ANG Fighter Pilot: How many hours per year?
09-26-2009, 10:03 PM
#41
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Originally Posted by AmazonChitlin
I have heard some good stories about the maintenance flights! The same guy that wanted me to go to his state in the guard was a maintenance check pilot in the Cobra's. I could definitely think of worse flying.
I didn't mean that they ARE test pilots, but that they would have to deal with more abnormal situations than most regular pilots.
I didn't mean that they ARE test pilots, but that they would have to deal with more abnormal situations than most regular pilots.
Yes - I knew what you meant and was only adding to it. You are correct - there is certainly more of a chance for a problem to creep up right after maintenance has been performed, or when checking some system that don't get used very often (emergency gear extension for instance); therefore the COs of the squadrons usually have the more experienced pilots in the squadron designated as such.
USMCFLYR
09-27-2009, 03:50 AM
#43
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Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Midfield downwind
Posts: 1,920
Originally Posted by AmazonChitlin
Isn't there also the maintenance pilot, where you take up the aircraft to check the work that was done, as well as sometimes to see the problem? I'd say that'd be sort of like a test pilot.
Other than the fact that they go fly a predetermined flight profile, with a specific list of items to check during that profile, they're not like test pilots at all. They're just regular line pilots who have gone through a small training program to qualify them as FCF pilots.
09-27-2009, 06:10 AM
#44
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Originally Posted by AmazonChitlin
Do you still instruct on the F-18 while flying for maintenance? I'm curious how that works. I'm sure it may be different in AD than the Guard, let alone the difference between the services.
USMCFLYR
10-07-2009, 02:02 PM
#46
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Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: KC-135R IP/EP
Posts: 273
Did he say "stuck flying KC-135's"? I know of over 20 former F-XX, F/A-XX and helo drivers that left their community to fly the mighty mighty stratobladder but know of only one KC-135 driver that left to fly F-XX whatevers (and he came back to the -135 when his fighter tour was up). Yes, that includes alot of guys that flew T-38's and were qualified to crossflow. Not dogging on fighter guys at all but it kills me how people with no military experience hate on KC-135's or C-130's and only dream in top gun colors.
10-07-2009, 03:57 PM
#47
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Posts: 2,270
Originally Posted by hjs1971
Not dogging on fighter guys at all but it kills me how people with no military experience hate on KC-135's or C-130's and only dream in top gun colors.
Hey man, I would love to fly the -135! I wish my local guard unit (161st ARW) was looking for UPT candidates.
10-07-2009, 08:25 PM
#48
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 829
Originally Posted by hjs1971
Did he say "stuck flying KC-135's"? I know of over 20 former F-XX, F/A-XX and helo drivers that left their community to fly the mighty mighty stratobladder but know of only one KC-135 driver that left to fly F-XX whatevers (and he came back to the -135 when his fighter tour was up). Yes, that includes alot of guys that flew T-38's and were qualified to crossflow. Not dogging on fighter guys at all but it kills me how people with no military experience hate on KC-135's or C-130's and only dream in top gun colors.
When it comes to the Guard/Reserve, it's more about the job than the airplane - when you are doing it for dollars and retirement points, painless is best and the fighter gig is a young man's game (back issues, hours in the vault and weapons trainers, etc). Along the years I have flown heavies, fighters, trainers,etc - and as I got older my desires have changed. But given the chance to only fly one (KC-135 or F-15/F-16) in a career, I would not be calling V1/rotate (or 1,000' remaining/rotate as the case may be) on takeoff.
10-08-2009, 07:20 PM
#49
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Joined APC: Jun 2009
Posts: 49
Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
Wait until you have sat in the small cockpit for hours at a time drilling holes in the sky!
Yeah - I'm still finding this hard to believe. I'd have to have more specifics from someone who actually achieved this to put much credit to it. Did this person who told you it could be done tell you how this ANG TPS graduate did his pay back tour? It just doesn't seem that the ANG squadron would have much use for the test pilot and I doubt the ANG unit is going to send you off a for two year payback tour once they have recruited you and paid for your training so that you can be in that squadron!
Yes - that is the way the military works. I'll up that one another step. You may do wonderful at UPT and make great grades - and in the end - there might just not be ANY fighter/attack slots (note - this happens in the USN/USMC flight training - not sure if it happens in a UPT drop)
Runge - it sounds like you are more interested in the thrill of flying fighter aircraft than you are at serving your country so I think you should realize that when you are making your decision about whih road you plan on following.
USMCFLYR
Yeah - I'm still finding this hard to believe. I'd have to have more specifics from someone who actually achieved this to put much credit to it. Did this person who told you it could be done tell you how this ANG TPS graduate did his pay back tour? It just doesn't seem that the ANG squadron would have much use for the test pilot and I doubt the ANG unit is going to send you off a for two year payback tour once they have recruited you and paid for your training so that you can be in that squadron!
Yes - that is the way the military works. I'll up that one another step. You may do wonderful at UPT and make great grades - and in the end - there might just not be ANY fighter/attack slots (note - this happens in the USN/USMC flight training - not sure if it happens in a UPT drop)
Runge - it sounds like you are more interested in the thrill of flying fighter aircraft than you are at serving your country so I think you should realize that when you are making your decision about whih road you plan on following.
USMCFLYR
I was trying to find the last thread about all the recent drops into UAVs but am not able to locate it.
Runge, basically with the way the millitary is transitioning their fleet makeup, more and more folks are getting dropped directly in to UAVs. There was a UPT drop recently that resulted in a vast majority of the fighter/bomber track pilots being dropped into UAVs.
They thought they were going to get their choice and low and behold, UAVs.
Point being, you have to be willing to be an officer first and a pilot second. If you're not willing to take that chance AD then you can swim in the shark poll for one of the every diminishing ANG/Reserve slots. Keep in mind that BRAC has done a number to the Guard making the slots even more competitive as the number of open slots continue to decline.
Best of luck!
Joker
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