Bergman

They have basically the same performance, but the RV-8 can carry more than double the baggage and has about 200 miles more range IIRC. Either way, still a pipe dream...don't have $50k laying around nor the time to build one. Yet. I've seen quite a few -6s, but just like the tandem seating better. Haven't flown either yet, but my understanding is that they all fly similarly...that is, pretty f-ing well!

Pretty sweet video. Makes me want to build an RV even more! (although mine will be an RV-8)

I would counter your argument of "holding is a thing of the past" by asking you to fly into Atlanta's Class B on a Friday night around 7pm with bad weather in the area. Planes will be stacked to the moon in holding patterns. I imagine most large civilian airports are the same way. My impression is that ATC is reducing some of this with their flow control procedures. Perhaps some of our more savvy airline guys can explain those in better detail.

I always use the dashboard clock to time in the -135. With Pacer CRAG we have a digital one that actually works. It seems in military flying we don't do holding much. We practice quite a bit, but I can't remember even being sent to hold "for real" other than when we requested (EP, waiting for WX to improve, etc). If you look at our (-135s at least) flight plans, you'll see we file "direct to" most of the time instead of airways. Contrast that with the airlines who seem to file jet routes exclusively, and also much more likely to get thrown into holding unexpectedly when arriving at a busy airfield. I'm sure the C-21 guys on here have a lot more experience with this, as they fly into busy civilian fields much more often.

Not correct. We can pump it directly out of the boom whether there is a receiver or not. Two problems with this: as was previously mentioned, AMC (and other) regs require an Act of Congress to dump fuel these days (fine by me...I like flying) and when we land the crew chiefs have to drain the fuel out of the boom (normally it all gravity feeds to the receiver) so it's extra work for them. That is correct. Since we usually aren't allowed to dump fuel, except during an EP, we will end up flying off the gas, which could potentially be 6-9 HOURS worth of flying. Typically what happens is it either CNXs our transition training because we can't do touch and gos, and/or the extra fly-off time will screw up turning the jet for the second go. I agree that it is ridiculous for this to happen, but as a tanker toad I definitely appreciate receivers helping us out when these things happen! Likewise, we usually try to offload what you guys need if we have the gas to give. We're all on the same team in the end.

In the -135 at least, it is possible to take off at a weight that is much higher than allowable landing weight (max TO ~322,500 for an R-model, 299,000 for an E-model; max normal landing weight 210,000 or 235,000 with a waiver).

My name doesn't have nearly enough vowels to be Hawaiian, so I am pleading ignorance on this one! But if I was, my login name would be Bergubergunubergauman. Returning my mind to the gutter...

Not a problem! Just don't ever call me "bra" again.

Not a problem! Just don't ever call me "bra" again.

Alrighty then....I guess the answer to the original question "Does it ever become fun again?" is "HELL YES. My job kicks ass!". We were supposed to tank some F-15Es tonight, but switched receivers at the last minute. There's nothing better than a 75 degree day, MR crew, winds right down the runway, and going out to A/R off the coast then come back and beat up the pattern for an hour or so. Land, drink some Coronas, laugh, and go home. Repeat tomorrow night. F_ckin A it's fun. What do you guys think? Maybe I am just a brainwashed tanker toad (and that's OK with me).

The rules to be a resident are the same. However, that will only work as long as you are on full-time reserve orders (UPT, UNT, FTU, etc). Once you get back to home drome and go to part-time status, you normally have 30 days (depending on which state) to declare residency there if that's where you live.

Hey now! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...you've gotta dig the new motors and fresh gloss paint!

Don't give it up! If you can, start with an airline now. It will take at least a year to get your UPT slot all squared away (AMS, UPT dates, Brooks, etc) so you'll have something to do while playing the waiting game. Then you can drop mil leave when the ANG comes calling. FWIW, I know guys who worked for an airline for less than a month out of training before dropping 2 years of mil leave for UPT.

SHACK! There is nothing worse that being TDY for 90+ days (sleeping on a cot, 100 yard walk to the shitter, chow hall, etc) and then getting home, filling out your travel voucher the same day you arrive home, driving all the way to finance...to find out the f_ckers are "closed for training" at 1300 on a Friday with the lights out and doors locked. With all the training they do, you might hope your voucher would be correct more than half the time. Or how about your wife trying to get a new ID card a week before you deploy for 120 days. She takes not 1, not 2, but 3 afternoons off from work to drive to the base and attempt to get a new ID before it expires. All 3 times the MPF customer service counter is closed, the machine is broke, "the system is down today", or there isn't anyone around who can operate it in the first place. I shouldn't have to call the Squadron Commander personally to complain...and have him call the section OIC...who calls the NCOIC...who finally makes the ID card. The stories are endless...so the bottom line is this: shoe clerks - DO YOUR F_CKING JOB! We as aircrew are expected to do ours every day, during any weather, any hour of the night or day, for months on end. Why can't we expect the same quality of work from our "support" community???

Hell, as long as you have 1000 PIC your timing couldn't be better! Most of the majors are hiring.

XL is the tail flash for Laughlin AFB, VN=Vance, CB=Columbus, and EN=Euro-NATO at Sheppard Unless things have changed, ANG/AFRES types were not allowed to go to Moody or Whiting. ANG/AFRES fighter guys have the option of going to Sheppard.

You guys are KILLING me here! Are you saying that flying a twin-turbine aerobatic aircraft, for free isn't any fun? I think ya'll need to take a step back and remember what it was like to be that 18-22 year old college kid "that would do ANYTHING to fly jets". Hopefully that will put things back in perspective.

He's just doing a landing attitude demo with the gear up. No fear!

We did a mexican fiesta theme (seemed logical in Del Rio). We got a bunch of the 1 shot plastic liqour bottles, wrote our name on one side, then had our Flt/CC write our assignment on the other. We kicked it off by the whole class beating the crap out of the pinata (baseball bats, golf clubs, etc). Then, when your name came up, you had to search the rubble for your shot. We had some 10% truth type slides, then chug the shot and read your assignment. We decorated the O'club to fit the theme and all had sombreros to match.

One word of advice: DO NOT listen to what the BANK or REALTOR may say about how much you can afford. Realtors are obviously trying to sell as much house as possible because their commission is a percentage of the sale price. Banks apparently no longer care about whether you can pay your loan back...because they will approve you for an insane amount of money. My point is to develop a price range based on a sound budget before you go house hunting, and don't let anyone talk you out of your budgeted range.

11-2B-1 Vol 1 My question to the B-1 guys is how long does it take to get "350 post FTU hours" and/or "700 total hours"? That seems like an very small amount of experience to me. I'm guessing it still takes 3-4 years to get that kind of time?

Typically 15 classes per FY at each UPT base, although someone was saying they axed a few in recent years.

Take what AFPC says with a grain of salt! I was told the same thing when I Palace Chased - that I would NEVER be released because I was in a HD/LD platform. I called my functional and was told, "You can apply...but I will non-concur on your recommendation. And my 2 star boss will back me up!" So, I applied anyway and was approved. It's a SecAF panel that approves/disapproves Palace Chase applications, and apparently they don't always listen to what AFPC says. Perhaps someone has the big picture after all. As for your unit...wow! I never realized how lucky I was back in the day. My CC wrote me a letter and talked me up to the Wg/CC at the weekly meeting so I had no trouble at all. Of course, I had applied for UPT on AD and was turned down due to 61 months commissioned service, so I guess it was no surprise when I told them an ANG unit had hired me for UPT. Anyway, best of luck! I hope you can make it work. Always better for someone to go ANG/AFRES than just punch completely. Too bad your CC doesn't recognize that.

I guess that was my real question...does "other" count toward "total time"? If so, how would you log it? I've talked to several guys here in the squadron and the prevailing opinion is that "other" doesn't count for ANYTHING, which didn't seem right to me. The bottom line is that I don't have enough "total time" to apply...unless I count my "other" time. Any advice is appreciated.

Pardon me while I highlight my FAA/GA ignorance again. Although it seems like we've discussed this topic to death, my searches came up empty. What is the prevailing opinion of logging USAF "other" time for FAA total time purposes? After reading Part 61.51 , my thought is you could count "other" as Second-in-Command, based on f.2 below (assuming that you have the required license...MEL/inst), as it doesn't specify that you have to be at the controls: I know this is really just semantics, but the airlines appear on the front end of a hiring window and being able to count several hundred hours of "other" time toward their TT requirement could mean getting hired 6-9 months earlier.