General Discussion

I'm flying the T-38C and looking to save myself a copy of my HUD tape, but since it records the video analog, it seems impossible to find a medium to play the video on, and transfer it to my computer. Any suggestions? And buying one of those $500 tape players is out of the equation. Thanks in advance.

Ok, so I decided to go after my dream and not think about money or anything like that. I am so excited to be an AF pilot, but what can pilots expect financially? I know about the pay charts and flight pay, but what can you count on making? If you stay in for 10 years where can you be financially? (Assuming that you are responsible and invest.) For 20 years and beyond where can you be? I've heard of officers investing well and retiring completely after 20 years with 1 million+ in the bank and a nice house. What's your take on all of that? Is flying for the airlines after you are done whether it's 10 or 20 years a good way to go? I don't care about being a huge …

Any guys on the forum flying for these guys? Is it a full time gig? I.e. are guys also flying for the guard / airlines? How's the quality of life? Looks like Draken has a location in Nimes France - anyone fly out of there? Thanks.

Does anyone have any experience getting a CONUS-based ALTREV coordinated? I’m trying to figure out how to set up AAR off track and the local knowledge how to do that has departed the fix.

An IL-76 was reportedly shot down and crashed. One engine appears on fire but this alone should have not caused a crash so maybe there was additional damage. https://warisboring.com/second-russian-military-transport-plane-comes-down-since-january/?fbclid=IwAR1qGCJ8p9y3aR3l4pv61kOg9aO2A0cqsxkR8654UesdBuUHlDnQsRoZiYw_aem_AaM4aJCKbEEF5pjC1t-0cIyK7ZH9AstX8CqYNQBosEK5FrsdJMUD-sCr3zPPpq06zMw#ltp4tr1qbv0ccfq0vuf

Long story short, I incurred another 4 year commitment because I failed to transfer my GI-Bill benefits in time. I would like to retire ASAP, and I was wondering if anyone has had luck with any kind of waiver to avoid the additional commitment? Is there a precedent for such a thing?

How much time does it generally take to become Aircraft Commander? Reason I ask is because I was looking through Southwest Airlines website and they will only take AC time as PIC and that got me thinking.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/politics/john-kelly-donald-trump-us-service-members-veterans/index.html

I just got passed up in ROTC for a rated slot, so I won't be flying in the AF unless they pull me from the alt list; I'm not counting on it. Anyways, I want to fly for a career once I get out of the AF and as of now have ASEL Comm and CFI, working on CFI-I and AMEL Comm. Not only do I want to fly while on AD, but I want to instruct and build hours. I have several questions that I will put below. Assuming there is an aeroclub on base, would I be allowed to instruct on the side? If none on base, how about instructing off base? What are the clubs normally like? What kinds of a/c do they usually have? Just light singles or twins too? Would I even be able to work th…

Read a good article in the Atlantic and wanted to see what the opinion of others was on the idea that we are actually close to another major conflict between the new Great Powers via alliances and waxing / waning influence. Yes, It Could Happen Again Instability in Ukraine, chaos in Syria, conflict in the East China Sea—the trigger points for World War III are in place.

I'm an officer, pilot-type, who for 17 years, never had the good fortune of directly supervising any enlisted troops. In my current job, I am the OIC of a particular function, and I have one NCOIC who works directly for me. He is a SSgt pinning on TSgt in the near future. The kid is a fast-burner, (already working on his Masters), and makes my job really easy. I feel like I should do more than just pat him on the back and say congrats for the promotion. So my question is two-fold. Is it appropriate to give him a gift of some sort, and what's an appropriate gift? Anyone else ever been in a similar situation? I have a few ideas, but wanted to hear some advice from t…

Just wondering if anyone's ever run into rude enlisted personnel...I'm a new LT doing casual with a fighter squadron. I'm doing scheduling and many other misc duties like making sure things are setup for fini flights and retirements. So here's my story: I was trying to sort everything for this guy's fini flight in the Viper who is retiring. His family was waiting for him to land. I asked the TSgt at the ops desk to call and get them permission to go on the flight line with cameras. He says, "How many." I said 4 cameras. The, with glaring eyes, he says "How many people." So I told him 12. He'd given me a sticky note to write down the escort for them and how man…

C-145 makes a successful single engine landing at Talahassee. The news media of course is making a really big deal out of landing on just one engine in low cloud cover... Anyway, it ended well... https://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Air-Force-Pilot-Makes-Emergency-Landing-In-Tallahassee-243414381.html

WASHINGTON — U.S. fighter planes intercepted two Russian bombers flying unusually close to an American aircraft carrier in the western Pacific during the weekend, The Associated Press has learned. A U.S. military official says that one Russian Tupolev 95 buzzed the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz twice, at a low altitude of about 2,000 feet, while another bomber circled about 50 nautical miles out. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity because the reports on the flights were classified as secret. The Saturday incident, which never escalated beyond the flyover, comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia over U.S. plans for a missil…

If someone wants to post up the link from the AF Times, but they're finally doing something about the worst placed sewage ponds in the world. Over the years I've logged over a year and a half smelling that crap at Kandahar! Finally fixing it hopefully.

Anybody got a squadron car? Post specs and pictures here. [ 27. July 2005, 21:49: Message edited by: Beaver ]

I know this thread may be a bit of a downer and something many people aren't used to reading on this site. However, with that said, I am looking for those who may have any insite on the process, if any, on changing career fields. I know if you are permantly DNIF or there is some other outstanding circumstance which allows people to do this, but that's not my situation. I have given the pilot thing a chance and come to the conclusion that enviornment is making me miserable. Maybe it's my base, airframe, Sq...who knows. Unfortunatley I have quite sometime left on my contract which ended after UPT. I know that contract ties me to the AF rather than just the pilot world…

https://www.military.com/news/article/female-special-operators-now-in-combat.html?ESRC=eb.nl Interesting concept, I guess. Though I'm sure the equality crowd doesn't like the comment about not wanting them to fight their way in.

https://www.tehachapinews.com/news/edwards-air-force-base-pilot-dies-in-san-antonio-crash/article_bd4f2c2c-e423-11e6-aad2-0bf8c6e8a090.html To SWAB

Hi, Did a search but I couldn't find anything on the topic. I'm an ROTC cadet and I'm curious about how a B-2 pilot would get moved around because I know they're only stationed in MO. Are you at Whiteman for most of your career besides the occassional TDY? Thanks in advance

NATO's Bomb Supply Is Running Short ..."Less than a month into the Libyan conflict, NATO is running short of precision bombs, highlighting the limitations of Britain, France and other European countries in sustaining even a relatively small military action over an extended period of time, according to senior NATO and U.S. officials"... Libya “has not been a very big war. If [the Europeans] would run out of these munitions this early in such a small operation, you have to wonder what kind of war they were planning on fighting,” said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a defense think tank. “Maybe they were just planning on using their air force for air shows.”…

I couldn't find a recent or highly relevant thread for this topic. This thread can be for any drug abuse incidents or news stories that affect military personnel. Biden’s Son Hunter Discharged From Navy Reserve After Failing Cocaine Test - https://online.wsj.com/articles/bidens-son-hunter-discharged-from-navy-reserve-after-failing-cocaine-test-1413499657 Joe Biden’s Son Hunter Biden Discharged From Navy After Positive Cocaine Test - https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/joe-bidens-son-hunter-biden-discharged-navy-positive/story?id=26257601 Biden's son discharged from Navy Reserve - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/10/16/obama-joe-biden-hunter-biden-naval-re…

I am a 2014 VSP recipient and recently started flying for a Major Airline. I could not be more happy with civilian life and love the airlines, but as a former T-6 FAIP I recall a couple guys in my squadron that were AD recalls who received a substantial bonus to return to AD to fly the T-6. Considering instructing in the T-6 was by far the most rewarding and fun experience for me in the AF, my wife is from a UPT town, and the first year or two at the Airlines come with a bitch of a commute and schedule I could think of worse things than to take a nice chunk of change to go fly T-6's again for a couple years in my wife's hometown while my seniority number continues to tick…

The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is the United States military's oldest flying unit, dating from 5 March, 1913. Organized for security along the U.S. and Mexico border, the 1st Aero Squadron went into action on 16 March 1916 as part of General Pershing's punitive expedition in northern Mexico. The 1st Aero Squadron thus became the first tactical aviation unit in American military history. Upon U.S. entry into World War I, the squadron departed for France and Lt. Stephen W. Thompson scored the squadron's first aerial victory on 5 February 1918, which was also the first air to air kill by a U.S. military member. Through the remainder of Great War, the 1st supported ground fo…

So what is it? A UFO? The Russians? The Chinese? NOOOOPE. Buddy finishes our normal AR with the TACAMO's and they drop into STL for transition. Hilarity ensues. ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) -A mysterious white plane drew plenty of attention Tuesday afternoon near Lambert Airport and nearby Maryland Heights. The low flying four engine plane came low over ranch style homes in Edmundson and prompted some to take photographs. Janice Marienau of the 43-hundred block of Beauty in Edmundson started to photograph the plane after it flew over her family’s home three times. Then she called FOX 2 News when calls to Lambert Airport and Scott Air Force Base in Illinois …