Clark Griswold

Bummer. I'm a Guard bubba now so unless they want to cut me a 3+ year order which I would gladly take for that tour, I think that ship has sailed for me. If you don't mind, ask your bud how he likes it or PM me his contact info and I'll shoot him an email. I saw this assignment a little over 10 years ago while on AD and then learned of the exchange tour to fly the Canadian tanker, would have been interesting to see how the Canadians pass gas and fly their Airbus 310 based tanker. On the subject of exchange tours, read this one from War is Boring: https://warisboring.com/an-american-pilot-is-flying-with-the-italian-air-force-over-iraq-271fd8def196#.px85mp277

Possibly and I agree with you on a dedicated design being the likely first iteration of partial or fully piloted commercial air travel, I think though the public acceptance of it will happen faster depending on the deployment/success of driverless cars. That will be the great amelioration to automation, if you own a car that is automated or ride in one and overall have a positive experience, that will probably dull your reluctance to autonomous commercial flight. Not for this kid, from my one RPA assignment I was both impressed and sobered to the realities of unmanned flight and I would extend that to all forms of automated (fully) travel. It's great when everything is working and there are no or little deviations to the plan, when that's not the case, everything doesn't necessarily go to shit in 0.69 seconds but it can start to wrap up really fast... Keep people in the loop, use technology as appropriate and don't try to put it into things it was not made for (sts).

True - in this case I think it will be partial automation (single pilot ops) before they go for the full monty. One human in the cockpit, HAL in the right seat and a datalink to another human who could thru another autopilot take control of the jet. That human on the ground will be responsible for intervening on any number of jets linked to an Ops Center for savings in the unlikely event that ground directed intervention is needed. This will satisfy the two pilot regulations until ICAO says one person in the loop is enough. This is the bow wave of history forming, how the hell do we run society when 50% of the population (or more) are automated out of work.

Anyone ever do the CC-150 Polaris exchange tour with Canada?

Their credit is fine (at least the report I saw a year and half ago) but I think the loss on their last house just left them a hole to fill in. They didn't sell their toys, they have a Harley in the carport so I think it drained their available cash from non tax advantaged accounts. My guess is that they are hesitant based on emotion, not faulting them for that. Not sure how much they lost but it stung I'm sure so once bitten twice shy. With their track record of payment and no drama, a modest down payment (3%) and a 15 year agreement the risk seems manageable. I'm interested in selling as I can't tell which way the neighborhood/city is going, it's stable for now but the city is like a lot of cities nowadays, it is getting bled dry of its tax base by the little town(s) right outside the city limits and the services have suffered as a result. The roads are ok but could be better, the schools are ok but the county schools are better, etc...

Question for the forum: I have a rental house and the good renters I have in their now, 18 months renting so far with no complaints, have expressed some interest in buying to my agent/prop. manager. I am considering offering them a rent to own agreement, has anyone done this before? I would prefer a simple sale but the market is slow, my house is towards the upper end of the market in the neighborhood and the good renters I want to turn into buyers took a loss on their previous home and are hesitant on buying again. This seems to be a viable Plan B for all involved, has anyone done this and what was your experience and/or advice?

Stavatti's back: https://warisboring.com/this-weird-little-company-wants-to-build-the-next-a-10-bdfc0bda2b15#.vsopmjc9o

Just grist for the mill but found another concept for a Lead in Trainer / Light Attack aircraft: Rud Aero RA-6 https://rud.aero/our-aircraft/ra-6-multipurpose-jet-aircraft/

You would add points to it thus increasing it if you were collecting it but I have only heard of that as a rare exception and always associated with finance problems. You would not receive your pension for the days you were in Military Status for the Guard/Reserve unit you would be serving with but recieving drill/at/tp/orders pay. That pay status though would be adding to your calculated number of points thus increasing your pension. Clear as mud? Thus why I have always heard this being a pain in the a$$ that is really not done. Retired and collecting an AD pension and continuing to serve in the Guard/Reserve. Not a fighter guy but Brabus' advice is right, if you want to try to fly fighters, make the call now. I am guessing you would be an O-4 / O-5 if you waited and the more rank you get the less likely you are to be assessed by a Guard/Reserve unit without some other skill/qual/cert that makes you more marketable. Not saying it doesn't happen just less likely as there are few billets to slot you in and you effectively jump over dudes in the unit already there. Just curious as I am not completely familiar with FTS in the Naval Reserve but I thought you could apply for a transfer once you were FTS after some period of time? Could you transfer to an FTS job with a unit like VFA-204?

Particularly well said...

Don't worry... they're all green for CBTs... the main problem and I think there should be an LOR given to someone for not having reflective belts on those cadets.

30k and going strong... https://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/1070623/u-2-breaks-30000-hour-barrier-in-fight-against-isil.aspx

Say it ain't so... Sidebar question: was there ever any movement to move 10s to Hickam? If operations in the Pacific have to deal with the tyranny of distance, a squadron of 10's in the middle of it (or close to it) would seem to make sense.

One main question and follow on one branching from that... Why put so many core functions / missions of the AF into one MAJCOM (ACC)? Does he believe that one MAJCOM can be responsible for so many different missions, aircraft, systems, etc... and truly allocate resources appropriately when less "sexy" missions like JSTARS, AWACS, RPAs, etc... have to exist in the same MAJCOM with high visibility "silver bullet" or TBTF programs like the F-35?

Won't deny that it has a... unique aesthetic appearance... yeah, let's go with that... but it gets the job done or could if it finds someone to take it home. Unfortunately for Textron-Airland, it's almost closing time and no one is offering a ride home.

Production configuration first flight for Scorpion...

Never do this, no matter how petty and insulting the policy/rule.

B model chalked up an assist... https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2016/11/f-35b-just-got-lot-deadlier/133379/?oref=d-dontmiss and SECDEF is taking a second look at the C model compared to the AC SH... https://news.usni.org/2017/01/27/mattis-orders-comparison-review-f-35c-advanced-super-hornet

Towed aircraft theme... Not the most exciting flying videos but interesting, heaviest aircraft I have ever seen towed into flight. and a 45' paper airplane... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9162771/Giant-paper-airplane-launched-into-the-skies-over-US.html

Yup, it's really a good movie, particularly Shatner's speech at the 45 minute mark. A pretty good explanation on how we rationalize tolerating the injustices we encounter in systems where people misuse their power.

Cool. Just my two cents but the increase in capability/requirements has made the second crew member more necessary... multiple sensors to manage on single platforms, data / comm saturation (multiple radios, MIRC, data linked from other platforms, etc.), complex engagements, etc... almost all the technology added has increased the workload not decreased it. Buying OA-X with two seats or offered in single / dual seat configurations is the best strategy to manage the range of missions a LAAR could be tasked against and potential growth. Two more articles on the subject... https://warontherocks.com/2017/01/light-attack-removing-the-veil-on-oa-x/ https://warisboring.com/stop-disrespecting-the-turboprop-c00acd3fff3a#.e2co17g4q

Sorry for the distraction of mentioning the 777 freighter specifically, not really necessary as this idea of an optimized wing - thinner and structurally different for lower fuel loads - for a Cruiser Freighter could be applied to any existing or a future design. Looking at what the RECREATE teams have proposed; the wings, stabilizers, etc.. are all unique designs mated to what look like conventional fuselage designs. Trying to keep it inexpensive by reusing current designs but trying to reap the full potential benefits doesn't seem to be possible from their proposals. Interestingly, it looks like from their comparisons, the Cruiser concept aircraft could be powered by smaller, less expensive engines. That could be a large potential savings in acquisition, operation and maintenance.

I winced when I heard that too but I think T is somewhat like Duff-Man... I take some of what he says with a healthy grain of salt and I am pretty sure he understands that saying that is like saying we're going to get rid of all bad people everywhere on earth forever. My hunch / hope is that what will be directly called "radical Islamic terrorism" will be a bit restricted and his administration will just accept the idea that the ME, HOA and in general parts of the Islamic world just work differently shall we say and only involve the US when our interests are at stake or it makes sense to nip a growing problem in the bud. Buy oil, sell them stuff, intervene when necessary, keep your expectations realistic and don't think it is your job to change them.

Good idea. Trade fuel for revenue producing cargo and/or lower operational cost/wear & tear and get the gas you need in the air. The problem I see from my overly simple calculations from above posts is the pay back rate from the direct profits to be made from the Feeder sorties, you would have to quantify the other savings you mentioned (derated takeoffs, longer times between major overhauls, etc..) for customers and have them bake that into their business model for Cruiser aircraft. Question(s), considering a hypothetical 777 Freighter AR Cruiser capable aircraft, if you stopped filling the wings to capacity for fuel, would that impart greater structural stress due to the loss of load spreading? If so, would that necessitate or incentivize a wing redesign? Designing a new wing to optimize a Cruiser AR (for operations and structural reasons) would seem to negate or again make the payback time too long to generate interest in developing the capability.

Yup. The AF will always make the right decision after it has tried all the wrong ones first. Looking back around 2005, the smart kids should have seen the need for a less resource intensive (cost & logistics) way to deliver effects in a long term COIN / nation building operations but here we are, there will be other places to mow the grass so let's buy a lawn mower rather than using a combine.