General Discussion

So, since when did they start dropping B-2's in UPT? I thought that was something that you couldn't get until later like the F-117 etc. Can someone explain this to me? What makes the AF decide to drop certain planes in UPT and not others?

NY Man Busted Pretending to be Soldier for First Class Upgrade Diaz -- who sources said never served in the military -- also had a black POW patch on his sleeve, which an actual soldier would never wear in that spot, the sources said. His dog tags were comically engraved with the words, "USA Marines Corp."

Just an invite for all Rotorheads to enjoy the launch issue of our new mil helo mag. Digital edition is online for everyone to read. Cleared HOT - Issue 1

Great SR-71 story... https://gizmodo.com/5511236/the-thrill-of-flying-the-sr+71-blackbird

Austin Hatch in critical condition Quote from a friend about the first crash that killed his wife and 2 kids (Doctor pilot and his son survived): Guess this guy never learned what unusable fuel was. The only time it is ever used, is in a post crash fire. Why does the FAA keep giving pilot licenses to Doctors?

Big first story is the 747-8 just landed there a few hours ago. U-S-A, U-S-A!

Search didn't give me what I'm looking for. I'm about to PCS and own two cars both currently registered in different states. My current state (SC) treats cars as property and taxes them every year (which you don't pay if you're an out of state resident) so you pay only a small sales tax. When do we have to register cars in the new state we move to and do you end up having to pay some kind of sales tax (back taxes) when you do that? Or can we just leave cars registered wherever as long as we are AD. I care particularly since I'm about to buy a trailer to PCS (the dity rates are WAY up folks) and I'm trying to figure out if I should avoid paying sales tax on the traile…

The story below explains the plans for the Reserves to take over the Legacy FTU at LRF. The big question is how are they going to find the people? Are there AD Pilot's, Nav's, FE's and LM's excited about becoming Air Reserve Technicians in the FTU? Even if they know the legacy herks will draw down with the AMP and J's coming on? Just wondering, H2Nav LRF FTU story

What would be the best foreign language to know as a USAF pilot. I have to decide which one to start soon, and am at ends between Russian and German. German, I believe, would be useful due to the chances of being based in Germany. Russian on the other hand, would be good to know if I was to be selected as an astronaut. Hopefully, the Russians will still be major contributors to the space program in twenty years or so. Any other ideas would be great! Thanks

Last Friday, with very little fan-fare, the AF's first production F-35A arrived at Edwards AFB. We should start seeing one or two delivered a month through the end of the year, even more after wards. One down, 1762 more go to (if anyone still believes that number).

My thinking with this: Why not have a thread that details what's allowed under AFIs or DoD regs so we don't get hosed when working with finance or SVS, and all those folks. Gouge, if you will. Background... Billeting at Kadena and Ellsworth (sturgis, baby!) have both refused to give me a non-A number while I'm there even though they don't have rooms available for my entire stay (billeting available 10 nights out of 12). Their reasoning is to stay on-base when there's room. Fair enough. But they're wrong. Andersen lodging saying they want you to stay on base for "most" of your trip there? According to AFI 34-246, page 20, 2.2.1.1.3, "The member is authorized com…

Anyone have any info or a link that talks about the minimum requirements for guys to go fly the E-4B? Thanks for any help

Just saw this on CNN... Video at the link. More details...

Pilot of Goodyear Blimp Saves Passengers Before Dying in Fiery Crash

Obviously there are a lot of (more) disgruntled rated dudes after the VSP debacle who are still meeting the RIF. Hypothetically speaking, if you were given the option of a "do not retain" on your RRF would you do it? Thoughts on chances of being RIF'd after VSP denial? Potential repercussions of a "do not retain" if retained?

Linky

Just curious where/when all the things like saying cranium, container, so to speak, etc started? What about the whole "dead bug" thing?

Queen decorates Nepali for Afghanistan heroics Its like Call of Duty, except IRL. All kidding aside, hats off to this dude for not giving up. "I had so many of them around me that I thought I was definitely going to die so I thought I'd kill as many of [those fvckers] as I could before they killed me." ^^^^^^Hell yeah

Looking for the AFI (or the like) containing the definition of AF tail number formats. Any help would be appreciated! Something along the lines of this, Globemaster link or Globalsecurity.org link, but official.

Hmm....no wonder they made it 40 minutes into pakistan without being detected....

Llyas Kashmiri He was a heavy hitter in S Waziristan. He seems to be the facilitator between UBL and field jihadis. There was no love lost between him and Pakistan either. Whatever, props to those who bagged him and tagged him. Hopefully there will be someone left for me to kill. EDIT: linky

From the wizards at HQ AF PA. Link To Story That's pretty hot right there. All kidding aside, I see a brilliant shoe clerk career ahead for this overacheiver. She's 16, home-schooled, the "top CAP cadet", wants to study physics and physiology, her Mom says this award is "opening doors of opportunity", and she's taking karate to keep up with the AF's fitness standards. I'm quite sure if you asked her to name ONE of her friends or one band that has released an album in the last five years, she'd stutter and her head would explode. HD [ 15. May 2006, 02:19: Message edited by: HerkDerka ]

Air Force Times Link Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta will be the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War. On Thursday, President Obama spoke with Giunta, who is assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, in Vicenza, Italy, to inform him that he will be awarded the nation’s highest valor award, according to the White House. Giunta, 25, will be honored for his actions during a fierce firefight Oct. 25, 2007, in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. According to the White House announcement, when an insurgent force ambush split Giunta’s squad into two groups, he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a comrade …

Anyone recently receive a type rating from a FSDO office by walking in with a form 8? Did the FSDO place any limitations on said type rating (specifically SIC)? Is there any printed guidance which defines what the FAA will issue?

I have a lot of speeding tickets. A (civilian) security manager at an ANG fighter unit recently told me that I can obtain a TS clearance to fly Hercs, tankers, etc. but I wouldn't be able to obtain a TS to fly fighters. I was under the impression that a TS is a TS, regardless of platform. Is it true my driving record would receive more scrutiny from OPM as a fighter UPT selectee? [ 02. November 2006, 11:54: Message edited by: Toro ]