FishBowl Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Ouch...rough dropI don't have much ground to stand on since I won't get to UPT until next year, but this doesn't seem like that horrible of a drop. It could definitely be a lot worse. I'd be happy with any of the manned aircraft in this drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runr6730 Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Scroll back 5 years and say that.No need to get snippy. I'm merely pointing out that out of the 13 AD assignments, 4 were FAIPs and 2 RPAs. Certainly not as RPA heavy as years past, but still significant. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guineapigfury Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Expect the number of RPA drops to increase in 2019. The bulk of 18Xers start to hit the end of their ADSCs in 2018. Expect most of them to separate. That manning has to get replaced from somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurelySerious Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 No need to get snippy. I'm merely pointing out that out of the 13 AD assignments, 4 were FAIPs and 2 RPAs. Certainly not as RPA heavy as years past, but still significant. And? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKinnear Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 4 were FAIPsThe dreaded FAIP assignment.Say that out loud and see how it sounds. You need to catch on how much that sounds like a little bitch.FAIPs do alright, both in the jet and career-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper154 Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Expect the number of RPA drops to increase in 2019. The bulk of 18Xers start to hit the end of their ADSCs in 2018. Expect most of them to separate. That manning has to get replaced from somewhere.18x school house is preparing to double their numbers this fiscal year. These kids are surprisingly motivated, I am sure a couple months of shift work will change that but somewhere the AF is finding happy and willing volunteers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guineapigfury Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I saw plenty of those surprisingly motivated 18X 2Lts at my previous base. Most have given up before they pin on 1Lt. The most optimistic projections have Holloman producing 350ish pilots per year IF we double IP manning. We currently lose approximately 240 RPA pilots per year with a production of about 180. When the 18Xs hit the end of their ADSCs, you'll see that 240 number increase significantly. To compound the problem many of those 18Xs walking out the door will be your new FTU IPs. My prediction: things improve just enough in 2016 and 2017 for the higher ups to think they've fixed the problem. 2018 sees the exodus and the RPA enterprise is caught with its flightsuit around its ankles. Then in 2019 we find ourselves back at square one, only with the stigma of 4 more years of failure and likely an increase in CAPs looming. TLDR: We're fucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinny Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 EN 16-01? Dropped this past Friday night I believe.F-15CAWACS (requested)F-16T-38C FAIPF-16T-38AF-16A-10 ANGF-15EA-10 ADF-16B-52F-15C ANG The NATO dudes had a smattering of Euro Fighters, Vipers, and a KT-1C 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GO BIG BLUE Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) F-15C Active dutyF-15C ANG (Louisiana)AWACS (requested)F-16T-38C FAIPF-16T-38A (Langley)F-16A-10 ANG (Fort Wayne)F-15EA-10 ADF-16B-52F-15C ANG (Fresno) The NATO dudes had a smattering of Euro Fighters, Vipers, and a KT-1C3xEurofighters for the Germans2xF-16's and the one KT-1C for the Turks1xF-16 for the BelgianEdited for those that care. Edited October 24, 2015 by GO BIG BLUE 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurelySerious Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Edited for those that care.Would've preferred reformatted. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hell yeah, AWACS! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napoleon_Tanerite Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hell yeah, AWACS! It still kills me that guys consider this a bad assignment. Aside from the perpetual toxic leadership mess that the 552 ACW is, I see the E-3 to Tinker as being a great assignment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcola Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 It still kills me that guys consider this a bad assignment. Aside from the perpetual toxic leadership mess that the 552 ACW is, I see the E-3 to Tinker as being a great assignment! Really? AWACS has been considered a bad assignment since the beginning of time. The existence of something worse (i.e. RPAs) doesn't necessarily make it desirable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guineapigfury Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Really? AWACS has been considered a bad assignment since the beginning of time. The existence of something worse (i.e. RPAs) doesn't necessarily make it desirable.Desirable is a relative term. I'm stuck in RPAs and would gladly accept an AWACS assignment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clark Griswold Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 It still kills me that guys consider this a bad assignment. Aside from the perpetual toxic leadership mess that the 552 ACW is, I see the E-3 to Tinker as being a great assignment! Really? AWACS has been considered a bad assignment since the beginning of time. The existence of something worse (i.e. RPAs) doesn't necessarily make it desirable.Just two cents offered on BO.net but I would rather be here:New AWACS cockpit (in 2018) http://www.hanscom.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123424407Than here:That's no offense to RPA dudes either, I had an RPA assignment while on AD, didn't regret it but after about 2 years in the shelter I was ready to go back to anything that slipped the surly bonds of earth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napoleon_Tanerite Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 You guys are right.... That type in a four engine Boeing heavy is terrible. Oak City is a terrible shithole to live on, and I would hate for my three MDS PCS options to be Alaska, Japan, and Germany. You got me. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I was being serious. That is a good buddy of mine that chose AWACSYou guys are right.... That type in a four engine Boeing heavy is terrible. Oak City is a terrible shithole to live on, and I would hate for my three MDS PCS options to be Alaska, Japan, and Germany. You got me. and I'm stoked for him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tac airlifter Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 We're all different with different motivations. I'd absolutely rather be an RPA guy doing something relevant to the war than any number of flying assignments which aren't helping the fight. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guineapigfury Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) I've had the misfortune of flying RPAs for the last few years. I wouldn't describe what we do as "relevant", unless you think there is a strategic value to playing whack-a-mole. I would gladly take any non-rpa assignment pulled out of a hat over continuing to fly MQ-9s. Edited October 26, 2015 by guineapigfury 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razor666 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I mean AWACS has awesome locations, multi engine, non centerline thrust, and a Boeing type rating. Hello airlines. Sure the flying is 30 bank turns but not the worst thing in the world.What about the BUFF assignment? What do they do now? Again not a bad gig in my opionion. Multi-engine, non centerline thrust, deploy to Guam, tons of flight hours. Hello airlines. Plus with the new bomber supposed to come out, who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napoleon_Tanerite Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Guys seem to forget that no matter what airplane you fly (besides UPT trainers) 96.9% of your flight time will be watching the autopilot fly in either circles (recce orbits, AR tracks, CAPs, etc) or in a straight line to/from your orbit, or to get the rubber dogshit from point A to point B. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcola Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Oh, how the times have changed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzz Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 It still kills me that guys consider this a bad assignment. Aside from the perpetual toxic leadership mess that the 552 ACW is, I see the E-3 to Tinker as being a great assignment! As others have pointed out the flying isn't bad and the locations are pretty good (I'd take OKC in a heartbeat). However, the toxic leadership was a common and noticeable theme among all the AWACs guys I talked to at UPT, which turned me off from even considering them. It's on thing to say a base or squadron has a toxic leader for their 2 year command tour but when several guys spanning a large swath of years all say the same thing including guys that just PCS'd to UPT bases, it doesn't interest people in going there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Unfortunately, I think toxic leadership is seeping in everywhere because our higher leadership will only do something about it if they are forced to. See Rhatigan and JQP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
di1630 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Guys seem to forget that no matter what airplane you fly (besides UPT trainers) 96.9% of your flight time will be watching the autopilot fly in either circles (recce orbits, AR tracks, CAPs, etc) or in a straight line to/from your orbit, or to get the rubber dogshit from point A to point B.100% insightfully accurate. The only time I don't use autopilot is during takeoff, departure, tac form enroute, in the AO, during attacks or threat reactions, low level Rtb or up initial. But 96.69% of the time I'm surfing my iPhone with the autopilot engaged...normally in the final turn thinking about the good ole days of UPT when flying was fun. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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