Hacker

More A-A kills than I have. How many do you have?

Most definitely not urban legend, but there probably isn't anyone on AD who actually served with anyone who this happened to. I personally know three guys who were labeled "BENT" (Bonus Eligible, Non-Taker) in the early 90s and were subjected to "boots on the ramp" restriction.

I was at BAF when she was the Hog SQ/CC there, and I can assure you that was not the predominant opinion among the people who she Commanded.

If you get outside the metro areas, California is more gun-totin' red state than anything else.

It wasn't that long ago that there wasn't any such thing as a strat on an OPR...and somehow people still got promoted and had cool jobs (oh, and flew airplanes providing combat airpower too).

You give airline management -- the ones making these decisions -- far too much credit when it comes to their insights and strategy. Rarely does it extend beyond a simple cost/benefit strategy, and they have entire floors of actuaries and accountants crunching those numbers constantly. Single pilot, remotely piloted, and autonomous piloted aircraft will happen in a flash just as soon as they are cheaper to buy, operate, and maintain than regular ol' humans are (and the regulatory and contractual blocks to them are overcome). It will have very little to do with what passengers want beyond what they will and won't spend money on.

*Every* decision at the airlines is about the money.

I'm certain that "free booze and food" for 100-400 people would add up to well more than whatever the total compensation costs for the two pilots up front would be.

I was just relating that anecdote in response to his question about it. That story happened when I was a 2Lt in 1995 -- I figured the rest of that out relatively well in the intervening 22 years leading to now, mostly thanks to CMSgt Arnao and SMSgt Bussell, who grabbed my young, dumb butterbar self by the collar and taught me how to lead maintainers. Those are the leadership lessons I was referring to in my previous two posts in this thread.

There's zero technical training in the MX officer school, nor is any allowed on the job. Once I was back from AMOC, I actually tried to get a Job Qualification folder started so I could get trained to perform some wrench-turning tasks. That got squashed rather quickly from QA, who could find no AFI authorization for a 21A AFSC to receive such training or qualification.

I started my career as a MX officer before I went to UPT, and quite frankly learned more about leadership during that time I was in charge of 100-ish people than I did in the majority of the rest of my career as a flyer. The unfortunate truth is that leading a 30-aircraft LFE as a Mission or Package Commander is not the same type of leadership skill.

DARPA projects are all really inexpensive, economical solutions, I'm certain.

That wasn't just the "autopilot" that was out to lunch -- that was the flight control computer. Even after the crew tried to go to the lowest level of automation possible, it was still a computer that took a crap between their hands and the flight controls. So, even more dangerous than just an autopilot acting up. But, you have to put this in context. As freaky as that was (and as catastrophic as the outcome could have been if it was unpiloted or remotely piloted), compare it to the number of lives lost due to pilot error (which is still by far the leading cause of accidents and fatalities in aviation).

Toro, I don't know how you still manage to give a fuck about this monkeyshit fighting.

A sample of guys that "did fairly well" among how many peers who followed a similar path and did not do so well?

It will be interesting to see how this one turns out; unfortunately, it will be 2-3 years before we can make the same kinds of assessments of performance that were seen during the '98/'99 crossflow.

The really good ones were Art 15s.

For my last 3 or so years on active duty, I adopted the practice of calling authority figures in my chain of command "management" rather than "leadership". Fortunately, I had Squadron leadership that rocked and were flying top cover for me, otherwise I'm sure I'd have added another LOR or something to my already-impressive record of administrative slaps on the wrist. SQ/CC: "Hacker, have you briefed Group leadership on the ADVON plan?" Me: "Sir, I did brief management, and they did not have any questions." SQ/CC: "Why do you keep using the term 'management'?" Me: "I'll call them "leadership" when they re-earn that title. In the mean time, I'll call them what they actually are in practice." SQ/CC: "I guess I won't be putting you up for Wing Staff anytime soon....you're dismissed."

I did a year at a regional after retiring and before I got hired at my career airline. I highly recommend it for many reasons. Yes, the pay sucks, but it will be to your benefit in the long run if you're not getting calls from the majors.

That's not just on APC...you'll find that out in the real world, too.

I actually enjoyed being a UPT IP, and it was an opportunity to be on the leadership train since I wasn't a shiny enough penny to be a Strike Eagle SQ/CC.

Vampires can't see their own reflection in a mirror.

I was a snacko once as a Lt Col, and I was the best goddamn snacko that squadron ever saw.

My airline's AFPAK Hands program will station you at the Kuala Lumpur Beach Club Café with a tall drink and a companion who will be happy to keep you company, GI.