BFM this

RP, I've seen guys all but drop off the face of the earth going to back to back PME schools, staff tours, FAC(ALO) tours, etc. If they were good sticks when they left, they were good sticks when they got back. You wouldn't be the first guy to take a break from flying. I hadn't logged more than a half dozen hours in the two years prior to starting UPT. For my own satisfaction, I got my BFR and instrument currency up to date, and got back in the game without missing a beat. Bottom line: you're getting wrapped around the axle about stuff that has been time-proven to not be a factor. For example, American fighter pilots (chime in and correct me if I'm wrong) don't log a lot of time--sometimes less than 300 hours in a year. Given the current staffing system, most of the leadership of said fighter carreer field have spent some amount of time out of the jet. Yet American fighter crews are simply the best in the world. Once again, what is it that you want to do?

That appears to be AirWinger's job. :rolleyes:

I'm sorry, RP, or no , who gives a %^#@! how many hours a "typical" -10 driver flies? Rereading my reply, I feel that I might have mislead you, so let me reemphasize main point: Pick one or the other. It sounds to me like you are trying to count the hours that you'll have in your logbook the day that you bail on the military: ten years after you get your wings. If you aren't looking forward to a week straight of maybe 4 hours sleep per night when you add the 12 hour days to the 8 hours of studying; If you aren't sure that you'd enjoy 3 years out of the jet on a staff tour, or a year wearing a kevlar vest, then go back to Mesa and don't look back. I don't want to crush your enthusiasm, or steer you away from this forum in your search for answers. But I only ask that you try and find a calling, not a material end. I'm sorry if I sound a little disgusted, but I came back to the military after I left a college flight program where my buds with 300 hours of Piper time debated whether they wanted to drive a Lexus or BMW when they made it to the Majors. I'll leave you with a letter by someone who's seen both worlds. Its the 5th post from the top. It's more for the stud who's chosen the military path, but I think it will have some healthy nuggets for you to chew on.

If you drive to OTS, you have your car with you. After OTS, you will PCS to your duty station/school and 1) you may or may not be given time to go get your car and 2) you won't be reimbursed for the expense of going to get your car If you drive to OTS, you'll get reimbursed mileage and days of perdiem for the drive: literally the govt will pay you to bring your car now, but not after the fact.

I don't know of anywhere that ruddering around a turn or slipping in a turn is taught. In fact, coordinated pattern turns are emphasized in civil primary (mil also) to avoid the base-final stall/spin. Beyond that, it is something I have used in a no-flap plane like a Citabria or Champ if I can see a high glidepath develop while still on base leg. In essense, I keep the wings level while using the rudder to turn the plane. At that point it's nothing more than a forward slip with the lift vector pushed off center, giving a horizontal component to turn the plane. I'm lobster-eyeing the airspeed pretty close (as I would in any slip) and it's definately not something I'd teach to a primary stud for the aforementioned reasons. Back to the original question: NOPE, wouldn't do it in a mil jet--that's what we practice go arounds for. [ 21. February 2005, 13:20: Message edited by: flyinjunky ]

OK, I didn't complete that thought very well. In the tweet, yes, you would cross control for x-wind landings to line up the wheels/flight path/runway all same way-same day. You don't, however, roll out on a 5.5 degree final and say to your instructor "hey, watch me fix this" while you stomp a boot full of rudder against opp aileron. In the -38, the slip indicator stays in the center even if you are looking across the rwy in our limiting 25 kt xwind.

The tweet would slip ok, but like everyone said, it's considered poor form. Slips in the T-38 are actually a good way to kill yourself, especially in the pattern. Has to do with the swept wing. I spent my first dozen rides or so reminding myself repeatedly NOT to do cross-controlled landings.

Pilot, Nav, Uh, Standby, standby... Yeah, ok, I think I'm getting a reading on my sarcasm warning meter. Be ready on the countermeasures.

Go AD, maybe you'll get to fly E model Hercs and get to loose an engine every 30-45 hours! :D RP, in fairness to your question, I don't think anyone can look in their crystal ball and tell you which is the winning route right now. If it was a year or more ago, I'd say civilian--that's when you would have hit the bottom of the market, poised to ride the next wave. Get in on active duty right now, and timing may or may not be with you on the tail end. Or, better yet, the officer thing will grow on you and you'll never look back. A whole paragraph and I didn't tell you jack! Go with what you want to do. If you want to be an airline pilot, go for it. If you want to wear a bag and a leather jacket and live some stories to tell the grandkids, go find an officer accessions recruiter. Three years ago I was at your crossroads with about 1500 hours in my logbook. I just wasn't ready to settle down and drive the bus. Nothing wrong with the airlines, I just wanted something different. [ 20. February 2005, 02:02: Message edited by: flyinjunky ]

Not to mention, being a reservist keeps your pay date clock going. $$$$

Mike, I've been labled the tech junkie in my T-38 flight. I bought a laptop that served me well in OTS, but it's only left my desktop twice since I got to UPT (once was when we went home for Christmas). You have some nice to know info passed around in e-format, word docs, ppt, pdfs, etc, but nothing too in depth. Bottom line: it's your preference. There's no requirement that you'd have to meet at UPT with a computer.

This link works with IE6: good download here.

For love of all that is good, I hope this guy goes to UPT, someone saves this video, and brings it up for some unsuspecting debrief YEEEAAARRRS down the road.

Got a bud at my last Reserve unit who rejoined the drilling reserves after about 4 years of IRR. While on IRR, he continued to accrue points for retirement by doing correspondence courses and other odds/ends, and continued to accrue time for pay so that when he came back to the squadron, he was accordingly moved up the pay scale. Now, we're talking USMCR vs USAF, but we're all on the same DOD team, right? The issue is starting to take clarity as I read and reread AFI36-2604. The rub is that I've got an AFPC type who is sending me emails saying that she's moving back my pay date unless I provide documentation going back to my high school recruiter. If she's at a Force level personel center, shouldn't she be able to verify my service?

Careful, this could become a DTS thread.

I had it explained to me by an O-7 who was also prior enlisted while I was at OTS. Essentially it goes that I, as a prior, shouldn't strut around like a peacock with a tossed salad on my chest next to my officer brethren fresh from the academy or other comm sources. It shows lack of support for and solidarity with fellow officers. The look also shows a touch of class in a minimalist sense.

Don't know the FARs on them, but commercial medivac operators must get thier choppers certified for use (lighting, etc). An article in this month's B&CA says that many operators are opting for the upgrade.

Suite 3? Huh? More--do tell. These gremlins have nothing to do with my post, but needed to be used (sts) nonetheless. [ 05. December 2004, 17:13: Message edited by: flyinjunky ]

You'll be in the tweet. Congratulations, you'll be among the next "old school" fraternity.

I was at the assignment night a few months ago where a B2 was given out here at CBM. Lots of ooohs and aaahs from the crowd. Our OG explained the track to a group of us a week later. From what I understand, a UPT grad in that program goes to Randolph to go through PIT in the T-38, then does IP detail in the -38 at Whiteman for a couple of years. Actually gets in the jet sometime in their second year or so.

So I decided to feed my curiosity and click HP's link above. I gotta say, even before I had the chance to read up on what a skull-phuck Mr Fortuar is, I noticed that he has over 4500 posts. OMFG! Suddenly, I feel the need to get back to studying. Bye.

Then its a good thing I didn't go Marine Aviation. Come to think of it, the Hog is one of the last steam driven tactical airframes around. It's been at the top of my wish list since I started UPT. Starting to sense a pattern to my madness... :cool: Marine Battlehercs (sittin' sideways therein) was my former life. [ 15. November 2004, 19:50: Message edited by: flyinjunky ]

BLASPHEMER! I've never logged hour one on that monstrous creation. The ones I refer to had patched bullet holes from SE Asia.

I'm not familiar with the control layout in the scarrier, but I'm pretty sure that it's operating at mil pwr when hovering. Maybe he swipped the throttle back when he meant to move the nozzles horizontal. Moving the nozzles horiz is a typical part of the harrier show: just tilts the plane back so that it looks like it's flying off near vertical. Makes for a good show. Take the throttle out of mil when hovering: picture wile-e-coyote just after he steps off a cliff.

Marine Hercs are not equipped with MLS.