Jump to content

FishBowl

Registered User
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    182

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

 Content Type 

Posts posted by FishBowl

    T-6s Grounded; More OBOGS Issues

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Just now, LiquidSky said:

    Interesting that only 1 of the many basis flying the T6 is having major OBOGS issues (to my knowledge). Though majority of the Laughlin T6 fleet was grounded this week for other reasons. 

    I was wondering about that. I didn’t know if it was related, but I know all the T-6s here were told to RTB for mx reasons. 

    T-6s Grounded; More OBOGS Issues

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    http://m.aviationweek.com/defense/usaf-grounds-t-6-trainers-after-hypoxia-events

    The U.S. Air Force has grounded the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II training aircraft at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, after five pilots reported physiological episodes with hypoxia-like symptoms while flying.

    The Air Force’s 71st Flying Training Wing enacted an “operational pause” of T-6 flying operations on Nov. 15 after four T-6 instructor pilots and one student pilot assigned to Vance reported physiological incidents since Nov. 1, spokeswoman Terri Schaefer told Aviation Week Nov. 29. 

    In each case, the aircraft’s backup oxygen system operated as designed and the pilots followed the correct procedures, landing safely, Schaefer said.

    The Air Force is investigating the incidents at Vance and has not yet identified a specific root cause, Schaefer said. The events were reported as “physiological events with hypoxia-like symptoms,” she noted.

    The Air Force uses the single-engine T-6 turboprop as a basic trainer for all student pilots. From the T-6, students choose one of three advanced training tracks based on their class standing. Future fighter/bomber pilots next train in the T-38 Talon; pilots on the airlift/tanker track fly the T-1A Jayhawk; and helicopter/tilt-rotor trainees fly the TH-1H Huey.

    In addition to Vance, student pilots also train in the T-6 at Randolph AFB, Texas; Moody AFB, Georgia; Columbus AFB, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; and Sheppard AFB, Texas.

    Since the grounding, Vance AFB has partnered with Air Education and Training Command, 19th Air Force and medical, functional and industry experts to determine the cause of the incidents. That effort has included reviewing procedures for physiological events, providing refresher physiological training, background briefs and Q&A with T-6 instructor pilots, Schaefer said. 

    “Following the operational pause, we anticipate that flying operations at Vance Air Force Base will continue as usual, with added awareness and training concerning physiological events and the life-support equipment onboard the T-6 designed to protect pilot safety and ensure continued safety of flight,” Schaefer said.

    The T-6 incidents come as a spate of hypoxia-like cockpit incidents plague the Air Force and U.S. Navy fleets. Both the Air Force and Navy grounded fleets this year: the Navy’s T-45 Goshawk trainers and the Air Force’s F-35Asat Luke AFB, Arizona, the service’s premier F-35 training base. Similar incidents are also on the rise in the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets.

    Track Selects and Assignment Nights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    On 11/17/2017 at 11:00 AM, LiquidSky said:

    One non-vol at Laughlin with 9/20 in the most recent track being 38s. I doubt any studs are worried about less fighter drops. Might as well take the shot at them rather than 0 chance in tones. 

    It’s more of having 9 T-38 students and 1-2 fighters dropping. And they aren’t getting any mobility airframes; it’s all widebody ISR or AFSOC. We were explicitly told before our drop there would be no mobility assets for T-38. 

    T-38 Down @ DLF

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    http://www.laughlin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1377774/media-release-downed-aircraft-in-del-rio/

    "LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --

    An Air Force T-38 Talon assigned here at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, crashed at approximately 4 p.m. today approximately 14 miles northwest of the base near Spur 454 and U.S. 90 in Del Rio, Texas.

    At the time of release, Laughlin emergency response personnel and local responders were on scene to assist in recovery efforts.

    A board of officers will investigate the accident. 

    Additional details will be provided as information becomes available."

    Track Selects and Assignment Nights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    1 minute ago, YoungnDumb said:

    I'm willing to bet it's in response to the B-Courses being backed up/critically manned.  The UPT pipeline is more or less broken right now, we finally got AETC to sign off on a maximum class size because we couldn't keep up with what they were trying to do.  We had to prove that until we get more manning we can't produce more (yea we all get that without more pilots we can't generate more IP's).  And from the rumors I've heard about Holloman and it's manning, I wouldn't be surprised if they're doing something similar.

    I drop next month and we were pretty much told it was for this exact reason. The b-courses are backed up with not enough manning to support the surge of fighter drops. It’s almost like basic math could have told them this would happen. I’ve been in long enough to experience this “full-on or full-off” knee-jerk reaction from the AF a few times. 

    Track Selects and Assignment Nights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, YoungnDumb said:

    It's almost like AFPC learned that if you stop sending people to a community for a while they start having a vacuum and need people again...that being said I give it another year or so before we swing back again.

    I know dudes that graduated in Aug that are waiting until May for Holloman B-course. 

    Doing Well in UPT

    in Pilot Selection Process

    Posted

    10 hours ago, BLT135 said:

    Lots of good info on this thread.

    I'm looking for some updated info on what we are "expected" to know when we arrive for UPT. Should we already have the boldface/ops limits down cold? T-6 systems knowledge, etc... 

    If so, how do we know we have the most up-to-date information? I'll be heading to Laughlin and my Unit (guard) doesn't have anyone down there and we haven't sent anyone there in years. 

    Thanks in advance and feel free to add anything else applicable to this thread. 

    Dude, just be a good dude, work hard and trim. Help out your bros and use your time in the flight room efficiently. PM me if you want some info on DLF.

    Track Selects and Assignment Nights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    7 minutes ago, Vimix22 said:

    Is getting T-6 FAIP'd from T-38s a normal thing? Seems like they would want all T-38 grads to go straight to the CAF. 

    They have to have instructors. Try can't only pulling from the CAF to have T-38 instructors. It's a balancing act way above my pay grade. "Robbing Peter to pay Paul" type of situation. 

    Track Selects and Assignment Nights

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    We only had one fighter guy in my T-6 squadron and most of the rest were AMC or FAIPs. The stories of per diem, luxury hotels, and "T-Funs" swayed a lot of studs and helped make their decision. There were the horror stories of the -38 squadron making you do a thousand BF/OLs and the IPs making flying jets more of a hassle than it's worth. They were tossing around the idea of non-vols so they stole some T-38 IPs to talk to the studs, but if anything, it made it worse as it was too late (a week from track) and everyone had made up their minds.

    • Upvote 1
×
×
  • Create New...