General Discussion

Has anyone heard of a website TACC is using to track fuel burn by aircraft and aircraft commander?

anybody attend Embry-Riddle (Daytona Beach FL Campus), and then later went on to become a pilot for the AF? I am thinking about applying there, but it sounds expensive, for mostly people that want to go to the airlines, and no girls.. but I hear the flying is some of the greatest you can find because of the weather..any suggestions..? Anybody else know of any other colleges that are near a beach, and are great for flying? (well the beach isnt that important actually, but it would be nice... lol)I have done my research but cant find any schools that sound des, maybe Kent but not sure either.. Any help will be appreciated!! Thanks!

Well, just when you think you've seen it all... Yesterday, I was driving on base. As I pulled up to the gate, I saw a man with facial hair (a mustache out of regs with the military) wearing BDUs. He looked like an overweight, beer belly, slug. I couldn't believe my eyes! This guy was in the AF BDU with the service tape saying Military Civilian or something like that. Now, I can understand maybe why civ's would need to wear BDU's in forward operating areas...but here in the states? Come on! WTF is our government thinking! This just makes us look bad. I think that if they are going to wear our uniform...they better damn well be clean-shaven and in weight…

Looking for some advice here. I got picked up for UPT last board and am off to Columbus in Dec. I dont know for sure, but I will likely be the SRO of my class. I am a captain with 4.5 years of service. I am planning ahead and going down there (sts) thinking I will be the SRO. I would like any pilot to share with me some advice on the matter. Tell me what your SRO did that was good and some bad stories as well. If you were the SRO, tell me about the experience and what you did that you liked and some things you wish you would have changed. Even if its a couple of lines, I am just looking to gather all the info I can. Also if anyone is in class 08-05 at Columbus…

Here's my 2nd attempt at the poll. I've always been curious just how common checkride busts are with dudes that have been flying for awhile. Thanks for voting! Cowboy

They have arrived. Everybody gets wings now!

Attended the Travis AFB Thunderbird Airshow last weekend. I couldn't help but notice the wearing of 2 piece flight suits by more than a few AF crew members. Is the one piece flight suit being phased out? Which units are authorized in wearing the 2 piece? Is it optional or required? What are your feelings on the wearing of the 2 piece? I assume it's more functional but less appealing to me. I guess the AF is returning to its Army roots, with the OCPs and 2 piece flight suits. By the way, the female Thunderbird pilot's weekend performance was the best in the group while putting on her makeup in flight.

You've herad the rumors, you've said, "No way" there's no way they can PT test in the desert. Well ladies and gentlemen, it's official. Starting 1 October, desert PT testing is here. Read the attachment and enjoy. Yet another reason not to deploy. AFCENT PT POLICY.pdf

From your e-mail inboxes this AM Fellow Airmen, I need your help. Throughout my Air Force career I’ve learned that when times get tough, Airmen consistently figure out a way to "get it done." Today, complex security and fiscal challenges reemphasize the need to capture and implement your innovative ideas for the Air Force and for the Nation. I want to hear from you and I encourage your participation in a 30 day "Airmen Powered by Innovation" call for ideas on how we can cut costs and better fly, fight and win. There are two options for you to participate in this effort. During the month of May, you can provide your ideas using the Air Force Portal or the A…

Once again the idea of passing the A-10 to the Army is making its appearance. Interesting review of the history of USAF-US Army agreements on fixed wing support aviation (Key West Agreement) and the claim that the USAf never wanted the warthog in the first place. I think the first time I heard this topic raised was in 92, after the Desert Storm when the concept was floated in QDR. I guess the increased cost of the F-35 makes keeping the A-10 difficult to justify. The question would be, does the Army really want it, and if so can they maintain it. I assume since WOs successfully fly and employ highly complex aircraft such as the AH-64, the MH-60 and the MH-47,…

Looks like Big Blue is finally raising our flight pay . 6 years only gets a $50 increase while the 14 year guys goes down to 12 years now at $1k. But we have to worry about our guys being able to jump to the airlines at 750 hours.

All crew safe. Tanker put it down in a field. Pretty amazing. Looks like possible single engine? Hard to fathom. https://news.usni.org/2020/09/29/marine-f-35b-crashes-after-collision-with-kc-130-over-california-all-aircrew-recovered-safely

This is making the rounds on social media. 93d and 28th Bomb Squadrons can just kiss their patches goodbye.

hello, i have a few stupid questions. i'm a little ignorant...so bear with me please. 1)are warant's treated the same way as commisioned guys. for example do you salute a warrant? 2) are warrant's ever given a ground tour like in the marines, navy, and air farce. 3) i was told that most guys wanna fly the blackhawk as a preferred airframe, and that the apache's are usually the least desired airframe. is this true? 4) and lastly, don't think i'm just after the image or anything, i'm simply curious. do army aviators get the leather jacket's and all the bell's and whistle's that you would see a naval aviator get. thank you cheers

I know Clearedhot posted a thread to get people's best moments in the jet, but I think it would be cool to hear about times where you wished you were somewhere else. I asked this same question to MajGen Wurster at USSOCOM, and he had some stories that made me question whether or not I could handle military flying. :(

https://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Nov28/0,4...ceCrash,00.html Air Force Jets Collide, but Crews Safe SHUQUALAK, Miss. — Two Air Force jets collided Wednesday during training flights over eastern Mississippi and crashed, but all four crew members ejected safely, an Air Force spokesman said. The T-6 Texan 2 primary trainers collided around midday and crashed near a Columbus Air Force Base auxiliary airfield in Shuqualak, a wooded area about 10 miles from the Alabama line, said 2nd Lt. Craig Rasley, a base spokesman. Air Force investigators are probing the cause of the crash, Rasley said.

I have been hearing some frustrating stories of uniform Nazis on a separate thread. I have seen some circumstances and instances (someone correcting another on isues such as these) come close to getting out of hand (fights, verbal arguements, etc). Honestly, the issue is this...at some point someone who has had enough (missing family, long works days, stress) is just going to snap and flip out. No one wants this. Post some good examples of how to handle uniform Nazis and rules which hinder aircrew flow, etc. What has worked in the past, what can be done? Let's spread the word.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/08/army_camo_081709w/ So looks like the Army is going to be ditching the ACU pattern ASAP. What are we going to do? It takes us like 5x longer to implement a uniform than they do (and we still screw it up). So we going to stick with a useless pattern or pull the plug?

Multicam is obviously worn by the Army and those going outside the wire downrange. In AFSOC, though we go outside the wire and have purchased a ton of the 2 piece multicam flightsuits, we are not allowed to give them out yet. This is mainly because we do have written guidance on proper wear. I am trying to run down who has the authority to ram this thru, and who is the person I should speak to about writing a reg that lets us wrap this up.

Top Gun 2 in the works. Rumor is he will return as a Instructor at Miramar and also Iceman will be a Skipper on a boat somewhere in the Pacific. https://www.accesshollywood.com/tom-cruise-talks-top-gun-2-and-mission-impossible-5_article_66057 untitled.bmp

I know there is a 15 page thread on overall AF seq. that has been discussed ad nauseam. Not talking about all of that. I'm just looking at SUPT ops and it's possible suspension. Below's diatribe is on the AETC web site as of friday (just read it today). I hadn't heard anything this specific. Concentrating on "suspending advanced and instructor training on 1 Apr." It sounds like they are referring to RTU and PIT. That would be huge. Anyone read it differently or has anyone heard/been briefed on this? Any unit plans in the making if this really happens? "2/8/2013 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Cuts to flying and technical training, Professional Mi…

Baseops, I'll be attending UPT in May. I'm a very inexperienced private pilot with just around 100 hours (I'm a teacher so I currently don't have the $ to fly regularly). I was wondering if anybody has any online/study guides/video recommendations for general instrument lessons? I've been told that military instrument flying is 'somewhat' different than civilian but I would just like to have a decent base of how it all works. I've already used some of the helpful info about the T-6 info given on baseops.(Thank you for those that shared those items) Any and all help is greatly appreciated. -Chem

Saw some interesting bits in the new 2015 NDAA just passed by the House and now going to the Senate. These changes are almost definitely going to be signed into law by the President. The number of AD Enlisted Aides in the entire DOD will be restricted to 300 (current level) OR double the number of AD O-10's plus one each for the number of O-9's, whichever is less. So currently there are around 300 Enlisted Aides for the 165 O-9's and O-10's, but that will shrink to around 245. There are currently about 80 Air Force Enlisted Aides. If our portion remains consistent, that should shrink to about 67, or 13 people doing a real job again in FY15. Non-AD (retirees, depen…

Looks like the USAF has decided to replace the current AF-1 VC-25 (B-747) with a 747-8... https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/air-force-one-boeing-747-8-114689.html

Rebalancing the Rated Pipeline: The Air Force needs to boost fighter pilot production to 278 pilots a year as it works to rebalance the rated training pipeline, wrote Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in a letter to Air Force major commands and members of the Air Staff. Schwartz said this will be accomplished primarily through the new active associations with reserve fighter squadrons. Specifically, the Arizona Air National Guard at Tucson will support "significantly more" B-course students each year and reduce the number of foreign military sales students. Air Combat Command will reduce the F-16 flight training unit syllabus. The A-10 crew ratio will increase and more …