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!

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!

I'm in the middle of UPT at Vance just barely keeping my head above water. Hate pulling Gs with a passion. Wondering if anyone here can speak to the C-146 or any other AFSOC MWS; things you didn't know going in that you wish you did etc. I got to talk to a crew who stopped through Vance a while ago. Really cool guys and very appealing mission.

CBus T-38 crash—2 fatalities. Damn—RIP. https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2021/02/19/columbus-t-38-jet-crashes-montgomery-killing-two/4516708001/

https://weartv.com/news/local/deputies-plane-crashes-near-magnolia-springs-home-catches-fire

Is there any need for a Mess Dress while at UPT?? [ 16. July 2004, 14:59: Message edited by: Sneedro ]

(Probably more of a vent than looking for solid advice from the green screen) So here I sit into my 21st year of service without any ADSCs, a position i was planning to retire from prior to COVID. Now i have been given an unexpected opportunity to attend ASAM for IDE in my third look. So now I’m super torn. On one hand, I know it comes with basically comes with a service commitment to 2025, 1-2 years of staff and 3 PCSs within 3 years. It also would give me a Masters in Operational Mgmt. It’s something I always wanted in life, to make Lt Col and hopefully become a commander. It also provides a ton of long term financial stability for my family. On the other hand th…

Greetings, I'll start with a disclaimer: I feel absolutely blessed to have the opportunity to fly with the Air Force, every unit is different, and I want to fly as much as possible with my unit for the next few years. Question for the Reserve guys who have been around and have some experience with TDARTs vs ARTs vs TRs. I'm coming up on PIQ and will then go on to fly Hercs, and not sure if I should sign up for the TDART program or not. I really like the flexibility of orders (and money) as well as the retirement points. Am I wrong in assuming that TDARTs get limited retirement points similar to ARTs? I will also have my ATP coming out of PIQ so I could potenti…

From the early 1960s to the early 1990s, AF UPT consisted of a 1 track system of T-37/T-38. Helo only training from 1971 to the early 1990s. In the 1980s the military was focus on Jointness between the services. The AF decided on the Naval track system in which you could have exchange student pilots in the early 1990s. I was informed the days of the exchange program for flight students is in the history books. That being the case, should the AF return to the 1 track system regardless of EXPENSE in the T-6A/T-38C or future T-6A/T-7A? What is your opinion?

'We're going to lose fast': U.S. Air Force held a war game that started with a Chinese biological attack Meanwhile, a leading Chinese think tank recently described tensions in U.S.-China relations as the worst since the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989, and it advised Communist Party leaders to prepare for war with the United States.

av8tor55 - If I can give a recommendation, not from the military stand point, but from the view of someone who worked for a large insurance company and someone who sold term life insurance, term life is a waste of money. If you were looking for a small amount of supplemental insurance, term could be the way to go. If you are looking at covering your mortgage, I would look at mortgage insurance. Otherwise, I would recommend spending the extra money on whole life insurance. It builds cash value that you can borrow against. Basically with term life you would be giving USAA $90 a month and saying "I bet I die this month". And USAA says "Okay, I will take that bet". Loo…

Is the exchange policy still in affect in the first half of SUPT? I imagine Pensacola is somewhat better than Del Rio, Columbus or even Vance.

Extremism 'Has Reared Its Head' in Air Force Special Operations, General Says I am a few years removed from service but in my 26 years I never encountered a single case. Obviously this type of thinking has no business in the military, just wondering if anyone has actually seen anything like this or is it yet another over-reaction witch hunt?

I've never been. If you have experience recently there, any advice on getting there? - TPA and MCO are the best bet for flying in commercial? I found a hotel about 4 miles from the airport. Better suggestions? Anything else of note?

https://www.airforcemag.com/usaf-considering-pilot-school-changes-to-curb-flight-accidents/ I hope it's not just lip service. I went through in '16 and was directly affected by numerous issues to include: break in orders in the middle of UPT (which led to pulling me off the flying schedule, baby kicked out of daycare, wife CAC card no longer working and stuck off base, etc), as well as 8 month break between wings and B-course (during which time I pursued my civilian CFI rating just to keep my hands warm), multiple 40+ day breaks in training at FTU (several of my peers experienced the same or worse) and other issues. Reality is you suck it up and press but big blue sh…

US helicopter crash in western Iraq causes fatalities: Official https://abcnews.go.com/International/us-helicopter-crash-western-iraq-fatalities-official/story?id=53782732

Does anybody know the name of a good custom patch company? I figure one of you phase I UPT folks might have a few ideas. Thanks. Herks Rule GW