Regarding the aircraft you fly, the only ones who know their aircraft before they ever fly are the Guard guys. They join a guard unit that flies F-16s, for instance. That's the plane he will get.
Pilot training is a 10 year commitment after you graduate. CSO was 6 years.blindey said:
Cool thanks for the info. So how long do you commit for after flight school? Will you stay in the service until you effectively retire and then go get a gig with United or whatever?
And when you move from T-1/T-38, how is the aircraft you'll fly selected? And does it ever change?
I'd say, and I would hope, seniority and merit. I know that new programs like the F-22 and F-35 were not getting anyone straight out of flight school when they began. I seem to recall it being a pretty big deal when they began dropping them for new pilots.Quote:
So how do you get into one of the specialty programs like the B-2 or VIP?
That's cool, I was at the Bush 41 event there when I was a kid too. Also saw the space shuttle on top of a 747 there many years ago. I'm one of the former owner's of T. Blanco's, the pilots eat in there all the time. Watching the T-38s rip out of there never gets old. The T1s fly pretty aggressive for what looks like a business jet, so that's always a little surprising at first glance. It's mostly air force T-38s, but every once in awhile there's a NASA T-38, and I've seen marine and navy as well. The occasional B-3, T-45, T6, F18, and C-130 too.CharlieBrown17 said:
Triple G is more common for the Vance guys I think or the instructor school at Randolph. We use it as a stop over from Mississippi to Texas. Actually saw Bush 41 there and had a nice local buy dinner for my table at T Blancos because we were in uniform. Love coming home
At least Columbus drop/assignment night (formal name) is the only big event now, everyone tracks as they progress through individually not as a class like in the past.
100 takeoffs and landings a day?CharlieBrown17 said:
The T-1 is overflown by us IMO
It's a business jet designed for short fields in japan that we bought to teach multi engine and crew basics in but the fleet is not aging well because it's not designed to do what we do with it.
I realize that turbine is the way to go, but they sound like sewing machines crossing the field. They don't have the romance of a growling radial you can hear start up from five miles away.CenterHillAg said:
CharlieBrown17 said:
That's a neat looking ride, I'd trade you for a few hours if they let me!
CenterHillAg said:CharlieBrown17 said:
That's a neat looking ride, I'd trade you for a few hours if they let me!
Just drop on in to KARM and we'll swap out. I'll be the idiot on the ramp in a denim shirt and jeans wearing a flight helmet.
So a bit of an update from my favorite pilot. The answer is pretty much, "depends on the needs of the Air Force". Currently, non-fighter guys are coming back to instruct on T-38s, which does not meet with her approval. Osprey guys sometimes go T-1 track, sometimes helo. She has heard of guys dropping B-2 straight out of UPT, which was unheard of years ago, and CB17 thought did not happen.blindey said:
Again, thanks so much for the information. Really interesting for someone that just has a desk job.
So how do you get into one of the specialty programs like the B-2 or VIP?
I'm pretty sure they use T-38s to get stick time and maintain proficiency, and probably a lot of simulators. T-38s are fun, so there is that.aggieforester05 said:
B 2 would be awesome, although, I imagine the seat time is very limited.
texagdoc said:
Since you want more pics, here is a sweet shot of my current ride!