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Nasty2004

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Posts posted by Nasty2004

  1. Link??

    http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140108/CAREERS/301080021/Lists-show-who-s-eligible-ineligible-early-retirement

    Link-within-the-link:

    http://projects.militarytimes.com/pdfs/Officer-Voluntary-Program-Eligibility-Chart.pdf

    This is the old, outdated info. As usual, AF Times simply takes available info and puts it in a blender until it turns into some sort of slurry. Still no updates since before Christmas.

  2. You save money in many different avenues. Lets use the Viper for example, the following (plus much more, I'm sure) would be cut. The fleet obviously, Depot MX, SPO, Paint facilities, Test (ET/OT), AATC, Regional support centers, personnel, training, Simulator facilities (at least 5), logistical supply chain, etc... you get the point. There is so much more than just the jets themselves.

    I understand that the budget savings on the KC-10 will be 100%, but my question is what percentage of those costs will end up being spent on the KC-135 since no one is talking closing bases or reducing personnel (pilots at least). Nor is anyone saying that we will reduce our tanker ops. Since it takes approximately 50% more -135 airframes to complete a given Coronet, I'm asking: What percentage of the savings associated with the elimination of the KC-10 will be realized by the DOD, and is that savings ultimately worth the loss of capability?

    You're not cutting the hourly costs. You are cutting the cost of the entire logistics chain.

    Perspective: The logistics chain cost per KC-135 is $2M/yr. The logistics chain cost per KC-10 is $10M/yr. Pretty simple math, as briefed by the AMC/CC last week.

    What percentage of the $590 million/year is personnel? From everything I've seen, those costs will be retained. Again, is the net savings worth it?

    What are you new?

    What about the entire mx supply chain? That goes away. I'm sure the behind the scenes footprint (mx, FTU courseware, etc) of the -10 is smaller than other a/c but there are notable savings associated with cutting an entire airframe that surpass the hourly operational cost. Again, nobody here is saying that losing the jet will be easy and that we won't take a hit in operational capability. Times are tough, we just have to get used to some lean times.

    I guess if you're talking about the intricacies of logistics, then yes, I'm new. I'm definitely no expert when it comes to these things. That being said, this looks like a move with minimal upside cost-wise with potentially major impact on our ability to put our planes anywhere at a moment's notice. Yes, eliminating the KC-10 will mean we spend less money. The same can be said for every jet in the inventory. When you look at the cost of the F-35 and the "impact" cutting that program would have versus the same scenario with the KC-10, it's pretty clear that we aren't making cost-cutting decisions based on maintaining maximum capability with minimum cost. Not to mention that the KC-46 is a replacement for the -135, yet we are using its imminent arrival as justification for retiring the -10.

  3. Where do you think most of the Guard budget comes from? I'll give you a hint, it's not the state...and the AD still owns the iron.

    We are flat broke and something has to be done. I tend to agree that cutting an airframe completely gives you the best savings. Cutting various airframes here and there just drive up the operating costs. What airframes would you chop?

    Since you asked, I don't know where the Guard gets its funding, I assumed it rested largely on the states' shoulders. I also don't know where the most effective cost-cutting comes from, but if it does come from eliminating an entire MWS wholesale, what about the B-1? Much like the KC-10, it does things neither the B-2 or B-52 can do, but the only thing that seems to matter in this environment is how much money can be saved by elimination. It is also only at two bases like the KC-10, and $58K/hour (according to the Time article) is no bargain. And to continue the analogy, the next-generation bomber is "in the works." Why not get rid of one bomber before the next is ready to go if it means saving some budget dollars short-term? To me, that idea sounds as dumb as the first one.

    What eludes me is how the move will in fact save any significant amount of money. No one is talking about closing any bases or cutting any personnel, so you're basically saving hourly operating costs by getting rid of an airframe. But if you cover the resulting operational shortfall with other tankers, where is the huge savings? The difference in hourly cost would have to be quite significant between the two to reap any real savings. This is ultimately a case of being penny wise and pound foolish, especially when you consider that this is being considered while the F-35 is continuing full steam ahead.

  4. Briefing today said FY16 could see worst case 1 KC-10 squadron retiring per year until all were gone. Pilots and booms would be dispersed to other airframes. FEs are right ######ed...

    What did they say was best-case? Continued funding? I still think giving them to the guard is a better option than shit-canning them if the AD can't find the money for them anymore. This Time article has the hourly costs for many AF airframes, and the KC-10 and A-10 are among the cheapest on the list. Makes perfect sense to get rid of both of them...

    http://nation.time.com/2013/04/02/costly-flight-hours/

  5. We are making decisions that don't make sense. I suggest you FENCE in accordingly.

    This statement is becoming more and more prescient...

    Per the AMC/CC (through the telephone game, so take with a grain of salt):

    AMC will not ask to fund the KC-10 in FY15. What Congress decides to do...

    If the KC-10 goes away, they want to move KC-135s to McGuire and C-17s to Travis. Expect to crossflow into the KC-135, possibly another AMC airframe. FEs...sucks to be you.

    Why would the KC-10 elimination/KC-135 relocation affect the C-17s at KWRI?

    I think when China takes over we will have deserved it. This shit is insane.

  6. Most -135 crew would rather do that than the strategic mission that the KC-10 community washed their hands of years ago.

    If they get rid of the KC-10 it won't be a matter of one vs. the other for -135s. They will have to do both. Of course the load will be lightened in 2017 when there's 4 KC-46s on the line.

  7. We're being told the Avionics upgrade program was cancelled and the KC-10 was going to be shut down at the beginning of FY15.

    So are any -135 dudes being told their life is about to start sucking in high gear due to the complete loss of tankers from a certain "undisclosed location in Southeast Asia?" Yeah, yeah, I know, we'll be out of Afghanistan by then...

  8. The KC-10 isn't going anywhere. If the federal government is concerned about saving money, they could consider converting the 8 KC-10 squadrons to guard units, but we can't survive without the capabilities of the -10 without fundamentally changing the way we do business. Anyone who thinks that we'll "adapt" to the loss is in denial. Cutting the airframe out completely is a non-starter. No one can make a legitimate argument to the contrary.

    • Upvote 1
  9. We (UH-1N) don't have an IFR certified GPS so we "have" to use a fix-to-fix to proceed direct to a point in a non-radar environment (which there are many in MT).

    If you don't have RNAV equipment, you can't legally proceed direct to a fix in a non-radar environment...see 11-217v1 5.8.1

  10. Your average airliner was designed for twice as many hours in 20ish years.

    25k hours for an aircraft in such a harsh environment is pretty awesome.

    Cheers :beer:

    Good point about the operating environment...hadn't thought about it like that.

  11. I don't know how many KC-10s don't have 25K hours, but I don't think it's many. The oldest one is also 11 years younger than this jet, so I sort of fail to grasp the newsworthiness of this story. Not to take anything away from the U-2 or it's pilots...nothing but love for you guys!

  12. If you want to fly planes, join the Guard or the Reserves. If you get a tingle in your special place just from the thought of the "honor of wearing the uniform," then you will thrive on Active Duty. Navy or Air Force, if you go Active Duty your flying will take a backseat to something else, namely flying your desk or prepping your OPR bullets. No one who has only served in either the Air Force or the Navy can tell you about the other side. What they can tell you is that if you want to be a crew dog, ACTIVE DUTY BLOWS.

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