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Nice! This thread went full tilt. To finalize and further perpetuate the lifestyle. When things get better/great again (anyone’s guess), there is no PME, no OPRs, no multiple sideline requirements, responsibilities unrelated extra duty unless you actually volunteer for them like FAA certified Designated Examiner, Line Check Airman, Sim Check Airman, Sim Instructor/Operator, Ground School Instructor which lets be honest - these sound like opportunities that actually pertain to your chosen profession with increased monetary benefit for most. Even when given the opportunity for Captain, it’s your choice to proceed for more clams - it’s just waiting your turn based on seniority. Even Quarterly CBTs requirements gets you paid for most groups. Wow, paid extra to do your CBTs what a crazy idea. When your off duty, your off duty and I never think about my work just home work, errands, home life, extracurricular activities, family time, whatever it is your into. If/when they call you it’s not for deployment - it’s to get them out of a jam and they compensate you with a big chunk of clams more for your time, but that’s only if you choose to accept it or answer your phone which I don’t. More senior the better of course, but you all understand it based on previous information given. It’s a pretty good deal and nothing’s perfect. Prior to COVID19 most airlines increase your pay by 60K, 70K, 80K and several over a 100K when you jump from FO to Capt. While you see the outright pay scales - many times it’s the soft pay behind the scenes that can benefit you even more dependent upon the carrier. Lifestyle vs pay is a constant choice/crossroad/conundrum you will meet and many stay FO for better schedules, time off, control of their life and there are varied opportunities as a senior FO picking up open time (overtime) at many carriers to close the Captain pay gap. Here’s a personal example: Many Captains rib me about electing to stay FO for several years now and giving up 65K or more. Unless he’s one of the Senior Original Gangstas I simply reply - Whenever have you been #1 at your base Good Sir??? They all understand at that point. Top 10% at any base is usually pretty good and others have it even better depending on the base schedules. It’s all how you want to live your life. If I needed more clams I could spring for it but enjoy my time off personally and haven’t missed a Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years or any other holiday, birthday or anniversary I have chosen for many years. While in the military I can’t remember how many times all the holidays or special days took place on another date due to being on another continent. Yes I am quite senior at my outfit, but an FO I flew in today with who has been with us for 4 years now said the same. It varies everywhere/situation dependent. To be honest I speak from a different perspective having a mil retirement, etc. which helps me exceed our particular Capt pay, but once again it’s pressure free and I am very fortunate no doubt. If you can attain a full retirement or other consistent means of financial backup I urge you to do it. Definitely not a life for everyone and it’s still challenging at times being away, but my wife sees that I am nearly stress free and enjoy showing up to work and never talk about work when at home. Heck, I get more sleep at work lately (home upgrades, immense amount of landscaping/chopping trees down = not smart I know) and she’s stuck with it all like most of you know all too well. If/when I pull the plug, or my outfit were to collapse, be bought out, etc., at least the retirement provides a softer landing... Here near Sydney Australia today by the beach for 55hrs. By product of COVID19 = Ocean view suites available for us til 31 Aug. It’s pretty much cake normally, but it’s the icing at times that makes things easier. Traveling around now vs after projected retirement when my body isn’t quite up to par is priceless. It’s not as challenging/rewarding as flying during my military career, but I was so bored last night and wanted to brush up on what little skills I had that I hand flew the departure out of Hawaii all the way up to cruise altitude (100 Kilos shy of Max weight) squirrelly sucker at our weight passing FL250, then droned on for the next 9.5 hours to basically Winter in Sydney. 19C or about 66F. I like Winter here and then off to mid 90s in Thailand next. Wonder if they’ll take my temp there too?

Is it confirmed that IFT is cancelled permanently for RPAs? If so, what does everyone think of this move and what does it mean for the future RPA community? I found IFT very helpful, and so when I see this it makes me wonder if the AF thinks that our community doesn’t deserve the airmanship or basic flying skills that you gain at IFT.

I flew the T-6B not A so different panel but hopefully this will still help. I really starting getting better and feeling comfortable flying it once I learned a good scan. For me thats 90% of my time looking at VSI and the angle of bank indicator. Set an appropriate power setting and then trim for 0VSI/0 AOB. Keep the rudder trimmed and keep a light touch on the stick. Occasionally crosscheck airspeed/heading/altitude to see if you need to make any small power or attitude changes. Once you get stabilized you won't even need to spend much time looking at instruments which now gives you more time to look elsewhere like the HSI or approach plate (or outside the aircraft!). And by that point you'll have more and more SA and will be able to stay ahead of the plane.

We had a guy in my class hook all four checkrides in the T-6 and still graduate. You can do this. I struggled as well and just chairflew everything with the cockpit printout in front of me (radio calls, where I was turning, what my visual reference was, what pitch and power settings, what switches I was flipping, etc.). If you have to think in flight, you're going to struggle. Practice the basics until you can do them from muscle memory. That's what worked for me. If you're in UPT, then you're talented enough to graduate. You can do this. Don't quit.

Chair fly with a classmate acting as instructor/atc/distractions/other planes in the pattern where they make conflicts- like they normally occur. Keep practicing/chairflying, but not at your own pace- have a classmate check/push you around. Wash, rinse, repeat. Distractions and performance challenges happen- you have to recocognize and accomodate without losing a step.

The rml490 is a great rack. If you want to mark the holes on the uprights, those little peel and stick numbers from hobby lobby work really well without being permanent. I have the rml flat foot, and I’ve had those on it for a little over a year now. There’s so much you can do with your setup.

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I understand the dilemma..active duty here too, but i've made the decision to go 100% for a fighter position instead of a PCS. I would say that you have a couple of options here: 1. PCA to give yourself some more time without incurring additional ADSC. If you want to fly I would apply to as many boards as possible and do whatever it takes to make it a reality, even the active duty board. 2. If you want to go to the UK do that and keep applying for boards/making yourself more competitive. However, on the GA side I don't know much about flying in the UK, but rumor is that it is considerably more expensive and there are less days of VFR weather so your flying experience might be hampered. Also a large downside is the fact that you won't be able to visit units as frequently. 3. There's always the Palace Chase option that might keep you from being "locked in" for 2 years and if you think of the hiring timeline...it will likely take about a year on average to get through, so I wouldn't stop applying/visiting units. Bottom line, think of where you want to see yourself in 5 years and set yourself up for that as best as possible. Hope this helps, I understand coming from AD can make it a bit tricky when the career progression values frequent PCSs on the officer side it makes it hard if you spend a year or two applying, especially coming up on your VML.

Seriously though. The amount of Beta test groups they had while I was at Randolph was ridiculous, and all of them made worse pilots than the traditional training.

Interesting video but the irony of a college professor talking about BS jobs....

Except it isn't that simple. At all. Most people already believe exactly what you just said. But that's clearly not good enough, which is why we're forced to have this endless creep towards full wokeness. If it was as simple as treating everyone with respect and basic dignity we wouldn't have people suggesting slavery reparations, or that we should suspend due process to #believeallwomen, or that we abolish the police.

We are so woke

Half of NATO isn't even sure there is Chinese influence. They are happy to buy on to their Huawei 5G plans and belt and road initiatives. NATO isn't going to win us China. If we could convince Korea and Japan to get passed grievances and sign a tri-latteral, we would be like that meme of a dude walking with NATO but turning back and looking at the hot chick that is Japan/Korea (#5 and #6 on the Global Firepower Index). Regardless, both countries are still committed to working with us, just not with each other. What Germany, and most of NATO needs to realize about the US and NATO, is at the end of the day, states are going to serve their interest. The US interest in NATO has been declining since the fall of the Berlin wall. Without a clear purpose, the alliance doesn't really do anything for us. GWB tried to define this GWOT thing but it fell flat with some countries. Because we keep adding partners, the ability to provide clarity of purpose for the alliance gets convoluted. What may have been easy common ground to find among 16 nations in 1999 is really difficult among 30 members today. The people in the Alliance we are closest with, mainly France and the Five Eyes nations, we have other partnerships with that transcend NATO. I think 10K troops in the Pacific will do a lot more for us against China than 10K troops in Germany.

Bwaaaahahahah!!! Unified NATO...countering Chinese influence...oh man, that's rich...that's good...tell another joke.

Because it’s tan. ......I’ll show myself out now.

It's never the first or the last bubble.