General Discussion

Has anyone ever heard of pilots switching to Active duty from Reserve during UPT? Especially is such a thing possible if the dude is over age 30 and got a waiver to get to UPT? As Active Duty doesn’t do age waivers, potentially older dudes can finally end up in Active Duty if such a thing as joining the Reserve/Guard first and then transferring over is possible..

What is the path from Bergstrom to a weapons system for these new pilots? https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article/1593411/flying-training-reimagined-as-first-ptn-class-graduates/

I'm an ancient one having trained in T-37's, T-38s and instructed in both. I'm just trying to learn a little about the present syllabus at UPT. Question: Do T-6 students/instructors practice SFO's or forced landings or is it taught to take the silk highway in case of engine failure.

Hey all - I've been on hold with the total force call center for 45 minutes now, so I figure it wouldn't hurt to reach out to you fine folks and see if someone here has the answer I need. I understand that if I were to transfer my benefits today, I would have to commit to another 4 years of service. I am eligible to retire in January 2021, and I was wondering if they'd make me extend my service beyond that date?

https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/news/local/2018/09/11/sheppard-afb-reports-aircraft-incident-few-details-released/1266598002/ https://www.ajc.com/news/national/jet-crashes-sheppard-air-force-base-injured/687LgwhFBP8IwG2YDHoK7J/ Sheppard Twitter:

When deployed to a combat zone, does anyone simply . . . not have taxes taken out on your LES? I'm a traditional guard bubba deployed for the Nth time. Taxes are always taken out on our LES. They are repaid in the next month's LES. However, that next month's LES has taxes taken out, then reimbursed on the third month's, and so on. I don't know if that's how the system is designed to work, or that's how Guard finance works. Makes it a PITA to double check amounts are correct come W-2 time. May also be a case where every guard franchise unit does it differently.

Looking to invest in a new Ipad Pro and Foreflight + Jeppesen, before I drop a far amount of money on this setup I was curious if anyone had some better options or advise on why to go this route or why not to go this route? Aircraft already has a GNS430 as primary so this is more big screen for pubs, flightplanning, weather, take out of the plane ease of use type function. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, I am trying to see if anyone of the 200 people who were at the IRR Muster at (Robins AFB) on August 4th has been paid yet. I spent an hour yesterday talking to ARPC and the Robins AFB pay office and nobody has any idea what I am talking about. I figured there were likely many others who were not receiving pay. If so PM me. Dfas

https://amp.timeinc.net/thedrive/the-war-zone/22988/us-air-force-t-38-talon-jet-trainer-crashed-into-a-field-in-oklahoma?source=dam

All, I’m an active duty Navy helo dude that has been offered an active duty KC-135 slot. I’m an O-4 and if I switch I will have a 6 year comittment that will put me right over 20 years. What I am looking for is gouge on the tanker/KC-135 mission, deployments, homeguard work, family life, preferred duty stations, etc. What are realistic possibilities of keeping flying for those six years? Is it possible in the Air Force to volunteer for a DO job to stay flying or is the DO a screened position? I’ve searched but can’t seem to find any threads newer than a few years old. I’m trying to wrap my head around the Air Force as well as the tanker life…

FY19 NDAA gets rid of flat rate per diem effective 13 Aug.

"Maj. Gen. Andrew Toth, a fighter pilot who has flown hundreds of combat hours over Iraq, took command of the Air Force Personnel Center on Aug. 9." Hopefully this results in more transparency and less smoke and mirrors shoe clerkery. https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/08/13/experienced-fighter-pilot-iraq-veteran-takes-command-at-afpc/

Developing, but sounds like someone ( mechanic?) stole a plane from Sea Tac airport. Took off. Got intercepted. Did a barrell roll. Crashed. Horizon Q-400 These attachments show Sheriff airplane circling crash

For you U-2 guys that didn't know, Sooch did his first shot in the Virgin Galactic space ship last week. At 170,000', it was still a low altitude test and he doesn't get astronaut wings yet... but it's great to see him finally get into the saddle after 5 years of training. I guess this makes him the highest flyer within our community. Sooch was an '85 commission; came to the U-2 in late '89; U-2 Solo #544; then did the TPS thing and Palmdale U-2 Flight Test, before coming back as the 1 RS commander. Somewhere in the 90's, I recall him making it into a later round for Space Shuttle selection. The guy has mad pilot skills, and is brilliant. The AF in its…

(Edit because it didn’t come off in flight) Apparently fell off a truck just outside ATL today:

All clear has been given in one area Now reporting there was a training exercise and a possible negligent discharge...must have been someone's first desk pop https://on.whio.com/2KlOWs8 https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/08/02/active-shooter-incident-reported-at-wright-patterson-air-force-base/ *edit for more info

Anyone know the validity of this? I don't see it anywhere outside of this FB page. If true...thoughts?

https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/07/20/so-you-wanna-fly-air-force-pilots-can-apply-to-new-aviation-only-program/ BLUF: Majors or Major-selects with 11-13 YOS can apply starting soon. Seemed like you only fly plus work stan eval, training or tactics. PME and AAD are optional. ALso targeting 5 years at one duty station.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/world/990914/world-war-3-warning-donald-trump-news-nato-montenegro/amp Couldn't the same thing be said about Taiwan? Granted they never poke the Chinese and there is no NATO umbrella or an Article 5. Taiwan is equipped to fight alone according to one of their officers who spoke to us back in the AFROTC days. It was a female officer who gave us the go at it alone speech.

For those of you in the MAF (perhaps also the CAF), you may have noticed a significant increase in the amount of currency and continuation requirements. There are now specific requirements from AMC to perform large force exercises for airdrop units as part of currencies, among other new requirements. A lot of this stemmed from Ex Mobility Guardian in 2017 which, for those who were there know, was an absolute clown show. There were absolutely shortcomings with the C-17and C-130’s ability to integrate in a large force tactical environment. It was literally an international embarrassment. However, all of this comes at a time when we are undermanned, overworked …

Thoughts on these changes? Any idea when some of these things might get implemented? Hoping to head to OTS around November 2018.

Hope everyone had a great 4th! Does anyone have an idea of what the future of JSTARS looks like? Seems like an interesting mission and wondering what would happen if I dropped E-8s. Would this be disadvantageous considering they're planning on retiring the E-8 in the coming years? Currently they have no plans/budget for replacement aircraft correct?

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/b-52-bomber-assists-in-search-of-missing-canoe-off-guam/

I'm about to sign up for another Master's class for my Master of Science in Aeronautics at ERAU. I heard SOS counts as some kind of credit toward most ERAU Master's degrees so I wanna make sure I don't take one that I'll get credit for in SOS. Does anyone know what it might count for?

At what point will the AF ever decide meeting a deadline is important? It’s infuriating to me in the fact I grew up in an AF where you worked your ass off if you thought you would miss a deadline (to ensure it wouldn’t happen). If you thought you would miss it you better let people know early. After all the board result SNAFUs you would think AFPC would figure something out yet on the last day of the assignment window the below message comes out. At least they gave a piss poor excuse.