Leaderboard

Interesting article. Everyone serving should read Boyd. As to the Be vs Do choice, I think it’s simple. Be a “Do”er and let the chips fall where they may. If your career doesn’t take the trajectory you wanted, well at least you can look at yourself in the mirror. I’ve seen too many people compromise their character using the justification that if they can just move up the ranks they can affect real change. The moment you start down that rabbit hole is the moment your lobotomy begins. Next thing you know you’re pulling people out of scheduled training events to attend your mandatory all call where you stand around in ABUs (even though you’re a rated officer) where you pat yourself on the back repeatedly and insist on spending over an hour handing out awards to everyone on the base except for those who directly accomplish the mission.

If you read any of the threads at APC, everyone says you'll know if you picked the correct airline when you retire. I'd pick based on: 1. first major that hires you 2. a second major that hires you that has a domicile where or closer to where you want to live 3. future plans (i.e. do you someday want to have a chance to fly a 787 to Sydney and make $350K for working 9 days a month or want the option to non-rev to Europe once in a while) As a new hire at a legacy, I picked the first airline that hired me and stuck with it after another legacy offer because of the better possibility of option 3 and they were both pretty similar short commutes.

An interesting read...

The Special Operations people up and down the line don’t know what they want to use this thing for. It’s frustrating and disheartening hearing AFSOC and joint SOF people not be able to articulate what the airplane would even be used for. If it’s the argument of saving money and saving time off the wings of the CAF fleet (which I think is a great idea), then why does SOF use it? If it’s to do what SOF is doing now with other assets, then an AT-6 is a horrible platform for it. I could see FID, but even then there are other options that are better suited. It honestly seems like a lot of people in SOF that want to fly upside down and shoot a forward firing gun want light attack because it would be fun. I’m all about fun, but come on. /rant

AFSOC Mission Set 1 is to use LA for CAA training and to support the FID mission. That has been the priority coming out of AFSOC for over a year. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/02/20/us-delivers-laser-guided-rockets-to-the-lebanese-air-force-to-arm-its-super-tucano-aircraft/?utm_campaign=Socialflow+AIR&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

To be clear... this is not sport bitching. These are legitimate concerns and frustrations being aired by people who are doing a job they love with people they consider a family. However everyone has a limit and 120s in the 135 AFRC will hit that limit for a lot and there will be a noticeable result. How many of you out there already have problems getting an AFRC 135 tanker for a local, much less a drag, when you need one? How much harder will that be after 120s are a reality? Blanket statements, stating that military flying is the best way to a pilot career is a biased statement and poor advice. Anyone rushing for a UPT slot needs to understand that the pilot job market has changed drastically in recent years, and what was true yesterday doesn’t make it true today. The pilot job is a true market with all the fluctuations and emotions driving it that move other markets. The only constant is change. I can promise you that the likelihood of your sponsored squadrons tempo today won’t be the same as when your return from training 2+ yrs later. Doesn’t mean you should run the other way! The reality of today, is if you want to be an airline pilot this MAY be a good path for you but then again it MAY not be. You will have to determine that for yourself by seeking conversations with honest opinions. And have enough wisdom to realize that a person further into life has a different worldview of someone in their 20s without a wife or kids. Now back to 120s please.

Yep. It's the 30s and 40s where it gets to be problematic.

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2019/02/20/pentagons-special-operations-leaders-disappointed-over-handling-of-light-attack-program/ Maybe the Pentagon should push for the Army to buy them. Oh wait, then the Air Force will take over and just cancel the program. Then we’ll probably still be buying them under contract and fly them straight to the boneyard. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Down to one bike now. ('07 BMW GS1200ADV) and I just ride it on long trips. I did Nova Scotia a few years ago, 2017 I did 15 countries in Europe and next year is my retirement trip - South America down to Ushuaia. Keep the greasy side down my friends!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-47323045 Good video. Thousands of people cheered a flypast honouring 10 airmen who died when their plane crashed in a park 75 years ago. The US bomber came down in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield on 22 February 1944, killing everyone on board. A campaign for a flypast started after a chance meeting between BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker and Tony Foulds, who tends a park memorial. A tearful Mr Foulds was given a rousing round of applause as the planes flew over. He said: "This is unbelievable." Relatives of the aircrew and thousands of people from across Britain paid their respects as the planes roared over the memorial at about 08:45 GMT. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Living in base on SCR with any of the larger companies is going to net you a pretty good QOL no matter what equipment you're on, especially if you can settle in 30-60 min away from the airport.

Although the "regional airline flying on a major airline pay scale" thing isn't really my cup o' tea, I have a neighbor who has been at SWA for about 8 years now and he loves it. Lives in base (Vegas), bids reserve, and at least during the non-summer months, doesn't appear to do much work at all. Every time I go running past his house, he is out in his garage restoring a late 60s Mustang. He loves it and makes fun of me for (apparently) only flying nights and working too much, at that. Different strokes.

Torq Reserve 135 has been living the same rotation as you except under different orders with less leniency. We’ve had 90 day orders WITHOUT the ability to swap halfway through. (We use to swap half through prior to 2008 on 30 day in country, that kept people around forever). What’s changing is we’re being forced into 120 days in country without the flexibility to swap half through. So now we’re looking down the barrel at 5 months gone from work 4 months away from home every 2 years. I can see the writing on the wall with multiple units entering conversion for the KC46 it’s placing a strain on the remaining 135 squadrons and block 40 tails. I personally believe that under this structure they’ll have to reduce dwell to keep it going. Which would be 120 every 1.5 yrs roughly or even less depending on what they do. The simple answer is to allow members the flexibility to swap. If that were permitted it wouldn’t look any different to the squadrons and manning would stay the same. I’m curious how would your manning change now if the guard said “no more swaps if you get a 120 your gone 120!”? I don’t buy the cost savings excuse. We all know that’s a load.

Way to go, Ohio! So happy you stuck it to this RINO! https://www.mrpolitic.com/2018/12/27/ohio-legislature-defeats-kasichs-veto-on-gun-owner-rights-bill/ Essentially, the now approved bill makes it the State's burden to prove a self-defense shooting wasn't just that. Previous law, and Kasich's preferred method, is that the individual had to prove innocence. Fcuk him and his horse.

Fun fact: The moon landing scenes in First Man were filmed on the same sound stage as the actual moon landing.