Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
Baseops Forums

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

HuggyU2

Moderator

  • Joined

  • Last visited

View Profile Find content

Posts posted by HuggyU2

    ·

    Edited by HuggyU2

    13 hours ago, FourFans said:

    Is that Vietnamese subtitling? Appropriate.

    Japanese, I believe.

    I'm sure very few care, but the Vietnamese jets never had the air refueling probes on their jets, as far as I know.

    FYI: that's the South Vietnamese roundel on the fuselage of both of our jets

    We are hoping to have a cool A-37 surprise for the warbird world later in 2026. We shall see.

    image.jpeg

    ·

    Edited by HuggyU2

    IMG_1601.jpegIMG_1603.jpegIMG_1604.jpegI was in New Zealand recently and on a whim, I managed to go out and fly a Pacific Aerospace CT/4 trainer.

    Fairly unknown in the US... I don't believe any are airworthy here.

    This one was the first of two prototypes, before it went into production in NZ. It was built in 1972.

    The pilot I flew with was one of the handful of former NZAF A-4K pilots (only 168 total), and is a pretty accomplished warbird pilot. We did some sightseeing, AHC, and light aerobatics. It was "different". Really enjoyed getting to fly a piece of NZ aviation history.

    • Like 3
    • Upvote 5

    CBM folks, I caught wind of a recent incident where Ex-Lax was put into the donuts/cookies at the Ops Desk by some pilot... with expected results. YGBSM.

    What's the rest of the story?

    Pretty shitty situation!!

    • Haha 1

    We are interviewing again. Two students start flying this week.

    Interested? Here's the official message that went out through AFPC:

    WANTED: Exceptional pilots ready to fly, fight, and win from the stratosphere wherever and whenever America needs flexible, versatile, and survivable reconnaissance and other effects on behalf of the Joint Force. Must meet, uphold, and demand uncompromising standards in an unforgiving environment, give effort worthy of the U-2’s history, and sacrifice worthy of America’s future. Flawlessly execute the U-2’s final fight, without regret.

    The 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB is accepting applications for a limited number of highly qualified and exceptionally motivated officers to join the selectively-manned cadre of U-2 pilots. At this time, U-2 operations are extended through FY26.

    Applicants must have 36 months TOS by RNLTD to be eligible to apply. Deadline to apply is 28 Feb 26.

    1. PILOT APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

    1a. Minimum Flying Requirements*:

    • Possess at least 1200 rated hours (do not include student, civilian, or OTHER time)

    OR

    • 800 rated hours in a single-pilot type trainer aircraft such as T-6, T-34, T-37, T-38, T-45, etc

    OR

    • 500 hours in fighter type aircraft

    AND

    • At least 500 hours in fixed wing aircraft

    • At least 12 months or 400 hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC), whichever is greater

    *** If you do not meet any of these requirements, reach out to the U-2 Recruiter and we may be able to work with you on a case-by-case basis***

    1b. Physical Requirements IAW AFI 48-123 V3:

    • Standing Height: 64” – 77”

    • Sitting Height: 34” – 40” (>38” will require cockpit fit test)

    • Buttocks to Knee: < 27”

    • IAW 1-U2RS-1 Weight: 126 – 238lbs

    1c. Other Requirements:

    • Positive Professional Military Image/Passing PT Score

    • Possess a SECRET clearance

    • Possess or be eligible for TS/SCI clearance

    1d. 9 RW/U-2S recruiting highly desires (in addition to above requirements):

    • MWS/AETC Instructor Pilot hours

    • Evaluator Pilot experience

    • Clean Flight Evaluation History (exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis)

    2. PROCESS

    Act now – we’re racking and stacking applications for the next round of U-2 interviews.

    Before submitting an application, contact the U-2 Recruiting office at DSN 368-3010, commercial (530) 634-3010 or e-mail to U2Recruiting@us.af.mil.

    Prepare an application package containing the following required documents:

    • Letter of Recommendation from your Wing Commander or equivalent

    • Letter stating your PCS availability date and confirmation of assignment release by your Air Force Personnel Center functional

    • This is in addition to the Wing/CC letter and can be accomplished with a digitally signed e-mail from your core functional stating “You are released to apply for the U-2 Program for hire in FY 26”

    • Interview Package Summary of Documents

    • Letter: “I would like to fly the U-2 because…” (Explain why you want to fly the U-2 and why you would be an asset to this program. 1-3 paragraphs will normally suffice)

    • Official Photo (Torso, Color or Black and White, 5x7 or Larger)

    • Copies of all OPR/OPBs and any AF Form 475s (Annual performance reports and Education and Training Reports)

    • Individual Fitness Test Summary

    • 1 Page Officer SURF

    • Copy of AF Form 942. Highlight any Q-2 or Q-3 ratings in yellow.

    • Copies of all AF Form 8s to include reverse sides. Highlight all downgrades, discrepancies, re-training, failed evaluations, commendables, in yellow.

    • Flying History Report

    • MyVector/Talent Marketplace – Select 1st Choice Assignment preference Core AFSC 11R

    • "Anthropometric data" - Standard Form 600, or just a memo from Flight Medicine listing your: standing height, sitting height, buttocks-to-knee length

    Send the Application via DoD Safe:

    Please send documents to Maj Gray “Utah” Kaempf (gray.kaempf.1@us.af.mil), Lt Col Jeff “PESO” Monsalve (jeff.monsalve.2@us.af.mil), Vincent Lopez (vincent.lopez.8@us.af.mil).

    We will review your application as soon as it arrives and notify you of our decision within 2-6 weeks. If you haven’t heard something by then, please contact us.

    3. SCREENING

    If selected for an interview you will come to Beale TDY for approximately 10-14 days. Your ability to enter the program will be assessed after Week One and after each of the three Acceptance Flights (AF).

    Week One:

    • Interviews with Squadron and Group leadership

    • Mission orientation

    • Mobile (chase car) rides

    • Flight physical

    • Egress Training

    • Many hours of briefing for your U-2 Sorties

    • U-2 full pressure suit sizing check

    Week Two:

    • AF-1 – 2.5 hour sortie consisting of flight characteristics, maneuvers, descent for an ILS and multiple patterns and landings

    • AF-2 – 2.5 hour sortie pattern only that consists of an instrument approach followed by normal, no-flap and simulated flame out patterns and landings

    • AF-3 – 2.0 hour sortie nearly identical to AF-2 however the pilot that drove the chase car on the first two sorties will fly and the pilot that flew the first two sorties will mobile. At the end of this sortie, determination will be made as to whether or not you will be offered a U-2 assignment.

    4. POINTS OF CONTACT/MISCELLANEOUS

    POC Information:

    1 RS/DOR POC: Maj Gray “UTAH” Kaempf

    DSN 368-3010

    Commercial (530) 634-3010

    U2Recruiting@us.af.mil

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 1
    • Upvote 1

    I'm guessing I'm just ignorant how to change things...

    But...

    1. When I click on a topic, it goes to the first page of that topic. I'd prefer it go to the last page... or better yet, to the first post since I was last on that topic. Is there a way to change that setting?

    2. Each topic shows up with a few sentences of the very first post of that topic. Is there a way to turn off those sentences, so that I can see more topics on the page without the extra text?

    • Upvote 1

    12 hours ago, Clark Griswold said:

    That’s a good point (high capability sims)

    An ACE aircraft program could have a ground based training element with the aircraft and ideally link them for LVC training

    No.

    ACE should be focused on low time co-pilots of crew aircraft... and they should be flying a real aircraft

    All of the other training options like LVC need to continue to be pursued and aimed toward their specific goals. Completely agree with y'all.

    But ACE was/would be very effective when aimed at the correct audience.

    ·

    Edited by HuggyU2

    On 11/11/2025 at 8:23 PM, ViperMan said:

     

    This is from the cheap seats, but everything being discussed in this thread strikes me as the whole point of pilot training. What am I missing? What is the USAF missing?

    Is this a serious proposal? We cut pilot training in half, but then add a program like this shortly thereafter? WTFO?

    i totally agree that UPT cuts are seriously degrading the quality of the product. 

    But don't conflate the UPT syllabus cuts with a need to create a new ACE program:  even with a robust UPT syllabus like I went through many moons ago, the ACE Program was extremely beneficial for the new co-pilots.  

     

    Story time:  I remember back in the 2005-2006 time frame, there was a Langley F-22 at Hill AFB whose crew chief lost control of the landing gear pin during ground ops, and the pin got sucked down an engine.  IIRC $6.8M in damage.  

    That year, at Beale, our T-38 CT Program was run on a budget of around $6M for ~3700 hours of flying time.  

    Think about that.  That's around 3,000 SORTIES in a T-38... for $800,000 less than the cost of a single Raptor FOD incident.  

    My experience in the Beale T-38 CT Program has made me such a better U-2 pilot and overall aviator than I would ever be without it.  A magnitude better.  

    There is so much that could be done to make our USAF aviators "that much better"... but the AF leadership will simply not invest the pennies... and I do mean "pennies"...  to make it happen.  It's no longer a priority.  

    I hope I am proved wrong on my last statement.  

     

     

    • Upvote 7

    ·

    Edited by HuggyU2

    Correction:  ACE did not end when SAC went away. It remained within the newly-formed ACC until summer 1994 (maybe '95) when General Loh cancelled the program literally overnight. 

    In my opinion, this was one more indicator of the lack of understanding that officers like Loh and many of the other ACC generals with fighter backgrounds had WRT to the non-fighter platforms under their command.  
     

    Although I was never in ACE, I have many friends and classmates that flew as ACE co-pilots, or that were assigned to ACE as instructor pilots.  I have a lot of experience with the CT Program at Beale, which ran in conjunction with ACE until the ACE portion was killed. 
     

    You pose a number of questions, Clark. Bottom line: the ACE Program was a cost effective and solid aviation method for getting low-time co-pilots some much-needed quality flying experience. Not to mention, it made pilots very happy that they were able to fly... actually fly anywhere they wanted to go, and work on developing their new aviation skill sets. Imagine that... happy pilots working to better their fundamental aviation skills. 
     

    For a brief period of time, Beale RQ-4 pilots were flying Beale aero club aircraft in an ACE-like program. Pennies on the dollar. Of course, it was cancelled. But it showed that with a tiny bit of thought and effort... and not much money... something positive could be done. 
     

    The short-sightedness of Gen Loh and his staff was very unfortunate.  Bringing back an even better version of the ACE Program should be done today. In both ACC and AMC. 

    • Upvote 3

    On 11/9/2025 at 11:36 AM, Sua Sponte said:

    Minus the fact the Viper has two different engine manufacturers and different models between manufacturers.

    Try five engines, with three different ones on the same jet. 
     

    Real good friend flew this until RR retired it 2-3 months ago. 

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.140dbc2efe7574a39afbec320adc5a9c.jpeg

     

    image.thumb.jpeg.f2bd873c2b71f3d2fb92ec1ca3bb83f5.jpeg

    • Like 1

    Blytheville AFB. "Hooterville".  
    Forgot all about that place. 

    It was one of the ~13 bases that had B-52s and KC-135's when I graduated UPT. They had Tweets too, for the old ACE Program... which Gen Loh killed, in what I'd call a not-well-thought out decision. 

    • Like 2

    ·

    Edited by HuggyU2

    3 hours ago, Hacker said:

    The tail engine is #2.

    Engines are numbered left to right... for those unaware like I was at one point. 
     

    Brabus... In the Viper or F-35, that would be "#1". 

    • Haha 6

    ·

    Edited by HuggyU2

    No, the A-37 sounds like a T-38. 
    it doesn't make the dog whistle of the T-37's J-69. 
     

    The J-85 in the Super Tweet puts out as much in Mil as a T-38A puts out in Max. 

    • Like 3
    • Upvote 3

Account

Navigation

Search

Configure browser push notifications
Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.