General Discussion

Here we go again... Cheers! M2

Does anyone have any stories of buds they know being a single parent going through UPT? Please provide details on what the flight commander's thought, tactics they used to be approved for it, etc. I know that some may say it is going to be impossible, but I think it would be much harder if my wife leaves me and takes my daughter away from me. I hope this is not too personal...I am just desperate for information regarding this. Money is not an option and I would be willing to pay for the best of the best as far as a Nanny is concerned. If anyone can do this, it is me. I appreciate all of the advice I can get, I know it is bad timing expecially since I am supposed t…

Does anybody have any details about the CAS Integration Group being stood up at Nellis? https://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2015/March 2015/March 09 2015/CAS-Integration-Group-to-Stand-up-at-Nellis.aspx

https://www.yahoo.com/news/officials-probe-first-possible-drone-130500520.html

Has anyone ever applied or attempted to apply for an OTS Rated slot and the Air Force Reserves for a pilot slot at the same time? A little back story, I am AD and want to apply to the rated board this November (application due in October). However, they only picked up 20 pilots this last board and I want to keep my options open as I want to fly. What are the chances of being able to apply to both? Has anyone ever done it before? Both applications are due in October and both boards are in November. Am I going to be forced to choose one or the other?

I have recently been considering joining the Air Force Reserve. Military service has been attractive to me for a long time, but I am only now giving it serious thought. Previously, I was very focused on a civilian career. For background, I am 28 years old and in the first year of law school, which is a three year program. I have an undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering. I intend to finish law school, and I will be 30 years old when I do. I am married with three children under the age of 5. I intend to have a civilian career at a large firm (not interested in JAG), during which I should be well-situated financially. I am motivated by a stron…

I had a student bring up an interesting topic the other day in my graduate level MIS class. We were discussing technology in aviation ( I try to combine my current job of teaching technology and my true love - aviation, when possible) when he asked me why with the advances in technology the black box hadn't been moved and located on the ground (on a server type system) instead of in the aircraft. The technology exists for each aircraft to have a private network connection using satellite or even ground based stations located around the world. All aircraft systems output could be broadcast, voice communication could be captured (internal and external), even passenger ca…

Some crazy shenanigans been going on within the last few days... STORY --- PK...

Just wondering if there's a potential VSP in 2012; any word out there???

Lost my pilot slot in ROTC on a eye technicality, going to Minot as a contracting officer. Anybody know anything about the base such as what the VOQ are like, living off base and what that is like, typical rent, wx info etc etc? Any input from those in the know would be great, thanks.

Put this into the “I can’t believe it column”. This week I was coming back from Souda Bay when at FL410 and just entering Swiss airspace, I noticed an aircraft approaching us from the opposite direction, slightly higher and offset to the left of our track. I took a quick glance at the TCAS which showed no traffic. I looked back up to see that the “traffic” was going to pass pretty darn close. The old adage if it does not appear to be moving it is very close and about to hit you came to play, when I realized I was looking at a weather balloon. It was about 4 feet in diameter and had a cord maybe 15 feet long with an instrument package attached to it. It passed approx…

Hey bros, Anybody have a copy of the little business card Florida sends out that says military members can use an expired license? My bro is renting a car tomorrow and needs it.

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.…

At water survival, they put a lot of emphasis on parachute training for everybody, but does everybody get parachutes? Obviously the ejection seat folks have that option, but what (if any) heavies do? Herks? And in that, what kind of training do they give us for that kind of egress? "Try to put it in a slight climb, and then run like hell..."

All, I’m an active duty Navy helo dude that has been offered an active duty KC-135 slot. I’m an O-4 and if I switch I will have a 6 year comittment that will put me right over 20 years. What I am looking for is gouge on the tanker/KC-135 mission, deployments, homeguard work, family life, preferred duty stations, etc. What are realistic possibilities of keeping flying for those six years? Is it possible in the Air Force to volunteer for a DO job to stay flying or is the DO a screened position? I’ve searched but can’t seem to find any threads newer than a few years old. I’m trying to wrap my head around the Air Force as well as the tanker life…

When in a cell, when does lead pass the AA Tacan to 2? Us heavy guys don't see a cell often, but lately I've been on several locals where we have. Everyone seems to be passing the AA at different times. Couldn't find it in any tanker manuals. Just curious.

Ladies & Gents, A few of the guys from the 48th at Lakenheath recommeded I put a few snaps up here for you good folk to see. So I just wanted to say 'Hey' and if you're ever in the UK on TDY or PCS'ing to Lakenheath, hit me up and I'll shoot you some pics. All with my compliments, discretion and respect assured. Lots of USAF aircrew character references available! Cheers! Morley morley.lester@gmail.com MLL_7576 Head on 1024 by Morley Lester, on Flickr IMG_3167 GR4 Flckr by Morley Lester, on Flickr MLL_0059 F15E Morley Lester Link Flckr by Morley Lester, on Flickr MLL_7340 Flckr by Morley Lester, on Flickr MLL_1771 1024…

Glad everyone's OK. A couple Herks are going to need some TLC, however... From AFA's Daily Report: FlightGlobal: Full article/post with pictures.

THE COST OF BEING A PILOT.. But then what? Once you pass the check ride and get the license, what comes next? Often it is the desire to get an Instrument Rating. But then how do you justify another $6000 - $8000 in expenses to get there? How do you get past the almost $9000 in expenses to get that Private Pilots License. Most people answer the good old fashioned way, save up or get two jobs. We do a great job promoting General Aviation to get to the Private Pilot level..but then what? How many of you have had that pilot as an Instructor or Check Airman with 4 or 5,000 hours and they are in their 60’s. So this is why I am writing about this topic. Those pilots, t…

I know this isn't the perfect forum for this question, but I figure a lot of you can help. I'm trying to buy an RV-8 to use for fun flying as well as cross country flying. The basic VFR plane is affordable (at least I'm trying to convince my wife that it is). The problem is if I add the IFR package, it's too expensive. I'm going to be using the plane for cross country flying that eventually will be LONG cross country flying (Montana to Louisiana). My question is, if I don't have the required IFR equipment (btw, presently, I don't know much about IFR flying), how practical would it be to use the plane for long cross countries? Will I end up cancelling a LOT o…

Several years ago I stored my POV when I went to Japan, then did a COT to USAFE. I had a POV in storage on my original orders and was briefed by TMO that I could just keep my car in storage if I wanted to. I did so, spent a few years in USAFE and got back to CONUS and picked up my car this past summer. Last month I got an email from an accountant at TRANSCOM giving me a week or so to give my authorization for storing my car. I sent in both sets of orders. TRANSCOM comes back saying that my Japan storage is okay but I will be billed $7k for keeping my car in storage for my USAFE tour. This is the first I've heard that it may not have been authorized. I sent my follo…

A friend of mine just got his commercial ASEL. Soon after he got a job in Hawaii towing gliders...or so he thought. Turns out that the FBO really needed him to fly Japanese tourists in gliders. I asked him if he would start to tow soon. He didn't know when he would start towing. He said that he makes more flying the gliders. I asked him if this would help his progression toward an airline, cargo job, etc. He said that he could count the glider time in his "total time". I don't doubt that, question is for all you airline guys out there, how is glider time regarded in the industry? Thanks, -ifrflyer

NATO Is Acting Like It’s 1985 ‘Maskirovka’ Is Russian Secret War Good articles on next-gen warfare as practiced by the Russians. Question comes to mind: Can we do the same to them in areas that they tenuously control or destabilize their allies the same way? If so legally, then morally? Thoughts?

The Wall Street Journal has a subscribers' only article about the Afghan Air Force using aircraft to transport drugs. Here's Reuters' take: https://www.reuters.c...E8270DU20120308 Who knew that the Afghanis had C-5s?

Alright, this will probably frustrate some of you but I can't figure it out. I have downloaded some zip files for MS2004 but don't know what to do after that to install them on the sim. If any of you could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. I did look at the post about where to get the downloads but didn't see how to do them...FYI.