2021 Active Duty Flying Training Board

[URTHopeful2021]

That does seem weird seeing as it should be related to fiscal quotas for the year. I'm assuming this board is looked at to fill the last slots for the year that are not filled by traditional sources. It could be that they have to have individuals in the pipeline by a certain date for this program. All speculation though. 

[Weav]

Gentlemen, I see that you are attempting to apply the concepts of logic and reason to the Air Force. I must caution you against this, as side effects may include explosion of your brains. 

[scud_runr]

38 minutes ago, Weav said:

Gentlemen, I see that you are attempting to apply the concepts of logic and reason to the Air Force. I must caution you against this, as side effects may include explosion of your brains. 

Weav, well said. The Air Force likes to live its life one quarter mile at a time. With rated retention staying high due to COVID effects on the private sector, they may not have to produce as many new rated members in FY21 to meet the current demand. Now how that looks in the long-run in a post-vaccine world and once the airlines pick back up is TBD. 
 

I’ve spoken with a few people with insight to the personnel world, and they didn’t think the number of slots would be significantly cut, but we’re all in the dark until the PSDM drops. I emailed the org box last week and they’re still expecting a mid-Feb release date. They are going to update the portal page once the date gets nailed down. Last year’s results came out on Wednesday, November 6, with a similar timeline. So we are starting to get close to the window. 

[jazzdude]

That does seem weird seeing as it should be related to fiscal quotas for the year. I'm assuming this board is looked at to fill the last slots for the year that are not filled by traditional sources. It could be that they have to have individuals in the pipeline by a certain date for this program. All speculation though. 

When selected for UPT, that spot is really tied to a an operational need, which drives a FTU seat, which drives a UPT (or theoretically a cross flow) seat, and not just a generic "pilot" position. So the AF works backwards: operational need -> FTU dates -> UPT dates.

For example, just because the C-17 FTU can hypothetically crank out more copilots due to extra capacity available doesn't mean the line C-17 units can absorb them, or that the AF wants to pay for extra C-17 copilots, especially if the AF really wants a F-35 pilot. So the AF may delay a seat in UPT to align with when a seat at the FTU and IFF, if there's nowhere else that UPT seat can be used to fill a different AF need.

This helps keeps the AF from having a UPT grad sitting on their hands waiting to class up, when that time/money/position could be used elsewhere within the AF, since there's a finite budget and a limit on end strength driven by Congress.

The pilot shortage is about pilots on staff and manning the FTU (which some/many may see as undesirable), and not necessarily about pilots flying the line.

[takingamessage]

On 1/12/2021 at 8:32 PM, AFZ06 said:

His CC...he had PCS orders and once they were cancelled his CC notified him today. So that could be the reason why. 
 

However, I heard rumors of results being sent out this week through a good source. 
 

The nerves are acting up now. 🤣

Was that source correct?

[URTHopeful2021]

9 hours ago, takingamessage said:

Was that source correct?

It sounds like it was an outlier due to the unique circumstances. I spoke with AFPC and nothing is official until they brief the AFPC commander and he or she signs it--which they iterated had not happened yet and won't until late Jan. They also said mid Feb is still likely the release window

[takingamessage]

Awesome, thanks for the update. Now back to the waiting game. 

[URTHopeful2021]

Let's all pull straws on who will call AFPC next and ask for potential release dates. 

I am in the process of trying to work the logistics of the URT pipeline if selected. It sounds like you will TDY from home station up until IQT and then will TDY en-route to new duty location--essentially a year of training in TDY chunks. I am married with two kids so trying to work out how to bring everyone with. Luckily we are currently at Herbie so can't complain if we have park there for another year but that much time away from family seems excessive. Anyone else dealing with this for URT or other pipelines?

[robby8388]

A friend who is also applying this year told me the AFPC/CC was briefed on the results Thursday morning. Hopefully we see the results flowing soon!

 

I have a family and am in the same boat as well. I think my wife is just as anxious as I am and just wants to know so we can *try* to plan out our next year or so. I PCS’d from Eglin about 2 years ago. I miss Mcguires and Pounders! I’m at Minot now so quite a change. We had 5 others apply from here too.

 

Where is everyone else applying from? How many from your base applied? 

[URTHopeful2021]

@robby8388 Nice to know things are moving along! The commanders release is 7 days before the public release so potentially could know the first week of Feb. 

Yea the area is awesome. Took up kiteboarding here and will miss the beach. Nine people applied here. I am also currently deployed so the time is just inching by for me. Ready to start figuring out the next move

[Jdmuehle]

1 hour ago, robby8388 said:

A friend who is also applying this year told me the AFPC/CC was briefed on the results Thursday morning. Hopefully we see the results flowing soon!

 

I have a family and am in the same boat as well. I think my wife is just as anxious as I am and just wants to know so we can *try* to plan out our next year or so. I PCS’d from Eglin about 2 years ago. I miss Mcguires and Pounders! I’m at Minot now so quite a change. We had 5 others apply from here too.

 

Where is everyone else applying from? How many from your base applied? 

Glad to hear some movement is happening. Very similar family situation...my wife checks these forums more frequently than even I do. 
 

I’m applying from Barksdale. We had 5 people apply from here as well.

[URTHopeful2021]

@Jdmuehle I was stationed at Barksdale for five years. I'm pretty sure I would take Cannon over that place at this point. Are you applying for URT as well? It is going to be a logistical mess figuring out keeping the family together and packing up without orders. At least it is worth it in the end

[Jdmuehle]

@URTHopeful2021 that’s a bold statement...Barksdale isn’t THAT bad haha. I only applied for UPT as I don’t have a ton of interest in URT personally. This is my second time applying so fingers crossed. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by Jdmuehle
Words are hard

[Weav]

Speaking of Cannon... Going for UPT, 6 applied from here not sure of the pilot/nav/urt breakdown though. Spent almost a decade at HRT, definitely a nice place but we don't miss the traffic/tourists one little bit. Cannon is definitely one of those 'duty station is what you make of it' locations... Covid has really changed it out here too. 

[URTHopeful2021]

@Jdmuehle Yea you are right it really isn't that bad but I was enlisted security forces at that time so I just get flashbacks of it being 100 degrees and I would be sweating at like 0400. Best of luck on your second go.

Curious what the timeline on previous boards looked liked once the AFPC commander was briefed. I would assume that means it is close to being publicly released. I am going to throw out first week of Feb as a commander release date. Who will call and be our champion?!

[robby8388]

@Weav I was at Cannon from 2011-2016 and couldn’t agree more. We had a good group of friends and enjoyed it there even with the location not offering much

[Weav]

@robby8388 We're conveniently located just 4.5 hours from lots of fun things hahaha.  The house party situation has been pretty dampened by state (and therefore base) guidance though. 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Weav
No tag?

[URTHopeful2021]

Update:

AFPC did brief the CC but has some adjustments before the list can be signed and finalized. Still estimating week of 15-19 FEB as public release so week of 8-12 FEB will be commander release. Once the AFPC commander signs, they will update the Rated Assignments page to reflect the official release date. Happy Monday!

[WannaBeAPilot442]

On 1/25/2021 at 11:05 AM, URTHopeful2021 said:

Update:

AFPC did brief the CC but has some adjustments before the list can be signed and finalized. Still estimating week of 15-19 FEB as public release so week of 8-12 FEB will be commander release. Once the AFPC commander signs, they will update the Rated Assignments page to reflect the official release date. Happy Monday!

Did you happen to hear what the official slot allocation was?

[URTHopeful2021]

11 minutes ago, WannaBeAPilot442 said:

Did you happen to hear what the official slot allocation was?

Negative. This was all passed via email however in an earlier email, the POC said that they do not give out quota numbers until the list is released however pilot slots were a bit down due to COVID but not as bad as they thought it would be. I have seen in previous boards that once the list is signed and the release date is publicized, they have responded to questions with generalized stats "we had 200 slots and 300 applicants, most slots were pilot".  Hopefully things move quicker than expected and we can find out next week

[scud_runr]

Anyone hear whether the AFPC/CC was briefed on the changes yet? Or if the list was approved?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Weav]

No changes on the rated assignments page so I'ma go with negatron. Anyone care for a little over-under on public release date?  My theoretical dollar is on the 14th, which would make commander release day this Friday. 

[AW91]

26 minutes ago, Weav said:

No changes on the rated assignments page so I'ma go with negatron. Anyone care for a little over-under on public release date?  My theoretical dollar is on the 14th, which would make commander release day this Friday. 

I hope you're right, but the pessimist in me expects 19 FEB as public release and 12 FEB CCs release.

I'm just happy that worst case, we'll find out in 19 days or less.

[takingamessage]

You think they'd release on a Sunday?

My bets were a 15th release/8th CC's release on Monday. But if we don't hear anything about AFPC/CC sign off this week, I'd go with AW91's numbers probably. Hopefully...

[robby8388]

I tried looking at the previous PSDMs to see if there was a general release day for most but they are all over the board. 
 

I think it’s a 19 Feb public release and 12 Feb CC release. Couple more weeks!

Edited February 1, 2021 by robby8388