General Discussion

End of an era. We'll miss you brother! I look forward to seeing you beyond the big blue. I'll even let my wife sit on your lap again!

We have been ramping up our DTOC CT program and wondering if there are other units outside of F35 and MQ9 that are linking up and doing virtual exercises. It’s a good way to dry run dissimilar CT before we go out and burn the JP8 for real. Looking to add more friends to the party. HMU por favor.

Anyone out here part of this group? Looking to make contact, thanks in advance. -Bode Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So for a couple years they've been releasing rated folks to go teach at ROTC Dets. 2 slots just popped up in a location we want to retire so I'm not considering it. Has anyone been through this board/process? I have to write a 500 character narrative/recommendation but there is not guidance about what should be in as far as I can tell. I'm currently sitting at 21 years with a DOS of 2025 (passed over O4). So the 2 year ROTC gig would almost take be to 25 years. I'm going to apply either way... but what are the odds I get picked up? What can I do to increase those odds?

So there’s this whiny FGO in my squadron that seems like he doesn’t want to fly with me. I’m the DO, and I have a ‘go-fly’ list of people I want to fly with. I specifically ask Skeds to put us together, but every time we end up on the schedule together he takes “emergency” leave or says he can’t clear his ears. I’m pretty much the best pilot in the squadron, if not the wing, so I know I can show him a thing or two. When I talk to my life-size doll of Robin Olds, (that I keep in my office) his mustache speaks to me and says I should just smash his soul out of his body. Oh whatever should I do? These damn millennials…

Unfortunately, that wraps up the SOFIA Program. Two of my friends flew it. There are only 2 or 3 other 747SP aircraft still flying. https://simpleflying.com/nasa-sofia-boeing-747-final-flight/

Oh... this again: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-call-sign-titties/?utm_campaign=trueanthem_manual&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_term=taskandpurpose Sent from my SM-F721U using Tapatalk

https://www.edwards.af.mil/Units/USAFTPS/ Does anyone here have experience with the space test course? The website is pretty vague, and doesn't really explain who its targeted for or what its like beyond "college academics". It seeming to be a sister school to TPS makes me intrigued that it might be more hands-on than just college classes in the desert.

https://apnews.com/article/holloman-air-force-base-f16-jet-crash-84504e14dbb43837839d4d2e824c08eb Pilot ejected and taken to the hospital and released.

MARSRADIO, the civilian HF service backup to HFGCS enjoyed communicating with Air Force One today. A member of their team, MSGT, was retiring and this was his last flight. Approximate 12 MARSRADIO operators briefly talked to AF1 with best wishes in his retirement after 20 years. “On behalf of Air Force MARSRADIO, we congratulate you on your retirement. We wish you blue skies and clear frequencies in for your future.” (MARSRADIO Squadron Commander) There is increased activity in the western Pacific supporting flights between Hawaii, Guam, Wake Island, Japan and Fiji. We are still optimistic that we will get a remote station in the Mariannas by the middle of …

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg1z42pkj8o

I didn't see any posts related to DIC.. but I'm currently paying a SBP which would net a surviving spouse 50% of my retired pay. I just read up on DIC which I'm not sure I even knew existed. From what I stand, DIC will pay $1653.06 to a surviving spouse if the cause of death was a service-connected condition. Previously they were offset, but now a spouse can receive both benefits in full...? I was going to get rid of SBP and use the $400 to put into other term life insurance something else and hope for DIC if it came to that. But it seems like if something (service-connected) were to happen to me my wife could get close to $4600/month with SDB and DIC? Is this corre…

OA-1K crash landing, luckily no injuries due in no part to the rugged airframe. https://www.twz.com/air/air-forces-crop-duster-converted-into-attack-plane-crash-lands-in-field

For those of you using an Insta360 X5 camera (or similar) in the cockpit, what are you using as a mount? I'm also interested if your mounting setup is good enough for aerobatics.

This is true. It is on pages 77, 172, 218, and 434. You have to dig to see the charges. We (retirees) would lose the Medicare for life benefit and would have to pay. We would lose TRICARE as a total care package. We would not be allowed to keep TRICARE so when Obama stands and says if you like what you have you can keep it, he lies. This is a "Heads Up" on a battle we are facing now and down the road with the new Administration. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has already drafted proposed legislation that would basically reduce our TRICARE for Life benefits to a system whereby we pay deductibles and co-pays up to $6,301 the first year for you and your spouse, wi…

Edited, duplicate info

Time to do more with less, folks! (Pretty soon we'll be doing everything with nothing) https://www.military.com/news/article/af-to-jettison-3700-airmen.html?ESRC=airforce-a.nl My comments on the article WTF? We can't manage an extra 4000 people spread across the world? That's like more people at each base!?! As usual, the Air Force solution is to reduce the number of experienced, active duty experts in their fields while continuing recruiting efforts in the same manner. So we realized there was an experience gap and plussed up our forces. We have new missions in addition to the old ones...so we are cutting forces?!? Where's the logic in that?!?!

Heard through the grapevine, bean counters want to take away our access to Jeppesen approach plates! Tell you what; the Jeppesen African charts sure beat FLIP, hands down! What gives?

"The OTA will be for a five-year technology demonstration of an airship with three weeks' endurance, a 2,500lb payload with 16kW of power, and an operating altitude of 25,000ft, 80kt dash speed and 20kt station-keeping speed. The payload will include EO/IR sensors, SAR/GMTI radar and Sigint, plus communications relay." There's few things that should be unmanned. This is one of them. I was most surprised by the "20kt station-keeping." Somebody is optimistic about winds aloft! All that endurance could get us great intel as our Gucci ISR/EW systems drift into hostile areas... On the upside, probably not a terrible idea if a non-retard puts together the requiremen…

Searched to the old thread about the crash, but got an error when I selected it, a result of the recent forum maintenance? Report: Ice buildup caused Heathrow crash landing LONDON – A British accident report has confirmed that a buildup of ice in the fuel lines of a Boeing 777 jet caused its crash landing at London's Heathrow Airport two years ago. U.S. and European regulators moved to impose modifications to the engines of some jets after the British Airways plane fell 330 meters (1,080 feet) short of the airport's runway on Jan. 17, 2008. More than a dozen people were injured. Investigators had suspected that water usually present in aircraft fuel froze up, …

If TDY, and lodging issues you a contract quarters slip for a certain hotel, are you required to stay at that hotel?

anyone know if Big Blue will approve ADDS for wx products?? the FAA released an AC certifying the web site as an approved wx source. I might as well answer my own question though and say we'll be 10 yrs behind everyone though. sigh

Hello, I'm a 62 year old pilot wannabe, who does all his flying (and controlling) virtually on VATSIM. One of my favorite aircraft is the C-130H. In an attempt to fly it more realistically, I have been trying to figure out the proper loading of fuel. I downloaded Fuel Calculator v2.0 from your site, but there are required entries based on parameters I can't figure out. Any chance someone would be willing to do a little tutoring? Certainly not looking for anything classified, just trying to do things real world style, and Microsoft Flight Simulator doesn't come close in this area. Thanks.

Info :beer: To the crew...

Here is the situation, I am prior service with ten years enlisted. I have recently completed a commissioning program and have been on hold to enter active duty due to the draw down. I am two weeks out from my training start dates and I still do not have orders. What we have been told is that AFPC finance is backed up with thousands of orders and apparently no method for completing them for individuals who are leaving in the next few weeks. My concerns are the following: can I proceed to training without orders, how can I PCS my family to my gaining station without orders, and how do I cover the cost of my training since I do not have a GTC. I would appreciate any advice a…