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U-2 Dragonlady info

Guest thebronze

By Guest thebronze
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HuggyU2 Gray Beard

HuggyU2

Posted
Posted

30,000 hours...

Better look at retiring the fleet soon, since we are getting close to the halfway point of our 75,000 hour airframe limit.  

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ClearedHot
ClearedHot

Behold lads and lasses, a legend is born with the best Selfie ever! Free beers for life my friend!

Spoo
Spoo

Huggy will be pissed that I told you, but he retired last Friday. The Air Force and the brotherhood will miss him dearly. Good luck my friend, and thanks for your 58 years of service. HAIL DR

Spoo
Spoo

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Spoo Gray Beard

Spoo

Posted
Posted

What Huggy failed to mention, is the two 30K-hour jets were built in 1968. The rest of the active fleet entered service between 1981 and 1989. Soooo....

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
pickles SNAP

pickles

Posted
Posted

I've been reading around different places but I haven't been able to find any info on application statistics. Could anyone tell me what the breakdown is for those who apply and make/don't make the cut for the initial interview, post 3-sortie selection, and follow-on training etc. I'm just not wanting to jump the gun on my application if I'm not anywhere near the standard deviation. 

HuggyU2 Gray Beard

HuggyU2

Posted
Posted (edited)
33 minutes ago, pickles said:

I'm just not wanting to jump the gun on my application if I'm not anywhere near the standard deviation. 

We don't discuss "the breakdown", unless I misunderstand you.  

Ask your Squadron-mates if you're a decent pilot, self-starter, someone they trust, someone who pulls their own weight (and then some), and they want to be on the road with. 

If the answer is yes, then apply. 

If you feel the application process is so lengthy that you don't want to start it until you know your chances, then please don't apply. 

Have you considered taking leave and going to Beale to talk to them?

Edited by HuggyU2
pickles SNAP

pickles

Posted
Posted
On 3/4/2017 at 8:24 PM, HuggyU2 said:

We don't discuss "the breakdown", unless I misunderstand you.  

Ask your Squadron-mates if you're a decent pilot, self-starter, someone they trust, someone who pulls their own weight (and then some), and they want to be on the road with. 

If the answer is yes, then apply. 

If you feel the application process is so lengthy that you don't want to start it until you know your chances, then please don't apply. 

Have you considered taking leave and going to Beale to talk to them?

My mistake, I didn't realize the breakdown was guarded information. I'm not worried about the length of the application process because this job is easily worth all the hoops you have to jump through. And I have been considering taking leave to go visit the base, I just wasn't sure if it was something that would help or hurt. I know some squadrons can be pretty choosy as to who they want waltzing around their halls. 

Spoo Gray Beard

Spoo

Posted
Posted

I don't think it's necessarily "guarded" information, it just shouldn't be a factor in your decision cycle. We don't bother publishing it because no two interviewees are the same, they will each make it or not based on their individual attributes or failings. Like special little snowflakes.  

HuggyU2 Gray Beard

HuggyU2

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, caseylf said:

Are U-2 pilots happier than the rest of the AF?

 

I have no idea.  It is what you make of it.  However, none of the the pilots were told by AFPC they had to go there.

Spoo Gray Beard

Spoo

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, caseylf said:

Are U-2 pilots happier than the rest of the AF?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 

Yes.

ClearedHot Gray Beard

ClearedHot

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Spoo said:

Yes.

Spoo is happy, the dude never works...if I see another picture of you drinking beer and skiing I am going to file a congressional.

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MooseAg03 Gray Beard

MooseAg03

Posted
Posted

Do you guys take Majors? I'm not going to be released from RPA purgatory until next year.


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SurelySerious Gray Beard

SurelySerious

Posted
Posted
Do you guys take Majors? I'm not going to be released from RPA purgatory until next year.


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The experts can correct if required, but the roadshow was in town recently, and they said yes. Their main concern is being able to get ~4 good years out of you.
Spoo Gray Beard

Spoo

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, ClearedHot said:

Spoo is happy, the dude never works...if I see another picture of you drinking beer and skiing I am going to file a congressional.

Challenge accepted.

18 hours ago, TreeA10 said:

Must be a suds Zen master to be able to drink beer AND ski at the same time and not spill anything.

It's easier on a snowboard.

5 hours ago, SurelySerious said:


The experts can correct if required, but the roadshow was in town recently, and they said yes. Their main concern is being able to get ~4 good years out of you.

Valid.

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  • 1 month later...
jdski SNAP

jdski

Posted
Posted
On 3/25/2016 at 10:31 PM, chuckschwartz said:

Some fellas up at BAB today were saying that this here photograph was 'shopped. Any truth to that?

I am the photographer who took this photo. I took the bridge photo and as I turned to walk away, I heard the planes come behind me. I ran and grabbed another lens to shoot the planes. This is two layers, but nothing is shopped as far as the distance between the planes. I am an amateur photographer who was enjoying a day at the beach. It was a complete coincidence.

I also happen to have a husband who worked at Beale on the U2, and I was a civilian employee there, so I knew exactly how unique and amazing the opportunity was to see these two side by side. They were doing a PR shoot that day which is why there were two. My husband shared the photo on the Dragon Lady fan site and the pilots requested a copy of the photo from me. They were fully aware this was two layers, no secret to anyone. :)

Here is another photo with the planes closer together. This is a RAW image with no retouching.

DSC_0103.JPG

  • Upvote 3
  • 4 weeks later...
HuggyU2 Gray Beard

HuggyU2

Posted
Posted
I recall back in 2005 or '06 when PBD 720 was going to retire the U-2, starting in '07, and with the last U-2 gone in '11.  
Uh huh. Yeah.  

I said it back then: "The last U-2 pilot hasn't finished elementary school".  

Oh... just so you know, it's now official:  https://dragonladytoday.com/forum-3/
 
 
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B.L Crew Dawg

B.L

Posted
Posted

I recall back in 2005 or '06 when PBD 720 was going to retire the U-2, starting in '07, and with the last U-2 gone in '11.  

Uh huh. Yeah.  


I said it back then: "The last U-2 pilot hasn't finished elementary school".  


Oh... just so you know, it's now official:  
https://dragonladytoday.com/forum-3/
 

 




Best news I've heard in a while. Hoping for an opportunity to interview soon!


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  • 1 month later...
HuggyU2 Gray Beard

HuggyU2

Posted
Posted (edited)

A U-2 leadership-related article from JQ Public.  https://www.jqpublicblog.com/id-follow-guy/

Beale currently has... at least in my opinion... a great leadership lineup, all the way from the U-2 DO's up to the Wing CC.  They've had great people in great spots over the years, but it's been a while since ALL of the positions were as good as they are now.  The recent major upgrade to the 9 RW/CV slot completes the team.  

The previous 1 RS and 99 RS commanders were excellent, and the two new commanders (including Lt Col Nussbaum) are top-shelf choices.  

 

Edited by HuggyU2
  • Upvote 1
AZwildcat Flight Lead

AZwildcat

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, ThreeHoler said:

Too bad he lifted a lot of that letter from a bad ass Marine who died defending his Harriers at Bastion.

https://www.grandforks.af.mil/News/Commentaries/Display/Article/763766/leadership-lessons-commanders-guidance-marine-aviation-style/

Doesn't necessarily make it any less meaningful.  The message is good and a breath of fresh air from the usual BS.  Huggy's right, it's a great time for the community, lot's of good things happening now and in the near future.

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

are U2 IQT/MQT classes based how many folks are applying at any given time?

Or are there a set number of classes each year?

HuggyU2 Gray Beard

HuggyU2

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, 1111 said:

are U2 IQT/MQT classes based how many folks are applying at any given time?

Or are there a set number of classes each year?

There are a set number of classes. 

If there is a lull in hiring, a class may go unfilled. 

Edited by HuggyU2

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