Lord Ratner

I guess the MWS IP vs UPT IP battle hasn't raged in a while. You can't teach brand new FAIPs and recently-upgraded-to-AC-then-sent-to-UPT MWS guys what pilot training is like if you haven't been there. And no matter what anyone thinks, your memories of UPT as a student are worthless. And despite the fact that schoolhouse IPs deal with phenomenally bad pilots as well, it's just not the same. Hell, the 135 and 17 guys don't even see the new copilots until they've spent dozens of hours being taught by civilians. It's a good rule, and the IPs at PIT (who had been IPs in many other planes) seemed to agree.

I don't disagree with that at all. However, I wonder if that added perspective is more valuable than leadership experience gained through running an organization (section, flight, detachment, etc) with a varied set of subordinates. From my perspective (which is limited), many of our "broadening" opportunities are different shades of administrative work, not so much leadership exercises. As someone who does not naturally possess a leadership intuition, I don't think the pilots get nearly enough experience, especially considering they run most levels of the AF.

He's like that normally. And if you're implying you don't want to visit said farm with said pigs living on it, you sir are a liar.

Honestly, I'd love to hear some of this.

From what I understand, there are some pretty big differences between the KC-767 and KC-46. The 46 is more of a Frankenstein. Not enough to call yourself Chuck Yeager, but probably still a new plane. Ish. Also, the Italian guys I talked to hated the digital boom pod when compared to the old style, back of the plane boom pod. But, they also knew their opinion was irrelevant.

Not always true, though a savvy dealer will try to make you think that. Most times the agreed price and the financing are separate for the 0% deals. The 0% financing comes from the manufacturer, not the dealer or his partner bank, and is not affected by price since the manufacturer charged true invoice regardless of what the dealer convinced you to pay. Now, the dealer will try to keep the price higher by any means, to include implying that the low financing rate somehow merits a higher price. A skilled buyer will go into the dealer claiming he does not plan to finance, negotiate the cash price to a defined number, then ask about manufacturer 0% financing. They'll fuss, but not enough to make you leave. Again, this only works for manufacturer incentives, since their target is volume.

You're confusing revolving credit with a car loan. A 0% APR loan on a car, or computer, or vacuum cleaner is not only a real offer with no strings (most of the times), it's fairly common. You see them offered by either the manufacturer (the actual Ford corporation, not the dealer) or the retailer (Newegg.com), rather than an third-party bank. The benefit to them is that they sell the car, mattress, or computer today that you, the interest avoiding consumer, would not have bought until next month if you were paying cash. It's not much different than an infomercial offering 4 easy payments of $9.99. Less pain up front makes you more likely to buy now. Even the credit card companies, contrary to popular belief, are thrilled to have someone like gravedigger use their credit card on everything and pay it off each month for no interest. Don't forget about transaction fees; they may not be charging you, but they are charging the retailer.

You can not personally procure tickets for trans oceanic travel, or use alternative means of travel for trans oceanic. I suspect the same applies to car shipments

More like a bunch of Colonels became O-6s.

Not really. They get an inexperienced direct-to-AC who will upgrade to IP before they have the same level of systems knowledge as an experienced copilot, if they ever get to that level at all. Since the cross flow guys are immediately flagged for "grooming" jobs at the group and wing, they don't fly enough to make great IPs.

I always thought it had to do with ejection seats and flammibility

I hate those lights, but half the time I tell the boom to turn them off I have to hear about how much they help the receiver that we won't see for another 2 hours. They don't make finding a dimly lit runway off the wing very easy either.

Which light? EDIT: Azimuth, lol.

It has a pretty cool air show demo team

There are plenty of ways to fudge that, I'm guessing. Combined boards with different sections, etc.

Don't bother, unless you also have some money that is about to expire. I would have been fine with it as an instructor, but you won't have many opportunities to use it in T-6s, and if you find yourself needing it in T-1s, you can always get it then. But you probably won't

Missing a Big Lebowski quote is grounds for banning in some forums... Even if the quote isn't 100% correct.

I would have agreed once upon a time. These days I'm starting to suspect they actually believe the shit they say. Her personal history certainly supports the possibility.

Drawing a moral equivalent between violent rape and mental objectification is exactly why your average Air Force member is so stoked about SAPR days.

It's gunna be a mess. For starters, only Scots who currently reside in Scotland are allowed to vote. If "yes" wins, expect to see a huge push for a revote including all Scots, not just the group most biased towards independence. The only plan for a currency is "we'll use the pound" which is not a plan at all, since the remaining UK will have to vote on it, and politicians supporting a currency union with a newly independent Scotland will face political suicide with the rise of nationalist parties. The SNP has no plan for a military, other than "we'll have one, and we'll be in NATO." I think the last I heard was a standing army of 3,500. As compared to the UK army of 100K. The UK nuke enterprise is heavily embedded in Scotland. Independence will be the best weapon of the anti-deterrent crowd, since moving nukes to a new place is political suicide. As it stands, Scotland uses a larger portion of public funds than it supplies in taxes. The NHS is already at the breaking point in many areas. The SNP plan appears to be almost entirely supported by the idea Scotland has enough gas and oil to be like Norway, but unlike Norway, Scotland's oil wealth is based on surveys of future reserves and extraction potential. I think they have a decent chance of winning the vote. I also think that if they do, it still won't happen, especially if Whitehall keeps to their promise of denying a currency union. A revote including the many, many Scots who live in Wales, N Ireland and England would also kill the movement.

ROFL

So do the functionals who assign them.

Details?

Yup. My mistake

I don't think he meant it that way. 365s aren't targeted based on ADSC, but even so, the assignment eventually hits someone who can't 7-day opt, whereas without the bonus it wouldn't, and more people could 7-day opt before finding a taker. It's this reason specifically that when my time comes, I won't take the bonus, even though I plan to stay in.