Just curious if anyone knew what it took to become a Thunderbird. Thanks for the info.

Well 7 out of 8 T-bird pilots are USAFA grads. I guess there's one unoffical requirement :rolleyes: , other than that there is a mid-senior Capt in my FS that is applying. If noone else chimes in I'll bug him for the info.

I was told by a T-bird buy a few years ago there were more ROTC guys than USAFA.

https://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/officers2004.htm

Read the bio's dude. The first eight are the pilots.

I actually just saw the T-birds this past weekend and talked to #5, the only ROTC pilot. He said that it just happened to be that way for this group, and that the last group was split about 50/50 between ROTC and USAFA. (I asked because I was thinking the same thing..."I'm SOL since I'm not a good 'ol boy")

Other than that, I guess you just have to kick *ss and apply.

There's an annual application process. Just like applying for a UPT slot with an AF 215, there is a special duty application you have to send the the USAFADS. In addition to getting top ranking from your Wing Commander, you'll also need some glorious recommendation letters from powerful people to go with that application.

This year the Thunderbirds chose 12 semi-finalists to go out to Nellis and interview for a week.

Out of those 12, they've currently whittled it down to 6 finalists to fill three positions this year. The finalists will go to Nellis for more interviews and to fly with the team in the 2-seater.

It's also reccomended that you be married, 2.5 children, a dog or cat, and an extremely small penis.

It's also reccomended that you be married, 2.5 children, a dog or cat, and an extremely small penis.

Sweet! All I need is half a kid and a dog, and I'm IN!

Hey, wait a minute....

Seriously though, good on you if you can get there. I can't even imagine the interview process or the flying involved.

You gotta have shiny shiny boots too, and short pretty hair, an wear a scarf.

Looks like 3 strikes and I'm out.

egg.....I said a few years ago. They pick new guys every year so maybe this season more are USAFA grads.

UM...what's this Good-ole-boy network...I keep hearing about it, but never seem to benifit from it...must be doing the ring knock wrong. If anybody knows how to evoke the forces of USAFA, please let me know...

I knew two of the T-bird guys on the team a few years ago, both were AFROTC grads from UF. I think having Viper time is a plus, but any fighter (including Hogs) time qualfies.

Cheers! M2

Just to throw this in, my SQ/CC is an Academy grad as well as several other SQ/CC's on my base and they've got that "common bond" to help the working relationships. Also, my work allows me to work with the program manager (PM), a Lt Col, at another base. It turns out that the PM is undergoing a change of command soon and the outgoing was a ROTC guy and the incoming was an Academy guy. I've had the opportunity to watch how my CC interacts with both and I think the good ole boy network still exists amongst the older crowd.

For the younger crowd, ie CGO's, I work with many Academy and ROTC folks, and it seems like the Academy folks have the worst work ethic and get away with it. Of the Academy grads in my squadron, 1 female was involved with an enlisted guy but couldn't be caught, 1 female was caught sleeping on the job under her desk, 1 guy has hardly done anything in his 2 years here, and 1 guy doesn't talk to anyone unless it will get him somewhere which typically means only LtCol and above.

So, USAFA grads in my experience create negative feelings among peers from ROTC and OTS.

And I've seen OTS and ROTC grads pull the same sort of crap. I know of a female pilot (ROTC)that had a relationship with one of my crew chiefs...no one ever busted her...I found out after he had long PCSed. I know a lot of good and bad coming from all three commisioning sources, and like I said I've never seen the good ole boy network at work. Maybe I will when I get my wings, but you might want to consider the possibility that it's merely your perception. I regard most of it as ubran legend. For one thing, I think the bad stands out more when it's a USAFA grad becuase people expect more, or they've heard the urban legend and are looking for it. Anyway, you have your opinion, I have mine...

This is one of those wonderful perception deals that's impossible to pin down. Ideally you would look at the population of FTU IP's and track academy vs non academy, then compare that to the historical commissioning sources of TB's in the past. More than 1 or 2 std deviations from what you expect would be pretty conclusive in my perspective.

I know that personally when I graduated and was choosing between AF, Navy and Marines, I checked the bios of Generals/Admirals in all three. I don't plan or even hope to be one, but why hamper yourself. I picked the Corps since after TBS we're all equal. When a new Marine shows up, while we went to different schools, we probably had a couple of the same instructors at TBS helps establish a 'working relationship'.

It's interesting to note that less than 1/3 of all Marine Corps Commandants came from the academy. Anyone know what the stats are for the AF?

You're right...it's perception so it's as true as you or I make it. It probably all comes down to the person and the situation, just like everything else. Oh well...not like it has hurt me.

Does anyone know how much longer the T-birds will be in service for?? I'd think with the new airframes coming in they would want to upgrade. Then again that would be an expensive upgrade...

Does anyone know how much longer the T-birds will be in service for?? I'd think with the new airframes coming in they would want to upgrade. Then again that would be an expensive upgrade...

They are upgrading to Block 50 Vipers so I assume that they will be staying with that airframe for a while.

What new airframes would you suggest they switch to?

What new airframes would you suggest they switch to?

C model F-15's no stress issues with those.

Does anyone know how much longer the T-birds will be in service for?? I'd think with the new airframes coming in they would want to upgrade. Then again that would be an expensive upgrade...

I highly doubt they will fly anything but the Viper for the next 69 years or so. I know that even getting the Viper as their ship was a pain in the ass back in the day. They basically had to train their maintenance dudes to be able to make a show Viper combat ready in a matter of hours to make Big Blue happy. The only choices beside the Viper are the F-15C (why would you switch?), the T-38/F-5 (already been there), A-10 (ha, no offense Hawg dudes), F-35/22 (double ha).

What new airframes would you suggest they switch to?

Not new of course, but they should've retained Block 10 A-models for the light weight, nose authority and maneuverability IMHO.

It'll be the UCAVs once they are done testing. Pre-programmed show. The Comm guys will be running it.

Now that I think about it I say bring back the F-4 !!!!

The Comm guys will be running it.

Half the show will be blocked for content. Right when the important part starts, the show will end because you didn't do the right ancillary training.