jazzdude

Yeah, my comparison was a bit of a hyperbole. UPT training is different than doing the CFI gig. Everybody wants to fly on a jet with an experienced crew. Are hours the best way to measure experience? I know most of my time has been sitting at cruise on autopilot-is that really 'good' time with regards to flight experience? Heck, my first A-code was dropping actual personnel (for the first time) as 2-ship lead with less than 1500 hours combined between myself and the CP (that doesn't include our UPT time). Granted the training I received was probably better than what I would have received from a regional, but the fact still stands that according to the FAA I'm still not 'experienced' enough to hold an (unrestricted) ATP. Either way, I'll be taken the written in a few weeks, and the practical in a few months as insurance for this round of RIFs

That's like saying the only people who should be in the seat in a C-17 are aircraft commanders. That way they can find the right runway and put the gear down.

I first started on stovetop- too inconsistent. Then went to this: http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-82306-6-Quart-Electric/dp/B00004RC6R/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Worked pretty well, though the jalapeños occasionally would jam the thing. Its good if you want jalapeno corn, but dont want to commit to a full up popper. About 4 years ago went to a popper similar to HU&W's and never looked back-works great, and makes more than enough to share. Sriracha works pretty well for giving a nice kick to the corn-add about a tablespoon when you add the corn and stand back... Now I need to go out and buy some bacon.

Welcome to the C-17 world of per diem and tax free. IDP is prorated for each day, CZTE is not (enter the combat zone for one day and the entire month is tax free)

You can't take the written on Aug 1 without the CRM class. The prereq's for the practical are the experience and the written. Right now there is no real prereq for the written (at least none that would be a factor for mil aviators). So if you take your written on July 31, it's good for 2 years, and you can take advantage of the restricted ATP option without taking the crm class. Wait until Aug 1, and you have to take the class prior to signing up to take the written. Its the same test, but they are adding a prereq to taking the test. tl;dr- take the written before 31 Jul, then take the practical within 2years of your written to avoid the crm class

ATP doesn't have currency requirements (61.151.169) like Flight Instructor (61.197)- you just need to be current as a PIC to act as PIC. Of course, you'll have to meet any part 121/135 requirements if participating in those operations, but if you are you probably aren't worried ATP currency.

How many man hours would be saved if we wrote these documents without the silly notion that there needs to be no write space? Or if we wrote them without the stupid bullet format?

That's funny because the TSA website specifically says you don't have to be in uniform or on official travel

C-17 vis formation: Autopilot/Autothrottles engaged, split axis (essentially jet flies pitch and you control roll), and let's leave SKE/FFS up even though its clear and a million (not necessarily bad, but seems to used as a crutch at times) Airdrop- why are you hand flying? Couple up to the autopilot... About the only real hand flying we do is AAR, Tac Departures and Arrivals, and pattern work. Not that its bad, but its nice to hand fly every once in a while.

A normal C-17 approach is an AOA approach. Pitch for airspeed, power for glidepath. We also have an autotrim mode that holds a set deck angle, which means your airspeed is normally shacked. Setting this is required for visual approaches but not instrument approaches. This seems to create a tendency for airspeed to drop out of crosscheck and fixation on the flight path vector. Since we almost never practice approaches without autotrim, well, you can see how it could cause a problem...

I didn't go to the academy, so let me think... Tuition-nope Room/board-nope Job during college-nope Flying planes-yup, $100 hamburgers, flew where I wanted to, when I wanted to, with whoever I wanted to Dining limited to campus- nope, restaraunts by the school accepted meal plan money Job in the AF-pilot As stated earlier, college is what you make of it.

What do you call a Major select? Captain What do you call a Captain that's been passed over? Captain

But sometimes they don't, resulting in some sort of incident, followed by a safety sup and some new notes/cautions/warnings that may/may not be written in bent metal or blood. Most of the time the checklist will solve the problem, but it is not all inclusive.

The thing I learned from my mishap was there is no such thing as safety privilege, and that you are guilty until proven otherwise. The same applies to airdrop review boards after an airdrop incident.

Hmm. I wonder why AMC's take rate is so low...

They have a few different widths for the frame- 52, 55, & 57mm if I recall correctly. Best of luck to you.

You can get the AO/Randolph issued to you as your 'frame of choice' as a clear lens and silver frame only, but its not approved for flight anymore. For the flight frames, you should get 2 clear, and 2 tinted. Those are the only ones approved for flight. For UPT I'd recommend wearing them- you never know when you're going to fly with someone who cares. Operationally, most people I've flown with ignore that and fly with other glasses/sunglasses. I personally still use them since they work and I dont have good reason not to, but do rock the AOs when I'm wearing my contacts because my squadron refuses to issue the approved nonprescription sunglasses. Random fact: if you go to an aircraft that uses NVGs, you can get the polycarb/impact resistant lenses instead of the normal plastic lenses. I can't remember if its a 202v3 or my MDS v3, but I know I always have to fly with a spare set of clear lens glasses (so either 2 sets of clear lenses, or contacts + spare clear lenses).

AF Flight frames on top, AO on the bottom. I personally like the AO frames better since they for my face a bit better. The flight frames have 3 choices in temple styles: bayonet (goes straight back), comfort cable (hooks around your ear so it doesn't slide and is comfortable, but is a pain to trade sunglasses for clear and vice versa when wearing a helmet), and the 'normal' glasses temple. You can also get different frame widths to fit your face better, and can get gold or black frames.

No more gallon jugs. surprisingly, the town has been cleaned up a bit, especially right off base

Just to add fuel to the fire...We probably can draw parallels with an Army artillery platoon: one OIC to over see the platoon, with the "trigger-pullers" being enlisted artillerymen. The OIC doesn't aim each gun and pull the trigger, but directs an effect executed by his platoon.

Bay Minette http://www.bayminetteaviation.com/

I'm definitely aware of the lack of control on my second assignment. I'm about 99.9% sure that it won't be a C17 based on my circumstances. (No, its not mishap driven-i put the gear down and land at the right airport without crashing) Whichever way you choose, mission or location, just don't pick Charleston.

Before the inevitable threadlock... To the OP- you need to take a look at what you consider is more important: mission set or location. Whichever way you go, remember that your assignment is what you make of it. And don't forget the name of our (MAF) game is support-we're not the headline show, but there are others counting on us to do our job so they can execute theirs. The closest I'll ever get to killing bad guys is if i hit them with a bundle.

But i can refuel in flight...wait a sec, so can you. In all seriousness, I think of the C-17 as a cross between the C-5 and C-130. A little strat, and a little tac airlift. We can't carry as much as the FRED (or the -10 for that matter), but we can sky hook it halfway around the world (longer legs than the -130) and deliver direct to the guys on the ground who need the stuff, whether by airdrop out airland to an LZ. That's why i wanted to fly the C-17.

Also includes learning formation. And the typical day there isn't packed, so its almost a vacation from AMC. If I remember correctly, these are the approximate course lengths in months: IQT 4 CP (Airdrop) 2 PCO (AC) 1.5 AC (Airdrop) 1.5 IP 2 Lead/MC - In house Heck, I think I've spent more time physically at Altus than at Charleston.