VMFA187

Does the AF typically offer exchange slots to junior guys? We generally only give them to Weapon School grads...

Hornets? This is a joke, right? Are they going to cross commission into the Navy/USMC too?

That sounded eerily similar to a movement to fire drill we'd conduct in The Basic School with a platoon+ worth of Marines firing M-16s. I'd be interested to know what weapons he possessed that allowed him to maintain that sustained rate of fire. I actually checked out of a hotel yesterday morning that was a quarter mile away from that location prior to doing my ATP/737 Type Rating check ride Sunday evening.

Yep.

VFA-31 just released one of the best cruise videos I’ve seen.

At least they’re still airworthy. Most legacy Hornets are not. In hindsight, a mix of Eagles for standard Flankers and H/VF profiles and Super Hornets simulating reduced RCS Flankers would be ideal, even if incredibly unlikely.

Concur, Fulcrums are no longer the baseline threat which have more similarities to Hornets and Vipers. Flankers are more accurately simulated by Eagles for a multitude of reasons.

If you're launching into an AO with A/A and A/G ordnance, manning lanes, while also simultaneously being expected to listen to another agency and to dynamically target an incredibly wide array of ground targets, whenever the need arises, which is probably often, then I'd imagine operations could turn into a cluster relatively quickly. I think it likely has something to do with the incredibly large geographic area and whether it is worth having dedicated A/A players, who are solely around for the potential escalation regarding an A/A threat. That's a lot of hours on our assets. We're already complaining about the hours we're putting on our F/A-18s, F-15Es, and F-16s. It'd be nice if it was black or white, but right now it's not.

That was likely it then. Glad there wasn't another to add to the list.

Was told a Draken A-4 punched today in the pattern in Nellis? Pilot ok.

In Naval Aviation, we always say these things tend to happen in "threes." https://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/2-a-10c-thunderbolts-crash-at-nevada-test-and-training-range/806180265 Mid-air? Both pilots are ok from what I've heard.

Unfortunately I no longer have the keys. It seems that it is exceedingly difficult to keep a two-seat sports car in the garage once you're married and your wife is still in school. At least I was able to replace it with the latter, RC8R Now, you've seen mine. Let me see yours.

That was a surprising loss for A&M. On the plus side, you didn't lose your starting quarterback for the entire season.

Moments away from the best time of the year. 48 hours away from one hell of an opening season game. Go Seminoles.

Depending on the platform that can be a completely different type of flying. It could be the last decade of my membership in the most effective propaganda machine since Nazi Germany, but many of my peers agree - We'd happily stay if we were flying 15 times a month doing CAS, DCAs, AIs, even remaining at O-3. Once or twice a week simply maintaining currency, that's why our guys are leaving.

Looks like all my time-to-stern WEZ gouge just went out the window.

Golf isn't an issue. I've found that I only enjoy doing something if I'm decent at it - Golf doesn't count. The hardest thing I've ever done. Twice. Well, I figured of the General Dynamics and the Dodge variety, I could only legitimately own and operate one of the two Vipers. And unfortunately it wasn't the former. Maybe I'll get into GA once I'm make it to The Show.

Maybe one day when I have a family I could see the benefit of owning a small plane for weekend trips, but as of now the only way I could see getting into GA is if a buddy of mine was willing to purchase a similar aerobatic airplane and we could meet up once in a while for a couple butterfly sets. That probably won't happen so I'm going to continue putting my money into fast cars and motorcycles.

The guy has been in the business of killing our nation's enemies for pretty much longer than anyone. I don't know why the American public doesn't understand that those who have been to tasked to defend them via violent means, may use more violent language than the typical person who never volunteers to serve for the defense of others.

Isn't there already a thread where someone posted that masculinity in the AF Academy is bad?

Agreed. I took a short field arrestment at Tinian a few years ago and it was awfully small, even for a fighter.

The meeting was comprised of two individuals who are tasked to create a report to the Senate Armed Services Committee to be published at the end of the calendar year. They were simply here to listen to fighter pilots and get an answer for A) if retention is actually an issue or will be, and if so, B) why? Salient points were communicated and we were told that in their meetings with higher levels of service members, only one service, and you can guess which one, has admitted it has a fighter pilot retention problem. They are also the only ones who are coming up with possible solutions.

That won't be a problem. Personally, I'd rather them take the bonus money, and hire dedicated civilians for all the ground jobs to take care of all the administrative duties so we can focus on what is important, rather than keeping all the collateral work and getting paid more. But money is clearly part of the issue for people with the amount of money that we all have had invested in us who have the available options we do.

A "GAO Fighter Pilot Manning Working Group," whatever that means, is coming to Miramar tomorrow to interview/discuss why everyone is leaving. Separate meeting for Commanders and Co Grade. Should be interesting.

You're asking for advice from those who have experience that you don't have so that you can make the most well informed decision possible. I'd be cautious about how your statements are presented.