Vetter

If you just started Phase 3, every standup is going to be marginal. Just because you didn't get sat down doesn't mean you didn't mess up. Get used to being called "average" or "slightly below average". That said, go ask your USEM what you need to improve on in order to do better. He may give you crap, but he'll respect you for it.

I broke in St Louis a few months after Hurrican Katrina. I had a woman convinced that I was the Shrimp Boat Captian of the "Strikin' Snake" and I sailed up the Mississippi River to get away from Katrina. Then I told her since my dock had gotten blown away and the shimp fishing was good in the Mississippi River near St Louis so I had decided to stay. Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore, I told her I was really a pilot...she scoffed, accused me of lying to her, and walked away.

Can you turn in your AF commission and become a warrant officer in the Army?

Nope, gliders don't require a transponder.

If you're at the location less than 24 hrs, you can evidently bypass billeting and get a room off base. I don't know or have never found where this is written. Probably in the travel regs somewhere...good luck finding it!

Want a fighter? Be #1 in your class or 2nd to last. Remember you have a better chance of getting FAIPed if you are in the top half of your t-38 class than actually getting a fighter...or at least that's how it works here at Columbus. Go back to Rule #1.

#1. Get drunk on the weekends. If you aren't like that, go to a church social or something like that. #2. Never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut. I've passed up on this a few times (like now probably) and IPs do recognize it. That said, if you have a question, ask a buddy, then ask an IP. #3. Realize that your only job in life right now is to fly jets as best you can. You can only give 100% and is there a better thing than giving 100% in the jet? I think not! I have never been satisfied with my performance and that tells me that I expect more out of myself than those around me expect out of me. That said also, realize that you really do have the second coolest job in the world (behind porn star, so to speak). #4. Get laid. There is NOTHING like flying on a clean set of pipes. They say that all pilots talk about about women when they are flying and flying when they are with women. If you don't have to think about women when flying, think how much better you'll do. Then you'll get good and go back to thinking about women while you fly. [ 02. July 2006, 20:26: Message edited by: Vetter ]

The coolest experience I've had was flying from Eglin AFB to Columbus AFB at 350 and .95. It was about 10 PM and we were flying right in between two massive lines of thunderstorms. Best light show seen to date. That said, it was also one of my most uncomfortable moments.

Hoser, any examples of FAIPs doing well in their repective RTU? All I ever hear around the sqaudron is the dumb shit us FAIPs do...I never hear of anything we do good in our follow on assignments.

Do you mean "above my paygrade"?

Best advice ever recieved: Never pass up an opportunity to shut the fizzzzuck up! It has bitten me in the ass a few times, but I am too hard headed/apathetic to learn.

I've got the preview plans for an RV-8 if anyone wants them for a small fee and shipping. I was sold on the RV until I started looking into Rutan designs. I am now in love with a Long EZ.

I heard FAIPs make the best combat pilots...not saying it's the truth, just what I heard.

Maybe the Navy dudes don't have training rules to talk about. Maybe that's why they crash so much.

AETC is gayer than ROTC.

Yeah, the T-38 is real bad, especially in the summer (not as bad as the tweet)...but what he could have done was just reduce the power and it would hav been barable enough to make it back to the pattern and land. The kid graduated and is flying in Japan.

Schweet!

I did this a few months ago after going through PIT. The law states that you need an INTENT to reside there after you get out of military service. Getting the drivers licenses, voting, all that shit, is only recommended to show your intent, but it's not required.

I pretty much agree with what everyone else says. There are good examples of shoe clerks out there. Actually, I only have one... Our flight doc rocks. Numerous times I've called him on his cell phone on Sunday night to tell him I am not well and he meets me IN THE SQUADRON the next morning with the DNIF paperwork filled out. Then he actually comes over and checks up on us. That's support and that's the way it should be. [ 07. April 2006, 21:33: Message edited by: Vetter ]

I used to sleep in the bushes outside the Auger Inn while at Randolph.

Okay, let me clarify a little bit. I have a blast flying (most of the time) but all the other bullshit takes ALL the fun out of it. Unfun Examples: 1.) Puking in the backseat on the second ride of the day when it's 100 degrees outside, no time for lunch, and flying with a person who has no concept of smooth, precise control inputs. 2.) Waking up at 4 AM so I can go in and hear the same exact weather briefing followed by a painful standup. 3.) Getting pulled aside by some Lt Col who blames me for being a shitty flight lead, not breifing like a 2000 hour fighter pilot, and not being given the opportunity to be a wingman. (Like I have choices) 4.) Seeing some guy who struggled through get a Viper, then wash out of IFF because our leadership didn't have the balls to give him a BUFF. 5.) Gradebook checks that take no shit...3 hours. This on top of trying to keep up with the Snack Bar and flying twice a day, everyday. 6.) TIMS! 7.) No notice checkrides. 8.) The leadership thinking you are a nuisance to the squadron for being FAIPed, then holding that fighter on stick like a carrot so you don't slack off. (Is a BUFF really that bad?) 9.) Dating one girl from the W, having it go bad, then being in the doghouse it with EVERY OTHER GIRL with a 50 mile radius. Okay, those are the bad examples...now, I guess I need to think of the good examples: 1.) Cancelling IFR over the Grand Canyon coming into Vegas. 2.) 1 v 1 solo CT. 3.) 4 Ship Fly By for a funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. 4.) Seeing a student finally get it. 5.) Seeing a student you sent to checkride get a Excellent while the student the LT Col sent UNSATs. (Shitty for the stud) 6.) Seeing a student get an assignment they deserve. 7.) Key West. 8.) San Diego. 9.) DC 10.) Destin 11.) Phoenix Okay, okay...I guess I answered my own question. If I only had to fly and not do any queep...life would be perfect. Are there any queepless flying jobs out there?

A question to the old hats, especially the fighter dudes and former FAIPs: Does flying ever become fun again?

I was stuck there 5 months for PIT. I would live on base. Let your buddies worry about the pain in the butt of cleaning an apartment and the worse, getting on base in the morning with all the traffic. There is nothing like waking up 5 minutes before you report to work. Some one will have an apartment that you crash at on the weekends.

Are they still giving props and wings to ROTC homos?

I have never heard (barring an ASR) a center controller give headings in anything less than 5 degree increments (ie heading 175, 285). Was that transmission really heard?