Squadron Bar

"The Obama administration has ordered an end to use of the phrase "Global War on Terror," a label adopted by the Bush administration shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday. In a memo sent this week from the Defense Department's office of security to Pentagon staffers, members were told, "this administration prefers to avoid using the term 'Long War' or 'Global War on Terror' [GWOT.] Please use 'Overseas Contingency Operation......yada yada yada....'" I'm glad that all you boys out there that are dropping bombs, passing gas and in general kicking a**, are just out there supporting contingency operations. Maybe I'm bei…

Looks like UAS technology is spreading across the DoD... Pentagon reveals new Unmanned Spokesdrone Cheers! M2

So, I think we came across a error in the new Vol 3. Can anyone verify the TAS calculations on Pg 52 and 53? I'm showing that 250 KIAS at 9000 should be around 292 KTAS (250*(1.02)^8) instead of 430 KTAS and 250 KIAS at 12,000 should be closer to 317 (250*(1.02)^12)as opposed to 490 or 500?!?. Came across this when someone called me tonight asking for help figuring decent gradients and said based on the 217 that he would have 340 KTAS at 180 indicated and 8,000 MSL. Something no smelly right.

On Monday, traffic from China to YouTube began dwindling until it dried up nearly completely today, due to a site-wide block of the popular video sharing site in that country. Google says it has no idea why it's being blocked. China has demonstrated the ability to block access only to certain YouTube URLs as part of its ongoing censorship of the internet, so this site-wide ban represents a significant change in strategy. "We do not know the reason for the blockage," a Google spokesman told Wired.com, "and we're working as quickly as possible to restore access to our users in China." However, he did not specify what those steps might be. It's possible that one of …

I searched for an AFN thread, with no luck (God knows, the ridiculous adds deserve their own thread): Why in the holy hell is AFN still advertising the special operations gunner career on the MH-53, months after the airframe retired?

In a recent thread I ran across someone talking about great spit flying in a miniseries called "Piece of Cake." I grabbed it off of netflix to my surprise and in fact it really is wonderful. There's some great formation stuff, as well as a Spit flying under a cobblestone bridge with about ten feet on either side. I hadn't thought there was a good flying flick that I hadn't come across. I don't want the obvious ones. I want more of the "Only Angels Have Wings," "A Guy Named Joe," and "Towards the Unknown" type films. I just discovered "The War Lover" with Steve McQueen which is a must see for you World War Two buffs. Let's hear em! Cheers! -Stuck

Summary... The AF donated/loaned a Twin Mustang to CAF in 1968. They changed their donation regulations in 1970 and now want the plane back. CAF flew it until the mid-80s when it was damaged, but they have almost returned it to flying status. The AF is now demanding that it be returned to the AF museum, which already has a Twin Mustang. Their primary reason is that they don't want it flying...seriously, would you rather see this thing at a museum or flying at an airshow? CAF Twin Mustang

Looks like a new naval aviation movie is in the pipeline called "Speed and Angels" ...its a full length documentary and follows two pilots from flight school all the way to their first combat deployment... https://www.umlautfilms.com/site/jess_playe...eed_angels.html Jay's quote is classic :D "whoever thought up the idea of us landing on boats at night is an ASSHOLE...I HATE him" [ 25. June 2006, 01:40: Message edited by: DBurrell ]

OK, don't over-analyze this video, just watch it and smile...

I'm not now, nor have I ever been a pilot in any branch of our military. I relay this true story only as 2nd hand information passed down to me by my (recently deceased Uncle) who was a Navigator/Bombadier in our U.S. Army Air Force in 1945. He flew the A-26 Invader, and was awarded a Silver Star with a V by the way. James McNamara. Anyway, he was in pilot training and while on solo training with his crew, they strafed a farmer's field with .50 caliber machine guns and killed one of the cows. The farmer complained and had seen the tail number of the aircraft. They didn't wash out my Uncle of the program but did bust him to Navigator/Bombadier duties. I was won…

Here is a film clip from the Austrian national archives of the Wright Brothers demonstrating their plane in Italy in 1909. What is even more fantastic is there was an on-board camera on the Wright plane and the last part of this film shows it. It's crystal clear, and apparently the first in flight footage taken - anywhere. Wilbur Wright is at the controls on both of the flights. https://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/322/fiche_technique.htm?ID=322 ://https://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/P...que.htm?ID=322 ://https://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/P...que.htm?ID=322 Talk about a heritage flight... Mike

Why does DOD continue to insist on starting operations 1 minute after midnight? Everything thing I see is 0001. Do we magically skip a minute every night and I have been missing this al along? So I ask the question and these are the answers I received. 1. 0000 is not a valid time. 2. 2400 is midnight not 0000. 3. The computer does not understand 0000 4. 0000 confuses people. Everyone, look at your digital watch. 1 second after 2359 and 59 seconds, the watch will read 0000 not 0001. Since we live in a post Y2K world, computers do understand 0000. Make the madness stop. Insist on using 0000.

So, I thought it might be fun to see what kind of aviation patches you guys have that are unintentionally funny. Not a gag patch, but one that was supposed to be serious but ended up being not so much. My favorite is this bit of Engrish from Korea: The McDonald Davis F-16 Eagle

Finally getting named this weekend, and of course, we're tasked with providing the "pre-namage" entertainment. What are some of the better/funnier skits you all have seen in a roll-call type setting? Any ideas? We're not at home station, so that does make it a little more difficult... Thanks in advance! Edited to add: the boss has ruled out strippers.

Remember when the people bailed out the government and not vice versa?

Ok, I've been drinking bourbon and after 18+ years it’s time for a rant to you young dummies out there. I am sure some will scoff and a few more will certainly roll in on me, so let me launch a pre-emptive fuck you up front, I don't care, deal with it. Yes I am old and I have probably been promoted beyond the rank of usefulness, but I’ve seen a few things along the way and I am going to share them whether you like it or not. I will give my disclaimer up front; yes I’ve been to school a few times and endured the Air Force Koolaid funnel, but at least in my pea brain, I’ve kept perspective and still consider myself a warrior. I could give a rats ass about scarves,…

Paul Harvey passed away today at age 90. Paul Harvey https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?...2226&page=1Paul Harvey passes at age 90 An American radio icon. One of a few radio broadcasters who actually made a living bringing good news to the masses. Rest in peace. :beer:

Gents.... Have a Fighter Pilot / OSS CC about to leave, looking for what you guys have seen in your illustrious careers as the best going away gifts of all time... Really want to give this awesome leader something to remember his tour as a Fighter OSS/CC.... What have you seen? Ludicrous ideas also accepted... Shots of weed for all good suggestions will be readily dispersed. 2sBlind!!!!

Pentagon: Families to decide on coffin photos But Gates says decision on images will be up to families of war dead The Associated Press updated 2:46 p.m. CT, Thurs., Feb. 26, 2009 WASHINGTON - Families of America's war dead will be allowed to decide if news organizations can photograph the homecomings of their loved ones, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday. Gates said he decided to allow media photos of flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base, Del., if the families agree. A working group will come up with details and logistics. The new policy reverses a ban put in place in 1991 by then President George H.W. Bush. Some critics contended the gove…

I don't really know what to say about this genius except that she opened my eyes. I'm a believer now, this and fluoridation of water. We should be more concerned about our purity of essence.

I know what I am going to do but am just curious to see what all of you would do in this situation...Got picked up off the street for a guard viper pilot slot and just found out my OTS recruiter rolled over an FY08 OTS Pilot slot application to the just released 0901 OTS Pilot Board. Curious to see what those of you on AD, in the guard, in ROTC/OTS, on casual etc would do in this situation. Nothing like having great options though it is a tough choice and kind of begs the question as to which is the better gig in today's world...guard or AD. Opinions wanted...talk it up

The first video is real, the second a parody. I haven't laughed this hard in months!

https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/17/oba...oops/index.html President Obama increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan by 17,000. Wonder where Code Pink is now? No protests? Oh the irony...

OK, saw this on another forum (yeah, I spend too much time on Al Gore's 'Net; but not all of it is looking at guns and porn!) and thought it would be fun to start here... Download this template and get to work. Some examples follow... Cheers! M2

As we are getting ready to crank engines this morning we here an unfamliar callsign on ground. I look over to my left and see a beautiful P-51D rolling into parking right in front of base ops. Jack Roush, owner of Roush Racing, and 'Gentleman Jim' paid a visit to the ole' Selfridge Air patch today. I didn't have my camera with me, but that beauty is burned into my memory. That piece of art looks like it rolled of the line yesterday... It got me thinking, anybody else have any cool warbird stories? Mine was not that cool, but it was such a great site to see something like that before an eval. I would have given my left nut-probably my right one too-if Jack would h…