General Discussion

Hello folks, How many of your out there are performing your flight duties with glasses? How many of you are required to wear them when going up or selected for flight training despite having have to wear glasses? All my life I had 20/15 vision and now by age 28 it started going bad. I am going to be getting my first pair soon, and it is kind of hard to accept that I don't have good vision anymore. Kind of a like sending your kid to school with his first pair of glasses, I thought getting some encouragement from those who has to have correction while flying would help me a bit. What are the disadvantages wearing glasses while flying in your opinion? Thanks

Here's the deal, after ten years of civilian life, I've decided that it's time to serve again. (I did nine years on active duty.) I've talked to a reserve unit, and will soon schedule a physical to get the ball rolling. In the mean time, I was wondering if there's anybody out there who can help me with some questions concerning the viability of my choice, and what other options might be available to me with other units or career fields. Anybody with any AWAC background or insights would be especially appreciated. Background: (Military) 9 years enlisted AD TS Presidential Support clearance Bacground: (Civilian) Insructor Pilot Airline Pilot Published Author …

Well it finally happened.... After over 2 years waiting I got my UPT dates!!! I am heading to Vance AFB, anyone else coming!!!

Well wouldn’t you know it I had solid flight only to screw up my ground EP. Sure sucks blowing an 88 ride on just an EP. Anyways all is back to normal but I was just curious if midphase is really about a 50% bust rate at UPT? The student rumor is that they look to bust folks on the midphase more so then on the last three checks. Is there any partial truth to this? Its tuff separating student rumors/interpretation from the honest truth. By the way if anyone has good suggestions on how to setup EP’s please pass it along. Iv tried using the little cheat sheets but they are not always helpful. Since we are so understaffed we don’t get many stand-ups during the week. …

here's a hypothetical situation: crew aircraft with winglets. part of before taxi checklist is to check the area outside the jet for obstacles before taxiing. CP (from seat) scans, "all clear" P scans (from seat), "all clear" LM scans (from in front of the jet, on the ground outside), "all clear" LM hops aboard, closes door, yadda yadda yadda, crew taxis. [sound of something metal scraping] P "what the heck was that?" LM deplanes - sees fire bottle nudged by nose gear. P and LM subsequently get commander directed Q3s. thoughts? objections? comments? i'll start. i think it's crap that the P got Q3d. sure they're responsible for everything, but cra…

Since DITY moves seem to be popular with folks on this site, if anyone is in San Antonio at the moment and plan to do a DITY move in the near future, I have a ton of new boxes (or 'container' for those who point with their elbows) and wrapping paper from our PCS from Belgium. They are brand new, used once during our move. If anyone is interested let me know, we are off of 1604 and Braun, near Bandera Road. This offer is good for one week, at which point they all go curbside for the trash collectors to remove. Cheers! M2

On the training side how much of the flying is actually done by hand as opposed to using the autopilot? Does the Tweet even have an autopilot? I am currently flying a Citation CJ2 and I'm trying to fly as many legs as possible without the AP so that I can keep up my instrument scan (as if there is one anyway in the Collins ProLine 21) for UPT.

Ok guys, I have a couple questions. Im currently in Pcola for Strike/Fighter training. I will be starting API in a few weeks, so all of my training is still ahead of me. Our only two airframes are Bones and F-15Es. I know we have some Bone guys and Strike Eagle guys on here, my question to you, is what are your pros and cons of your airframes? How many Eagle or Bones slots come through, possibly more E slots? How long is the IFF course? FTU for Strike Eagles is 7 months I believe, how long is it for the Bone? Deployments? Basically my flightmates and I dont have too much info as of now, im sure we will get more later, but just some basic info from the crews …

China, Russia Conduct Military Exercises By BURT HERMAN VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (AP) - Russia and China launched their first-ever joint military exercises Thursday on a Chinese peninsula jutting into the Yellow Sea - an eight-day event that symbolizes the two countries' bolstered ties since the end of the Cold War. Moscow and Beijing will stage a mock intervention to stabilize an imaginary country riven by ethnic strife. But they insisted the ``Peace Mission 2005'' exercises - which started Thursday and include some 10,000 troops from land, sea and air forces - were not aimed at a third country. ``Our exercises don't threaten any country,'' Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky…

Am looking for some unfiltered info on life at on AD from the four-fans-of-freedom guys. This is coming from someone that might be "returning to the fold" so to speak. I've been an ARC member for a lot longer than I was ever on AD and have only recently seen AD up close in the AOR. Specifically, are they giving assigments to Elmendorf? How's life at Ramstein with the E models having problems? How is living at the Rock for family types? Am afraid to ask about Dyess and Pope, having spent some time at both places and knowing just enough to be dangerous. Just a snap of what life would be like as a regular old Herk guy, albeit a bit more senior than most FNGs to the sq…

Hey, This might be a really really really stupid question for some of you, but it has been on my mind for a bit now. I want to be a pilot in the Air Force; I am a US citizen and everything, as well as in ROTC. The thing is I am of middle eastern descent. Would it hurt my chance in the selection board if they see a name like Muhammad Akbar? I don't believe their is racism in the AF but this one thing has just been on my mind. Thanks again. I'm sorry if this is a stupid post.

Does anyone know where I can find a comprehensive unit of all Air Refueling Squadrons with contact info (preferably DOS, OSF/OSS, or the DO)? Any help would be much appreciated.

i didn't want to hijack a thread, but scoobs (i think) advised someone in upt to fly fighters (they were undecided) because they could always go fly heavies later. and so i wondered if anyone has ever gone the opposite direction - heavies to fighters? i don't know of any, nor have i ever heard of any. how about you?

I'm currently in pilot training and need help deciding what track I should consider. Ever since I wanted to be a pilot, my dream aircraft was the C-17. After flying the Tweet, getting over airsickness , and doing extremely well, I've become uncertain as to what I ultimately want to fly. My ego is telling me to go with fighters, my wife and kid have me leaning towards heavies. Any advice concerning the life of a fighter and heavy pilot would be great.

Hey, if there are any Dos Gringos fans out there and you happen to be in the Southeast, we're doing a live show Friday Sept 16th at the Mellow Mushroom in Valdosta, GA. This show will be recorded and made into a CD. The show will start around 9:30pm. We are hoping to make this the hands down party of the year! For more information, you can go to our website, www.dosgringosrocks.com. Also, we start recording our 2nd CD that weekend. Look for it to be out around the Christmas time frame.

Jetmaker MiG Displays Latest Maverick Engine On 5 August, the latest version of the MiG-29, the MiG-29 OVT, was demonstrated at Zhukovsky with a new all-axis thrust-vectoring nozzle. It is this version of the MiG-29 that Russia will be offering to India in a tender for 126 fighter jets later this year, MiG chief Alexei Fyodorov said. Discuss. Cheers! M2

I really dug the Aviation Pics thread on this forum (gen disussion). I was wondering if there was any sort of demand / desire to see the creation of an interactive aviation pics gallery -- an online gallery where you could upload photos/pics to share with others? I was looking at a PHP script like Coppermine Gallery, etc. --> translation: an interactive portal where users create accounts then upload their photos to share. I thought this would be a good idea, however, the bandwidth concerns would make me place it on another website/server. The product I was looking at allows users to upload their photos (direct from their harddrives), place captions, search, …

THE UNIFORM CODE OF TDY JUSTICE Article 1. Under no circumstances may 2 men share a room. Article 2. Anyone who is retarded enough to forget their COIN waives their rights for support from fellow TDYERS. (your ass is on your own) Article 3. Any man who brings a camera TDY may be legally killed and eaten by his fellow TDYERS. Article 4. When you are queried by a buddy's wife, girlfriend, mother, father, priest, shrink, dentist, accountant, or dog walker, you need not and should not provide any useful information whatsoever as to his whereabouts. You are permitted to deny his very existence. Article 5. Unless he murdered someone in …

Hey, I was just wondering what you all think about the pilot selection between Air Force and the Navy. I know the Navy has more planes then the air force, and they Navy gives "extra points" to people with technical degrees. I also know that the air force acceptance rate is around 55%. What are all of your thoughts on which branch it is easier to fly for?

I wanted to post this question to see what everyone’s opinion was on requesting a change of an IP. Being in the middle of UPT and talking to fellow classmates everyone is of the opinion that it is totally highlighting yourself if you ask for a change of instructor and that you will hose yourself if you do it. However I was always given the advice by my unit that if I felt I was not learning or just flat out felt I had a personality clash to go ahead and request it. Of course I realize you can’t just go ask for a new IP everytime you get ripped apart for doing something you did that was stupid or just cause the guy is not as "laid back" as another IP. And I do believe t…

Handy inducted into Order of the Sword by Tech. Sgt. Ben Gonzales 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs 8/4/2005 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) -- Representatives from the 43,000-strong Air Mobility Command enlisted force honored the commander of U.S. Transportation Command and AMC during an Order of the Sword ceremony here July 29. More than 400 Airmen commandwide along with Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units attended the ceremony honoring Gen. John W. Handy, as he became the seventh person in AMC to receive the Order of the Sword. "The Order of the Sword is the highest honor and tribute noncommissioned officers can bestow upon an individual," s…

Help me to understand why when we have a discussion that really does relate to military, flying, and world events, does it have to be locked? I am referring to the discussion on the muslim thing. I believe this is a relevant topic...and is important to be discussed, EXPECIALLY because it has to do with the war we are fighting! Ya it may make someone angry...oh well! No one is forced to read the topic...no one is forced to reply. 99% of my posts on here are related to flying...but sometimes I want to vent my frustrations with the enemy...and the topic gets locked cuz someone got upset, and because we got into "religion or politics." But guess what folks, our jo…

Big picture, what are the physical differences between these two? I understand that the HC-130P and MC-130P both do helicopter refueling, but are the only major differences between the actual aircraft the MC's AR (receiver) capability? Other questions: -Any big differences in countermeasures? -Does the MC-P do CSAR at all? -What about infil/exfil? -Can any HC guys give me an idea of what to expect in the ops world (I'm headed to the 79th)? -Finally, what are the big differences in the syllabi for each aircraft Kirtland? I know, lots of questions so thanks for any help - I was search function complete prior to posting.

I'm wondering if there are any other sites out there that are somewhat like this one, except that they may not be dedicated solely to flying in the AF. I've already been to www.airforceots.com so I know that's out there, but is there anything else? It just doesn't seem like that site gets enough traffic to use more than once a week or so. I'd really appreciate any links you've got.

While in the lab, I dealt almost exculsively with the weaponeering process and the generation of the data that provides the means for weaponeering softwares and data... It did kinda seem silly to me that you guys would actually use a computer disk to figure out what to arm your jet with, but I've heard pretty crazy things before. My question (actually) is how often and really just how, do you mission commanding metal-bearers actually use or imploy the Joint Air-to-Surface Weaponnering Software? And, are there other things/systems you use to aid you in arming your weapon platforms?