HuggyU2

What the video would be unable to show is the night show from Saturday night. Very memorable. And the fireworks finale was a great way to cap it off.

Excellent recommendation. A guy in our squadron is related to Fiske, and passed on this book to me. Good story.

75 years of the mighty Cub.

What's the big concern with the night landings? Is it just an exercise thing? Or is this fairly common?

Yeah, "what if" the scenario were different and a CCW carrier had seen him trying to enter the theater with a weapon and body armor. What then? Or "what if" his weapon had jammed while he was 10' away from someone with a CCW? Or "what if" a police officer had been on duty in the theater and engaged the shooter, and managed to kill 1+ bystanders? Most police I've met at the range don't shoot that well. Or what if it was in broad daylight, in a restaurant, with a CCW carrier who was an excellent shooter? I guess we will never know. But the world's a dangerous place. "Be prepared", Boy Scout. Side note: are you the guy that developed the "Active Shooter" CBT for the AF? You know... the one that has military folks hiding under their desks in fear, while the shooter goes room-to-room killing people?

That is exactlywhat I think. And, yes, it was a dark theater, etc... But had a CCW carrying person changed the end result to 11 dead or less, it would have been well worth it.

Disagree. This guy did not have a death wish on himself, and was unwilling to go up against armed opponents. Once he met armed resistance, he gave up. Had just one of those folks in the theater had a weapon to defend themselves, and had the shooter realized it, I have no doubt he would have turned tail and retreated. Too bad the scenario didn't play out like this event a week ago: http://www.allameric...-ocala-florida/ Watching those 2 pussies run each other over trying to get out of the door is priceless.

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

Just so I'm clear... In between OCONUS to CONUS, you have no house at either base. You get $1100 per month for BAH. And you get $40 per day. So, you're getting about $2300 a month for lodging during your time at PIT? Plus meals and incidentals of $66 per day (~$2000 per month). So ~$4300/month above your normal pay. Throw me in that brier patch.

Your experience is very different than mine. Every pilot I know at United, Continental, and American are relatively dissatisfied. And though I haven't asked them, I'd be surprised if any of them recommended that career path to their kids.

If you have your dependents/family on your orders, then I stand corrected,... and provisions should be made for them.

"Making" your family stay there? While you're earning BAQ at your home base? Sounds like a comment from "the entitled generation". If you value your "family time" so much, then I'd expect that the gov't giving you an additional $1200/month to keep your family with you in San Antonio Texas would be a hell of a good deal.

Good point. I'm sure that Randolph doesn't see many PCS' during the summer months. Probably best if they give the TLF's to PIT students.

Are some folks being authorized dependents on PIT TDY orders? If not, why would you expect to get a TLF?

Most make this their MWS, and stay. Some,... not many,... will move on elsewhere. However, very, very few go back to their MWS. I can't think of anyone in many years that has done so. About 4 went to the 89th, but not from Beale: they left Beale and went to Staff or ROTC, etc... then to the 89th. Usually 1 will go to TPS every 1-2 years. Many will go on to some interesting non-flying assignments (PhD program, Olmstead, off-the-wall-and-no-one-has-heard-of-it-PME in residence, NRO, etc... Ill say it again: this is not a cure-all for the evils of the Air Force. Many/most pilots would probably not like the U-2 program. Everyone has their own reason for volunteering. Apply because you want to be in the U-2,... not because you want to escape where you are. If you don't have a desire to be in the program, you probably won't like it.

What are you doing now? Is it a better lifestyle?

Flying: Two different jets, good deployment locations. I'd say the flying is very good. Queep: The reality is that this is ACC, and you cannot hide from ACC queep. It's probably as bad here as anywhere else. I came here as a FAIP, so I can't compare it to another MWS (except for my 1 year in the MC-12), but it has it's own unique things about it. You are always welcome to come to the U-2 squadron on leave, TDY, AWOL, whatever... and spend a day with us looking around. If you are considering applying, you owe it to yourself. If you come to the U-2, and end up not liking it, you have only yourself to blame. No one forced you to apply.

Much appreciated. Ram, does Costco sell Geritol?

Yes.

FWIW, he was an Honorary Blue Angel Flight Lead, of which there have been just a few.

"non-towered" airport, please. They are 'controlled'... often better than a towered airport. I thought the EXACT same thing! ("And don't do NUTHIN' dumb!")

I haven't flown with any of these items from Campbell's, but I saw their display a couple of years ago at Oshkosh, and they looked really high quality. http://www.campbellaeroclassics.com/

Wait... ... Dokken broke up?

Our squadron has had 1 to SWA, 1 to XOJet, and 3 to NASA.