Originally Posted by
Purple Drank
I'm with my fellow TOAD Timbo.
I can't believe any pilot is comparing drone time at zero altitude and zero airspeed to the risk faced by any "real" pilot, combat or otherwise, to include tanker clowns.
Good luck with everything, Heron. Sounds like you've got it all figured out.
I sincerely hope the airlines continue their policy of regarding any drone time as worthless.
No one in this thread compared the two. Read them again. No one has ever said flying RPAs is "risky" or death-defying. They do claim, however, that they've saved a ton of Army and USMC lives, killed a boat load of terrorists, and contributed to the capture of many high-value targets. Perhaps that's not worthy of respect in YOUR world, but it is in mine.
I also have a good friend with a DFC and purple heart from his days flying MH-53 Pave Lows. He's now in the RPA world. I doubt you'd have the stones to tell him that he's not a "real" pilot anymore.