General Discussion

I did a search. I love how this statement has to be posted before any questions asked. Anyone here flying the HC-130 now or in the past? How vastly idfferent is the mission from the traditional slick, besides the refueling of the whillybirds. Do you still stay current in airdrop, assaults, formation (with another -130 not a rotors)and normal airland stuff? PM me if you are currently flying them in the active duty world or the good world or just post the info for others to see. Thanks [ 31. July 2006, 19:34: Message edited by: Toro ]

Just saw this article up on CNN.com Here's a good one... If/when pilots are walking down the aisles of airliners NOT flying and instead serving beverages and peanuts, just go ahead and kill me because that is a world I do not want to live in. https://www.cnn.com/2012/03/24/travel/autopilot-airlines/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Is this a National Guard branch or just a catchy recruiting gimmick? Google results confused me even more. https://www.yahoo.com/news/space-force-guardian-command-mission-201854275.html

I had heard from a T-1 Bud who went to the retirement event at RND that the T-1 is gone from all UPT bases (not counting the CSO training) A few old friends don’t beleive this is the case.

MOSCOW – A Russian Air Force chief said Saturday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has offered an island as a temporary base for strategic Russian bombers, the Interfax news agency reported. The chief of staff of Russia's long range aviation, Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, also said Cuba could be used to base the aircraft, Interfax reported. The Kremlin, however, said the situation was hypothetical. "The military is speaking about technical possibilities, that's all," Alexei Pavlov, a Kremlin official, told The Associated Press. "If there will be a development of the situation, then we can comment," he said. Zhikharev said Chavez had offered "a whole island …

Hey all, Facing an FEB in the USAF, my CC just notified me of it. I haven't been given the official reason or letter yet. I know that I don't want to voluntarily give up my wings and that this FEB isn't for a FTU fail to train issue. As I prepare myself for this I'm just searching out any advice or help from anyone that has gone through the process or is aware of what happens during an FEB. Anything is helpful as google hasn't really produced much in terms of results. Thank you!

KC-46 boom severed, hoist cable snapped during AR with F-15 over CA causing the KC-46 to land with half its boom in trail at Travis AFB and F-15 to divert.

Anyone know what reg covers gear pilots are authorized to be given through O&M purchases? Trying to spend end of year funds and take care of guys without buying tvs and chairs. Thanks for legit ideas!

Need a sanity check... I flew active duty for 11+ years and accumulated 126 gate months. PHA is still current. Last fall I joined the ANG in a non-flying Wing Staff position. I don't intend on flying for the foreseeable future. HARM is refusing to turn flight pay back on claiming that since I'm in an API 6 billet on the UMD, I can't get flight pay unless I "I am in the process of acquiring an ACIQ slot." I disagree and think flight pay eligibility depends solely on gate months when in a non-flying billet... Who's right?

Howdy folks, just graduated school and I'm on my way to Laughlin to wait (APT) for an IFT/UPT class date. I'd sincerely appreciate any and all wisdom y'all have on PCSing, inprocessing at a new base - especially Laughlin/UPT, the IFT/UPT pipeline itself, etc. Thanks a bunch! - Ike

Word is a bone crashed at ellsworth tonight. Crew ejected is most recent update. Just happened about 2 hours ago. https://theatlasnews.co/breakingnews/2024/01/04/u-s-air-force-b-1-crash-ellsworth-afb-south-dakota/ Sent from my SM-S918U1 using Baseops Network mobile app

https://afjag.usaf.afpims.mil/Portals/77/AIB-Reports/2023/21AUG23 AMC C-17A JBER AIB Report.pdf Interesting report. GS MEP experiences DCS, onboard med crew diagnoses as hyperventilating and doesn't check on him pretty much the entirety of the return to base. Load has to convince them to inform the pilot but its passed to pilot as nothing big. Dude dies the following morning after sliding towards death overnight in the ER. Additionally, one of the 3 airdrop med techs popped hot for alcohol and THC......

I'm going to PIT this summer and was hoping to get some gouge so I know what to expect. I'd like to take my wife too. What is the lodging on and off base like? And the really important question... How much do they pay you while your at PIT? Thanks for your help.

What kinds of things do you real pilot-types look for in a watch as far as functionality? Stop-watch feature? Backlight/indiglo, etc? I read about all those Breitlings and Citizens, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but those seem like little more than something fancy on your wrist.

For those with a little time under their belts, does the Aviator Continuation Pay (Bonus) time include all your flying time, or only rated time? The verbage on the AFPC ACP website is that "Pilots with a minimum 9 Years of Pilot Aviation Service" are eligible for the bonus. I'm trying to figure out if they consider Aviation Service as the point when pilot training started (and I start receiving flight pay) or if it's 9 years of rated service -- from my UPT date. I've called finance, MPF, talked to my orderly room and gotten the run around AFPC - nobody seems to have a straight answer. Anybody here who has received the bonus have an answer?

Hi All; For a museum project, I am looking for USAF Pilot Training Class patches from Moody AFB from Fiscal Year 2003 to Fiscal Year 2007. I can trade for or buy. Please help if you can Jim Flaviani, USAF (Ret) USAF UPT Historian www.usafupt.com

An update concerning MARSRADIO. An unclassified HF communications backup is reserved for active DoD and Federal Agencies. The net is still very active guarding its frequencies for calls. In the first half of this year, there were just under 2000 requests for phone patches, METAR/TAF weather, message, radio, and SELCAL checks. Additionally, there have been a few requests for updated Avian Hazard information. We were excited about the possibility of improvement in our global coverage with the peak of the solar cycle. Unfortunately, there has been a huge number of strong solar storms that reduce coverage. Some requests have been heard from the Western Pacific, Eur…

Hi All; For a museum project, I am looking for USAF Pilot Training Class patches from Moody AFB from Fiscal Year 2003 to Fiscal Year 2007. I can trade for or buy. Please help if you can Jim Flaviani, USAF (Ret) USAF UPT Historian www.usafupt.com

Good morning all, Board results were just announced and I was one of the unfortunate ones that didn’t make it. Had about 24hrs to soak up this information and I think it’s time for me to start thinking about what’s going to happen next in my life. Here’s some info about my career so far. Commissioned 2015 and went to a non-rated career field. In 2019 I decided to apply for the Late-to-rate boards and got picked up as an early Captain. Currently in a flying unit flying the best MAF aircraft out there (IYKYK). A basic AC with about 1000 total time (UPT/Current MWS). I had an assignment to be an instructor for UPT leaving for PIT in a couple of months, bu…

I'm at work now (FAA) and we got a report of a possible Herk down near Itta Bena, Mississippi. No other details yet. Update: Memphis center had them at FL200 and lost radar contact/comms with them

Does anyone have experience dealing with getting continuation after a DNP? Some NJP is in the picture from a few years ago that I thought I had recovered from, but that still played into a DNP for my first look at O-5. I’m assuming it’s not going to change next year. I’ve assumed I would get double passed over, but I was expecting a Promote at least. Does a DNP likely mean a DNP next year and how does that affect continuation? Thanks for any experiences.

I know there are a lot of topics that discuss VA disability here and there, but didn't se anything specific to it.. unless I completely missed it while searching on my phone at 3am. As flyers, we document nothing. I decided 3 years ago, prior to retirement, to start documenting everything. This eventually led to me being DNIF and never flying again but also helped in getting 100% disability from the VA. My 100% was from nothing big I claimed.. just a bunch of little aches and pains that added up to 97%. When I got my notification letter, I noticed a number of items on there that are "deferred". I called the VA and asked them what that meant, what was needed …

If a special request falls through, meaning it wasn't in the drop, should one request the aircraft/assignment by other means, i.e. hardship? How long would the process take? The hardship would be for my wife's medical issues and we want to be close to family for assistance. I don't want to create waves in the system, but at the same time, I don't wan't to be called home from a future deployment because this all could've been avoided if I filed for hardship out of UPT. Any advice would be appreciated... PP

Hope they got out. What aircraft? EDIT: Looks like they did. "Pilot is being attended to." https://www.facebook.com/KOBTV/videos/2425143644345871

Well, it is an election year. Tell me if you've heard this story before. 1. Bird flu research by the US and China. https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/project/?accnNo=439621 "Research Project: US-UK-China Collab: Predictive phylogenetics for evolutionary and transmission dynamics of newly emerging avian influenza viruses" 2. Bird flu found in chicken farms: Largest US egg producer temporarily halts production due to avian flu at Texas facility https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/food/story/largest-us-egg-producer-temporarily-halts-production-due-108795657 3. Bird flu jumps from birds to dairy cattle. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bird-flu-hi…