I'm putting in my dreamsheet soon and was curious about the B-52... what is life like for a new co-pilot? How many hours a month will you get to fly once you're in an operational squadron? How about the amount of flying on deployments? Anyone highly recommend the jet or no?

You'll likely fly 4-5 times a month, anywhere from 5-12 hour sorties depending on what's happening that week/month, with the possibility of some long endurance sorties here and there. You'll also get to participate in several NSE's, NSI's, NORE's, NORI's, plus all the same things that start with a C instead. Deployments to PGUA are now moving to 6 month rotations and as a co-rocket you'll fly your butt off and rack up a large amount of hours, plus drop a lot of iron. Deployments are predictable and it's pretty good on the family life if that is any concern. As far as recommending the BUFF, I would say it's better than a lot of assignments, but there are some other aircraft I wouldn't mind going to as well. If you want any more specifics just PM me.

At least in my squadron, we're short of co-rockets, and I think it's the same across the community. If you want to fly alot, it's not a bad place to be. We are not in the fight right now, but expect that if anything else kicks off, we'll be the night one door kicker. Shreveport and Minot aren't exactly garden spots, but at least as far as Shreveport, there are worse places to be. At least for now, they're shipping single dudes to Minot, since a large chunk of the available housing has been tied up after the flooding. Guam is not a bad place to deploy. Scuba diving, boony stomping and the like on the weekends. The flying is good out there, alot of long duration sorties to other parts of the Pacific, and regular weapons drops on FDM. All in all, it's not a bad platform to be on.

At least in my squadron, we're short of co-rockets, and I think it's the same across the community...All in all, it's not a bad platform to be on.

It is

Does that mean the community is short co-pilots or "it is" a bad platform to be on?

Does that mean the community is short co-pilots or "it is" a bad platform to be on?

Rainman...the stalker...

...but it all seriousness, the community IS short on copilots and it is NOT a bad platform to be on.

Got a Buff assignment out of RPA's...looking for any gouge for a UPT dude who hasn't touched a 38 since Nov 08. Any 217 / 202 advice, housing, general flying gouge is appreciated.

Got a Buff assignment out of RPA's...looking for any gouge for a UPT dude who hasn't touched a 38 since Nov 08. Any 217 / 202 advice, housing, general flying gouge is appreciated.

When are you heading to Barksdale?

BTW, noting your signature block, expect more "emergencies" but much, much fewer Class A mishaps. Just about every emergency starts with "Step 1: break out your lunch, because you have at least 4 hours of fuel to burn down..."

Edited January 17, 201213 yr by BQZip01

Got a Buff assignment out of RPA's...looking for any gouge for a UPT dude...

Congrats on reaching escape velocity!

Just about every emergency starts with "Step 1: break out your lunch, because you have at least 4 hours of fuel to burn down..."

Now that's funny right there.

Now that's funny right there.

It'd be funny if it weren't true. 6 hour ground ETIC to get pushed by the second boss to press in spite of training ineffectiveness, followed by hydraulic failure on departure (no biggie, the thing has redundant electricals/plumbing that look like it was made by the local contractor's jobs program) and now we get to burn down to pattern weight for 3 hours. 16 hour day, rinse and repeat. Awesome.... F.T.S.

Congrats on reaching escape velocity!

I wouldn't jinx it. Dudes got recalled back to RPA (circa TAMI-21) just as they were hitting the FTU from being sent to RPAs 3 years before. That really sucked for those dudes. TAMI then a pipeline recall! Absolute raw deal. There's plenty of LTCs with bad backs who'd love to do that..

To the OP (wheelsoff) of the question. The BUFF's real and biggest con that nobody is willing to mention? The N word. All that supposed incredible amount of flying people are talking about, yeah you won't be doing any of it once you're bogged down with the N word. Think real hard (sts) about that one and if you want to, PM me and I'll give you the (OPSEC friendly of course) skinny about that stink and QOL vis a vis a conventional airframe. Fake *cough* training deployments to a tropical island aren't worth having to deal with that jab in the eyeball, but to each their own and all that jazz.

I agree, it is as good as any airframe out there...if it weren't for that one. But hey that's what these boards are for right? If everybody agreed, there'd be only LIKE buttons and we'd call it facebook (which explains my low friend count). EDIT: Just realized, WTF happened to the dislike button? Awww shii.....

Good luck!

It'd be funny if it weren't true. 6 hour ground ETIC to get pushed by the second boss to press in spite of training ineffectiveness, followed by hydraulic failure on departure (no biggie, the thing has redundant electricals/plumbing that look like it was made by the local contractor's jobs program) and now we get to burn down to pattern weight for 3 hours. 16 hour day, rinse and repeat. Awesome.... F.T.S.

Don't forget the infamous call from the SOF: "fly duration"

Now that's funny right there.

But so true!

Assigned to the Buff out of Vance last night! I'm looking forward to jumping right into the training, but I imagine it will be a waiting game for a little while. Plus SERE and the other training events etc... in any case, I'm excited to get to know the community. If there is any advice on how to spend my upcoming free time in order to be prepared for the training at Barksdale I am all ears. Thanks,

Congrats!

Practice taking a dump in a coffee can and then sit in a closet with that can for another 6.9 hours.

That's a critical skill you can work on immediately.

Congrats!

Practice taking a dump in a coffee can and then sit in a closet with that can for another 6.9 hours.

That's a critical skill you can work on immediately.

Isn't there a boldface for that?

COFFEE CAN: DUMP

DARK CLOSET: SIT

Congrats!

Practice taking a dump in a coffee can and then sit in a closet with that can for another 6.9 hours.

That's a critical skill you can work on immediately.

It seems to me like that can be applied to SERE or the buff. Except I guess you'd have to add noise for the buff

I think I'll save that one for SERE, otherwise my wife might get a little concerned.

Congrats!

Practice taking a dump in a coffee can and then sit in a closet with that can for another 6.9 hours.

That's a critical skill you can work on immediately.

Actually just take 3 vitamin I (imodium) and that should back you up for 33+ hours. That will prep you for the buff. No one craps in the jet.

No one craps in the jet.

Thanks for wrecking it.

Thank HOSS, I didn't even click play and it's stuck in my head now.

no problem, BQZip can just pipe this through the intercom....

There's no reason to piss off 4-7 other people in a confined space for 14+ hours...(technique only)

Congrats!

Practice taking a dump in a coffee can and then sit in a closet with that can for another 6.9 hours.

That's a critical skill you can work on immediately.

Vitamin I usually takes care of that problem, but only 6.9 hours? Are you kidding me? Our long-duration missions are usually WAY longer than that.

I usually got so paranoid about dropping a deuce on board that I would OD on vitamin I & turn my eyes brown for a few days.

In the grand scheme, it probably wouldn't have mattered, those old girls are permanently imbued with the stench of 50+ years of sweat, farts, boogers, vomit, anger, frustration, and despair, with an underlying hint of cigarette smoke & anti-commie sentiment around the sextant port.

It's a beautiful thing.

I usually got so paranoid about dropping a deuce on board that I would OD on vitamin I & turn my eyes brown for a few days.

In the grand scheme, it probably wouldn't have mattered, those old girls are permanently imbued with the stench of 50+ years of sweat, farts, boogers, vomit, anger, frustration, and despair, with an underlying hint of cigarette smoke & anti-commie sentiment around the sextant port.

It's a beautiful thing.

You forgot the pounds of chicken wing bones around the hatches downstairs.

You forgot the pounds of chicken wing bones around the hatches downstairs.

And the leaky urinal...