How do you feel about your airframe and mission?

[FLEA]

23 minutes ago, Springer said:

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.

Fucking legend. 

[ThreeHoler]

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.

Tanker wise it is a slightly larger -135 with a “new” -10 boom. Same min AR speed for the boom so I don’t know what you’ve been told. It is mediocre as a tanker when comparing the legacy tankers, but it does have AC on the ground and a real lavatory.

Mission systems are the difference and they include capes sorely needed across the MAF fleet. But big AMC doesn’t understand or appear to care about TDL, etc.

[Guest PeggyDriver46]

19 hours ago, ThreeHoler said:

 

Tanker wise it is a slightly larger -135 with a “new” -10 boom. Same min AR speed for the boom so I don’t know what you’ve been told. It is mediocre as a tanker when comparing the legacy tankers, but it does have AC on the ground and a real lavatory.

Mission systems are the difference and they include capes sorely needed across the MAF fleet. But big AMC doesn’t understand or appear to care about TDL, etc.

 

Are you a 46 driver or are you just saying things you've heard about other planes?

I'll make a 46 one later. In reality, it changes about every 6 months. We're rapidly approaching FOC, and when we get the RVS 2.0 upgrade it'll be a big game changer. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by LoveDumpster

[Guest PeggyDriver46]

KC-46. 

In reality, this should be redone every 6-9 months because the airframe is moving rapidly. A lot of stuff with this aircraft does should not be discussed publicly, therefore you'll need to forgive me for I am intentionally leaving details on capes and operational employment low; because if you don't think this website is being datamined - you're wrong. There are unfriendly people to the United States extremely interested in this aircraft. It is not your typical tanker, nor will we operate like one

1.  Ops Tempo/Deployment. 
Right now we're a TDY/Coronet beast, and not currently deploying. We're doing deployment concept tests around the world to see how this will shake out in the future. At home station, expect to fly once or twice a week. IPs always fly more. Sorties are usually 5-6 hours. 

2.  Lifestyle/ Family Stability
Kind of ties into one. I'm gone much less than I was in my last jet, but it still adds up. We're playing in lots of exercises, doing many coronets (fighter drags across the ocean). Something you should know - if you come here do NOT expect to leave. Many were not told this. If you're 46s, you're going to be 46s for life. I've only seen one guy escape the 46, and he was the wing king's pet project going off to do bigger things. It's VERY slow for upgrade. There are very competent copilots that have been flying it for years that have yet to upgrade. ACs will stay ACs for a very long time before they put on IP. 

3. Community morale
It was not good, but it's getting better. A lot of the leadership are the "MAF fastburner types", which I should clarify should not be used as a complement. Generally difficult people to work with. When the 46 came online - the shiny pennies from every community were thrown together and basically made to start from scratch on the rack and stack. The retention in the KC-46 community should tell you everything you need to know. I know of ONE guy near his commitment that isn't running for the exit. One. However, not to be gloom and doom - but it is getting better. As time ticked on, many of the "MAF fastburner types" are put in their containment zone at big AMC, or hung up their boots for good because no guard/reserve unit wants to hire them. We're getting more and more normal bros instead of the shiny pennies, which ironically are way easier to operate with. On the jet - it still has that new car smell, we have a fully functioning lavatory, a coffee maker, and a real oven. 

4. Advancements & Future of the airframe
It's no secret that the KC-46 had some teething issues when it first showed up. However, since I've been in most of those have been fixed (can't just be a coincidence 😉 ). We are rapidly approaching FOC. When I first showed up we were only allowed to refuel with other KC-46s and C-17s, and now we can do almost every single aircraft in the US inventory. We're taking over a lot of specialized mission sets of other tankers just because we're simply better equipped for them, and we've pulled the experience from those aircraft. The jet is a lot of fun to fly, and is very easy to work with. Once we're FOC we're going to be better than the 135 at everything (except they have Kadena and Mildenhall), and vs the KC-10 we won't be able to put the sheer volume of gas in the air as them, but we'll be better at them at literally everything else.

5. Preferred PCS locations 
We only have a few on the menu now:

McConnell, Altus (FTU), McGuire, Pease (TFI), Seymour (TFI), and down the line they'll be opening up Travis, MacDill, and March (TFI). RUMINT has it that PACAF wants its own iron as well, so I could maybe see something out that way. I'd guess Kadena or Hickam. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by LoveDumpster

[Standby]

I was looking at mil comp and didn’t see 767 type rating for KC-46. Do you get one during IQT?

[Guest PeggyDriver46]

1 hour ago, Standby said:

I was looking at mil comp and didn’t see 767 type rating for KC-46. Do you get one during IQT?

No. That was a thing only for the very special people that went through 767 training with the airlines way back in the day before the first jet showed up. They stopped sending people to that once Altus got spun up enough to create a product. 

[ThreeHoler]

It's VERY slow for upgrade. There are very competent copilots that have been flying it for years that have yet to upgrade. ACs will stay ACs for a very long time before they put on IP. 

It was not good, but it's getting better. A lot of the leadership are the "MAF fastburner types", which I should clarify should not be used as a complement. Generally difficult people to work with. When the 46 came online - the shiny pennies from every community were thrown together and basically made to start from scratch on the rack and stack. The retention in the KC-46 community should tell you everything you need to know. I know of ONE guy near his commitment that isn't running for the exit. One. However, not to be gloom and doom - but it is getting better. As time ticked on, many of the "MAF fastburner types" are put in their containment zone at big AMC, or hung up their boots for good because no guard/reserve unit wants to hire them. We're getting more and more normal bros instead of the shiny pennies, which ironically are way easier to operate with. On the jet - it still has that new car smell, we have a fully functioning lavatory, a coffee maker, and a real oven.

It's no secret that the KC-46 had some teething issues when it first showed up. However, since I've been in most of those have been fixed (can't just be a coincidence ). We are rapidly approaching FOC. When I first showed up we were only allowed to refuel with other KC-46s and C-17s, and now we can do almost every single aircraft in the US inventory. We're taking over a lot of specialized mission sets of other tankers just because we're simply better equipped for them, and we've pulled the experience from those aircraft. The jet is a lot of fun to fly, and is very easy to work with. Once we're FOC we're going to be better than the 135 at everything (except they have Kadena and Mildenhall), and vs the KC-10 we won't be able to put the sheer volume of gas in the air as them, but we'll be better at them at literally everything else.

Those sound like ARC/ANG upgrade times. Part of the problem is there is no “real” AC upgrade course yet. There is also no “real” IP upgrade course. There are AMC approved courses and they’re being taught pretty much anywhere but Altus. That said, on the AD side of the house people are upgrading on two paths: plaid (think Spaceballs) and normal to slow. I know people who took 9-12 months to complete MCT…and I know people who completed their PCS, PTX, all extra certs (course not yet approved by AMC), and IP upgrade in way less time. I’ve seen a split between “haves” and “have nots”…the have nots are sitting around waiting for someone to tell them what to do and when to fly…the haves are getting their shit in a sock and upgrading (whether they should or not). McConnell just spread their initial IP production across the other AD bases.

All the broad swath of people brought in at the beginning had a lot of good ideas but very few of them have survived to be passed down. Lots of good idea fairies still and tons of people making shit up instead of reading the books and fixing the problems in the books. There are two camps…the tactical patch wannabes and the tanker TOADs. Ne’er shall the two meet. That is to the detriment of the community because it needs smart crews who are good at tanker (and receiver) and good at other things too. People need to get smart on mission systems so they can effectively advocate for those systems to big AMC who doesn’t know what to do with the capes that already exist.

It is no where near FOC (RVS 2.0 and the stuff boom must be fixed first). I don’t expect it to hit IOC until at least RVS 2.0 is out. But maybe I’ll be surprised that they ramp it up…but then Boeing will likely say, “Are those really cat 1 DRs???” Yes, the current ICR allows refueling with 97% of the fleet, and there are some new JCS priorities being filled…but it will not be “operational” for political/cat 1 DR reasons (thus ECE instead of a EUCOM deployment).

The -135 doesn’t hold a candle to the capes of the -46. The -46 can’t touch the off-load capes of the -10 but the mission systems more than make up for it. The AF would be smart to skip KC-Y and but another round (or two) of KC-46s. Peggy can be a bitch…but she is what the AF needs right now even though many systems may already out of date (MIDS, MDN, CPDLC, ACARS, and so on). But the AF needs a ton more Peggys to do the mission.

I’m still waiting for the damn boom to make me some cookies.

[ThreeHoler]

No. That was a thing only for the very special people that went through 767 training with the airlines way back in the day before the first jet showed up. They stopped sending people to that once Altus got spun up enough to create a product. 

If enough people bother the FSDOs about a mil equivalent for the 767-2C then the FAA will establish one. The LDS (not the Mormons, sorry) is already in use on the 787/737MAX and being installed on the FedEx/UPS 75/76.

File a complaint with your FSDO (OK, KS, NJ, NH, NC) that the FAA hasn’t evaluated the 767-2C for inclusion under the pilot type provisions of the existing 767 type.

[Fred_breaker]

On 10/21/2021 at 9:36 PM, 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.

Reviving this comment.. feel free to ignore or PM if there's OPSEC concerns. What's the TDY rate like over there? Missions usually come back on time or get delayed out in the system? Deployments?

[StoleIt]

9 hours ago, Fred_breaker said:

Reviving this comment.. feel free to ignore or PM if there's OPSEC concerns. What's the TDY rate like over there? Missions usually come back on time or get delayed out in the system? Deployments?

No OPSEC: everywhere we go generally makes the news so kinda hard to be sneaky, regardless.

TDY rates vary drastically based on aircraft availability (down for maintenance or upgrades), your crew position, type of aircraft, the lunar calendar, your astrological sign, and world/domestic politics.

Right now, the C-32 is busy doing lots of work with the midterms. The C-40 has some overlap with midterms and also has been busy ever since Russia vs Ukraine and China vs the world has been heating up. I can't speak as much toward the C-37 since I don't have a lot of overlap with their squadron, but I imagine they are busy, too. November will be very busy for everyone.

Missions generally stay on frag. But I've also, literally, flown around to the other end of the world and extended for several days when the DV needed to be somewhere else ASAPly. Good news, maintenance reliability is way up with these jets compared to gray tail (especially compared to FRED). They are still airplanes and do occasionally have issues, but the C-40/737 is a beast of a jet. 757 doesn't have too many issues that I can think of recently, either. But it does seem like the C-37A is starting to have more and more issues pop up, but that's just a hunch, might also be the brand new C-37B's showing them up.

If you are the FNG you will be most at risk for a deployment. That doesn't mean there will be one waiting for you, though. We pretty much own a dedicated position over at the AMD so depending on your (lack of) luck/timing you could end up going to Shaw for 4-6 months.

As you work your way up the crew position pyramid you will find yourself (generally) more and more busy. Just like the rest of the Air Force, there are never enough IPs to go around. Honestly, being a copilot here is the best gig ever: no stress with mission planning, put the gear up, see the world, and very little office work stress (lots of FGO's as SELO's, schedulers, and training officers doing jobs they already did as LTs).

At the end of the day, you're an Uber driver...but at least it's an Uber Black.

[Fred_breaker]

On 10/18/2022 at 7:55 PM, StoleIt said:

Missions generally stay on frag. But I've also, literally, flown around to the other end of the world and extended for several days when the DV needed to be somewhere else ASAPly.

The messed up part is this is closer to "on frag" than 99% of FRED missions lol. Really appreciate all the info!

[Biff_T]

I'm helping out one of my Marine buddies who lost a fellow Marine 20 years ago.   I'm looking for any former Navy/Marine CH-46 pilots (or any pilots with carrier ops experience) to help answer a few questions about SAR procedures for men overboard.   

PM me if you can help.  

Thanks in advance!

[Bigred]

3 hours ago, Biff_T said:

I'm helping out one of my Marine buddies who lost a fellow Marine 20 years ago.   I'm looking for any former Navy/Marine CH-46 pilots (or any pilots with carrier ops experience) to help answer a few questions about SAR procedures for men overboard.   

PM me if you can help.  

Thanks in advance!

PM sent

[Internationalmesa]

Any C-17 pilots out of Charleston on here? How’s the mission/family life?

[BE36]

On 12/19/2022 at 12:07 AM, Internationalmesa said:

Any C-17 pilots out of Charleston on here? How’s the mission/family life?

The mission is in flux.  We are shifting to be relevant in the Pacific, and our training is modulating to accommodate, but the Bobs still needs their crap moved.  Everybody wants their piece of airlift, and the crews are left whiplashed between planning some high end near peer exercise one day, and then flying the garbage runs on their 6 month deployment to the Died the next.   Both can be great or sucky in their different ways.  

Family life is #airforceanswer ...it depends.  We have three different crew qualification levels here between Airland, Airdrop, and SOLL II - and as you move to the right on this spectrum the home life tends to get better IMO,  but you pay your dues in upgrades and trips to the FTU.   Send me a DM if you are looking for more specifics.  

[Arkbird]

6 hours ago, BE36 said:

The mission is in flux.  We are shifting to be relevant in the Pacific, and our training is modulating to accommodate, but the Bobs still needs their crap moved.  Everybody wants their piece of airlift, and the crews are left whiplashed between planning some high end near peer exercise one day, and then flying the garbage runs on their 6 month deployment to the Died the next.   Both can be great or sucky in their different ways.  

Family life is #airforceanswer ...it depends.  We have three different crew qualification levels here between Airland, Airdrop, and SOLL II - and as you move to the right on this spectrum the home life tends to get better IMO,  but you pay your dues in upgrades and trips to the FTU.   Send me a DM if you are looking for more specifics.  

Is it like this at other bases as well such as JBLM?

[dmginc]

3 hours ago, Arkbird said:

Is it like this at other bases as well such as JBLM?

Yes, with the exception of SOLII being Charleston specific. The single squadron bases are the same story, with their own nuances sprinkled in. 

[Internationalmesa]

How is the C-130J lifestyle? I know they’re doing a ton out of ramstein and yakota. Anyone have a taken on it mission wise?

[FourFans]

@Internationalmesa  I've got some thoughts to share...but give it a second...

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by FourFans130

[dream big]

4 hours ago, Internationalmesa said:

How is the C-130J lifestyle? I know they’re doing a ton out of ramstein and yakota. Anyone have a taken on it mission wise?

Same as always, work hard play hard. You’ll be busy no matter which base you go to. You’ll go to some really cool places and some not so nice places (fun in of itself). 3000’ dirt LZs and unlike the dirty H model (I jest), you’ll land there as a brand new Co. Airdrop is a lot of fun. There is a lot of GK to maintain and mission planning can result in some  long days. Leadership are generally good dudes and gals these days, and there is definitely a push to be more survivable in the first island chain so expect to be challenged when you get to the unit and be in the vault studying quite a bit. PM me with more questions. 

[Internationalmesa]

On 2/14/2023 at 11:52 PM, dream big said:

Same as always, work hard play hard. You’ll be busy no matter which base you go to. You’ll go to some really cool places and some not so nice places (fun in of itself). 3000’ dirt LZs and unlike the dirty H model (I jest), you’ll land there as a brand new Co. Airdrop is a lot of fun. There is a lot of GK to maintain and mission planning can result in some  long days. Leadership are generally good dudes and gals these days, and there is definitely a push to be more survivable in the first island chain so expect to be challenged when you get to the unit and be in the vault studying quite a bit. PM me with more questions. 

Thanks for the info. How often do you go tdy during the month? I’m assuming out of ramstein they stay pretty busy

[504PIR]

On 7/30/2016 at 3:00 PM, norskman said:

1.  Ops Tempo/Deployment

      2.  Lifestyle/ Family Stability

      3. Community morale

      4. Advancements & Future of the airframe

      5. Preferred PCS locations 

HHH-60Gs

11. Depends on the squadron. Currently deployed to a few locations worldwide.

22. Depends on the base, deployment tasking, etc... Certain bases have better travel opportunities due to their locations, (Kadena and Lakenheath)

  3. The Hawk is getting old, thus she flies less and breaks more. The young pups are flying less and less every year and it's not getting better. It's really killing morale at the bro level when the copilots fly ~4-8 hrs a month when there in dire need of experience. The mission is rewarding overall, yet Big Blue seems to still not know the proper use of its rotary-wing assets, which is frustrating considering it has employed helicopters for 50+ years. Lot of hurry up-and-wait, with knee jerk reactions in the midst.

   4. We are supposed to get the HH-60W (modified MH-60M) in FY19, I'll believe it when I see her rotors turning on a ramp somewhere.

   5. Lakenheath, Kadena, Tuscon, Nellis, Moody (in that order).

3

https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3414200/66-rqs-inactivates-june-1/

 

[Biff_T]

16 minutes ago, 504PIR said:

https://www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3414200/66-rqs-inactivates-june-1/

 

Bummer.  A lot of good dudes flew for the 66th.  

[brabus]

They were a solid group of dudes when I worked with them. Too bad to see the doors close. 

[StrikeOut312]

Anybody out there with info on the E-9 Widget?