Vito
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Everything posted by Vito
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If any of you guys are into "Jaws" this month is the 40th Anniversary of the release. They are re-releasing the movie back into theaters for a few showings..
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A lot of guys in my class 87-04 CBM washed out of 38's. Back then it was formation intensive. So if your going to a heavy unit and are offered the chance to fly the 38, it may sound like a great opportunity to some, but can also be a really bad decision if you wash out. Don't know the washout rate in T-1's but I have to presume it's lower than 38's. But What do I know I'm a dinosaur.
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Take a look at FRPT, the stocks is up from its IPO but more importantly, the product is very good and the store managers I spoke to are having a hard time keeping it in stock. It does make large moves each day. Long term I think it's got potential
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TAC, SAC, and MAC. So after 25 years, or so, we're back to the same structure....I'm sure some Generals earned a star or two by coming up with these bright ideas, only to change them back
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Mark1 there is truth to what the others are saying. I may be older than you (53) and I can tell you that back in the 80's the press shitted all day long on Reagan. His wife Nancy once famously started an anti-drug campaign with a catch line of "Just Say No". This was ridiculed and lambasted by the press as simplistic and out of touch...the picture of Michelle Obama is pathetic and it's considered caring and empathetic. Liberals like to enact programs and policies to "feel good about tacking an issue" and then they walk away with no follow-up....it's called the "politics of good intentions". An Example of this is the massive expansion of welfare causing the decay of the family in the inner cities, another is the expansion of the student loan program which many feel is the major force behind the unchecked costs of college ( 3 to 5 times the rate of inflation). That's the tip of the iceberg
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The only factor that should be considered regarding a change in policy is, "Will this change improve our fighting forces?" If the answer is no, which is the only honest answer in this case, then shelve the idea......period! And if any of you think that the standards will be upheld and no women will be allowed to pass at a lower standard, your smoking crack!
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Would a pilot/crew who ejected out of an F-111 "crew capsule" qualify for the Martin Baker recognition tie and number? Not sure if the F-111 pod was built by Martin Baker
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Vertigo, Trust me, and Drooster, check out "The Dreamers" you'll change your mind about Eva real quick
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Here's a WTF. In the latest issue of AvWeek the head of the F-35 program says he expects delays of the Initial Operating Capability, expected in Aug 2016 because there aren't enough maintainers and not enough time to train them because the A-10 hasn't drawn down enough. He expected to get the maintainers from the A-10 community. Thats friggin 22 months from now and the USAF can't train or cross-train enough troops for what, 35 jets at best!!! A sad attempt to get rid of the Hog.
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Couple of years back, We had to take an irrate "citizen" and a State Representitive on a 3-Ship airdrop training mission to show the irrate citizen that we weren't targeting his house when we flew over it. We kissed his ass and put on a great dog and pony show for him. After the flight he thanked us for our service, told us he was impressed with our skills and two months later he started complaining again! DB's
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Back in UPT at CBM, the Wx is getting bad and the vis is decreasing. They called a mass re-call of all solo studs to RTB. My bud is on a long straight on final in a 38. The RSU asks him what he estimates the visibility. He responds, "Poor, maybe 1 mile" Now they're starting to worry in the RSU. Then RSU responds, "Call when runway in sight" Instantly, my bud responds runway in sight, RSU states 'Say DME?" he responds "8 DME????????????" He wore a huge footlong dog-bone around his neck for a week, which was a punishment bestowed to the stud who did the biggest "bone-headed" thing that week.
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That BBC series was fascinating to watch. A very in-depth look into what UPT (Brit style) is all about. I recommend it. Its eight episodes long.
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For some historical perspective concerning the wearing of blues. I'm an old guy who just retired in April after 28 years. When I went to UPT the standard wash-out rate was 50%. When a student washed-out He was told to "show up tomorrow in your blues" We would see students around the flight rooms walking around in their blues doing all kinds of jobs like snacko-re-stocking, etc etc. Therefore, from my perspective, the wearing of blues was a mark of shame that was used at UPT like a "scarlet letter". I'm sure most pilots from my era think the same way too. In 28 years as a pilot I Never wore my blues, ever...My Reserve squadron never enforced the blues monday policy, although the SQ/CC, DO always abided by the Blues Monday rule. Just my two cents.
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Nope, The guy with the vest was a Kuwaiti student, Think He got a Mirage, we started with 4 kuwaiti's only 2 finished. I'm the short guy, with the white T-shirt, second from right front row. The tall guy to my right is General James Kurt Vogel, and another bud in the class is a Brig Gen (sel) in the Kentucky Guard.
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Follow-up on my search. Just got home from an airline trip and scoured through my Flight records. The earliest record I have is the listing of my UPT class graduates, there are no records prior to that. On one of the earlier papers there is a note that said all "Student Flight Hours" (ie. UPT) records are missing and cannot be found at CBM. So it looks like Columbus dropped the ball somewhere and lost records. I guess it will remain a mystery..PS only one person actually returned calls or e-mails at CBM, the rest didn't even bother to call back...WTF, Its still an Air Force Base! You'd like to think people still try. Also, for some of you who were questioning why its difficult to figure this out, back then 1986, classes were much larger than now. We had well over 65 studs, and some think it was more. A Lot of guys were married and didn't hang with the single guys etc, so its hard to figure it out from class pictures etc...the best Pic I had showed 23 students posing in front of the T-37 gate guard and only 9 graduated from this group picture taken April 1986 Nice socks!
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We didn't do ceiling tiles, I did finish a week early and I had a little artistic ability so I painted the Orion Patch over the entrance doorway of the flight room. Always wondered how long it was on the wall before some other class painted over it.
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HuggyU2, The earliest record I have has the names of my UPT graduating class, not the students who started the class. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll go through the files again. TreeA-10 When were you at CBM? and what flight? I was Orion.
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Gravedigger, No tintype, but I did find a papyrus list!! :)
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I contacted the base registrar, Historian and library and no luck. The registrar said they didn't keep records that long ago!! It was 1986, not 1926! I guess I am old. Thanks for the suggestions, the mystery remains
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Yes, It was a bloodbath, I can't say it was normal, but a 50% washout rate was common (at least when I was there) Shortly after the Air Force started to re-evaluate UPT because of the high washout rates, this lead to the dual track training in the 90's. Along with the need to extend the T-38 airframe life. I'll try the registrar and thanks for all your help. Vito
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I have a request for anybody at Columbus (CBM) or in AETC (ATC back in my day) Here goes, Is there any way I can find out how many students started in my UPT class. We were class 87-04, we started in April 1986 and graduated March 13, 1987. Its a Mystery to all of my classmates as to how many started UPT. We estimated it around 70 studs but the numbers vary widely. We graduated 27, but a few were washbacks from previous classes. I called te base library, and the historian, but they never returned calls. So my question is, are there records that show how many students started out?, and how can I find them? Thanks to all in advance. Vito
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Never too late to learn to fly
