General Discussion

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.

Is there a single agency that handles this for the whole US government? I had a question about security clearances (not so much AF at this point, more working for the government) and was wondering if anyone here knew someone I could call about it. Please PM me. Thanks. P.S. Derka derka. (just before anyone else says it) [ 23. November 2006, 13:23: Message edited by: PapaJu ]

I am a weather geek and always wondered what it would be like to be a Hurricane Hunter. For those who followed Hurricane Melissa which is the third strongest hurricane on record (892MB and still intensifying at landfall), the NOAA and USAFR Hurricane Hunters had a constant presence as the storm built and hit Jamaica and Cuba. USAFR flies a fleet of 10 WC-130Js and NOAA operates two PC-3's. One of the P-3s (named Kermit), was flying a mission during the rapid intensification. As they departed the eye and flew into the eyewall they encountered what looks to me like extreme turbulence. Ultimately they elected to depart the storm because of the turbulence ..somethi…

US Navy helicopter and fighter jet crash in separate incidents in the South China Sea Blackhawk and Hornet down within 30 minutes. Possibly bad fuel...

Air Force requests 100 light-attack planes By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer Posted : Monday Aug 3, 2009 16:49:24 EDT Air Force pilots could be flying light-attack airplanes in less than three years. On July 27, the Air Force took an early step toward buying small airplanes able to fly attack and reconnaissance missions. The “request for information” came from Air Force Materiel Command’s Aeronautical Systems Center. According to the center, the Air Force seeks to buy 100 fixed-wing aircraft starting in 2012 and declare initial operational capability in 2013. Air Combat Command would operate and maintain the planes. Specifications call for the plane to have two …

Bothe the War Zone and the Mover and Gronky show report an A-10 sporting two drone kills on its nose. The kills were allegedly performed by APKWS II 2.75” (70mm) laser guided rockets. If true this offers a much more cost effective alternative to shooting down drones.

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

“Unidentified silver/gray cylindrical object” shot down over Alaska and Canada! It’s like they are deliberately trying to create conspiracy theories! I would have called it a drone dirigible but hey, what do I know!

https://www.defenseone.com/business/2022/09/l3harris-convert-embraer-kc-390s-aerial-refueling/377313/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Central Coast AirFest in Santa Maria CA is this weekend, 21-22 Sept. It's right by Vandenburg SFB, and the best warbird airshow in the nation. Two of the only 5 De Havilland Mosquitos will be flying in formation... the first time that has happened since 1987. The F7F Tigercat just cancelled but the flying lineup includes: P-38, F8F, SBD Dauntless, TBM Avenger, P-40, lots of Mustangs, B-25, MiG-15, Yak-3, P-63, Sea Fury, the only P-47 Razorback that files... Also, F-18 Demo Team. And the A-10 Demo Team in their 3rd to last airshow before the team is disbanded (thanks a lot, Frank Kendall). https://www.centralcoastairfest.com/

If anyone was wondering why the U.S. Army plans to cut 6,500 aviation jobs from the active duty ranks over the next two years, here's your answer! UH-60 Black Hawk Cargo Drone With Clamshell Nose Breaks Cover The new U-Hawk can lug thousands of pounds of cargo internally that would never fit in a standard Black Hawk, and launch scores of its own drones and munitions. Sikorsky has unveiled a new, fully uncrewed version of the Black Hawk helicopter with a completely transformed front end that swaps out the cockpit for clamshell doors. Depending on how it is configured, what has been dubbed the U-Hawk can move thousands of pounds of outsized cargo intern…

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

Maybe this has been tried before, but it seems like it would be a good idea to list all the track selects and assignment nights in one thread instead of starting new ones every three weeks. Here was the breakdown at CAFB tonight for the 07-10 track select: 5 T-38s 3 T-44s 1 UH-1 13 T-1s (I think) I'm not sure how many ANG/AFRC slots were given out, so if anybody has the lowdown...please share. Fusion

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33678801/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/ What's going on down there?

Military helicopter crash investigation underway in Washington state | https://www.wisn.com/article/helicopter-crash-near-joint-base-lewis-mcchord/67946788

https://www.npr.org/2020/02/29/810537586/u-s-signs-peace-deal-with-taliban-after-nearly-2-decades-of-war-in-afghanistan Let the over/under bids begin.

Just saw a video on Facebook, Mass ANG F-15D had a backseater depart the jet on the ground via the ACES II. Heard it was a incentive or FAM flight. Not 100% sure on details. https://www.facebook.com/reel/4192170774392209/?app=fbl

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…

Air Force to Field Autonomous Cessna Caravan Supposedly the system will eventually be airframe agnostic. Guess those side jobs flying Caravans for FEDEX to the Carribean days are numbered.

For you who follow such things, here's a little blurb from the web (Av Week site, David Fulghum) about the F-35: "There were troubling words from the Air Force about the F-35A. The inability to demonstrate the Joint Strike Fighters ability to conduct offensive counter air and suppression as well as the destruction of enemy air defense in heavily defended environments is going to delay the strike fighters operational debut by another two years. Last summer, the Air Force estimated that F-35's IOC would be declared in 2016. But when an analysis is complete later this year, we currently expect up to a two-year delay that will push establishment of the first operational…

The Charbroil finally rusted itself useless and with the new Infrared grills out there, anybody have advice on a good grill. Been sticking to gas because of convenience but thinking about trying out wood/charcoal or the infrared.

what's up y'all! I am in the process of getting my PPL and I absolutely love flying, and will be continuing after I finish college; however, I am stuck between the two options listed above in the title. Ive heard so many different stories of how having time before going to UPT is good because you have a good idea of how to do things, or how it can also be bad due to unlearning civilian flying habits. it seems to me like most of our guys at the 199th FS had time before going to UPT such as Skywest, HA pilot, CFI, charter airline, and I definitely think i'm gonna jump on that train. I understand that Uncle Sam would be paying for those ratings and it would be a waste …

This is incredible if it really happens this fast and if it’s really possible to do without doing a BRAC.

Recently started collecting UPT class patches from students we support here at Vance. Would love to see how creative they get. Here is 24-05. Feel free to post an image of your class patch.

I never spent time in USAFE but some of the folks in my office did. We sat around today and they told stories about "He who should not be named." Hence the reason I mispelled his name. I heard about 6 or 7 absolutely outlandish stories. Can they really be true? Apparently this fellow got angry because he had ordered his commercial to be played every 45 minutes on AFRTS. While watching TV one day, he realized it had gone longer than 45 minutes with no commercial. He went nuclear and demanded to know why. Well, PA tracked it down and informed him it wasn't on the Euro AFRTS channel, but rather the Pacific AFRTS channel. He then instructed PA to contact PACOM and…