HuggyU2

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.

As with everything... rather than get all of your info in the internet, call Maj Bartholomew at U-2 Recruiting.

Others have done the MC-12 thing to better align for the U-2. I cannot think of any reason anyone would object to that. The MC-12 is moving toward "normalization". Beale stood up the 427th RS two months ago: it is the "ops squadron" for the MC-12, as opposed to the FTU. You'll have to ask the MC-12 guys here whether the changes could cause you to get retained by the MC-12 community for more than the ~11 months that the "flow through" pilots stayed there. That's the only "complication" I can see.

No we don't. The strong have figured it out. And when they made a mistake, they mitigated the effects. They survived. No sense in giving the weak any help. Let them sacrifice themselves, so we can be rid of the dead wood. There is no shortage of dead wood in the AF officer corps. Then again... would anyone really "listen" to a "Boldface" that was posted here? Doubt it. As valid as it might be, I know I wouldn't have... had we had the internet back then. Ram, get me another Ensure.

Yes, I get it. The Colonel,... the political situation... blah, blah,... Just having a little fun, making comments to draw comments. However... ... my point stands... Had a Syrian Army Colonel driven an old, irrelevant piece of hardware across the border, it should have made about as much of a stir as this equally less-impressive-piece-of-hardware MiG.

A MiG-21? Maybe an Army Colonel will drive across the border in a Sherman Tank. It's about as relevant. If you want a MiG-21, there are plenty available, and it will only cost you about $50,000-$100,000 for a real nice one that is in flying condition... probably a lot nicer than this Syrian -21.

Well, define "old", junior. Maybe you're right. But I'm sure that video would have had the same effect on me at age 25. What's really funny is seeing that Ram is a "Gray Beard" on baseops.net. I guess I am "old"! However,... if these Viper drivers had this much time and energy to go about making this video,... all while stationed within minutes flying time of the North Korean pig-dog-enemy that they should be focused on,... then certainly they could have been spending that extra time in the vault "getting more tactical" (thank you Brabus!) Or at least they could have used that extra time to pull closed and grab a few extra touch-and-go's. You see, long ago,... I had a legendary U-2 squadron commander pull me aside when I was a young punk in the squadron. Why? Because I was trying to make a video too (we used Super 8 video back then... it was real new stuff). He called me in his office and said "I need recce pilots, not videographers. If you want to do the latter, then I suggest you get stationed at March AFB flying KC-10's, and rent a place in Hollywood. Now get your butt back in the jet and go do some touch and go's." Wise words from a wise ass man. I haven't picked up a video camera since (not counting in the bedroom,... but I digress).

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." OK,... I copy all (including the fact that Brabus won't even to spend time in the squadron bar, since that's a few minutes he could be in the vault),... however, if you're going to do the overhead and eat up the time anyways, why wouldn't you do the T&G? You just burned up 1000+ gallons of fuel, pulled enough G's to continue to put significant stress on the jet as compared to a T&G. Is answer in the fighter/attack community honestly "tire wear"? I've landed the Viper from the front seat, and Hornet and T-45 from the back. They are "easy to land". Got it.

That video was hard to watch. I was actually embarrassed for those guys. No wonder Maestro doesn't want people to see it.