What remains to be seen is what the community will be like as 75-80% of them flow back into manned aircraft

Ha. And this is going to happen when? With what RTU capacity?

Ha. And this is going to happen when? With what RTU capacity?

The first round of dudes have already started going through the FTUs and will they will be in their ops squadrons by the end of the year.

Edited August 4, 201213 yr by Magellan

Dude you are an idiot. . .

Really? So are you going to try to argue that the "best and brightest" UPT graduates are going to fly RPAs?

Really? So are you going to try to argue that the "best and brightest" UPT graduates are going to fly RPAs?

No. I am saying it doesn't matter. Everyone has their job to do. The assignment they get doesn't matter. What does matter is what they do once they get there. Debating what assignments the "best and brightest" get has no bearing, and to assume that everyone that got an RPA assignment is a dirt bag is just like saying anyone flying a herc clearly wasn't good enough to make the cut for T-38s.

I know a dude at ENJPTT that got sent to T-44s at corpus instead of finishing T-38s at sheppard, and he is now flying AC-130s, while other dudes in his class went to T-38s and got RPAs. So is he a better or worse pilot based solely on how he did in tweets? The waters get muddy really fast when you make broad generalizations. Tagging the RPA community, which you are clearly clueless about, as a bunch of leppers isn't helping anyone.

Edited August 4, 201213 yr by Magellan

I'm not sure about that. Best to give the benefit of the doubt here he may have been voluntold to do this and there is simpy no way to win when you talk to the media.

Doesn't mean you can't post his quote over/in the urinal though...

Rainman speaks wise words. Since Creech cut off media tours, imagine all the outlets that are flocking to Holloman these days. You put a dozen reporters out there for hours on end, of course someone's going to get a less than flattering quote. Hell, look at what the NYT did a couple months ago with the "oh my god, they're following CARS ON THE HIGHWAY! They might have followed ME! Oh shit, they're hustling me away from an uncomfortable question" part of the article. Who doesn't use their TGP to practice on random shit when they're flying around?

Really? So are you going to try to argue that the "best and brightest" UPT graduates are going to fly RPAs?

No, the fallacy is that there are any "best and brightest" UPT graduates. They are all equally clueless.

Here's another "drone" article with some good quotes from a former F-16 guy who was kind enough to speak with a "journalist".

https://refreshingnew...-pilots-in.html

The comments at the end of the article are disturbing.

The comments at the end of the article are disturbing.

2

2

Agreed. This one in particular is pretty F-ed up:

This discuss about the pilot stuff which are very important to carry. Get Aviation Pilot Supplies at best price offers.

That guy has some problems...my friend my friend, for you, good price.

Edited August 5, 201213 yr by nsplayr

Here's another "drone" article with some good quotes from a former F-16 guy who was kind enough to speak with a "journalist".

https://refreshingnew...-pilots-in.html

Bumiller is not some hack blogger, she's the Pentagon correspondent for the NY Times so I would put her in the legitimate journalist category. That, of course, does not mean anyone should talk to her.

Gripper's a really good shit and an excellent LGPOS pilot/patch wearer. Not sure why he did this interview with Bumiller but he's definitely not a showboat kind of guy. In fact, quite the opposite. If they were going to pick someone to be interviewed he would be the perfect choice. He's not going to say anything stupid. If you look at his quotes in the article you will see he gave them nothing.

"I see dead people. They are the enemy. I don't feel bad about killing them. No one in Syracuse has a clue."

She had to fill in the parts about adrenalin and hair standing up on the back of his neck "like it did when he used to line up targets in his F-16"

He presents the perfect case for why the Guard should have this mission. Experienced pilots doing the mission and going home at night. Perfect Guard mission.

The comments at the end of the article are disturbing.

I like how they talk so tough.

Edited August 5, 201213 yr by Rainman A-10

I like how they talk so tough.

No shit. "This is how cowards do war"? WTF should we do? Go have a sword duel Ninja Gaiden style?

The comments at the end of the article are disturbing.

There are some terribly fucked up people.

Only a fucked up writer could write about the drone pilots as the victims here. Oh, poor baby, poor baby murderer, did you pull the trigger and blow a baby apart, you poor thing, it must be so hard on you to kill babies every day and then go back to the comfort of your home. no fucking mention of the ACTUAL victims, you know, the baby that was ACTUALLY blown to bits and his FAMILY you MOTHER FUCKERS!!!!!!!!!

I would love to murder these child murderers. Look at how he sits there, going to eat burger king after he has dismembered a child who is trying to get up to go hug his father who is also dismembered. Mother fucker, we, Muslims, will hunt these video game warriors down and murder them!!!!

So mentioning a child killed on accident spawned murderous, emotional rampages? I do not understand how the people that left these comments feel vindicated after saying that. What bothers me even more is how these people have no idea what happens in these other countries. They do not understand that the people targeted by pilots and drones do far worse things to innocent people, way more often. Accidents happen, especially if strikes are needed in more densely populated areas. There are consequences to everything people do, sometimes at the risk of others. In this case, the accepted risks outweigh the alternative. Maybe the author of this article should write one about the atrocities committed by the Taliban and Al Qaeda complete with pictures of the aftermath.

No. I am saying it doesn't matter. Everyone has their job to do. The assignment they get doesn't matter. What does matter is what they do once they get there. Debating what assignments the "best and brightest" get has no bearing, and to assume that everyone that got an RPA assignment is a dirt bag is just like saying anyone flying a herc clearly wasn't good enough to make the cut for T-38s.

I know a dude at ENJPTT that got sent to T-44s at corpus instead of finishing T-38s at sheppard, and he is now flying AC-130s, while other dudes in his class went to T-38s and got RPAs. So is he a better or worse pilot based solely on how he did in tweets? The waters get muddy really fast when you make broad generalizations. Tagging the RPA community, which you are clearly clueless about, as a bunch of leppers isn't helping anyone.

Dear God - how on Earth do you find the strength to walk around with that chip on your shoulder? Let me claiffy some things so as not ot offend your delicate sensiblities:

At no point was it my intention to disparage the entire RPA community. I realize RPAs are full of volunteer and non-vol guys who did well in their respective communities. I am 100% confident some of them are far better aviators than I have ever been. I never said they were "leppers" and I struggle to find in anything I said where I even hinted at that. My point was only this - the UPT grads they are getting by and far are not "the best & brightest", but are frequently the bottom of their class. That is unfortunatley a fact that anyone who has spent time on a UPT base in the last 4 years can attest to.

For the record, I fully admit that the reason I ended up in Hercs is because I wasn't good enough to get T-38s. Someone who is flying UAVs because they sucked at UPT should admit the same. I know that isn't the whole community. I ended up somewhere I never imagined and have loved it ever since. I assume the same is true of the RPA community. I assume that like AMC, there are plenty of late bloomers who didn't quite figure it out in UPT but have gained the skills to be competent and excel in the career that their efforts led them too. I am sure that many will go back to a maned aircraft and do just fine. Pretending that UAVs are home to only the best & brightest is horse shit though, and I don't know what purpose that serves.

But then again, after reading the article again I see that it is from the Guardian, so I'm not sure why I am even discussing this anymore.

Gripper's a really good shit and an excellent LGPOS pilot/patch wearer. Not sure why he did this interview with Bumiller but he's definitely not a showboat kind of guy. In fact, quite the opposite. If they were going to pick someone to be interviewed he would be the perfect choice. He's not going to say anything stupid. If you look at his quotes in the article you will see he gave them nothing.

2. Great shit, couldn't have a better OG/CC up at 'cuse.

My point was only this - the UPT grads they are getting by and far are not "the best & brightest", but are frequently the bottom of their class. That is unfortunatley a fact that anyone who has spent time on a UPT base in the last 4 years can attest to. Someone who is flying UAVs because they sucked at UPT should admit the same.

Truth, I'll admit I was at the bottom of my Corpus class, everyone had above average NSS's and I was the lowest and got the pred. Folks in classes before me had NSS scores in the 30s and received an airplane. Luck and timing.

I ended up somewhere I never imagined and have loved it ever since. I assume the same is true of the RPA community. I assume that like AMC, there are plenty of late bloomers who didn't quite figure it out in UPT but have gained the skills to be competent and excel in the career that their efforts led them too.

.

I ended up somewhere I never imagined also. I may not have been the best at UPT, but I know that I am competent and doing pretty well flying this platform. Plus I get to hang out at the Nellis Club, where the real learning takes place. Overall a decent first assignment.

Bumiller is not some hack blogger, she's the Pentagon correspondent for the NY Times so I would put her in the legitimate journalist category. That, of course, does not mean anyone should talk to her.

Gripper's a really good shit and an excellent LGPOS pilot/patch wearer. Not sure why he did this interview with Bumiller but he's definitely not a showboat kind of guy. In fact, quite the opposite. If they were going to pick someone to be interviewed he would be the perfect choice. He's not going to say anything stupid. If you look at his quotes in the article you will see he gave them nothing.

"I see dead people. They are the enemy. I don't feel bad about killing them. No one in Syracuse has a clue."

She had to fill in the parts about adrenalin and hair standing up on the back of his neck "like it did when he used to line up targets in his F-16"

He presents the perfect case for why the Guard should have this mission. Experienced pilots doing the mission and going home at night. Perfect Guard mission.

I like how they talk so tough.

+1. Gripper is good people.

Edited August 7, 201213 yr by PolyestherDuck

Plus I get to hang out at the Nellis Club, where the real learning takes place. Overall a decent first assignment.

Recommendation: Keep that sight picture and attitude. It'll serve you well. I'm being serious.

Recommendation: Keep that sight picture and attitude. It'll serve you well. I'm being serious.

That's the damn truth...

people still go to clubs?

people still go to clubs?

They do at Nellis.

They still did at Vance when I was last there, at least on Fridays. And Kadena, but you could get your drinks there for 1/4 of what you would pay off base and get a free cab ride home.

copy, of all the choices of places to go in Vegas, Nellis guys like to hang out in the club. Sounds about right.

copy, of all the choices of places to go in Vegas, Nellis guys like to hang out in the club. Sounds about right.

One night at the nellis club poses a great learning opportunity. Legends. Then when that closes, you go to the new new 25 club and continue. And after that you can take your pick of the other places.

copy, of all the choices of places to go in Vegas, Nellis guys like to hang out in the club. Sounds about right.

Missing the point...

copy, of all the choices of places to go in Vegas, Nellis guys like to hang out in the club. Sounds about right.

Well, not everyone...

Respect