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B-1 (Bone) questions


Guest ralph

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I have track select coming up and I heard that B-1's are mainly taking FAIPs right now, any type of FAIP to be exact. Can any one clarify on that?

I don't think that it matters to tell you the truth. There are 3 T-1 FAIPs and 2 T-6 FAIPs in my class. One T-38 guy fresh out of UPT.

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I don't think that it matters to tell you the truth. There are 3 T-1 FAIPs and 2 T-6 FAIPs in my class. One T-38 guy fresh out of UPT.

The Bone community took almost an entire FTU year's worth of FAIPs to correct AC/IP manning issues. The CAF wouldn't give them enough 38 guys so AFPC threw dudes with T-1 backgrounds their way. The expectation is for them to finish MQT as ACs and upgrade to IP within a very shortened timeframe. It goes without saying that it some will hack it and some won't. Whatever the case, I'd expect things to go back to normal in the very near future, i.e. maybe 1 Bone per drop to 38s.

FWIW, I'd throw my hat in the Ellsworth ring as well. Rapid City > Abilene any day of the week.

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  • 6 months later...

IBS - the Integrated Battle Station, is functional on a jet at test. Right now, plans call for all of the jets to be upgraded by 2018, I believe. That being said, there is no telling what the sequester might do to the program.

It does make the jet more "pilot" friendly, meaning that it's going to replace the steam gauges and tv tube displays with big fat MFDs. Much of the instrumentation will look very similar to what you have in the T-38. On top of that, the upgrade will give pilots the ability to monitor and interact with the WSO's screens, which is a huge improvement. There is whole lot more to it that shouldn't be talked about here...suffice to say it makes the Bone a lot more pilot centric. Of course, that has made it somewhat unpopular with the backseat union in the community.

The A/C problem is no more. The flood of FAIPs to the community has done a nice job of clogging the pipeline. The co-pilot program continues to be almost the same as it always was - dudes struggle to make RAP. The problem is that co-pilots are the first dudes to get bumped whenever there is an upgrade happening. And often times, the upgrade process will kill a lot more flights than it should - FLUG, for example, sometimes takes twice as many rides just because they can't manage to get two jets into the air at the same time. What you can honestly expect as a co-pilot is to make RAP, and not much more. Anything extra is gravy.

If you have more specific questions, PM me.

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IBS - the Integrated Battle Station, is functional on a jet at test. Right now, plans call for all of the jets to be upgraded by 2018, I believe. That being said, there is no telling what the sequester might do to the program.

It does make the jet more "pilot" friendly, meaning that it's going to replace the steam gauges and tv tube displays with big fat MFDs. Much of the instrumentation will look very similar to what you have in the T-38. On top of that, the upgrade will give pilots the ability to monitor and interact with the WSO's screens, which is a huge improvement. There is whole lot more to it that shouldn't be talked about here...suffice to say it makes the Bone a lot more pilot centric. Of course, that has made it somewhat unpopular with the backseat union in the community.

The A/C problem is no more. The flood of FAIPs to the community has done a nice job of clogging the pipeline. The co-pilot program continues to be almost the same as it always was - dudes struggle to make RAP. The problem is that co-pilots are the first dudes to get bumped whenever there is an upgrade happening. And often times, the upgrade process will kill a lot more flights than it should - FLUG, for example, sometimes takes twice as many rides just because they can't manage to get two jets into the air at the same time. What you can honestly expect as a co-pilot is to make RAP, and not much more. Anything extra is gravy.

If you have more specific questions, PM me.

Is that Nav, ahem, I mean WSO (I'm sorry, don't want WSOs to be butthurt) union approved?

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DT and OT haven't even tested it yet, let alone the WIC guys or ops units, so it's too early to speculate about CRM. We all know it will change CRM in the B-1 and the intent is to do that in a smart manner.

It also doesn't replace all the tape gauges - the engine instrument stack will remain for the foreseeable future. The pilot MFDs will be a huge improvement and will make it much easier for new dudes to transition from T-38s and T-1s. The digital display upgrades will help the Bone better integrate with the rest of the CAF. I would not say it makes the Bone more "pilot centric", although pilots will have more SA and ability to make changes and inputs to the mission data. The pilots will still be limited by # and size of displays (two 6 x 8s per pilot and only one can edit mission data). WSOs will get 7 larger MFDs between the two stations.

Also important to note that it is already funded and many of the kits have already been paid for - sequester may upset the mod schedule but shouldn't cancel the program, unless they come of out nowhere and retire the entire aircraft, which seems unlikely at present.

Edited by daynightindicator
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If they come around the spaces telling everyone to muster in the hangar at XX time for a big announcement... something might be up. I remember that all too well while standing in a hangar... in Georgia circa 2001.

Cheers

ATIS

Edited by ATIS
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I've heard the same rumor.

I'm currently in the community and have been so since around 04ish. I haven't heard anything that would lead me to believe that we're going away any time soon. We're getting new Sniper pods, SB-15 upgrade, IBS, etc. Although, the decisions are WELL above the Wing level. I've been surprised before...time will tell.

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Not trying to pit the Buff against the Bone but why isn't the Buff gettting the ax?

The B-1 seems more survivalble and capable with the sniper upgrade...

Triad. Readiness rates. Upgrades coming down the pipe for the BUFF to keep it relevant and lethal well past our careers, including the bay, pod, radar, and finally getting some digital communications capability. But, of course, I'm biased. I don't think you'll see either get the ax.

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Triad. Readiness rates. Upgrades coming down the pipe for the BUFF to keep it relevant and lethal well past our careers, including the bay, pod, radar, and finally getting some digital communications capability. But, of course, I'm biased. I don't think you'll see either get the ax.

Concur... I heard a 49 TES roadshow the other day (and the same info elsewhere) to the effect that the Strat Radar Replacement program is dead... But SNIPER, 1760 in the bay (which is apparently funded alongside our GBU-54 and JASSM-ER integration), anti-skid system replacement, and two more OAS software updates are coming, with a full rate production decision on CONECT coming later this year.

Likewise, I think their being the initial platform for JASSM-ER is a strong sign the BONE isn't going away any time soon either. FWIW.

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  • 2 months later...

Just got selected for the B-1 out of UPT and have a few questions about Dyess if anyone has any insight. I'll be getting married a week after graduation and my wife and I are trying to learn about the best places to live either on-base or off-base so my question is where are some good places to look in the area while at training? Also, how long does it take usually to get through the schoolhouse and if anyone has any info on what the syllabus is like that'd be appreciated as well.

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Just got selected for the B-1 out of UPT and have a few questions about Dyess if anyone has any insight. I'll be getting married a week after graduation and my wife and I are trying to learn about the best places to live either on-base or off-base so my question is where are some good places to look in the area while at training? Also, how long does it take usually to get through the schoolhouse and if anyone has any info on what the syllabus is like that'd be appreciated as well.

The other thing that you have to decide is if you want to stay at Dyess or come to Ellsworth, my two cents, come to Ellsworth. On-base, from what I have seen is really nice, but I do believe that it is difficult to get on-base housing. It was when I was there, but things may have changed. I rented a house in Hampton Hills right out the main gate and it wasn't too bad. Other apartments to rent are Quail Hallow, not bad places either and close to work, . My advice would be to stay south of the train tracks down by the mall area or over by the zoo type areas. DO NOT rent from Gerard Real Estate!!! Completely ripped me off of a security deposit for stupid BS but wasnt really worth fighting them over.

The schoolhouse takes 6mo, give or take a couple of weeks or days, depending on maintenance and cnx'd sorties. Syllabus is 3mo academics and 3mo flying. PM me and I can give you more specifics on syllabus stuff

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The Bone community took almost an entire FTU year's worth of FAIPs to correct AC/IP manning issues. The CAF wouldn't give them enough 38 guys so AFPC threw dudes with T-1 backgrounds their way. The expectation is for them to finish MQT as ACs and upgrade to IP within a very shortened timeframe. It goes without saying that it some will hack it and some won't. Whatever the case, I'd expect things to go back to normal in the very near future, i.e. maybe 1 Bone per drop to 38s. FWIW, I'd throw my hat in the Ellsworth ring as well. Rapid City > Abilene any day of the week.

Sadly, we're now mostly using the FAIPs to fill the ALFA slots, because they're "too old to go to weapon school".

I hate AFPC so very much.

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You mean all the FAIPs that were used to fix the AC shortage?

Yep. We didn't make them ACs coming out of IQC or MQT, kept them on about the same timeline, then told them they were too old to go to WIC so we were sending them ALO or back to white jets so we could keep the young copilots and upgrade those guys instead.

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