Clark Griswold

Could be that but in my mind it’d be a Cirrus or like aircraft if it’s too much to synch student training lines to the out n backs or if the larger liaison aircraft is a no go. I could see the Bobs balking at using flight time on the T-6 or other training aircraft for shuttles, if those flights did legit student sorties maybe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Liaison aircraft to run ARC IPs to/from training bases with these hypothetical IPs being airline pilots at major bases around 200 NM from existing UPT bases. I mentioned Caravan/Courier as they would have reasonable costs in terms of acquiring and operating, crewed by IPs or recent grads but I could see the USAF also owning a small fleet 4 place aircraft to run IPs to/from, again either all IP flown or a recent grad flying liaison duty. Again, the $169 billion Air Force can afford 40 or so liaison aircraft.

Yeah, I hate that it might take that but you might be right I’d prefer a preemptive solution versus the reactive Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You gotta suggest what you want / think should be done I mention acro as it just differentiates UPT from Civ training, builds confidence, SA, experience and is just cool.

Thanks, I’ll be an optimist and say we’re staring into the abyss but not in it yet. Concur on CODELs might be the unlikely saviors, parochial and self-serving might be but perhaps they can get the right thing done. Concur, additional sweeteners might be non-mobility positions with waivers for most bull fertilizer, anything is possible, go for broke and settle somewhere in the middle with the Bobs. Thanks another datapoint, if a new model of UPT is to be built, the no kidding what do you want out of this has to be known and if possible built to meet those to get participation. More ideas - Plan on 18 month start to finish for UPT students. Might already be that way but building time lines for all the following events based on that might give breathing room. - 3 phase program: Basic, Mil Fundamentals and Advanced. Wings after all three. Basic PPL with instruments, acro familiarization. Mil Fundamentals is basic aircraft checkout with heavy emphasis on standardization in comms, procedures, etc. then acro, form and mission sub-phases. Advanced is ME trainer or T-7. Guard runs/funds ME trainer, Reserves T-7 and AD/ARC Mil Fundamentals. I think this sans the Advanced phase is what is being proposed but just putting it into the BO ether - Liaison program or trainer aircraft pre-positioned, I’d probably go with liaison as it would also be a place to put recent grads if the FTU wasn’t ready to accept intake and would keep their butts flying. A $169 billion Air Force can afford a fleet of 40 Cessna Caravans or Couriers. Tenant units at existing bases or light foot prints at remote sites, don’t over think this or try to over do it.

Thanks that’s one datapoint. Two ideas: 1 - New syllabus that has out n backs intermixed in different phases to get to where the Reserve IPs are. Start duty at Domicile, fly out in prepositioned aircraft with/without students as required. 3 day trip with return to preposition aircraft for the next iteration of this cycle. 2 - Establish a liaison aircraft program to fly IPs in something like a Cessna Caravan or Courier to UPT base regularly. Both have costs but if you wanna relieve the AD manning requirements you gotta do something to make it easier and more attractive to get the guys you want to fly it. I’d also recommend an additional sweetener, two UPT support trips a month gets Tricare Prime or other monetary benefit. This just addresses the manning, aircraft reliability and availability is another issue but one at a time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This

Tangent: It might get better https://redstate.com/streiff/2025/01/21/trump-taps-officer-who-castigated-lack-of-afghan-accountability-for-defense-department-post-n2184618 He's just one guy but light a candle and if there are others to fight for change in the Puzzle Palace things might get better. Think about it, pretty much the entire LAF officer cadre think acquisition is totally FUBAR, I’m hopeful this is reaching critical mass and change could happen. Question for guys that live in base or close to it for your airline, if a new UPT syllabus was created along with likely a new aircraft to go with it, would you drop mil leave if you could start your mil duty at or near base flying out in the training aircraft, fly for a week or so then return to your base in said mil trainer. Students then fly aircraft back to mil UPT base, solo or crewed. This is just another of my ideas from left field but the existing UPT bases are not that far from major domiciles, END to DFW is 211 NM, CBM to ATL is 201, etc… if they could out n back to pick up Reserve IPs to fly but cut out the self directed commute and positive space effectively would there be interest?

But how are supposed to get 5 years behind schedule, 6.9 billion over budget and not meeting all specs? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very good we’ve each made our points Have heart, this is just a period of time like the mid to late 70s in America, we’re primed for a restart Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, that shitting comment was not directed at you but a general statement to anyone who might take my points and run with them as honey will catch more flies, my apologies since taken that way. Like a good thesis defense, if you’re not told version X is wrong or could be better bad ideas get through. Fire mercilessly away. I’m skeptical / wary of pols too but this is who has to be approached to solve this problem. They may be careerists, they may be Mr. Smith, like most people they are some mixture of both, only trying can you find out. The why can be explained to them and it being the right thing (morally) to do can be true at the same time, it is in this case. I hear your point but the Borg will never admit to an institutional mistake like underfunding/disregarding/poorly managing the pilot training mission. I think if there’s any hope in returning it to a higher priority position on the to do list, having an affirmative but non confrontational approach is what has to happen. You’ve worked staff and as have I, like in Red October… To actually get to resourcing it as big blue should, an approach from the customers (MAJCOMs, etc…) with other concerned parties and say something to the effect we need more training initially not less for these reasons with this data supporting it. Fewer aircraft meaning we can tolerate even less attrition due to accidents, fewer flight hours in this or that MWS so we need them to be strong swimmers immediately, etc… make your arguments, just don’t shut them out. Their support will be required once an avenue is created for them to take without losing face.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/trump-nro-meink-air-force-secretary/ New SECAF was a Nav, call me naive but he was aircrew and I think if the right group of lawmakers like these guys https://www.airandspaceforces.com/fighter-pilots-congress-airpower-new-caucus could be convinced to charge at this situation, you could get somewhere. Somewhere being new mil iron, better pre-UPT training and quality sims. He went thru training, he had to make a grade and I think as he sat 5 feet behind pilots for several years, you could ask him honestly is doing this as cheap and as quickly as possible for people who will be flying 169 souls and/or 169 million dollar jets really a good idea? Would you have wanted your Co’s to be trained this way or the old way with better jets and better sims? Keep that COA real, don’t shit all over what has been done or tried recently and propose constructive solutions. Propose in media and engage likely partners (UPT base CODELs, aerospace industry states, seek opinion maker backing buzz does make a difference) 2 cents: Civilian schools basics, keep that. COTS mil trainers, VFR direct platform request to Congress for the PC-21 then have the Puzzle Palace run an expedited domestic production selection process. Which ‘Merican aerospace company can produce 350+ quickly with the highest quality assurance? Multi engine is the T-54, LIFT is the T-7, it’s already ordered, teething issues be damned.

Video game plane porn, F/A-40 Stalker Small, affordable with range

Decent depiction of a possible way WW3 starts, part of a series and Russia is already in the Baltics in this series. I don’t think the quarantine / blockade strategy is the way they will go, methinks the all out assault and foothold established the island is the most likely strategy but enjoy.

They even pitched a quad tilt rotor https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Boeing_Quad_TiltRotor This thing if ever built would have made the Space Shuttle seem reliable and easy to maintain I bet

Was just thinking about that book Recommendation to anyone who wants to know why things go sideways sometimes and when you should just do something simple like buy bigger LHDs LPDs versus building a flying transformer Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

100% agree These 535+ odd balls we call Congress and the Executive Branch are in charge of a 6+ trillion dollar budget, the worlds most powerful military, intelligence and security apparatus and craft legislation controlling the world’s largest economy Pay them accordingly and STRICTLY restrict and monitor their finances and immediate family finances. No insider trading, no deal making but I have no problem with them making an almost bribe proof base salary and benefits to attract best/brightest A Congressman should be paid 1 million plus performance bonuses for a balanced/surplus budget, appropriation bills passed X days before the end of the FY, etc… Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You have a point well but over 70 years has past since the end of the Chinese Civil War, they have defended their island and they have established their national and cultural identity separate from the authoritarian power on the mainland When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. This will suck when it eventually goes kinetic, we will be attacked physically on our homeland by them and we will be significantly poorer even if we win initially, they will come back for a round two if that happens but the price is worse if we do nothing Computer chips, sovereign debt… whatever, it is who leads this planet that is going to be determined by a conflict over Taiwan We can pretend it’s not, we can say even if we lose a war over it we will still prevail but I don’t think so. Vietnam, Afghanistan were not the same animal as this would be overt direct confrontation with our rival. If we fight and we lose Taiwan (by we I mean the fractious coalition that is the Free World) then the Islamic world, the Global South and others will cut deals with the PRC to their liking Like it or not we have to be able to win and to recognize yes we are sticking our nose around the world in a dispute that a point can be made we shouldn’t but there is time when we should, the distinction between those is not always clear like art vs pornography but you know when you see it This is one of those times Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is a good article on the subject of force structure, modernization and allies / strategy for collective security TLDR: Canada needs to spend more, get the political will to do so and focus on theirs and regional security (Atlantic and Arctic) to bring what they can to NATO https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/01/canadas-military-is-slowly-falling-apart/ Id argue the same for the UK and NATO, eschew most expeditionary capabilities in favor of actually getting done significant regional / sovereign defensive capabilities USA will focus on securing the global commons and if we have allies that most can hold their own with only a modest argumentative assist from us if required, that is a feasible strategy going forward

Get’em Bernie https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/01/02/sen-bernie-sanders-elon-musk-is-wrong-on-h-1b-middle-class-outsourcing/ Combine old school class n income thinking lefties with ‘Merica lovin patriots and destroy the globalist oligarch tech bros

Because they could have been spending the same or even half for the actual country that generated the money to give to Ukraine to then give to the MIC to then fund the corporate, chattering and upper classes that seem to profit from every policy that screws over fly over country I’m for a free Ukraine but more for a free, secure, sovereign and fair USA We’re skeptical of power, aloof people who never feel the negative effects of policies they implement and while they tell us that events across the globe are more important than our borders, cities and towns Yeah, we can walk and chew gum at the same time, we can have secure borders, intelligent interpretation of immigration, drug and crime policies at the same time but we actually don’t have that now, at least not for a few more weeks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some analysis on the big six gen flown https://www.china-arms.com/2024/12/china-6-gen-fighter-j-36/amp/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed I won’t post my umpteenth COA on UPT or a post UPT flying new program but I think the need is out there and it just needs the right guy still in and not some rando going by Clark Griswold to make the case

@brabus I hear your point on standards and there shouldn’t be a drop in the standards themselves but in my oft referenced point on more flying time, if “they” are going to pass more to the LAF including some that maybe should not be I would argue that more time in the seat(s) BEFORE they get to the FTU could address deficits The Line needs more pilots as the AF somewhat of its own making and somewhat of what Congress will let and not let it do and outside events has foisted on it. The pilot bill must be paid by what is available, if what is available needs more / better training to meet the required standards then so be it. The why can be debated / investigated but the what needs to be done. I know you are not against more flying / training before FTU but I’m trying to figure out if the AF can have its cake and eat it too, if it was willing to treat the pilot / aircrew training enterprise with the seriousness it should, stealing @hindsight2020 ‘s words / point from earlier. I think a legit point could be made to the decision makers this is a strategic use of resources as you’re building a foundation of strong, trained, vetted aviators and officers thru a more rigorous approach to build their foundational operational skills and career genesis.