I'm a huge avaition buff so I'd be really interested in what you fly and where you've flown and what kind of training it took you to get where you are. Any cool stories you want to share would be awesome too. Thanks.

Give me a little over a year and I'll get back to you. I start Air Force UPT (Undergraduate Pilot Training) next month, and will start out on the T-6, then progress to either T-38 or T-1. Assuming I pass all of that I'll find out what aircraft I get to fly. So far the Air Force has put me in a Diamond DA-20, look at a picture for a good laugh.

Ha you're still a lucky man! I aleays wanted to be a pilot but bad eyesight did me in. So you ultimately don't get to choose what you want to fly?

I get to choose just about as much as any person in the military gets to choose what they do. The better I do in training the higher chance I have of getting my choice, but it also depends on what the Air Force needs when I finish my training.

Do you get to choose within a particular class of airplane like can you choose fighters or heavies?

About half the flying spots in USAF each year go to graduates of the Blue Zoo, USAFA. And about half of each year's grads get a slot. So the best path is obviously Zoomie U.

But even there, you have to have the physical quals, etc. Once you get your slot you have to go to Pueblo and solo the awesome DA-20


. by ., on Flickr


Then flight school begins with the Texan II.



After that, you get "track night" where your further training branches into T-38s, Beechcraft BizJets, or helicopters with the Army.

Once that's over, it's "the needs of the Air Force". Which means that once you're done, you get to name a preference for your aircraft, and if you've done well in your class and if they need pilots for that craft, you MAY get it.

[This message has been edited by CanyonAg77 (edited 1/20/2012 2:33p).]

Canyon - how is Ms Canyon jr doing?

Some small health setbacks, but should still solo the Texan soon. Thanks for asking.

BCat, where is your UPT? I'm competing for a field training EA right now.

I believe he's at Columbus with my daughter.

Then I'll wish him and your daughter good luck. Hopefully I'll be in a similar situation a little over two years from now.

Canyon- tell her good luck for me. 1st solo is always a thrill.

In advanced naval flight school, flying the T-45C. I finished up primary flight school a few months ago where I flew the t-34c which is being replaced by the t-6b.

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Do you get to choose within a particular class of airplane like can you choose fighters or heavies?

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Or drones over Iraq and Afganistan?

God, I hope not. That was the fate of many an UPT grad a few years ago. Hope that has changed. (Would appreciate an update from current UPT students.)

Funny story, I had a good friend WAY back in the day who was bound and determined to finish UPT and go for KC-135s. Why?

Because that was very close to the premier airliner at the time, B-707. (I DID say WAY back in the day.)

His plan (and his wife's) was to do his tour, get out, and fly airliners.

But the T-38 was his undoing. Once he got a taste of that, he was fighters all the way. Finished high in his class, got fighters, and did 20+ years in the AF.

Lost track of him, so don't know if he flew for the airlines after retirement or not.

I was a career AF weather weenie and career AF brat before that.

Always respected the men and women who fly in the service of our country.

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I flew the t-34c

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Damn - I thought those were LONG gone. But thinking back, I remember giving wx briefs to Navy student pilots flying two-seat Cougers LONG after their prime (like 30+ years).

Pretty much no more drones out of UPT anymore, because they RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) is now a new rated slot. I think there are still ways to end up stuck with drones after having completed UPT, but people aren't dropping them out of UPT anymore, Hallelujah.

T-34's in Corpus Christi


T-45A's in Kingsville


The mighty Harrier

Sweet! So you currently fly the Harrier?

Whenever I can

Ha

I fly the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior



but started out in the TH-67

My pharmacist's son flies the Kiowa. I believe he is currently stationed in Hawaii. Rough duty, right?

I graduated UPT in 84
F-111s
T-38s
And a few others
22 years worth

harley, I spent two tours at Cannon supporting F-111Ds, the second time as head weather weenie. But I left in June 84, so I'm sure our paths did not cross. I always thought the Aardvark was a great plane and enjoyed working with the folks in the 27th TFW.



[This message has been edited by NormanAg (edited 1/22/2012 1:04p).]

Yup, hard tough duty, I'm in Savannah about 15 minutes from the beach, but there are poor S.O.Bs stationed in New York on the Canadian border and in Alaska.

Loved my time in the 27th TFW

Wow! I have a ton of respect for you guys.

ArmyAg2002,
Were you flying with Brawler in '10 in Afghanistan? Ever spend any time at FOB Ghazni?

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Yup, hard tough duty, I'm in Savannah about 15 minutes from the beach, but there are poor S.O.Bs stationed in New York on the Canadian border and in Alaska.

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Yep, Ft Drum is cold. But, Alaska flying can't be beat. The problem with being in Savannah is that the Rangers want you to wake up at dinner time to get them on the DZ in the middle of the night ...

(Btw, I'm not a military pilot.)


[This message has been edited by Hey Nav (edited 1/22/2012 11:57p).]

CT97, I know some guys in Brawler, but i wasn't with them on the last deployment, I graduated from flight school right before they got back.

They had some Kiowa guys doing good work on our FOB. We were happy to have them around.

I am a CH-53E pilot. I have done two Afghanistan deployments and am currently deployed to Okinawa.

Are you with 265?

There is no such thing as being deployed to Japan.

Yes I am now in 265. And I agree, it is a joke to call being here a deployment. Just don't tell my wife.