Jump to content

Archa3opt3ryx

Registered User
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    92

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Archa3opt3ryx

    PRK and LASIK Information

    in Aviation Medicine

    Posted

    I'm PCSing stateside from Korea in the spring and was hoping to get PRK/LASIK done shortly after showing up. I looked into it before going to Korea, but they denied me because I was "awaiting a PCS", which you apparently cannot be to apply for getting PRK/LASIK done. Incredibly stupid, since I had about a 3 month break where I wasn't flying where I easily could've been DNIF and it wouldn't have affect my job.

    I'd like to press harder (sts) this time...anyone know where that is written and who the waiver authority for that would be? I figure a perfect time to go DNIF for a month (or three) is immediately after showing up at your new assignment while you're still settling in and looking for a house and waiting for your HHG and all that.

    Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    Don't forget to include your ~200 hours from supt. doesn't count for shit in the Air Force...but perfectly valid flight experience for civilian totals!

    Yep, that ~400 hour number includes UPT/IFF.

    Definitely take the written. If you end up overseas after B-Course (pretty good chance), you actually get an extension from the FAA on the two year thing, i.e. you can take a practical with an expired written so long as this is accomplished within 6 months of returning to CONUS from an overseas assignment. This data verified by two separate FSDOs. It is highly likely you'll have 750 total (combined, not Viper) at the end of your first assignment, easily will have it if you deploy. If you get a CONUS assignment, you'll still likely make it within the 2 year req if you deploy/do the Nellis grind. This of course assumes another shitstorm of sequestration doesn't hit and put you at 100 hrs/year.

    Thanks for the info. Any chance there's a memo floating around with that OCONUS policy in writing? I just inevitably see myself in 3-4 years with an expired ATP test trying to convince a FSDO that I can still take the practical...

    Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    Does anyone know anything about this reg: FAR 61.39 (c ) (2): " An applicant for an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating other than those ratings set forth in paragraph (b) of this section may take the practical test for that certificate or rating with an expired knowledge test report, provided that the applicant is employed: (2) By the U.S. Armed Forces as a flight crewmember in U.S. military air transport operations at the time of the practical test and has completed the pilot in command aircraft qualification training program that is appropriate to the pilot certificate and rating sought."

    I ask because I have about 400 hours total time (Commercial, Instrument, Restricted Multiengine). I'm starting F-16 B-Course this fall, but I don't think military flying alone will get me another 350 hours in 24 months. I'm guessing the F-16 won't qualify under "military air transport operations", but it's worth a shot...if so, it seems like a no-brainer to take the written ASAP, since then I'll have as long as I want to build enough time to take the practical and get a Restricted ATP at 750 hours. If not...might still be worth it, and try to make up the difference renting a Cessna or something?

    For reference, the applicable part of Paragraph (b) referenced above states: "An applicant for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane type rating may take the practical test with an expired knowledge test only if the applicant passed the knowledge test after July 31, 2014, and is employed: (3) By the U.S. Armed Forces as a flight crewmember in U.S. military air transport operations at the time of the practical test and has completed the pilot in command aircraft qualification training program that is appropriate to the pilot certificate and rating sought."

    Investment showdown -- beyond the Roth, SDP, & TSP

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted

    +1...I've had a AmEx green card for a while, but heard about the fee waiver in the squadron bar a in January and I immediately inquired when I got home. I upgraded my Green card to Platinum and got all the fees waived ($450/yr) until I get out of the military. I merely asked about the fees being waived for active duty military under the Servicemember's Civil Relief Act and the dude crosschecked it with his supervisor and sent me on my way in five minutes. I just got a letter in the mail about three weeks after I got my new card stating all the fee waivers and such they credited to me. Awesome stuff.

    Now when I call AmEx about anything I go straight to English speaking, America-based agents, 24/7 service. When I had the Green card they were still nice and helpful, but the language barrier sometimes annoyed me.

    I currently have the Blue Cash Preferred card...any reason I should switch to the Platinum card? Honestly, the Blue Cash Preferred card seems like a better deal, considering I'm getting 6% on groceries and 3% on gas (by far my two biggest expenses). There's a few travel-related benefits that come with the Platinum card, but other than that I can't find any reason to switch...

    Anyone know if there's a bank that will waive fees for a Visa card? I always carry a Visa card with my AmEx, since there's always a few places that don't take AmEx.

    Which UPT base to pick

    in Pilot Selection Process

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    Haven't been to any of the other bases, but I have buddies at all of them. Between what I hear from them and the IP's here (Sheppard), it definitely sounds like Wichita Falls is the best city to be in. It's not that small of a town (wikipedia says 100,000 people, though I have a hard time believing it), and DFW is about 2 hours...perfectly doable on the weekends. Enid is pretty tiny, but OKC is only and hour and a half away; my friends at Vance drive down there all the time. Several of my IP's did UPT or a previous IP gig at XL, and they say that just totally blows....absolutely middle of nowhere. Don't really know much about CB.

    Aviano F-16 pilot KIA

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    af.mil article: http://www.af.mil/ne...sp?id=123335370

    To answer the previous question:

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley approved the posthumous promotion of Gruenther to major, which the pilot was already waiting to officially pin on this year after he was selected for major during a December 2011 promotion board.

    During the ceremony, his wife was presented two medals on the major's behalf. The Aerial Achievement Medal was awarded for efforts during Gruenther's deployment to Afghanistan, where he performed 17 Operation Enduring Freedom combat missions, providing U.S. and coalition ground forces with close air support. The Meritorious Service Medal was presented for distinguished service as 31st Fighter Wing chief of flight safety and as 555th Fighter Squadron assistant chief of training.

    "As per usual, life is good," - Maj. Lucas "Gaza" Gruenther.

    More SARC briefings soon.

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    All "obscene" class patch plaques taken out of the CAFB OG hallways today. Most of the 70's and damn near all of the 80's. So much for heritage.

    Yep, same is about to happen at SPS. Current classes with "offensive" patches are going to have to remove them and design new ones. Which comprises, oh, about every single class here. One class's patch is basically the MLB logo, except with a white silhouette of a woman from the side. Apparently, the fact that women have breasts is offensive. :banghead:

    Even worse, my buddy who's the historian for the 9th Bomb Squadron at Dyess told me last night that he's had to literally cut pages and pictures out of history books. This is the oldest active squadron in the AF, and he's cutting pages out of their history books. F***ing unbelievable.

    Publications, Checklists, Flashcards, Etc...

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Checklists: in the T-6 there is a single-page document (often folded in half to have two sides) called the Consolidated Checklist or something like that. It starts at the cockpit check and ends with the Engine Shutdown checklist. Memorize it. Know every checklist, item by item, cold. Use your cockpit poster to help you memorize it, and when you are taught about the "flow and verify" method of running a checklist, use it.

    Radio calls: they are listed out, generally put together in some sort of gouge document the Simulator Instructors hand out. Memorize them. Be able to spit the radio calls out, and know when to say them. Every single one for the various Contact profiles.

    Departure Procedures. At CBM there are four you use in the Contact Phase. Memorize them. Cold. They are simple, and short. Know them like the back of your hand.

    Any place to find online this prior to starting UPT and getting your books issued? I've checked t6driver.com and the rest.

    Cup-to-disc Ratio

    in Aviation Medicine

    Posted

    Yep, same here. Just had to do an extra test where I stuck my head in a bowl-shaped device and clicked the clicker whenever I saw a point of light somewhere around the periphery of the bowl (I think that's the "visual field testing" deaddebate quoted?). Nonissue.

    • Upvote 1

    Hearing for FC1

    in Aviation Medicine

    Posted

    There was a dude in my FC1 group at Wright Patt who took the hearing test like 5 times before he passed. He said something along the lines of "you just have to pass, there's no limit to the number of times you can attempt the test"...seems fishy to me, but the docs at WP seem to agree with that sentiment.

    Discovery Channel crashes a B-727

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    Just watched the show...it was pretty well done if you can look past the hyper-dramatization (a test flight "went from routine to life-threatening emergency" when the skydivers were lost in the desert for 30 min) and the ex-Navy pilots competing to see who could have their flight suit unzipped the lowest. Some pretty sweet/scary footage from the internal cameras, for sure. Definitely worth watching if you get the chance. The biggest gripe I have is the fact that the 727 doesn't have under-wing engines like practically every modern airliner. I imagine if those dug into the ground, you'd see a very different effect on the wings and center fuselage.

    New Powered Flight Program Aircraft at USAFA

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by Archa3opt3ryx

    Considering there were exactly zero cadets who flew both airplanes I wonder how they came to that conclusion.

    I believe they were freshman when they flew the DA40 and seniors when they flew the SR20. No idea about number of hours, but at least one guy was an IP in the SR20, so I'm hoping more than 20. I guess they have seniors instructing freshman? I'm a ROTC guy so I have zero personal experience with what's going on over there, but considering I heard the same story from multiple people on multiple occasions, either they're all collectively bullshitting, I keep misunderstanding something, or there's a grain of truth somewhere in there.

×
×
  • Create New...