HuggyU2

First flight will depart Palmdale late this year.

Lord Ratner is right. Simply look at the Railway Labor Act and how it is used to prevent airline strikes.

Attention Columbus AFB IP's and student pilots... Beale will be bringing a T-38A to the Columbus AFB Airshow next month. The plan is to get there Thursday, and have an informal meeting Friday for anyone interested in learning more about the U-2 Program. No rent-a-crowd... the only people that will be there should be pilots interested in learning more about a U-2 career. Myself and Lt Col "Ghost" will be there. Ghost is the U-2 FTU DO, and will become the 99 RS/CC around June. He was a former T-38 IP at CBM 18 months ago and flew the U-2 previous to that. If you won't be available Friday morning, you simply need to let me know and I can arrange for us to meet at the airshow on Saturday and chat. As mentioned, happy to talk to student pilots also. We can't get you for at least 4 years, but knowledge is power. Drop me a pm if interested.

The pilot flying the first flight of the X-59 is a friend and former U-2 pilot. I plan to go down there for that first flight. "First flights" are pretty rare these days, compared to 70 years ago. From what he can tell me about the aircraft and the research leading up to it, it's very interesting. NASA also used a YO-3A and TG-14 for a lot of the data gathering. It's neat stuff.

LOL wut? Is there no one in your squadron that you know that is getting out or has gotten out? Are any of them your friends? If so, you should speak to them.

Butters! It is good to see you back! I have not seen a post from you in a very long time.

True, but have you tried playing the audio backwards and listening?

Frontier and Spirit pilots are both represented by ALPA... so the seniority integration should go silky smooth.

Follow the science.

Haha... Hacker, it is good to see you doing what you were always meant to do. And finish your damn book!!!

Thread creep, but we had a U-2 guy that said if he was in a plane going down and knew he couldn't get out, he would unstrap... and right before impact he would shove his pencil right up his ass. Why? To give the AF accident board something to think about.

Good info. Thanks.

The claim is has come from some former VFA skippers, one of whom claims to have heard the PLAT audio. A Navy skipper who is a friend of mine vouches for him. But until that audio is released, it won't get much traction.

Y'all should drop him a note. https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-rhatigan-1814b622

Disgruntled, I have no idea if you're accurate. All I know is my QOL at UAL is great. My goal is "time off" and "schedule", not "money" or "premium pay". I will never be the guy that get's $100,000 in a month. All I want to do is fly to Hawaii and back. When I retire at 28 years with the company, I'll likely not be able to hold wide body captain. And I'm good with that. I was hired at the end of the wave. I jumpseated with a 51 year old 777 Captain last month, and when I ran "the calculator", I discovered he will retire as the #3 pilot at UAL. Timing is everything, I suppose. I can't speak to the SWA schedule or QOL. My buds there love it. When you turn 65 years old, let us know how it turns out for you. 🥃

My guess is he is referring to a U-2 cockpit environment. My understanding is those dork-suits were one-time use, throw them away. Despite the sarcasm of my post (yes, I know you're shocked), realize that I will go speak to the pressure suit specialists at Beale, and try to reply here with a factual answer. Don't hold your breath. I'm a part-timer.

Which would you choose?

Where is this Rhat guy now?

Recommend you never say the phrase "sleep apnea" around anyone. Ever.

Please please tell me you had a great reply to his question that nearly gave him an aneurism.

For having 7 paragraphs, that letter didn't have much information. Though I'm sure they meant to say that 11R's were on track for a retro-bonus to make up for being forgotten in 2021. Edit: $35,000 is equivalent to $26,000 in 2007. And the take-home after taxes won't buy you a used car. Is that the best the "Aircrew Task Force" can do? The bonus was $25,000 in 1992 when I took it. That $25k is worth about $49,700 today.

Small point, but I was under the impression that all CWO's are commissioned.

I've seen a few active duty pilots do this successfully. In all cases, the pilots were transparent with their CC's/leadership and everyone made it work. But I recall this being a week or two... not months. I do not "speak Guard" and your multitude of types of orders you are on... but I'd say if you are transparent and trust your leadership to provide top cover, it can be done seamlessly. What are the risks? I don't know. I'm sure there are some. Personally, I would not do it.

Is FedEx sending their "shiny Pennies" to Weapons School?

If you want to go to the airlines, your timing is excellent. There are instances of Majors recently hiring 25 year old pilots with no turbine time. The first-hand stories from my friends in the training center at multiple airlines are amazing. 2000 hours, I'm guessing all turbine? I think you'll be fine. Do you want to know what Henry is yelling here? He is saying "If you don't plan to stay for 20, GO NOW!!!"