General Discussion

If you are considering refinancing an existing mortgage or financing a new purchase I’d love to help you out. Rates are still historically low but could be moving up by years end so if you’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger and want to discuss what your options please DM me! Joe Ratterree NMLS ID 2105708

Getting PCS'd to Langley. Single JO with no responsibilities. Would like to keep the commute to under 45 minutes knowing that traffic can snarl. Open to buying a house/condo/townhouse or renting. Seems like buying something worth while might be out of my price range after a little bit or searching. Any insight/tips for me? Has anyone lived west of Norfolk/portsmouth and commuted across the bridge? Seems like a gamble.

Starting a new topic because I couldn’t find any relevant information. Does anyone have gouge on what a deployed mobility planner/shift leader will do in Kuwait? Will I work within an Army unit? It’s a 6-monther for a 11M. How will this impact my career as an MWS IP?

Does anyone have any experience with the Stratux ADS-B puck? I’m looking into buying one because, from all appearances, it offers similar functionality to the Stratus 2S at 1/4 the cost.

Launch at 4:30pm EDT today (27MAY):

I recently dropped T-38 FAIP and am curious as to what effects/opportunities it will result in for my career as an officer as well as my flying career. I did fairly well in 38s and never really considered the assignment, so any input is appreciated. More specifically, how should I best pursue my hopes of flying something pointy and loud post FAIP tour? Ive been on of these forums for over 3 years now and this community has been invaluable in facilitating my journey from college kid to wings, figure it’s time to pay my respects. 🍻 Hook Em All

Hi, Could someone tell me the minimum runway length a KC-135R needs for a landing at an away base for an airshow? Thanks.

Anyone here have the pleasure of participating? IMHO it was more of a waste of time than the last one. I know AMC has an identity crisis - I'm sure we all know that. One can only hit the "I believe" button so many times...

Happy Memorial Day As I saw all the social media posts about fallen military members, I was struck by the number of suicides mentioned. It’s such a sad thing and always surprising that people don’t seek help. It reminded me of a time a few years back when I was talking to a bro going through some bad times and I suggested he seek out some mental health services and replied that he didn’t want to do that because he would be DNIF’d and “flying is the only thing that makes me happy.” He ended up fine and got through it with a combination of booze and flying a ton. What’s the opinion of this esteemed body about aviators using mental health services? I hate…

More bad news. The search is on. Here's hoping. 2020 sucks. https://news.sky.com/story/us-f-15-fighter-jet-crashes-into-north-sea-off-yorkshire-coast-as-major-operation-underway-12007159

Hey everyone, I am going to be starting up an AeroClub at my school this year and I was wondering if any/all of you have any experience with them. I know a lot of bases have GA clubs and I have been looking for ideas. We don't have the funding to go out and buy a plane, so it will be more along the lines of aerospace lessons, model stuff, base/ramp visits, and free ground school taught by a volunteer instructor. We have the sponsorship of the AFROTC det. and their simulator. I thought this would be a good place to solicit good ideas (other than actually flying) for an AeroClub. Since I already have my license, I tried to get the school to subsidize flying but they wan…

Hi! So, Mildenhall might be our new home coming up this summer. Some questions to anyone who has ever been stationed there: What is base housing like? Do you get to "pick" which housing you're in? (meaning: I've heard that there are a total of three bases with housing available). Dave has seen Lakenheath housing (and liked it). His friend was stationed at Mildenhall. Thoughts/opinions? Obviously, I completely understand if Lakenheath peeps have first dibs on their housing over Mildenhall peeps. I JUST read that importing pets changed their rules (as of Jan 4th 2012!). Has anyone traveled with their pets overseas? I know the general gist of taking care of t…

I'm looking for a military aviation or general aviation internship, something part-time online if possible. I have already emailed multiple military aviation foundations and nonprofits but so far have not gotten a response. I am good at web design, graphics design, Microsoft Excel, etc. Does anyone know of internships that are available and remote? If not remote, I'm currently living in Phoenix AZ but willing to drive if needed. Thanks!

Crazy/sad story of a Combat Controller just ID’d by the Air Force that unintentionally came out of the back of a 130 into the Gulf of Mexico. Massive search effort was unsuccessful. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/11/10/air-force-identifies-combat-controller-lost-in-gulf-of-mexico/

Hi all, In the past few years I have honoured to witness some excellent lowfly from the guys and gals of the USAF, and in turn they have recommend that I share some of the snaps with you here. Keep up the great work, and if you are ever in the position of planning a lowfly sortie in the UK and would like some high quality photos then drop me a DM and hopefully we can sort something out. Discretion assured, many thanks for looking, enjoy the photos.

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!

https://www.ajc.com/news/breaking-military-aircraft-crashes-near-nellis-air-force-base/T2G5W3VW7BHXPEJMA37JNY6ZQA/ Story still developing

Good day all, looking into next years O-5 board, I fully expect to be passed over. I know the AFI says you must separate/retire NLT the first day of the seventh month. However I don’t recall seeing the minimum timeline. Assuming I pregamed as much as I could, is it possible to start terminal a week (for instance) after board results? Or is the expectation that you still give the 4 month notice? TIA

An F-15 suffered at mishap at MidAmerica airport near St. Louis, in which one of two aircrew ejected from the jet, according to local news outlets and Boeing. It’s not clear if both pilots attempted to eject, but local news station KMOV4 reported one pilot refused treatment while the other was taken to the hospital “with minor injuries.” Images of the aircraft show it without national markings and in the Qatari configuration and paint scheme. It appears to be sitting on its landing gea with the canopy missing... https://www.airforcemag.com/f-15-accident-in-st-louis/

Even though the terms UAV, RPA, and their triple-gold medals and ribbons are not highly favored in these forums, there is plenty of new stuff in development that seems to have been glossed over in the world and, well, in the location where all the intelligent aviators seem to hang out: BA.net. In fact, this is probably the perfect time for us (however you choose to define the term) to look in another direction, and different "insert your own colloquial term of the minute, i.e. synergylisticaly-out-of-the-box" thinking. Rules are: there has to be pictures (SFW), it has to be somewhat-reasonably credible, and no discussion about how the technology will affect your p…

Madison? https://www.google.com/amp/s/prosportsextra.com/breaking-f-16-fighter-aircraft-has-crashed-in-michigans-upper-peninsula-2/

If implemented, will the students start out in the TH-1H or another training aircraft?

So I’ve been debating with a buddy about this theory.... I am weary as to whether the US government will be able to pay the military retirement in the next 30-40 years. My concerns are led by the fact our debt is growing drastically and we continue to pass bills which we can’t pay. Numbers Govt tax revenue / spending 2021-3.86T / 4.83T (not counting the two multiple trillion dollar bills) 2020-3.71T / 6.16T 2019-3.46T / 4.448T 2018-3.33T / 4.09T We keep printing money and spending out of control. At what point do we start cutting spending in some way or form and what takes the hit? He thinks I’m overly paranoid about not having a future income or it being worthless. …

I was looking at the cockpits of the T-6 and T-37 and noticed that the T-6 has an HSI and no ADF, and the T-37 has an ADF but no advanced avionics. What kinds of approaches do they teach in each of the planes? How do you teach GPS approaches and things like that in the T-37? Do you just fly NDB approaches on the GPS in the T-6?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.military.com/daily-news/opinions/2021/04/27/decade-later-families-of-9-advisers-killed-afghanistan-are-still-waiting-truth.html/amp 10 years ago today. a nickel for Klepto, Bruiser, and the others. watch your backs!