Jump to content

bb17

Super User
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    249

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

 Content Type 

Posts posted by bb17

    A-10 units

    in Pilot Selection Process

    Posted

    23 minutes ago, nsplayr said:

    Just to correct the record here, there is one unit in the Air Force currently flying the MC-12 (185th SOS, Oklahoma Air National Guard), and they were not a former A-10 unit.

    Whoops - guess I was thinking of unit(s) like Ft. Wayne that were under consideration but didn't happen. 

    A-10 units

    in Pilot Selection Process

    Posted

    22 minutes ago, gear3green said:

    Hey man thank you for the response. I agree 100% with what you said. At the moment I'm at the  airlines and I was prior service army but I feel like my GPA might kill the chances (2.5) since I heard fighters are super competitive and I being prior service I don't want to waste anybody's time either. 

    You never know until you try.

    • Upvote 5

    A-10 units

    in Pilot Selection Process

    Posted · Edited by bb17

    3 hours ago, gear3green said:

    No, it would not. But I know how the aircraft is being slated to go away I don't know if that's affecting with recruiting in certain units. I am just trying to get a field for what it's going on out there. I work for an airline who has an aircraft living and nobody wants to go into it because they know its a dying fleet. I don't know if its the same with the A-10. 

    That is a legitimate concern. I interviewed at an A-10 unit a few years ago that was sequestered and shut down like a month after I interviewed. I was given the opportunity to fly UAV's which I respectfully declined and probably 90% of the pilots bailed for other manned units. Other A-10 units have switched to MC-12's I believe. Both are cool options if that is what you are interested in, but just be aware of the possible outcomes if you do manage to get hired by an A-10 unit. It will still be super competitive regardless.  

    Kiloalpha's advice is on point, by the way. 

    • Upvote 1

    What's wrong with the Air Force?

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by bb17

    2 hours ago, Clark Griswold said:

    If they do nothing, a dwindling number of AD and faster dwindling number of ARC members on Involuntary Mobilization orders.  

    The spiral will wrap up tighter and tighter.

    What do you think the endgame is here? It seems like things are on a steep downward trajectory and I think a certain number of candidates who do their homework here and elsewhere will decide not to subject themselves to it which will only accelerate the issue. I'd like to remain optimistic (naive?) that things could work themselves out in a few years. 

    On a related note, it would be nice if the AF would pay out my travel voucher from 14 months ago! 

    • Upvote 1

    Is it still possible?

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

    You've got until you're about 28.5 until you start having age related setbacks. So push hard over the next 3.5 years, get some good experience, and hopefully get selected before then. It is still possible after 28.5 but about 50 times harder to get a unit to talk to you. You need to get those AFOQT and PCSM scores way up...hopefully into the 90's. 

    • Upvote 5

    Duffleblog...enjoy

    in Squadron Bar

    Posted · Edited by bb17

    This must be old news. I was originally selected by a fighter unit a few years ago and I'm actually not cool believe it or not. The unit ended up getting sequestered. I guess once they figured out the goof they had to shut the unit down just to be safe. 

    • Upvote 3

    Guard Heavy Unit - T38s at UPT?

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    2 hours ago, tk1313 said:

    "Don't go behind your sponsoring units back" - wise words IMHO

     

    That should go without needing to be said but apparently it is a real problem. I've spoken to a few people who said their strategy would be to use a heavy unit to get their foot in the door to UPT and then somehow switch to a fighter track. I know of a couple people who got burned trying to play that game. Some of the posts in this thread do show some of the unique situations that could allow for T-38's to happen though! 

    Guard Heavy Unit - T38s at UPT?

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted

    Years ago, one of my buddies got hired by a fighter squadron and as a result tracked T-38's. Part of the way into the T-38 syllabus he managed to get a joy ride in the back seat of an F-16 during dogfighting practice. He shit his pants and said he never wanted to be in a fighter again. He graduated from T-38's but found another unit flying tankers and has been enjoying it ever since. So that is one way to do it, I guess. 

    Vermont F35

    in Air National Guard / Air Force Reserves

    Posted · Edited by bb17

    29 minutes ago, FoxtrotNovemberGolf said:

    So I guess I'm the only one who finds it hilarious (in a self-depricating way) that immediately after an applicant visit weekend the squadron makes a post looking for additional applicants (seemingly because they didn't like us). Obviously that's not the reality of the situation because the other 8 guys are great dudes who are going to be extremely competitive, but I made a joke.

    I'll keep my day job and hopefully you all can forgive my faux pas. I'm sorry. My flying is better than my joke making, I swear.

    I think it is more the lack of situational awareness or respect to be calling out the hiring board on a public forum shortly after they gave you a great opportunity to go visit with them. They may still be considering all options and you're kind of making an ass of yourself at the same time.

    KC-46A Info

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 hours ago, MitchS said:

    Been reading through relevant posts, but haven't seen much. What's the word on SUPT -46 drops? I know they were on some lists as early as 2014, but I haven't heard much about them since. How often do they drop, how competitive are the slots, what do pilots DO with a -46 assignment for the near future, etc?

    I'm kind of in that boat right now. The answer is to fly whatever airframe that unit is currently flying for a brief period of time before transitioning. Although the last thing I heard (reading between the lines though) is possibly to time the very newest selectees to go straight to -46 without an interim step. But plans can still change. 

    • Upvote 1

    KC-46A Info

    in General Discussion

    Posted · Edited by bb17

    On 2/1/2017 at 9:58 PM, sforron said:

    The KC-10 training is done at McGuire or Travis as far as I know, so no return trip to Altus. I just wonder if they'd bother to "waste" time training me on the -10, or if I'd end up stuck as the squadron gofer for a good chunk of time (more so than the average new guy).

    Not that the answer changes anything, I'm just curious.

    Whoops, sorry, I was thinking of KC-135's for some reason because I would likely be going to Altus twice with a short gap in between depending on when the KC-46's arrive. What I meant to say was that likely the person would be going to PIQ twice with an unspecified amount of time in between. I thought the Air Force would try to save costs by streamlining current folks heading to the KC-46 in the near future but I was told that is not the case, mainly because the delivery schedule is an unknown. 

    • Downvote 1

    KC-46A Info

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, sforron said:

    I might be getting ahead of myself, but what do you think would happen to a Reserve pilot fresh out of UPT/Altus who got to one of the -10 units, say six months or a year before the -46 actually arrived? Shouldn't be an issue me unless the -46 production is delayed (which would never happen, right?), I'm just curious. 

    You go to Altus twice! 

    • Downvote 1

    How does my package look for upcoming rated board?

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted · Edited by bb17

    17 hours ago, tgonzo29 said:

    I'm always a guy for jokes, but I appreciate the constructive feedback.  My goal was to have my PPL finished by the time my package was submitted, but winter weather has slowed my training down quite a bit since the fall.  I do plan on retaking the TBAS to further boost my PCSM and am confident that I can do much better. I felt comfortable with the multitasking but it took me getting the first 20 spatial orientation questions wrong after getting a bit confused by where the directions said the nose was supposed to be pointing.  62 is still decent, but ill do better if needed.  I feel strong about the rest of my application.  I absolutely knocked it out of the park with my interview and I still feel rather confident given the needs of the air force at the moment.  Thank you for your condolences and encouragement! I'm sorry about yours as well.  I am also about to try my luck with some Guard Units.  Hoping to learn something new that will help with each application that proceeds it.  I'll make sure I get in a cockpit :airforce:

    Yup, the test questions are really kind of stupid (how does a poorly drawn airplane have anything to do with a compass reading?). The whole AFOQT and TBAS are kind of like that - just kind of fumble through it and hope for the best. However, the study guides do give some method to the madness. Although if i remember correctly (I took it 5 years ago!), the study guides are not entirely consistent on how to solve problems. Anyway, see if you get the slot - if not, give the tests another shot. Just make sure to ace them the second time around because I think you can only take them twice, and most people do worse the second time around because they get complacent. 

    What are the odds?

    in What Are My Chances?

    Posted

    The "rule of thumb" according to my recruiter was that as long as you have no more than one waiver for something usually you'll be okay. Most of us were young and dumb at some point in time. Your GPA, scores, and flight time (get that PPL) are pretty solid and show that you've probably matured. Based on what you wrote it sounds like you're probably okay. 

×
×
  • Create New...