General Discussion

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20209770

Did a search and only found a couple posts from 5 years back or so regarding the time between UPT graduation and follow on training. I'll be graduating UPT here in June of 2013 and am planning on getting married shortly after (like the weekend after). I'm just wondering what the current average amount of time is between graduation and follow on training, i.e. SERE/Water Survival/MWS training/etc...? Any help would be appreciated.

OK guys, I have some Brit buds who volunteer at the Bentwaters Cold War Museum and they have been working every angle they can to get a static display A-10 and/or F-4C for their facility with no success, so they asked if I had any other ideas. They've already contacted USAFE who tried getting the Spang BDR jet sold off to them as scrap, but the proposal never got anywhere and returning that particular airframe to display condition would have been too costly for the museum. They also asked for a Hog via the NMUSAF, but that organization changed its loans legislation after 9/11 so that it does not provide artifacts to non-government based agencies outside of the US.…

The AF Times has an interesting story w/ pics for the new place, 'Millenium Village'. Looks decent, although I'm not really sure I understand the rationale of the rooms sharing a kitchenette...I'd rather have my own room/bathroom, thank you. What'll be REALLY nice is now we won't have to stay in the goddam tents whenever we come through as transients...transient aircrew don't get the trailer billets, just a tent w/ a dude working a jackhammer outside. Wonder how much of CC they'll tear down though...

Bad week for aviation. Destruction at Sun n' Fun, the Southwest drop-top, and now Gulfstream has lost a G650 and four flight test crewmembers. Link Kent Crenshaw, Gulfstream's Chief Test Pilot, was a former CC of the 6519th Test SQ (now the 419th FLTS at Edwards), the B-2 Chief Test Pilot for Northrop Grumman, a BUFF pilot in Vietnam, and a laundry list of other quals and accomplishments. Vivan Ragusa was a former USN test pilot who flew the X-31.

Looks like the Boeing folks have a new cruise missile up their sleeves...no, not literally https://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/10/25/boeing-successfully-tests-microwave-missile-that-takes-out-electronic-targets/

I am unfortunately in the process of being medically disqualified from flying related duties. I finished three months of training but had to be removed because of my medical problem. I am currently preparing my reclassification package and was wondering if anyone with experience can tell me the proper protocol to ask someone for a letter of recommendation when you are no longer in their chain of command? Most of the people going to the board commissioned through ROTC and received really good LORs from their leadership at ROTC. I am prior service that commissioned through OTS so that avenue is not available for me. I am hoping to get LORs from my past leadership but mo…

Folks, can anyone help me out with a list of pubs, flashcards, checklists and the like that will help me succeed at UPT? I have been an Army Aviator since 2002 and will surely have to "unlearn" as much as I will have to learn. The rote memorization required in Army flight school was obscene and I can only expect that the Air Force school will be a lot of the same. Anything I can start to study ahead of time I'm sure will be better than showing up cold. Thanks! Paul

Coach Christensen can't handle losing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaJDqBNo4cI EDIT: Potentially NSFW due to language.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/mobile/news/2012/08/gannett-air-force-arizona-1-star-fired-head-air-guard-082512 Anyone have any insight on this?

I'm putting the final touches on a novel and would appreciate help with the following re: C-130s. 1. The antagonist, an arms dealer, owns both a C-130, and a small island in the Gulf of Thialand. Bearing in mind that 1. artistic license is acceptable but still must be believable, 2. his pilots are "down-and-dirty" former GRU Spetsnaz, 3. it's an island! it can't have a long runway, what would be the minimum runway length? 1700 feet feasible? Less? I'm aware of the record landings and TOs on the Forrestal. Maybe I could put that in the book. 2. does the Herk have the ability to start without external generator? (can't remember the equipment name - been a few years …

https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/22/us-japan-f16-crash-idUSBRE86L02L20120722 No word yet on the pilot.

Thought this was pretty interesting. Proves that the tanker boldface of "Throttles - Cut-Off after touch down" is probably a good idea if you crash land and survive. https://gma.yahoo.com...topstories.html

https://chronicle.com...oud-the/134830/ Interesting article by an English Professor at USNA. The primary points and recommendations seem to be as follows 1. Academies are superfluous because more officers are generated from ROTC and OCS/OTS than from the academies themselves. Comment: It is true ROTC and OTS provide more officers than the academies. It is also true that Lts from the academy are generally no better than those from ROTC or OTS. Based on my own experience, the most effective JOs are prior service from OTS, ROTC and/or the academy. Largely because they are more mature (age) and more committed. By the time they reach Capt/Lt they all kind of ev…

https://warnerrobinspatriot.com/bookmark/20267416-Source-says-J-STARS-aircraft-may-have-been-sabotaged-at-contractor-location If they catch who did it, he's going under the jail. I heard stories from friends in the Herc community about an airman that was discovered partially slicing the loadmaster restraint harnesses a few years back. Hopefully that guy is still in Leavenworth.

We're PCSing to Fairchild in 16days (just had orders cut yesterday, I think?)! Any and all information will be accepted--what's the base like? what's the deployment temp like? etc etc etc. I fly out tomorrow to start the house hunting process woohoo!!! Thanks!

Have you ever lost your engine? This is my story... July 24th 2010 It was a typical VFR flight out of Destin (DTS) like I’ve done time and time again. I got there about 9AM to do the mission planning and took off around 11AM. We were headed to Orlando (ORL) for a surprise birthday party. I preflighted the C-172 N53456, called to open our flight plan, then talked to Eglin clearance to receive flight following enroute. Just prior to takeoff I did the normal checklists and the engine run-up was fine with both mags working normally. We flew down the coast at about 1000’ taking in the scenery for approximately 5 miles. We then started our climb to 9500’. Approximately…

Gotta put in the shameless plug... Air Force Times article

Morning All, Just an invite for all members here that we have expanded Cleared HOT to include all things military aviation. If you would like to receive a complimentary copy of the magazine each issue just send me a PM with your email address. Cleared HOT is totally digital and we have some cool plans for including multimedia. Cheers Everyone. Rick.

I found this online and felt it deserved sharing. Enjoy.

Will anyone with a personal review of working with Lt Gen Salvatore A. "Sam" Angelella please PM me?

So I PCS'd overseas, and got an APO address ahead of time from my sponsor. I forwarded all my mail, mailed myself some things and even ordered a few things online to my new address. I had been on station for about 2 weeks (3-4 weeks after I started forwarding), and repeatedly asked the mail clerks why I wasn't getting mail. They just laughed and said it takes a while. After the third week I forced them to examine my box (yeah, I said it), and it turns out the previous owner's name was on it...they changed it and the next day I ended up getting a mailbox full of mail...but none of the stuff I ordered. I had ordered around $500 worth of stuff from various companies …

Has anyone been to Manas? I'm trying to find out what the current conditions are there. I will be heading that way at the beginning of the year and would like to get some current information. Do they have cellphones you can buy there? Do they work well? What are the rooms like? Thanks, Debbie

I have been unable to access the Aircrew Pubs Library either on .mil computers or at home for several weeks now. This was really nice to be able to access at home since I'm a Guardsman and live away from the Guard Base. Anybody else have this problem? or did they take the site down when we went to iPads?

How is the BIT progress going at your base. How many fighter guys are still waiting for IFF/RTU dates? Are the days on BIT decreasing at your base or are guys still waiting up to a year on BIT? How and when do you think the AF will get caught up with all the F-16 and A-10 guys that are waiting up to a year to start IFF?