I know you guys could probably care less, but, let me tell you about fighter drags which can literally be an ORM nightmare. For example my largest fighter drag included 2 KC-10s at McGuire, 2 KC-10s at Beaufort, 18 F-18s at Beaufort, 2 KC-135s in Mildenhall, England, and one minor detail like a tropical storm off the coast of ACK!!!

TACC will have the tanker clowns and the "mission commander" fill in TACC's own ORM sheet for fighter drags which is different than the AMC ORM form. Then, all parties involved will conference call at 3+00 prior to takeoff and discuss their ORM scores.

The irritating part is they also figure up a ORM score for you. If you and they score the same, great. But if its different, they stop the show and ask why? If you score a little too conservative, they will reduce or "downplay" your concerns. Good times. Having too high of a score gets the TACC Senior or some other Col/BGen type involved (that's a no-no if they can avoid it).

Another great thing is, this brief is to happen at 3+00 prior to takeoff. You show at 3+15. Literally, it is humanly impossible to review the flight plans, the ALTRV approvals, the NOTAMs, the weather, and then score the ORM sheets within 15 minutes. And if you aren't on time for the conference call, some of the folks up at TACC get really upset.

I just keep saying to myself, this is supposed to improve safety. And I'm sure it has. But I also think it creates another level of beauraucy for the pilots who already have enough on their plate.