MCO

There is a reason why it can still be an unknown going into an election the polls are calling one way. Just because it’s theoretically a representative sample size doesn’t mean it is actually representative, even if you do everything right. Too many unknowns in an actual population. Based on my Facebook feed though some of those numbers wouldn’t surprise me even if my gut tells me they are high. I agree that conspiracy theories and peoples unbelievable ability to believe in them though is for the most part not good for anyone. Present real facts to a conspiracy theory and it’s chalked up to being part of the conspiracy. People have way to much faith in other people’s ability to keep a secret.

This entire thing is ridiculous. A one sided story slamming a guy, names included, then turned on the girl. No one wins. Everyone loses.

Something else for guys that got picked up for an IDE program that doesn’t count for JPME 1. You only have to take the supplemental top off and not the entire ACSC correspondence course according to AFPC. At least this year anyway. A few guys in my program were approved for that.

Yes

He has been one of the more vocal republicans the last few days. I thought about him on our board. Glad he is speaking up.

I don’t agree completely with everything you wrote but great post. I’d say we aren’t the Army or Marines. We die if we don’t know how to do our jobs, not if we can’t beat the enemy into submission. For the most part. That said we should at least be in some kind of shape. We are professionals in the military and we deploy. I’m amazed at how many people I know who refuse to ever work out or go on a run get themselves on some sort of profile. As far as your points about pilots, that’s easy. Don’t be a Dick. Hard for some people but you’d be surprised how far that can get you even without changing your opinions, by just understanding other people’s point of view and not being a Dick. That said, don’t let people run you over either.

https://www.statnews.com/2020/10/20/cdc-data-excess-deaths-covid-19/ I looked up excess death numbers and they seemed to agree it was over 300,000, although I think it’s all from one source. I don’t see how there is no excess death when regardless of your stance on the Rona it is obviously killing some people. Seems like classic I found one (questionable) study that supports my views so it’s the most correct study.

That timeline is so extended my guess is it really just means sending a few WSOs to UPT... kind of like now.

The HUD in the C130J is certified. I assume because in a rare scenario where it throws out bad info like that it turns off and forces us to use our PFD in our HDD.

Also if you go to WIC it counts as the electives, so 5 real classes and 2 paper classes and you are masters complete and only have to do ACSC correspondence top off(Short version) after you make Major. Of course I started that whole process when a Masters was mandatory but if you just want the easy button for a masters that auto updates your records and knocks out some or all of your ACSC all in one it’s not bad.

ChaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAANG

Not true. I’m third look at IDE right now and will meet the next Lt Col board off the student MLR with my NO PRF.

If you are going to make me do PME by correspondence, then give me time to actually do it instead of telling me to do it in my off time. With actual time and if you do it right you could even make it more beneficial for people that put some effort into studying and through possibly networking. As something to do in my spare time I want to put as little effort into it as possible, and get little out of it.

In addition to some issues already brought up, are Herk crews going to now be qualified in and maintain currency in every mission in the entire MAF and be expected to be proficient at all of them when employed?

Top off looks basically the same as the 6.0 top off, maybe slightly more.

Sounds like a bunch of nonners validating their life. Nothing wrong with not flying if it doesn’t work out, but it’s the best job in the AF if it does.

All of that. But it’s not a straight apples to apples argument here. Our job is to put cargo where it’s needed, and if you dodge all the SAMs and then put her into the side of a mountain on the instrument approach in shitty weather you still failed. No kidding minimum length heavy weight TOLD can be a pretty complex discussion, especially when you add in combat factors. I’m pretty sure most fighters don’t get hung up on TOLD and climb out performance because it’s not something they ever need to worry about to the same degree. They also don’t have to talk on the radios to 10 different countries in one flight with shitty radios and different accents and procedures and not all of them necessarily friendly with us on a routine basis. Just like I don’t worry as much about taking down a complex IADS with enemy fighters in play even though it’s way cooler and more exciting because I’m a side show during that if I’m even in the air. It’s just life. agree to disagree. I think the MAF is behind the CAF because the MAF refuses to take a risk, and has extra time on its hands not studying in a vault and uses it worrying about how to make general instead of be a good pilot. Back to the original topic, I think a herk pilot could come from either of our current training platforms and do fine, but depending what you take out of the heavy track syllabus I think it could put a real strain on the tac training at the school house. edit to add: The starting point was a group of copilots straight out of the school house that are ignoring half the GK they need to succeed, and my theory was because they were all 38 studs coming in together, nothing more. If you knew my background you’d know I’m for being tactically proficient.

Yes. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for their interest in getting better at advanced tactics. But they are spending no time studying or understanding the basics that are way more likely to get them into trouble. I was also a few deep when I wrote that. Ive never seen a real issue with 38 guys in the Herk.

Absolutely not a big deal. The only time I’ve seen any issues is now, only because we got a batch of new copilots and more than half were 38s. And the issues are more just they group think themselves into studying the wrong stuff and want to be weapons officer Lts because they incorrectly think that makes them a kind of fighter pilot. Figure out TOLD and how to make a chart, don’t skip straight to integrated large formation low level mastery. Gotta get the boring basics first.

And there are C130s. 7 month FTU, 3-4 months of it is tactics, formation, and airdrop. Are students from the new system going to be ready or is it going to be on the FTU to teach some of this basically from scratch? I had the benefit of going to Corpus, which was designed as a C130 prep course taught completely by C130 pilots on the AF side. So honestly I don’t know what right looks like.

From my limited time working these, honestly very average but better than not having it. On the O side you want the definitely promote or the if I had one more line. Yours basically says if your records are good enough, promote him, but he isn’t my top. Not having the promote now however would be a message that they don’t think you are ready. We just switched to a whole new system though so who knows what normal is now.

The other advantage of flattening the curve other than what’s already stated is the effect of herd immunity, which is more effective if you already have a population of immune people.

This is exactly why I think the US will be hardest hit. Our freedom is awesome, but plenty of people will say "I thought this was America, I'll do what I want!" I agree with you that we need to protect our freedom from being attacked, but I also think we are going to pay a price for that. China can effectively fight it because they just point a gun at everyone and say don't leave your house. Not what I want, but it works. Just to be clear, I think the price is worth it in the end.

I don’t have a picture of it but I was sent to Beijing when I was refragged after show time and had to deal with a high level pax. Of course the J model is not GPS approved in China so now I’m the only aircraft shooting the non GPS arrival and it is about 15 step down segments in meters switching between headings, multiple VORs and NDBs and various speed restrictions. It was a little chaotic. Add to that gusty winds so I’m supposed to fly a 144kt approach speed, but I overspeed my flaps at 145kt. Most of the time it’s when you are going into a field with no radar service using procedural deconfliction, probably some place like Africa or the Balkans, and you look at the approach plate and even after years of flying think what the hell is this. Luckily you usually can look over the approaches the night before but not always, and ATC seems to be good at getting you to join the arrival/approach in the one way you weren’t expecting. The more experienced you get the less this happens and the more you laugh at/teach the young guy struggling, but as the young guy going into some interesting fields in the middle of no where at mins, it’s everything to keep your SA up. I’ve shot multiple circling NDBs at mins after I was told in pilot training NDBs were going away and I’d probably never have to shoot a real one. I’m sure there are plenty of other guys on the forum that have had some ridiculous foreign approach sprung on them at the last second.

I agree with you. Also, there should be a fully qualified AC or IP in the seat in a heavy every time with a copilot, so take advantage of it. I usually let my copilot fly a complex approach until they are overwhelmed and then take it if I need too. Instruments aren’t hard but they will definitely kill you. If we don’t trust our ACs then either extend time to upgrade or don’t just upgrade everyone “because it’s their time”. You can get the majority of instrument experience in the sim just fine, and the rest as a copilot on the line. Tac flying on the other hand, which varies airframe to airframe in the MAF, needs ass in seat time. On that same vein though, I think a lot of MAF leadership focuses on “sexy”, “cool” training that they can claim they prepped the fleet for instead of getting the crew force good at what we would actually be doing, wasting our training opportunities. Just my opinion.