball with whomever is trolling along the Rhine.

2.  LIfestyle/family:  Could not be better.  Home every day by 5.  No working weekends.  If stationed in Germany most have a rental Swiss chalet for the winter skiing months.

3.  Community morale:  Excellent.  Surprising amount of fellow pilots UPT DG's.  Some turned down fighters to fly Recce.  Everyone works and pulls together.

4.  Advancement & Future of Airframe:  Terrible, once Recce always Recce according to MPC although I managed a 4 yr OA-37 assignment to DM.  (another flying club).  NO future dedicated manned Recce airframes.

5. Preferred PCS locations:  Zweibrucken, Alconbury, Bergstrom.

Oh crap, just got up from a nap.  Dreaming it was 1977 and not 2017!  Sorry guys, you missed a great time in the AF.  10 years AD then off to a legacy airline.                         

 

woke up thinking about this incredible post the other day, had to RT for old times sake

[FLEA]

24 minutes ago, 12xu2a3x3 said:

woke up thinking about this incredible post the other day, had to RT for old times sake

That really was a phenomenal post. Someone needs to dig this dude up again and buy him beers. 

[Karl Hungus]

Flown with a bunch of former RF-4C, RF-111 , etc guys in the civilian job.  Great stories abound.  Many of them convey some regret that they didn’t get a “better” (their words, more or less) fighter- F-16, F-15, etc.  I tell them that it’s all relative- people would kill to have F-4 and F-111 opportunities these days.  Their jaws drop when I describe to them how ridiculously awful modern day AF is, and how they’d find it completely unrecognizable.

[Springer]

On 7/22/2022 at 10:06 AM, Karl Hungus said:

Flown with a bunch of former RF-4C, RF-111 , etc guys in the civilian job.  Great stories abound.  Many of them convey some regret that they didn’t get a “better” (their words, more or less) fighter- F-16, F-15, etc.  I tell them that it’s all relative- people would kill to have F-4 and F-111 opportunities these days.  Their jaws drop when I describe to them how ridiculously awful modern day AF is, and how they’d find it completely unrecognizable.

A few that stuck around for 20 did get fighters as the Recce sqds were closing down.  That one low level ride we received in the -38 turned me on to the RF-4C and made a career killing move taking it over the F-4.  Only regret was not having a chance to fly the F-5E.

LL is still in my blood as I flew a 1.5 hr "sortie" this morning and never got above 1000' agl.