General Discussion

Anyone use CloudAhoy either personally or in their squadron? I know someone in AMC does, because it's available on our EFBs. Looking for any information you have. How good of a debriefing tool is it? Did your squadron pay for it? Does it play nice using the iPad/ForeFlight/Stratus? Pros/Cons, etc... Thanks! Any info is appreciated.

Has anyone seen folks wearing beards and turbans? If so, how are folks in the squadrons reacting? I've been out for 4 years...kinda glad I didn't have to deal with this. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/02/11/air-force-officially-oks-beards-turbans-hijabs-for-religious-reasons/?utm_expid=.jFR93cgdTFyMrWXdYEtvgA.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Several years ago I stored my POV when I went to Japan, then did a COT to USAFE. I had a POV in storage on my original orders and was briefed by TMO that I could just keep my car in storage if I wanted to. I did so, spent a few years in USAFE and got back to CONUS and picked up my car this past summer. Last month I got an email from an accountant at TRANSCOM giving me a week or so to give my authorization for storing my car. I sent in both sets of orders. TRANSCOM comes back saying that my Japan storage is okay but I will be billed $7k for keeping my car in storage for my USAFE tour. This is the first I've heard that it may not have been authorized. I sent my follo…

I now this probably isn’t the place for this, but I am at a crossroads. I just graduated MQ-9 training and I can’t help but feel like I am not good enough. I find myself asking “what could I have done differently.” I applied for Pilot back in ROTC and had RPA as my #2 choice with CSO. I can’t help but wonder what could I have done differently to have received a pilot slot and it’s starting to have an impact on my happiness and demeanor. My dad and brother are both pilots, so it was instilled in me at a young age that that’s what I should be. Because I haven’t achieved this I have a feeling that I am a disappointment. My family has shown no interest in my training and did…

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/world/asia/coronavirus-china.html Just received an EXORD phone alert to account for personnel TDY or on leave in China (legit). If you are reading this message from China. They probably won't let you back in the USA. Nice knowing you guys (Joking)!

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/breaking-afghanistan-plane-crash-passenger-21368981 damn. Initially reported as an Ariana airlines 737-400 turns out to be this. RIP

So I’m sitting here at the gate on a delay at Logan (thanks Newark) reading the Bomber 134 thread and discussing it with the Capt and a C-17 taxis by. Odd for BOS but whatevs. Capt says “Do they use those for firefighting? Seems like those would be awesome for that.” Which got me thinking, with so many ANG units equipped with C-17s, are they going to adapt or develop MAFFS for that airframe?

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I have a request... I would like a copy of an ejection seat briefing guide that is given to pax. I don't mean the classroom briefing guide that the pilot briefs before the flight, but more what an egress instructor gives a pax during their seat training before the flight.... discussing seat position, canopy jettison, post ejection, etc... Obviously I don't need specifics to a particular kind of jet. I would just like the overall items so that I don't forget to include anything on the one I'm writing, which will be specific to the aircraft I'm working with. Hard copy, electronic... if it isn't that many pages, you can just…

Is it possible? I imagine that quite a few units are bottom heavy with everyone bailing to the airlines as soon as they hit ATP mins. I'm worried about getting enough flying time when I get off seasoning days. I imagine local sorties wouldn't make much sense, but I would love to jump on a deployment since I won't be back from PIQ before my unit heads out. Also, under the new "Total Force Office Training" model, can Guard dudes go fly with a Reserve unit or even AD? Thanks!

Just a new pilot musing here, but why wouldn’t the Pegasus have some form of winglets or raked wing tips? Although they would probably add some weight and development costs, it’s been done before on 767s and seems to be a cost-effective measure to increase fuel efficiency on all kinds of commercial aircraft. Given the thousands of hours these aircraft will fly, wouldn’t the extra cost be recouped in fuel saved quite easily? Is there something I’m missing here? Appreciate any input.

Lockheed Martin is hiring an F-16 Flight Manual Manager to the team at Hill AFB. If you or anyone you know might be interested, and you aren't going to the airlines, please consider applying! LM Aero is a great company to work for and the work environment and team at the F-16 SPO are top notch! PM me if you have any questions. You don't need to have F-16 experience (though it would be great if you did!), but you do have to be aircrew. https://www.lockheedmartinjobs.com/job/hill-air-force-base/f-16-flight-manual-manager/694/14369192?fbclid=IwAR1NKFDcEoO-0cWDep4KYV8TuXhqkCg2GYQK2__08C1VKRUUZHFO4yOCiAw

Since we're all waiting on clarification about what's going on with the VLPAD program, does anyone here have any recent experience or info on simply going active from the Guard or Reserve? There's a bit of info on MyPers but not much more than simply how to apply.

Long story short: Prior service Marine Weather guesser. Spent the last 10 years trying to become a pilot. Was AFROTC in college, didn't get selected for field training. Applied to Marine OCS, contracted, but not selected for OCS 3 times. Enlisted, got numerous inter-service transfers approved but had recruiter troubles. Recruiter was negligent in submitting package before deadline and EAS'd before the following deadline without telling me, right before I was deploying. Started Navy OCS application during deployment. Was injured on deployment requiring surgery. Spent remainder of my enlisted contract recovering. Summer 2019. Applied to Active duty Air Force…

Family and I will be moving to Luke in August for F-16 B course and we’re need of some information on the local area; housing, things to do/not do, etc. Big thing is trying to figure out if we should do base housing or rent else where. Thanks in advanced.

Had a buddy ask me about divorce law and the Obama federal change to it. Didn’t know how to answer. Figured there were some people in the know on here that can help. He got divorced prior to : https://apgnews.com/community-news/legal-note-divorce-military-pensions/ passing. So his divorce says he is suppose to give her 50% of the days married while in the service. Then that percentage carried out over his whole service. For easy math if they were married for 10 Years of service and he served 20 and retired she would be entitled to 50% of 10 years which would be 25% total of his entire service worth of retire pay at his retired amount. The new federal law passed say…

Hard to believe, but thirty years ago at about this time, I was just finishing up my fuel balance after refueling on the way to Panama.

What's the best earplugs for the pilot and shooter?

Anyone got eyes on the new JTR? Any big picture changes?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theaviationist.com/2019/12/02/u-s-air-force-f-16-crashes-while-attempting-to-land-at-kunsan-air-base-south-korea-pilot-ejected/amp/ sounds like good news for the pilot this time

Doesn’t sound good. https://mobile.twitter.com/71FTW/status/1197568977322549248

I need advice since my deployment to Afghanistan was 2011/2012. I recall that our squadron had more cookies, candy, toothbrushes, shampoo, etc... than we could shake a stick at. I also recall the military telling people that airlift and sealift was at a premium and their stuff was on a space available basis. My questions: - with the reduced presence now, are Care Packages still desired? Or are they still the unneeded/unnecessary pain in the ass that they were when I was there? - what do you advise people to send in a Care Package? I ask because people at church are going to send Care Packages. And if they are, I at least want to guide them…

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/

All this talk about Delta, United, AA, Southwest just makes me sick. Where is the love for the other major airlines? FRONTIER anyone? SPIRIT anyone? It's like they don't exist to you people.

"There's no difference between us and them." AF just found a whole bunch of people willing to fly lower pay without bonuses or incentives.