hd5032 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 I apologize in advance if this is in a thread somewhere else already. I tried searching, but apparently the words "air force" (go figure) and "one" are pretty common on this site...If there's another thread already, I'll gladly take this there. I was wondering what kind of an assignment working Air Force One is. I would imagine is a pretty prestigious one, and probably also a small group of people, which when combined, make it mighty tricky to get into. Anyone BTDT? Probably some great stories and would make a great book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PapaJu Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 Search for 89th Airlift Wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol-IEWO Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 I was involved in the acquisition and modification of some aircraft for the "Presidential Fleet." Occasionally we had to visit the flying squadron and got to know several members. Everyone was an expert in their field, they were hand picked (special assignment), and passed an intensive background investigation. All of the enlisted guys were sergeants and the flight crew were majors and Lt. Cols. This was not a newbie assignment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravedigger Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 It has been discussed here before, but if you are on AF portal, go to the officer assignments section, click on tanker airlift assignments, then scroll down to the 89th Wing. They have all the info about the app process and requirements. I am hoping to make it to Air Force One someday, so I have been doing a little research on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ill Destructor Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 http://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/docs/dpa/t...tionProcess.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Warped Posted October 24, 2008 Share Posted October 24, 2008 I have a friend who is a radio operator on Air Force One, so we talk about it quite a bit. The assignment is very prestigous. It is also very very busy (depending on the President and what his travel preferences are). They are gone from home alot, and fly on other aircraft besides AF1. I don't know much about the pilot side, specifically, as my friend on AF1 is enlisted and has a different perspective. Apart from the actual job, the crew stays in the same hotels that the president does, you eat the same food on the airplane as the president (on real plates/glasses/silverware no less) and have the opportunity to meet some very interesting people. From a pilot perspective, I don't know if there is a rank requirement or not, but I know that when I asked about it, most of the pilots were Lt. Col's or Col's. The E-4 might be a good stepping off point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest xclozano Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 What kind of pilots get to fly for the 89th Airlift Wings, flying aircraft such as the C-40B/C, C-37A, etc. ? I was told you have to complete two assignments, then you can submit some kind of package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEAPON Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I have heard TONS, and I emphasize TONS, of people apply. Word is though, the minimums are set in stone and if your paperwork is not flawless, forget about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViperDriver77 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) All obtained from AFPC... 1. APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS 1a. Minimum requirements are as follows: • Airlift, Tanker, or C2ISR (E-3, E-4, E-8, KC-135) Major Weapon System (MWS) Aircraft Commander • No fighter • 2000 total hours • 3 years Time on Station (TOS or DEROS) by 1 Oct 09 (NO EXCEPTIONS) • Professional Military Education (PME) completed (any method), appropriate for rank and time in grade • MWS/OSA Instructor/Evaluator experience 1b. 89th Airlift Wing highly desires in addition to above requirements: • 2500 total hours (not including other time) • 250 MWS/OSA Instructor Pilot hours • MWS/OSA Evaluator Pilot experience • Recent worldwide flight experience • Minimal number of qualification level 3 (or equivalent) flight evaluations and... 3. SCREENING • 1st Phase, AFPC. All packages are screened for AFPC release from 10-16 Dec 2008. Resource managers from the applicant’s weapon systems will screen applicants for suitability and determine releaseability for 89 AW duty. • If you are not currently flying in your MWS (i.e., on staff, flying as a UFT instructor in AETC, or flying in OSA) you should have a minimum of two operational MWS tours (equivalent to 6 yrs in an MWS). • If you are flying in an MWS you will be released based on your qualifications and manning requirements in the system. • Officers should expect return to a MWS rated requirement (could be PME or staff) after an assignment to the 89 AW. Edited November 24, 2008 by aviator77 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bucky60k Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) Is it true that if you Q3 any checkride (outside of UPT of course) you're automatically disqualified from being a pilot in the unit? Edited November 24, 2008 by bucky60k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butters Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) Is it true that if you Q3 any checkride (outside of UPT of course) you're automatically disqualified from being a pilot in the unit? Not true. However, if you have a Bad Q-3 for judgment, unsafe act, or something that shows a serious lack of flight discipline, don't bother sending in your application. 1 or 2 Q-3s are fine, if they were for something minor or complete BS. As for the requirements, they should rename "highly desires" to "absolutely require". Everyone I know that has applied met the highly desire requirements, the min requirement guys were told to try again next year. Edited November 24, 2008 by Nole_96 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbigred300 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 When people talk about "applying to the 89th", that isn't just air force one right? I looked it up and it looks like they fly like 5 different types of aircraft...so is there one of those that you have to start with? Are the requirements listed above just for entry into the squadron...or just for air force one? I was under the impression that you had to work in the 89th for a long long time before actually landing something like air force one. Regardless it seems to me like you would have to know a lot of people to get anywhere near it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy2181 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 (edited) When you are selected to go to the 89th, you are "tracked" to either the 1st or 99th. Each of these squadrons fly different aircraft and support different people. From these two squadrons, people are then choosen to "fly" Air Force One. Yet, there is only one presidential pilot. The commander of the presidential airlift group is the presidential pilot and only he flies the aircraft. The other pilots that he selects to fly with him only talk on the radio and gear jerk. Edited November 24, 2008 by c17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tac airlifter Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 That seems impractical. How can the squadron/CC be TDY as much as AF one would require? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butters Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 When people talk about "applying to the 89th", that isn't just air force one right? You do not apply to fly Air Force One That seems impractical. How can the squadron/CC be TDY as much as AF one would require? Because technically it is not a squadron. It is a flight. The Presidential Airlift Flight to be exact. There are only about 9 pilots in it, but you can never get anyone to confirm that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Boom Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 That seems impractical. How can the squadron/CC be TDY as much as AF one would require? I think the OG/CC and the WG/CC are the ones who fly Air Force One. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyguy2181 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Here is the departing message from the presidential pilot, Col Mark Tillman. It also mentions Col. Scott Turner is the new presidential pilot. http://www.andrews.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123125372 FWIW, I read where he was slated to get his first star but the message mentions something about retiring.... The people I talked with in the 99th and the 1st enjoyed their jobs. I think most of them enjoyed spending the last years in the Air Force until retirement in a nice flying job and not behind a desk (esp as O-5s) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HossHarris Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I think the OG/CC and the WG/CC are the ones who fly Air Force One. False ... you also could not be gone that much and run an ops group or wing. / I was in the 1AS 1997-1998 // Random, I know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butters Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 I think the OG/CC and the WG/CC are the ones who fly Air Force One. I think I know where all the confusion is coming from. Apparently according to the article above it is called the Presidential Airlift Group now.. not a flight like is was years ago. That Commander of the PAG is the Presidential Pilot, that is why people think the OG/CC is the Pres Pilot... So it is the PAG/CC not the 89th OG/CC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splash95 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 What about AF1 assignment as a Nav? I have heard that AF1 has at least one Nav, is this true? I'm sure one has to be a Maj/LtCol for that gig too, but was just curious to know. I think I know where all the confusion is coming from. Apparently according to the article above it is called the Presidential Airlift Group now.. not a flight like is was years ago. That Commander of the PAG is the Presidential Pilot, that is why people think the OG/CC is the Pres Pilot... So it is the PAG/CC not the 89th OG/CC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butters Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 What about AF1 assignment as a Nav? I have heard that AF1 has at least one Nav, is this true? I'm sure one has to be a Maj/LtCol for that gig too, but was just curious to know. No idea about the other assignments. Actually, I am not all that sure about the pilots either. Whenever the 89th comes to town on a recruting trip try asking them about the Presidential Airlift Group... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JarheadBoom Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 (edited) What about AF1 assignment as a Nav? I have heard that AF1 has at least one Nav, is this true? I'm sure one has to be a Maj/LtCol for that gig too, but was just curious to know. FWIW... The show about AF1 I saw on the Discovery Channel not too long ago (I don't know how long the Presidential pilot tour is, but Col Tillman was the pilot, so it was made fairly recently) showed a LtCol at the Nav position on the flight deck, and they made a point of saying the VC-25 has a Nav due to the "unique mission". The show was pretty good, BTW. Much more access to the behind-the-scenes stuff than I would have ever thought they'd allow. Wish I could remember what it was called... Edited November 26, 2008 by JarheadBoom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MD Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 The show was pretty good, BTW. Much more access to the behind-the-scenes stuff than I would have ever thought they'd allow. Wish I could remember what it was called... Was Harrison Ford in it? Or William H Macy as the Master Nav-winged guy who didn't know anything about flying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWACSEng Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I think you are reffering to Secret Access: Air Force One on the History Channel. It was on again tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectre56 Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 I think you are reffering to Secret Access: Air Force One on the History Channel. It was on again tonight. I think that's it...they show it every so often. Like c17wannabe, I would like to apply for them one day also. I gotta make it through UPT first! Was anyone else on here in the 89th that we could glean some information from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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