General Discussion

Saw this on FB...have heard the pictures are legit but no other info... whatever the cause, it's going to be pricey!

Raptors grounded today over potential Onboard Oxygen Generating System issues.

Rebalancing the Rated Pipeline: The Air Force needs to boost fighter pilot production to 278 pilots a year as it works to rebalance the rated training pipeline, wrote Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in a letter to Air Force major commands and members of the Air Staff. Schwartz said this will be accomplished primarily through the new active associations with reserve fighter squadrons. Specifically, the Arizona Air National Guard at Tucson will support "significantly more" B-course students each year and reduce the number of foreign military sales students. Air Combat Command will reduce the F-16 flight training unit syllabus. The A-10 crew ratio will increase and more …

Has anyone heard of any programs that will send a rated guy to Law School on Uncle Sam's dime? Cheers.

I would like to know the difference between Air Force rated officers vs. their non-rated counterparts. I've heard being rated gives you opportunities for command and such, as opposed to being non-rated. Does being rated unlocks things non-rated officers don't have access to? What are the benefits of being rated? Please be thorough with your responses.

I'm doing EWO training right now and it looks like I'm headed to Omaha for the RC-135. Anyone been there or know of the place to comfort the blow?

Came across this and noticed the tail number was a jet I used to be a Crew Chief on back in the mid 80's at EGUN. All I can say it was providence that it happened on the takeoff roll and not airborne which would have been a much worse outcome. https://www.omaha.com/news/military/disaster-averted-at-offutt-but-major-questions-remain/article_41bfc96a-8b03-510b-b0f1-7d7d8633cd26.html

Anybody know anything about the RC-26 in the guard. Whats the mission and what units fly them? Do they have a nav? Also semi related question can you switch to the guard or reserve while at Nav school. i heard pilots have to do some time active duty before they palace chase same for navs?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU-hJ9r7fGg&feature=player_embedded IMHO, looks like he lost control in slow flight (whether mechanical or pilot error), rolled right, and couldn't recover. Punching out was a good call. Hope you get better soon buddy!

Looks like all the canucks made it out safe https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1135032--fire-breaks-out-on-military-aircraft-all-nine-crew-evacuate-safely?bn=1

Looks like they forget to check the refueling method earlier. Now there is a problem. Maybe they'll subcontract the refueling to the USAF.

In reference to my SURF, I don't know what this acronym stands for, or what it is for. Any ideas?

Neville- I appreciate you sending me four emails. Baseops gave you his apology, now leave our forums alone. Be a man and just walk away. It is very poor form of you to threaten Baseops wil legel action. He's done nothing wrong and his website is on no way affiliated with the mighty US military. With that said, STOP EMAILING ME. Harassment suits are much easier to win than internet suits. HD [ 09. August 2004, 17:28: Message edited by: HercDriver24 ]

MODS: I apologize if I missed it, but can we get this (or any other thread that's already got a good list) stickied to the top? Given that the read file hasn't had a post in years, I assume this place gets more visibility. I'm a firm believer that readers are leaders and I'd love to see what you're all reading. I'm rifling through books on audiobook at a rate of about 1 per week right, so I'm always looking for my next book. There area bunch of smart mofo's on this forum and I'm certain you all read some great stuff that may not be in my normal list of subjects. Not looking for this to be just a military book thread, but rather a collection of books th…

https://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1025605 I'm voting for photoshop. The jet's exactly the same height above the ground it would be if the gear were extended. There's no blur which one should see if the photographer was panning to keep a 300 knot AC in his viewfinder. No heat signature. Don't know enough about fighters to comment on nozzle position. It also looks like he's offset from the centerline. (#2 in a taxiing formation?) I'm just a stupid airline pilot, but if I were beating up some airfield at 300 knots or better, I'd be glued to the centerline. Discuss... [ 02. May 2006, 05:33: Message edited by: Toro ]

Much better than "You guys suck!" :D Cooter

Can AF aircrew accept any promotional items an FBO may offer? The FBO I work at does the AvTrip program through AvFuel. Every gallon you buy you get 4 points, every 5000 points is worth a $50 savings bond. You could rack up some serious $ if you put several thousand gallons in your C-whatever per stop. I've heard of other FBOs that offer a free steak dinner per so many gallons. There was a rumor that the other airport here in town was getting a lot of business because the hot receptionist had a thing for pilots and would take them to a back room to show her appreciation. Her boss didn't know if he should fire her for sleeping with customers or giver her a raise …

I don't think anyone will be surprised by this... Recent Data Shows Significant Spike In US Military Aircraft Accidents The number of major accidents involving military aircraft spiked in 2024, internal Pentagon figures show, and a series of high-profile aviation mishaps with deaths and the loss of aircraft in 2025 suggest the disturbing trend may be continuing. Across the military, the rate of severe accidents per 100,000 flight hours rose 55% in the 2024 budget year compared with four years earlier. The Marine Corps saw the highest increase, nearly tripling its rate over the same period. The statistics cover the full budget years 2020-2023 and then the first 10 months …

Does the AF only use time in the AOR to determine the amount of reconstitution leave or do they use all time spent away from your home of record? I am deployed as guest help with another unit. I will have over 90 days deployed and will get another week of reconstitution if they consider time spent at the other unit (which is out of my State) as well as travel time getting to the AOR and back. Our Log Plans guy back home is telling me that they only use time in the AOR to calculate the leave while the unit I am with says they count all time away from home. Which is it and can someone point me to a specific reg?

Has anyone heard of or participated in the Recruiters Assistance Program (RAP). from what I understand it is a program that a Lt. on their way to say SERE for example may have some time off and can then request to go to a colege where there is an ROTC detachment and participate as a recruiter. It is done to get free leave essentially. Any information? [ 28. August 2006, 04:29: Message edited by: Toro ]

I've been seeing a lot of articles the last few days with some shocking statistics. Looks like we may have to sub-contract the defense of our nation to foreign countries. https://www.army.mil/article/260969/secretary_of_the_army_christine_wormuths_remarks_to_the_2022_ausa_opening_ceremony_october_10_2022as_prepared https://warontherocks.com/2023/03/addressing-the-u-s-military-recruiting-crisis/ https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4087630-recruiting-the-all-volunteer-force-requires-a-whole-of-nation-approach/ The one that really caught my attention was a Wall Street Journal article (behind a paywall) that suggests that Veterans are contributing to…

Looks like the Red Arrows has an accident near Bournemouth today. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3764622/Red-Arrow-crash-at-air-show.html

Apparently a USAF source has confirmed that the Russians will be participating in the next evolution of Red Flag. I wonder if they'll get to see some of the heritage rooms on base... https://www.flightglo...o-red-flag.html https://english.ruvr....07_03/80124065/ Discuss!

One of the more interesting AF press releases, and this one's long overdue! WASHINGTON - After decades of secrecy, the Air Force today acknowledged that it flew Communist-built fighters at the Tonopah Test Range northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. From 1977 through 1988, the program, known as CONSTANT PEG, saw U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine aircrews flying against Soviet-designed MiG fighters as part of a training program where American pilots could better learn how to defeat or evade the Communist bloc's fighters of the day. Brigadier General Hawk Carlisle, 3rd Wing commander at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, is a former member of the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squa…

Haven't seen this link posted here yet, may have missed it. Got this link from my old man, an eagle driver turned Boeing rep. www.fighterpilotfilm.com Slainte