-...the Hilton Atlanta Airport as others have suggested. $15 meal voucher x 18 days, plus free parking, plus wi-fi, plus the executive lounge (free breakfast/snacks/drinks/appetizers).

-memorize the boldface

-academic test at the end of week one, correctable to 100%.

Hilton: $15 vouchers for hotel where the meals tend to be expensive is of limited value. Basically, it will pay for your breakfast buffet,... which isn't a bad thing. And unless it has changed (or you worked a good deal), the concierge lounge is an extra $10 per day.

The private condo ( www.atlflyinn.com ) is really the best deal going. You get about $30 in food vouchers,... and you can use them ANYWHERE. Washer and dryer in the house, full kitchen, free wireless, free indoor parking (no walking in the rain).

... and you can walk to Manchester Arms.

Boldface: my understanding is that you need to be able to do it procedurally, but memorizing it "verbatim" is not required. True?

Academic test: it went closed book about 2 months ago, and I've heard of people busting it. Has it changed again?

Edited May 4, 201114 yr by Huggyu2

Boldface: my understanding is that you need to be able to do it procedurally, but memorizing it "verbatim" is not required. True?

True. As long as you know the steps, how to do them, and when, the instructors are pretty cool about it. The big difference: the AF only has 6 boldface items, while you are expected to know 24 memory items at IQT. It's not hard at all.

Academic test: it went closed book about 2 months ago, and I've heard of people busting it. Has it changed again?

I know it changed between February and now. It wasn't hard, the review was pretty legit. To bust would take some serious buffoonery.

Just for fun, here's an exerpt from the Senate's public release of their FY12 Defense budget language. Its not final...it has to go through the Conference Committee and get agreed to by the House, but its an interesting position:

"Requires the Secretary of Defense to develop and implement a plan for the orderly transfer of the Air Force C-12 Liberty intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft to the Army."

Already discussed in part here.

The whole MC-12W program has been a clown act from the beginning...Couldn't do any worse in the Army.

Can't speak to how the program looks at the operational level but I've heard good things from the bros that have been there. However, the way the AF has handled finding manning for this program seems pretty poor. Just like when we first started with the preds, we're treating it like a temporary inconvenience away from your 'primary' MWS. It's a constant cycle of new taskings dropping to undermanned and overtasked Wings. End result is that by the time a pilot goes through all the training, delays, deployment and now the 3 month extension, they're gone for a year of their 3 year (or less) MWS assignment. Result is permanent damage to a young pilot's progression as he now PCS' with lower quals than his peers which essentially equates to a less than desireable assignment. As an aside, with TX slots so hard to come by these days, it'll be interesting to see what happens to guys when they get back from being out of the jet 9-12 months and now require a formal requal course. Will they be cut free, will they be given a TX slot, or will we just give 'em a waiver and get 'em flying again? While it should be a TX, it'll probably the latter - we have lowered the training bar so much already, it would only make sense...

Kandahar vs Bagram as an MC-12 pilot? Any thoughts or experiences?

Kandahar vs Bagram as an MC-12 pilot? Any thoughts or experiences?

I can speak to OAKN. I'm glad I came (giggedy), but maybe that's just the tax free. You can smell the Poo Pond on most days, and the Poo Pond is exactly what it sounds like. Reasonable variety of chow halls, nice gym. The flying is boring, but there's plenty of it. The wing has gone full retard on patch enforcement though, which is unfortunate.

Kandahar vs Bagram as an MC-12 pilot? Any thoughts or experiences?

Kandahar > Bagram, regardless of airframe.

Kandahar vs Bagram as an MC-12 pilot? Any thoughts or experiences?

Based on flying alone, definitely Bagram.

Anyone who has flown in both squadrons is in complete agreement that the mission, customers, and flying out of BAF is much more interesting than at KAF.

If anyone has SIPR and can look at the monthly roll-ups can see objective indicators of this, too.

Edited July 22, 201114 yr by Hacker

Kandahar vs Bagram as an MC-12 pilot? Any thoughts or experiences?

From my experience: BAF any day of the week. BAF > Balad > KAF.

As far as which base is better...well I don't think it really matters. You don't have a choice, and just because you are going to one, doesn't mean you are actually going there. Even if you get boots on the ground. So in the end, make the best of what you get. Fly your ass off for 6 months.

We laughed about Bagram going full retard recently. Then the Army and Air Force teamed up here and hit everyone (NATO, TCN, local nationals, ect) with reflective belt DEFCON 1. The Marines opt'd out. Words of a Gunny "we take pride in our uniforms, and look both ways when crossing the street". Made my night.

Of course they enforced this on the boardwalk...where chances of getting run over are nil. Ever seen a MSgt tell a Canadian Colonel that he either has to buy a reflective belt or leave? Full retard.

Has anybody gone to the Atlanta FSDO while at IQT to take care of their civilian ratings? This is more directed to anybody in here that may have gone right out of UPT but any information is appreciated. Apparently they have an issue with the letters from squadron commanders in place of a Form 8 which is not given to UPT students. Thanks!

Has anybody gone to the Atlanta FSDO while at IQT to take care of their civilian ratings? This is more directed to anybody in here that may have gone right out of UPT but any information is appreciated. Apparently they have an issue with the letters from squadron commanders in place of a Form 8 which is not given to UPT students. Thanks!

Atlanta FSDO was not at all helpful to me getting my civilian rating. The ops inspector in Atlanta went on a long rant about UPT students, letters we get from our SQ/CC, not having an actual form 8, etc. So I called the FSDO in Tampa, told them I was a recent UPT grad and I had some problems at another FSDO. The ops inspector at Tampa told me he had worked with military pilots in the past and he knew the process. He made copies of my letters from the SQ/CC, filed all the paperwork and I received my license in the mail just this week. I also called Oklahoma City and Denver: ops inspectors at both said they would accept the paperwork I had.

Check these forums below for better info.

Civilian Ratings

Has anyone done the ATP at FSI in Atlanta? How thorough was the oral portion (sts)? Any gotchas with the ATP or type rating check? It's been quite a while since I've read the FAR/AIM or anything civilian flying related.

Start here:

Hacker or a few other dudes here can probably help you out if you need more than this.

As for dudes who are getting MC-12s out of UPT now as a "permanent" assignment (i.e. no follow-on aircraft assignment)....is it truly a "permanent" assignment to the MC-12 or can you expect to crossflow into another ACC or AMC asset after your first or second tour?

Edited January 9, 201213 yr by WheelsOff

As for dudes who are getting MC-12s out of UPT now as a "permanent" assignment (i.e. no follow-on aircraft assignment)....is it truly a "permanent" assignment to the MC-12 or can you expect to crossflow into another ACC or AMC asset after your first or second tour?

Crossflow opportunities will be available just as in every other platform. There's no such thing as "permanent" anymore. The one-and-done program will be around for a while too, but the transition has begun.

As for dudes who are getting MC-12s out of UPT now as a "permanent" assignment (i.e. no follow-on aircraft assignment)....is it truly a "permanent" assignment to the MC-12 or can you expect to crossflow into another ACC or AMC asset after your first or second tour?

Think of the MC-12 assignment as similar to an C-21 assignment. It's not a permanent career. If you do it straight out of UPT, you'll likely end up in the Recce community for good, but in a normal Recce MWS (e.g. RC-135, AWACS, J-Stars). Of course, that could change in the intervening 3 years until your next assignment.

Hmmm, so what does that mean for the guys like me that just got the MC-12 permanent party gig out of UPT?

Hmmm, so what does that mean for the guys like me that just got the MC-12 permanent party gig out of UPT?

2 years of Manned ISR experience... hmm lets see, welcome to the dark side of ISR Preds have been waiting for you.

2 years of Manned ISR experience... hmm lets see, welcome to the dark side of ISR Preds have been waiting for you.

Classy Craftsman. Dude, it means that you will get two years flying a pretty interesting/important mission and building airmanship/experience before most likely being sent to another ACC Recce assignment, preds included, or......you could apply to the U-2. In any case, have fun flying the MC-12.

Wheelz

Edited February 10, 201213 yr by WheelzUp

Any ADSC for MC-12 can't go beyond your UPT ADSC, assuming you have time left on that. You would still incur an ADSC for the CONUS CONUS PCS though (2 years I think). If your UPT ADSC is complete then you'll be stuck with a full MC-12 ADSC.

Edited February 26, 201213 yr by Homestar

Actually, the MC-12 IQT can extend the UPT commitment. If it were requal, it is a different story.

I would talk to your functional and find out what the feel is. Staff is not the be-all end-all of career progression, especially since you are standing up a new unit. It is all in how your records are spun.

Yes, note 1 on table 1.1 of 36-2107 is weird. 1.c. implies that crossflow incurs the full ADSC. I stand corrected.

Edited February 26, 201213 yr by Homestar

Was hoping to find good info in this thread...hoping.