HEFOE P

@GearDown My PC application was disapproved at SAFPC and it took almost exactly 3 months total from the time time I clicked submit in vMPF to the disapproval email arriving. I had requested ~14 months off ADSC and had disapproval recommendations all the way up due to "acute need for rated manning." If you are requesting less than 6 months and have some approvals, your app won't go to SAFPC and I've been told they take 40-80 days for AFPC to adjudicate. SAFPC does have a board that meets and reviews all apps. I believe they meeting every ~2 weeks, but they prep your documents and sometimes call your reserve sq/cc with questions prior to the board. So, it is possible (worst case) that your app would arrive at SAFPC the week of the board, but not be ready for the board to view.

What is the going rate for SAF/PC to turn a Palace Chase application? Anyone care to share their CMS screenshot? @baileynmeHow long was yours, since you had all disapprovals too?

Thanks for the inputs and especially the clarification from @Chidaon what constitutes "initial." I'll let y'all know what happens.

Is there any maximum palace chase time? The AFI says that you must serve 2/3 of your "initial" ADSC, but outside of that...what prevents you from requesting 2yrs off your ADSC? 2/3 of 10yrs = 6.666 years (repeating of course) So, can I PC with 3 years remaining on my initial UPT ADSC? I feel confident the answer is "no"...but why? Same questions, second verse...if my "initial" ADSC is expired (UPT), is it easier to get out of my PCS ADSC?

“We are looking at all the possibilities, the ways we can increase the available pool [of pilots] that serves both the military and commercial industry, without going into direct competition,” he said. According to Everhart, a potential solution is bringing more predictability to Air Force Reserve commitments or adjusting the required flight hours needed to join a commercial airline. - Why would they want to avoid "direct competition?" Let me answer that for you. They will lose. It's easier to eliminate competition than win the competition. Everhart, Goldfein, and the airlines have a meeting in May. I'm guessing we'll know more at that point. http://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/news/air-force-airlines-talk-pilot-shortage#sthash.jQvtBkWK.dpuf

Oh ok thanks for the input, tunes. Sounds like a great gig. Does your reserve unit have active pilots flying with you? We can't all be C-21's Somebody's gotta do real work.

I'm looking at a C-5 PCS IQ or ACIQ in the next couple months. Where is the active duty FTU? Are they all M's now? What's the TDY rate average these days? Does the San Antonio reserve unit have any active pilot slots (total force)? The bro consensus is: never deploy, gone a lot, wife dries her tears with Benjamin's... Anything more I should know?

These hours are the worst. Waiting to hear from your bros down range and praying for the wives and kids back home waiting. Tailwinds fellas.

So where do you send a bunch of U-2 pilots when they someday actually do cancel the program? Finest AWAC'er initial qual class in decades?

“The committee is concerned with the Department of the Air Force’s plan to retire the U-2 fleet in fiscal year 2016,” the HASC markup reads. “While the committee realizes that the Department can never fully meet the ISR demand of combatant commanders, reasonable and necessary ISR requests appear very likely to go unfilled if the current high-altitude airborne ISR collection capabilities of the U-2 are terminated.” As a result, the committee included language prohibiting the obligation and expenditure of funds in FY 2015 to “make significant changes to retire, prepare to retire, or place U-2 aircraft in storage.” The committee also requested a report be delivered by Feb. 16 outlining the plan to transition capabilities from the U-2 to the Global Hawk Block 30 unmanned system, citing concerns over a potential capability gap between the two platforms. http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140505/NEWS05/305050039/HASC-markup-limits-Air-Force-options-10-U-2

AIS no longer has the end of course presentation. Also, they've added a one hour brief on UAS Systems! This former C-5 then RQ-4 guy talks about how unmanned is so much smarter and w/e. He did well at calming folks down, but the atmosphere was openly hostile. He called us "legacy thinkers." Then, he pulls out his personal UAS! It was a thousand bucks and had 4 rotor blades with a camera in the middle. He proceeds to take it off and crash into the first row of student desks! There weren't even any SU-27's around...Guess it "lost link."

10min before this happened, at the bar, he probably told her he was a pilot...or maybe a Nav, since it didn't work out so well. Posing SOB...

Landing fees are paid by individual units, so...fly there, but know that when you've gone 3 years without so much as a checklist issued to you...your resource advisor might hate you. Also, I fly into large civilian fields regularly and landing fees are rare. Teterboro is a regular offender, but you just call them when you get the bill and they'll cancel the charge for military. MDW is NOT your only option, multiple suggestions listed above are good ones.

When will the HC- J's be active at Kirtland? I saw a couple were delivered last year, but I couldn't find anything about when they were supposed to have completely replaced the old herks.

It's been more than 2yrs for sure. We have all kinds of ideas! Aim High Fly Flight Win Above All Aim High...Fly, Fight, Win Do Something Amazing No One Comes Close I think some of those are actually recruiting slogans, rather than mottos... I vote for "Shoe Clerks and a few Flyers Unite in Queepville!" We'll blow the Marine recruiting out of the water. Who wants to slay fiery dragons with a sword at any other place than the comfort of their computer chair on World of Warcraft? Not AF recruits, that's for sure. Know your audience!

Yeah, the MC-12 definitely does appeal to me, and from what I've read, deployment schedules would be somewhat similar to the U-2. I like the idea of watching terrorists get their butts kicked and I like the idea of flying...both at the same time, perfect. Seems like most C-21 guys right now leave their first tour with about 1000hrs. That said, we have a guy right now pushing 1,500 with a couple months left in his tour. I figure that MC-12 8-10months could give me that extra 300hr boost to get to 1,300 and like you said, it has the extra perk of being at Beale for a short time to see what the U-2 life is like. Believe me, I'm flying Saturdays and volunteering for the boring Andrews/Maxwell runs to build those hours and get better, the rest is up to luck/money/grace/big blue/etc. Standard stuff.

I want to see a formal response from the SOS commandant. For those of us highly trained ASBC graduates (the few, the proud), can we be exempt from 8 more weeks of the exact same curriculum and debauchery? I can not WAIT to get there and do this. Can't wait.

Duely noted ...and on that note. I need to call my fat lady. I'll give the recruiting officer a call and see what intel they have. Thanks!

Dude, he's fine. Takes more than a few bullets to stop a big 'ol boy like that. He probably matrix'd that shiz.

I've been reading this thread off and on for a couple years, so thanks for all the good info on U-2's. I'm working on earning my chance to apply and be a part of that incredible mission! Give me 3 years. Since the block 30 GH is officially cnx'd, what kind of life extension is expected for the U2? Coming from the C-21 as an initial assignment, would it be a good idea to volunteer for an MC-12 deployment to strengthen my future application? We obviously don't get many combat hours and pretty limited tactical experience in the C-21. ...just doing my research. Thanks!