Track Selects and Assignment Nights

[Guardian]

Has to be better than RPA. Has to be. And a lot of other assignments too.


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[PlanePhlyer]

1 hour ago, matmacwc said:

White jets was a terrible deal, I couldn't leave fast enough.

We love it, so I guess...to each their own 

[xaarman]

2 hours ago, matmacwc said:

White jets was a terrible deal, I couldn't leave fast enough.

Disagree. Had the time of my life talking about my favorite subject all day to super motivated students, flying 3-5 times a week, going all over the United States. I'm disappointed I left earlier then planned. 

As said above, to each their own.

Edited March 24, 2017 by xaarman

[Ulysses]

SNAP question: are white jets VIP transport or an IP gig?

[brabus]

Is it just because the numbers are so low, or has it always been considered not great orders?

manning is low in the CAF, so a lot of fighter slots on the VML with only an occasional white jet. Your average and and above guys aren't going to that one off 38 slot. But timing is everything and I don't believe this was the case prior to around 2012. And it won't be the case again in the future. Doesn't mean guys at UPT are bad dudes or pilots, but that's the reality for now. So, you can imagine how some will not admit that reality and instead talk about how they got screwed, the fighter world sucks, etc.  

[VMFA187]

13 hours ago, euser said:

I'm not sure of the workings behind that decision, but it seems odd that a training squadron is where they'd send the lower performers. I grew up Navy and many of my family/friends are Navy pilots, and from what I've gathered from them its typically the top guys going to the RAG/training squadrons for their shore duty. Is it just because the numbers are so low, or has it always been considered not great orders?

The RAG and VTs are different in terms of follow-on orders in the Navy/USMC. Lower performers, i.e., dudes who leave their first fleet tour without their four-ship flight lead qualification can't teach at the RAG, they can only teach at the VTs in T-6s and T-45s which is why they end up there. Now I don't know personally, but I'd imagine the Air Force isn't sending it's below average dudes to teach brand new F-15/16/22/35 pilots, those guys are probably teaching in T-6s.

[Duck]

The RAG and VTs are different in terms of follow-on orders in the Navy/USMC. Lower performers, i.e., dudes who leave their first fleet tour without their four-ship flight lead qualification can't teach at the RAG, they can only teach at the VTs in T-6s and T-45s which is why they end up there. Now I don't know personally, but I'd imagine the Air Force isn't sending it's below average dudes to teach brand new F-15/16/22/35 pilots, those guys are probably teaching in T-6s.

You would like to think that but right now the last AD remnant of 11Fs are leaving/retiring out of T-6s and even more heavy guys are heading to T-38s. 11Fs are getting orders shut off if they are slotted to be a T-6 guy.


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[matmacwc]

13 hours ago, PlanePhlyer said:

We love it, so I guess...to each their own 

Totally true, I felt taken out of the fight to go to TP stalls and slow flight, hated it.  They weren't much doing 3 ops assignments in a row back then.  The trip turning in the Del Rio sun didn't help either.

[Spaceballs]

Any word on Vance or Laughlin's drops?

[Brick]

KCBM 17-07

T-38s
TBD (Saudi AF)
F-16
F-16
F-16
A-10
F-15C
C-130

T-1s
KC-135 (ANG)
KC-135 (ANG)
C-17 (ANG)
C-130 (ANG)
KC-135
KC-135
U-28
KC-10
CV-22
T-1 FAIP
HC-130J
C-17
AC-130J

[Polar Bear]

That's unfortunate this picture was painted for you.  Recognize you're likely talking to some very jaded fighter pilots at a UPT base who feel screwed over because they're one of the few 11Fs at UPT while a large portion of their bros are still raging in fighters on their 2nd or 3rd CAF assignment (and there certainly is valid reason for why that is) . I recommend you take their views with a very large grain of salt.  I also say this as a warning to any other UPT studs or prospective ones out there reading this.
That said, realize a few things you described above (high deployment rate, getting shafted by the AD, etc.) is common across all aircraft.  The fighter or heavy worlds do not have that market cornered...the AD will everyone over equally for the most part.  FWIW, my heavy friends have spent significantly more time away from home than I have...as a general statement.  They may not do as many 6 month deployments, but they're routinely on the road 200+ days/yr.  Maybe that's not true every single year over the past decade, but it certainly is true for a large chunk of that period...at least amongst some friends I keep in touch with who fly anything from -17s to KC-10s.  Of course basing, timing, etc. all drive flexing in said numbers, but the point is I am home more as a fighter guy on average than my peers in several other communities.
Lastly, the lifestyle/job is ing awesome, and that's why I'm going to continue to do it.  The AD is the problem and what makes life/work suck, it has nothing to do with community type.  In my opinion of course.

Is working 12-14 hours 6 days a week really being home?

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[Danger41]

I've never understood the "getting talked out of fighters" thing. Am I wrong in assuming most dudes that want to fly airplane X have dreamt about that for a decade+? I can't fathom one guy souring that long term of a dream in Phase 2.

[Inertia17]

KDLF 17-07

T-38

3 x F-16

F-35

F-15E

T-38 FAIP

T-1

U-28

T-6 FAIP

C-17

KC-135

KC-10

C-146

Plus some guard and a couple others I missed. Very solid drop. 

 

Edited March 26, 2017 by Inertia17
Typo

[Thor]

4 minutes ago, Inertia17 said:

C-146

I didn't realize they dropped these at UPT... that's sick. I always figured that was one you had to switch into.

[hispeed7721]

I didn't realize they dropped these at UPT... that's sick. I always figured that was one you had to switch into.

Almost all AFSOC MWS' used to require prior time before assignment but since 2000-something they've been dropped out of UPT. There are still a handful of data masked MWS' that require prior assignments though


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[brabus]

9 hours ago, caseylf said:

 

Is working 12-14 hours 6 days a week really being home?

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Well for one, there's some time management problems lurking in your statement, but that aside, do you think non-fighter communities work 40 hr weeks? I have a lot of friends in a lot of different corners of military aviation and I will never blow smoke up their ass saying I work more; it's just different.  I think you're being sold a bag of bullshit if you think flying other platforms in the AF will lend you a leisurely life style.  I will say my flying job is more difficult, perhaps even more stressful at times, than some, but that doesn't mean those others are working less hard to do an important mission (and spending inordinate amount of time doing additional duties, etc. that suck your time regardless of what wings you wear or what you fly).

Bottom line, a UPT dude should pull for the mission he wants to do, not for a "life style."  Maybe those two are related to an extent, but the mission piece is more important.  Trying to pick a track or aircraft based on "being home more," or "not working X hrs per week," will only result in disappointment and possibly regret.

[12xu2a3x3]

after reading this thread for about a decade i finally went to my first drop night. reading back through the drop i remember the individual assignments but respect to anyone who can be there and simply remember them all. maybe it's a learned skill, we'll see.

[Toro]

after reading this thread for about a decade i finally went to my first drop night. reading back through the drop i remember the individual assignments but respect to anyone who can be there and simply remember them all. maybe it's a learned skill, we'll see.

I was going to give you shit, but between your icon and user name I can only give you props and assume that alcohol influenced your post. So two thumbs up, and I'll have what you're drinking.

[Spaceballs]

Does anyone know Vance's drop?

[Inertia17]

19 minutes ago, Spaceballs said:

Does anyone know Vance's drop?

With no beer at official functions, I am guessing no one was there to see it...

[FishBowl]

2 minutes ago, Inertia17 said:

With no beer at official functions, I am guessing no one was there to see it...

2sober2remember

[12xu2a3x3]

there was beer for studs at vance drop

from what i remember

END 17-07

F-35 (fake out w/ F-16)

F-16 x3

F-15E

A-10

C-146

U-28

EC-130 Compass Call

T-6 FAIP x2

C-130 x2 (Guard)

C-17 to Hickam (T-1 FAIP fakeout) (maybe a second)

KC-135

KC-10 to Mcguire

KC-10 to Travis

Saudi Eurofighters x2

Edited March 27, 2017 by 12xu2a3x3

[sqwatch]

Bottom line, a UPT dude should pull for the mission he wants to do, not for a "life style."  Maybe those two are related to an extent, but the mission piece is more important.  Trying to pick a track or aircraft based on "being home more," or "not working X hrs per week," will only result in disappointment and possibly regret.

This.

There is no better feeling than dropping bombs on bad guys. It was worth the hard work and occasional bullshit.


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[ARAMP1]

On 3/23/2017 at 9:25 PM, matmacwc said:

White jets was a terrible deal, I couldn't leave fast enough.

You obviously didn't do your white jet tour at KNSE...best kept secret in the AF.

[HeloDude]

On March 25, 2017 at 9:57 PM, brabus said:

Bottom line, a UPT dude should pull for the mission he wants to do, not for a "life style."  Maybe those two are related to an extent, but the mission piece is more important.  Trying to pick a track or aircraft based on "being home more," or "not working X hrs per week," will only result in disappointment and possibly regret.

Funny, the vast majority of guys I know getting out (both fixed and rotor wing) are doing it for a better "lifestyle".  If a SP has enough SA and true self awareness (this is critical) to choose an aircraft based off what he/she thinks will give them an overall better life, I say good on them!  Now if someone believes the emotional satisfaction of mission X vs mission Y will give them a better life, then likewise that should be their driving decision.  

So I respectfully disagree with your opinion...