Pilot Shortage Deepens, USAF is SCREWED.

[JeremiahWeed]

20 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

In the Marine Corps Hornet community there are single and two-seat squadrons.

Curious.  Do the single seat aircraft do the same mission as the two seaters (and what are those missions)?  Do I understand correctly that the jets are assigned to the same squadron?  Do pilots fly a single seater one day and a two seater (with WSO, RIO, whatever) the next day?

[RTB]

22 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

Picked up my DD-214 this morning. 

Congrats!  What's your plan?

 

[SurelySerious]

1 hour ago, JeremiahWeed said:

Curious.  Do the single seat aircraft do the same mission as the two seaters (and what are those missions)?  Do I understand correctly that the jets are assigned to the same squadron?  Do pilots fly a single seater one day and a two seater (with WSO, RIO, whatever) the next day?

Tick off scheduling, end up in the family model every flight. Sounds terrible. 

[JeremiahWeed]

2 hours ago, SurelySerious said:

Tick off scheduling, end up in the family model every flight. Sounds terrible. 

Send the WSO to go call the crew van on his 02 mask tester in life support and step without him? 

[VMFA187]

5 hours ago, JeremiahWeed said:

Curious.  Do the single seat aircraft do the same mission as the two seaters (and what are those missions)?  Do I understand correctly that the jets are assigned to the same squadron?  Do pilots fly a single seater one day and a two seater (with WSO, RIO, whatever) the next day?

4 hours ago, RTB said:

Congrats!  What's your plan?

 

Two seat Hornets conduct FAC(A), all other missions are shared. OCA, DCA, CAS, SCAR/AR, and AI. Yes, both single and two seat jets will be assigned to a single squadron. Yes, I believe that is how it will go - Depending on what jets maintenance has up will determine if WSOs go flying. All USMC Hornet pilots go through the RAG (FTU) as single seat pilots. Once they get to a fleet squadron (whichever squadron needs a new pilot) determines if they then fly in a single or two seat Hornet. A pilot can transition back and forth between single and two seat squadrons as his career progresses. That’s how it has been traditionally.

 

RTB, I’m looking at federal law enforcement. Was incredibly interested in Guard fighter units as a Hornet IP but had a medical hiccup 1.5 years ago that might put that in question.

[YoungnDumb]

Does going back and forth between single and two seat jets cause any CRM issues?  I know the Strike bros speak highly of a good WSO (and equally bad about bad ones).  I'm just wondering if there is any difficulty for the pilots when they deal with the WSO/NFO.

[VMFA187]

It’s not as bad as you think because all pilots are trained to be single seat and all the jets are mech’d the same - You can safe the back seat and do the entire flight in a two-seat Delta safe’d up.

We always conduct a 3-5 minute TCC brief if we’re flying with a WSO to hammer out responsibilities. Bottom line, a great WSO can be an immense help in a complex CAS or AI environment but an average or poor WSO will be a significant degradation to SA at all times. For A/A, I don’t think even a great WSO provides an added benefit.

[pilot]

2 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

For A/A, I don’t think even a great WSO provides an added benefit.

Goose does not approve

[VMFA187]

9 hours ago, FlyArmy said:

Goose does not approve

 

Say what you will, and perhaps you’re a better pilot than I. My SA is degraded and my recall is less accurate when I’m not operating all of our displays and systems exclusively and the one issuing targeting.

 

But I always appreciate a solid TG reference!

[JeremiahWeed]

15 hours ago, VMFA187 said:

It’s not as bad as you think because all pilots are trained to be single seat and all the jets are mech’d the same - You can safe the back seat and do the entire flight in a two-seat Delta safe’d up.

For A/A, I don’t think even a great WSO provides an added benefit.

Annnnnnnd that right there, ladies and gentlemen says it all in a nut-shell!!!

Single seat A/A - sport of kings.

[VMFA187]

3 minutes ago, JeremiahWeed said:

Annnnnnnd that right there, ladies and gentlemen says it all in a nut-shell!!!

Single seat A/A - sport of kings.

Nothing like coming in for the 500kt break after doing a 4vX with three of your best friends against PL-12 shooters!

[nunya]

16 minutes ago, VMFA187 said:

Nothing like coming in for the 500kt break after doing a 4vX with three of your best friends against PL-12 shooters!

If pilots did more of that and less of everything else, they wouldn't be stampeding the exit door for a job flying 136kt ILS finals.

[RTB]

28 minutes ago, nunya said:

If pilots did more of that and less of everything else, they wouldn't be stampeding the exit door for a job flying 136kt ILS finals.

Truth

[HuggyU2]

2 hours ago, nunya said:

... stampeding the exit door for a job flying 136kt ILS finals.

136??  Apparently, you don't fly the 737-900ER.  

[Springer]

12 hours ago, nunya said:

If pilots did more of that and less of everything else, they wouldn't be stampeding the exit door for a job flying 136kt ILS finals.

Ummmm, I did a 170kt break this afternoon in my RV which was paid for by my job flying 136kt ILS finals.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Springer

[nunya]

8 hours ago, joe1234 said:

I've never bought that line of reasoning. I think it's more about the fact that it's pretty f*cked up to turn down a massive improvement in income and quality of life to drag your family from base to base, suffering through deployments and taking a massive paycut just because you want to wear a bag and go fast.

Certainly there's more to it than 500kt breaks, but most deployments fall under the "everything else" category.  OAIX or OTBH stan-eval for 365 isn't exactly Mav-worthy.

[RTB]

8 hours ago, Springer said:

Ummmm, I did a 170kt break this afternoon in my RV which was paid for by my job flying 136kt ILS finals.

Curious...did you build it or buy it already built?

[Max89]

10 hours ago, Springer said:

Ummmm, I did a 170kt break this afternoon in my RV which was paid for by my job flying 136kt ILS finals.

What is that? Looks like a Zivco Edge but with a bubble canopy.

[HuggyU2]

12 hours ago, joe1234 said:

I've never bought that line of reasoning. I think it's more about the fact that it's pretty f*cked up to turn down a massive improvement in income and quality of life to drag your family from base to base, suffering through deployments and taking a massive paycut just because you want to wear a bag and go fast.

You know, Joe, the "military life" isn't for everyone.  You're certainly not the only one that has made a similar statement/post, and it is certainly not my goal to poke you in the eye.  I simply have a different outlook I'd like to share.    

While you consider my decision to stay in "fucked up", I certainly didn't, and I "wore the bag" for 28 years.  It's a "service to the country".  There's sacrifice involved.  And my family got to be a part of that experience.  No, my kids didn't get much of a vote.  The career decision was mine to make.  

You're right:  I could have improved my "income" had I separated at the end of my 6-year UPT commitment, but more money wasn't my goal.  

As for "improved quality of life"... that's a personal matter.  Serving as a USAF pilot was my dream... and I was living my dream.  The satisfaction I had in doing my service was my "good QOL".  And my kids relish their time living on base.  They were very happy times.  

I signed up to serve.  And when I got married, she agreed to it too.  Oh yeah... she was a military brat who never stayed anywhere more than 3 years while growing up.  

I guess the lifestyle rubbed off on my oldest kid, who is now a Lieutenant, and commissioned despite outsiders saying it was a stupid decision, based on civilian career potential due to graduating from a prestigious private university.  Said Lt is apparently fucked up like dad.  

As for me, I could have been an civilian engineer like my dad, who had a PhD.  I went to 4 different high schools in 4 years.  Is that fucked up QOL in your book, and is my dad to blame?  I meet people now that say "my oldest is in 7th grade, so we need to stay h ere until he graduates".  Really?  Well, ok. If that's what they need, then so be it.  To me, it seems odd when they only reason is that "they are established in football" or "with their friends".  But I respect it.  They know their family's needs better than anyone (hopefully).

Having spent 18 months as the Executive Director of a very interesting civilian group after I retired, I can tell you the experience was worse than being on active duty in many respects.  The AF isn't the only organization doing things terribly wrong and inefficient.  

If you want the money, and hate the QOL, then don't join the military.  And if you make that realization while you're in, get out at your earliest opportunity.  Many of my friends did just that.  But in my case... as bad as things had become in the AF by the time I left in 2014... I still looked forward to going to work every day.  

Edited April 16, 2018 by HuggyU2

[Homestar]

10 hours ago, Springer said:

Ummmm, I did a 170kt break this afternoon in my RV which was paid for by my job flying 136kt ILS finals.

Want. 

[matmacwc]

12 hours ago, joe1234 said:

just because you want to wear a bag and go fast.

Actually, that was most of it.

[Stitch]

12 hours ago, Springer said:

Ummmm, I did a 170kt break this afternoon in my RV which was paid for by my job flying 136kt ILS finals.

RV-8's are bad-ass...

[Standby]

2 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

You know, Joe, the "military life" isn't for everyone.  You're certainly not the only one that has made a similar statement/post, and it is certainly not my goal to poke you in the eye.  I simply have a different outlook I'd like to share.    

In more words than I would have used, agree with your sentiment. My decision to stay in is driven by a couple motivating factors, but when the job is more suck than fun and when the family is unnecessarily suffering from AF-induced bullshit then I’ll know it’s time to punch. For now, it’s still a hoot so I’ll keep collecting my government welfare check. 

Edited April 16, 2018 by Standby

[BroncoEN]

2 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

 But in my case... as bad as things had become in the AF by the time I left in 2014... I still looked forward to going to work every day.  

Jealous... I find zero job satisfaction on my third exec gig; nor do I wake up excited to go to work. I love the chances (which are minimal) when I get to fly, and I signed up for the QoL, as did my wife. But you’d be hard pressed to convince me that 12 hour workdays editing endless awards is “serving my country.” Pretty sure my wife would understand my absence better if my long days had a direct impact on national security. To each their own I suppose. 

[di1630]

Jealous... I find zero job satisfaction on my third exec gig; nor do I wake up excited to go to work.

Damn, who did you piss off for that triple-decker-sh-t sandwich?

I was complaining to my wife tonight about two days back to back top-3 tours.

You illustrate a HUGE problem as to 2018 USAF pilot realities. Who wouldn’t leave for the airlines.