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Oh for fuck sake. With this attitude, yes.

I greatly prefer a green bag to multicam. I'm sure I sound like that dude from Cannon a few years back about, but I worked my whole life to get into a bag with wings on my chest. It's juvenile, but I get enough multicam deployed.

While the loss of life is certainly nothing to make light of: you, sir, need to pack it up and go home. This is the military, not flag football.

Here's a free piece of advice you should take- NEVER pass up the opportunity to shut the fuck up

The Vermont Guard is currently accepting applications for the F35. Looking to hire at least two good new guys for UPT. See details below! http://www.158fw.ang.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=23168

Dude, learn when to just stop. There are times (this being a prime example) where you just need to drop it and shut up for a bit. Regardless of the circumstances, it only makes things worse by trying to argue and defend yourself. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Good. I got answers to all your questions except the stupid ones, but rest assured I asked them all. I'll write up the interview for Combat Aircraft magazine and post a link to it here when it's out.

Easy, Tiger... Remember what they told you last weekend--never pass up the opportunity. I speak from experience.

It strikes me that the issue is timing: there is no time to unscrew this: - Assumption (but backed by other posters on this forum): there are only about 3,000 civ pilots who are well-enough qual'd to be hired by the major airlines - Airlines are projected to hire 3,000+ pilots/yr for the foreseeable future (way conservative, but makes the math easier) - Air Force & Navy are producing about 2,400 pilots/yr. Of those--due to illness/injury/death/disinterest in airline careers/promotion to Colonel/etc.--let's say maybe 1,500 of them (total from AF and Navy) will reach the ends of their mil careers and still be viable candidates for the airlines . . . and will actually want to fly for the airlines - The commercial sector doesn't currently have a viable way to get folks to 1,500 hrs, to even start flying for Regionals, so the regionals will soon be going tits up: quality regional captains will be hired away by the majors, and there will be almost no way to get new blood into the ranks - Based on the above assumptions, within 3 years, if not much sooner (my numbers are very optimistic), just about the only viable places US major airlines will be able to find qual'd pilots will be prior-mil folks and foreign pilots. Of course, the demand for pilots will be even greater overseas--particularly in Asia/Pacific--than there is in North America, so expats will be hard to come by - If the 1,500 hr rule remains in place, the only viable way I can remotely imagine this won't be a major crisis--for both the airlines and the military--within the next few years is if the airlines start now (preferably last year or earlier, but oh well) to create a viable path to 1,500 hrs for airline pilot wannabes (a path that doesn't require any regional flying, which--again--will destroy the regionals and drive major airline hiring even higher). Even if they do create a viable path ASAP, I don't see how they're going to be able/willing to afford paying for the numbers of non-revenue generating hours they'll need to buy in order to get folks up to speed. Even if they can afford it, it takes quite a while to build 1,500 hrs--I would think more than 3 years - We haven't even discussed the impact on business aviation, cargo airlines, civilian contractors that perform missions in lieu of military missions, etc. But hey, it's outside of the CSAF's lane to think of such things. If he retires in the next 2-3 years, the crisis should happen on someone else's watch. TT

69 is the definitive magic number you want. I don't see how being a cyber officer will hurt your chances in any way other than if you're close to the age limit and don't have enough time to do all that before applying for UPT.

All I really want him to say is, "Look, I know I said I was going to build a wall, but I'm going to do something more effective. I'm sure the media is going to run the story for weeks about how I'm a liar for NOT building the wall and that's OK, let them whine. I've realized that the best way to stop the massive amount of illegals flooding into the US is to make sure to prosecute those who overstay their visas. In addition, we're going to halt ALL federal funding to the cities who enable this illegal behavior by acting as 'sanctuary cities'. Citizenship is an earned privilege, not a right. We'll work on immigration reform to ease the process of obtaining Citizenship for those who are willing to conform to the American way of life, and who do NOT take advantage of our charity. OK, media... Go ahead and throw your tantrum."

OK, so it's not OK for USAF bubbas to make a "convenience stop" in OCPs but the Army bubbas who wear them can? This all makes no fucking sense. We were all good with one uniform (BDUs) before the crayon-eating Marines just had to be different with MARPAT. Next thing you know we've got the Navy looking like camo smurfs or seaweed. The AF ABU is a joke, and whoever approved it should be shot. The Army pulled its cranium out and ripped off Crye with their Scorpion W2 (OCP) pattern, but it works (trust me, I'm surrounded by thousands of troopers wearing the stuff at the moment!). We gotta quit having so many fucking uniforms, it doesn't make sense!

You can check out the annual FY Rated Retention Reports at http://access.afpc.af.mil/vbinDMZ/broker.exe?_program=DEMOGPUB.static_reports.sas&_service=pZ1pub1&_debug=0. The FY16 report still has yet to be published, but here were the losses (to separations, retirements, promotion to Colonel, grounded or "other') over the last few FYs: - FY12: 1420 (590 were separations) - FY13: 1104 (432 were separations) - FY14: 1735 (832 were separations) - FY15: 1139 (579 were separations) If, prior to FY16, we were (1) averaging over 1k/yr losses, (2) only producing a little over 1k pilots/yr, and (3) airline hiring is still just getting warmed up, I'd say the AF is in a tight spot. Especially for heavies, the 1500 hr rule is nothing close to a discriminator. Much like ihtfp06, I had over 1,500 hrs by the end of my first flying assignment. By 10 yrs after SUPT, I was around 3,500. That total was limited by the fact that one of the later flying assignments was at an overseas tanker base, where crews weren't even deploying downrange when I got there. TT

I'm kind of in that boat right now. The answer is to fly whatever airframe that unit is currently flying for a brief period of time before transitioning. Although the last thing I heard (reading between the lines though) is possibly to time the very newest selectees to go straight to -46 without an interim step. But plans can still change.

Copy all, but even with the R-ATP option, I still have difficulty seeing how ERAU/UND/Purdue/etc. can/will survive: - ERAU: We'll help you become an airline pilot! - Student: How's that going to work? - ERAU: You'll plunk down $200k+ on a four-year education, along with flight instruction (by which time we'll get you to 250 hrs/commercial ticket! Woohoo!); then you'll get to starve as a CFI, building up to maybe 450 hrs total; then, well, we're not sure--maybe starve as the pilot for a dropzone, if you can find one of those jobs--to get to 750 hrs; then . . . you'll get to pay more for your R-ATP and starve as a regional airline pilot! (If said regional hasn't gone bankrupt, due to all the captains being hired away by the major airlines). If your regional airline does somehow survive, you'll eventually have a shot at getting hired by a major airline! - Student: Hmm. Massive debt and no reasonable expectation of a living wage for at least 6.9 years after graduation? No thanks; I'll just become an electrical engineer and build a totally sweet flight sim for the days I get the flying itch. Sure seems like we're 2-3 years (max) away from a crisis that'll take way more than 2-3 years to unscrew, even if the 1500 hr rule were eliminated today. Hard to see how anyone's even going to want to start into the ERAU/other pipeline, given the barriers to entry. TT

Goldfein indeed went after said MC-12 pilot in a stupidly produced video that was mandatory queep for crews to watch who were coming into the AOR. Goldfein basically ripped the guy apart in that video, before that guy had is 'day in court' and was essentially cleared with mitigating factors. That just showed that Goldfein was a standard flag-level politico, same as when he was the 49th CC. He talks a good game of integrity, yet conveniently leaves out his brother's disgraceful involvement in the jumbotron contract scandal when he was the AWFC/CC at Nellis. He's as much a part of the problem as any other high ranking member of the AF corporation. Ive never much cared for flag-level dynasties. And yeah, said MC-12 pilot is doing just fine.

I know a few Guard heavy guys who did very well and ended up tracking 38s instead of T-1s. Someone with better knowledge can correct me if I'm wrong, but if your T-6 flight commander recommends you to 38s I think that becomes your guard units decision as NGB funds your slot and wouldn't necessarily be taking a track select 38 spot from the AD side? On the flip side of that you could finish #1 in T-6 but if your unit says No, T-1s you go. This was a few year back when the shortage wasn't as prevalent. I think the other guys may be right as with the fighter pilot shortage it's probably a much steeper hill to climb justifying sending a C-17 guard guy through 38s. It's probably not impossible, but I wouldn't bank on it.

I'll give my $.02 1. Just depends, but I think having a civilian cyber job would be beneficial as you're not legally bound by a commitment in most cases. 2. Again, it just depends... But you still have a commitment that you sign, so I wouldn't sign your life away for a cyber job in the AF if you want to fly jets. 3. Just study all the form S books, but focus on Math Knowledge, Table Reading, Instrument Comprehension, and Aviation Information. Those are the only 4 that count towards the pilot score on the new T version (Arithmetic Reasoning is no longer factored into the pilot score). Make sure you know the new reduced time for Instrument Comprehension (5 minutes instead of 6), and study accordingly. http://access.afpc.af.mil/pcsmdmz/Form T.HTML Use this site in addition to any and all form S study guides. PRO TIP: The book with the F-15 on the cover is excellent. 4. 69 is definitely the best number, but that has nothing to do with the TBAS. On a serious note, even if there was such a thing as a "magic number" (which I'm pretty sure was just misinterpretation), nobody on here would be able to tell you what it is since it violates the test rules (think Fight Club). For most people to get scores in the 90's, you need to be in the 100-200 or 201+ hours column. PCSM 2.0 is highly focused on flight hours, so don't get discouraged if your score looks crappy with 40-60 hours. 5. Unsponsored is only AFRES I believe. I honestly don't have a correct answer, but I think last I heard it was twice a year: once shortly after the new fiscal year, and once in the beginning of the summer. 6. I'm not a pilot, so I'm not qualified to answer this. Also, look into the Guard too because a lot of Guard units fly fighters.

It seems like Mikey is exhibiting all the early symptoms of being inflicted with a terminal case of "Susan Rice Syndrome".

The shoe clerks have won, almost 2 pages talking about whether convenience stops are allowed in OCPs.

That is my biggest problem with the ruling. Past precedent has extended Constitutional protection to aliens while they are on American soil, but the moonbean 9th circuit seems ready to extend those same protections to non U.S. citizens while they are on foreign soil...simply staggering. With rulings like this it is easy to see why 90% of the decisions made by the 9th are eventually overturned.

That would be admitting that the ABU pattern was a mistake and like canceling ASBC and making SOS 8 weeks only to go back down to 5, it has to be done methodically to make sure everyone saves face. Edit for clarity: ASBC was a joke and never should have happened, the way it was eliminated allowed everyone to save face

Well actually, the guy who infamously barrel rolled - technically aileron rolled- an MC-12 now flies for Fed-Ex. What's ironic is the CFACC at the time, now current CSAF, went on the warpath briefing all deployed units at the time bragging about how he was going to railroad that guy's career. Now 'that guy' is a retired O-5 flying the line at Fed-Ex, living the good life, and laughing all the way to the bank. I think the AF is proper fucked.

The problem is the AF is focused on all of the wrong things in how they are approaching the pilot shortage. Changing the 1.5k hr rule won't move the needle in pilot retention. USAF pilots won't have any problem getting picked up by an airline over the next 15 years. The reason this pisses me off is that I don't see the AF doing a dang thing to address the reasons for the pilot crisis. I see more and more queep every single day. I see jets getting older and literally falling apart. I see dudes not seeing their wife and kids for a year to go sit behind a desk in some shithole to do a job an A1C could do. I see the AF thinking they can lure people to stay in by dangling awful jobs like DO or Sq/CC in their faces like it's the best thing ever, if they just take on more bullshit queep to have better OPRs. I don't see the AF talking about these problems, much less fixing them. Instead, they are talking about stop-loss, longer ADSCs, and this fresh bullshit. They are just finding more ways to screw pilots over. Until they change their approach, the exodus will continue.

It matters because if you don't ID the root cause of an issue, you will never solve the problem. Nothing is wrong if the FAA lowers the hours for an ATP, but that's not the complaint. We (the pilots here) all know that it wasn't a flight-hour issue that caused the Colgan crash, and the subsequent rule-change doesn't really enhance the flying safety of the public. People's issue is that the USAF is addressing an issue that's not causing its problems.

You didn't have the paying public onboard when you were doing those crossings. Also the USAF's oceanic training and procedures are a joke. Something like 30% of GNEs for 5% of crossings comes to mind.

This post is suitable for work.. but WTF???? Can CNN do a shittier job of reporting on a non-event? And getting a faceless, non-pilot to discuss his harrowing adventure? The transcript, the "alarm from the collision warning system",... holy shit, folks. Even the National Enquirer is more credible. No wonder CNN doesn't leave a "comments section" on their site. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/...ane/vi-AA8OwRK

I fully agree with you on this, and call me a cynic, but when I get a memo telling me I can roll up my sleeves, I delete it as fast as I do the ones reminding me that we're putting new cover sheets on our TPS reports - it just doesn't matter to me in the big scheme - I'll roll them up/down, wear whatever color boots you want, etc. That said, the AF wouldn't need to worry what the airlines did if their focus was on QOL. It is the only way the AF will compete with the airlines and it = (Fun / work) x Compensation. The Air Force, arguably, has a lot of control over two of these factors (Fun and compensation), so when people see our focus turned outward on issues that are yet to affect us, it's equivalent to worrying about a non-factor. So ultimately, I don't consider arguments that state the AF can't compete with industry - the AF is part of the only entity on the planet that can print money, so yes, they can compete - they just don't want to set that precedent. What else it suggests to me is that longer UPT commitments are not in the works, the AF was told 'no', or is anticipating being told 'no'. I don't think that this board's current attention on the 1500 hour rule is about that so specifically - rather it is general irritation with the latest in a series of misfires when it comes to addressing the problems the USAF says it has. The 1500 hour rule has not, in any way, contributed to the current exodus in the USAF - thus when this board reacts to it with 'really?' - it is a valid response. There is always a push and a pull when deciding on whether or not to leave the AF for other opportunities. Right now, the 'pull' factor has increased, but this was easily foreseen years ago, and is resultant from the long-looming retirement hiatus - not from the recent implementation of the 1500 hour rule. Once the regional airlines are empty, then we can talk about what the impact of that decision has had on the regional airlines as well as on military pilot retention, but as it stands now, the airlines can hire as many regional pilots as they can cram through training. What people here are focused on are the issues that "push" individuals out of service. Many people on this board have looked at this problem with the long view in mind and I've seen many such considerations that do address these issues in serious ways, but yet, we don't see movement on them or even acknowledgement that they're factors. Things such as: Basing decisions (Holloman, Cannon, Creech, Shaw, etc) 365s/179s (which exist specifically to skirt the USAFs own rules...) Up or out "Mandatory" not-mandatory education Ill-timed moves/PCSs TAMI/drones Opaque/unclear/questionable promotion rules The list goes on Ask me 10 years ago if I was considering going to the airlines, and I would have laughed at you. Give me more control over the factors listed above, and I'll laugh at the airlines...for at least another few years, which is all the AF wants anyway. So, yes, I sort of see that perspective, and I would give it more credence if it was backed up by actions taken 10 years ago to Increase the bonus Eliminate up or out Be more transparent with career opportunities/progression Or actions taken 4-6 years ago to not Force-shape fighter pilots...yeah...or other 11Xs... BL: seems to me that it is just something convenient to point at - just like the previous reasoning given which was "pilots just want to fly more..." when sequestration was all the rage. That, to me, sounds like American, Delta, United, and Southwest's problem - not the USAFs.

For today's Air Force I'd recommend this...

Granted changing changing the 1500 hour rule may increase the potential applicants eventually. However, for a vast majority of Pilots in the Air Force who feel like the Leadership has broken faith with them, it only further alienates that group more. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

You think the leadership problem is between the O-3 and O-6 level? Really? AFPAK Hands. Worthless 365s/179s to shitholes to do busy work. Silly additional duties. A broken, archaic promotion system. Flight pay that hasn't changed since the early 1990s. A bonus that hasn't changed since 1999. Rampant micromanagement of squadrons/groups/wings by the NAF/MAJCOM. Have those very solvable issues been fixed yet? No? How many of those things are solvable at the O-3 to O-6 level? Yeah, I didn't think management was serious about fixing things either- easier to just send your top "leader" (LOL) to whine to the FAA.

TT, you're way off base on this one. I understand how this can be perceived as an administrative move to shore up numbers. The problem is that when your means to do so is to alienate the people you claim to care about the most, we are smart enough to see through it. We've been talking about crap leadership in the AF for many years - managers who get where they are by filling squares and walking over people. When a new boss takes over and opts to fight this battle before meaningfully addressing the myriad of reasons that we're running for the door, we will rightfully assess that he's another asshat incapable of righting the ship. I hope Congress laughs in his face.

Is a solution that ignores the real problem(s) a viable solution? I'm not sure CSAF gets a pass when he acts like a high-turnover ghetto landlord that makes tenants sign a longer lease or burns down the neighboring complex, but doesn't fix the broken heater, dishwasher, and moldy carpet.

I laugh quite a bit every time I hear AF "pilot shortage". There is no shortage of pilots wanting to fly planes in the AF. There's a shortage of the AF placing those pilots in jobs that allow them to be pilots, and to teach other pilots. There's plenty of bag wearers sitting at group level positions, in staff jobs, at IDE, etc staring at a computer screen. I've flown less than 200 hours a year the last 3 years as an experienced MWS instructor because the AF values keeping the self fellating bureaucratic process running more that it values flight experience. Senior Capts and junior majors are begging to be 'allowed' to get back to teaching the young pilots, only to be told that they're more valued behind a desk. No thanks, see ya, welcome aboard Delta 4962, non stop to Chicago.

The Army did indeed select the Sig P320 to replace the M9. The Army also acts as the AF's Acquisition Executive for handguns, so yes, big blue will eventually transition to the Sig as well. Damn, who knew that ACQ 101 class would come in handy?

And now back to your regularly scheduled drop reporting... XL 17-02 (as best I could figure/remember considering the presentation difficulties and beer consumption) 1 x F-15C 4 x F-16 C-130J MC-130 KC-10 KC-135 T-1A FAIP 3 x C-17 There were certainly others, but that is all I can recall right meow. If anyone has a better recollection, throw it up. It would seem it is Viper season!

So..if your commander cares about you he will help your write it...but there's no favoritism?

Not great but the window is adequate MOA work was 180-220 KIAS, and I was at 35-60 flaps in the T-38 I had the U-2 fly 190-200 KIAS on the low approachs with the Gust Up (the flaps are -6 degrees), and I flew with 60 flaps in the T-38. We did it 2 or 3 times, and I had 1500# when we started. Normally, the U-2 would fly the final turn at 90 KIAS... Slowing to around 75-80 by the time it reaches the threshold. I remember getting a good look at the ILS glideslope antenna on each low approach. It was filmed over 2 days. All of the T-38 shots and external shots of the U-2 were done on Day 1 with aviation photographer Sagar Pathak in the T-38 with me. The pilot of the U-2 was Slam. All shots taken from inside the U-2 were on Day 2, using a two-seat U-2 with Sagar in the backseat. The magic of video editing allows me to be the pilot of both jets in the video.

Sometimes planned obsolescence doesn't go as planned, which is where subterfuge and disinformation campaigns come in. I have no SA on the -141 drama, but it's easy to see how "we have found wing cracks on some C-141s" can turn into the one-liner "C-141s have wing cracks."

Ya. If your commander cares which mine did he helps you write it. It actually works really well maybe the other bases should look into it. Eliminates all the favoritism shit that is being complained about above

Lol no because it gets scored by 6 other people. He helps you submit the best possible product you can. Then lets the process take care of the rest.

Were the 9 of us that visited this past weekend so bad that you couldn't wait to repost?

Yikes, I'll remember to never type out dry humor ever again.