Just starting AF UPT
#62
Touche' sir. I should have caveated 'worried about the airlines' with and 'lets his IPs and classmates in on his grand plans'. In all seriousness, UPT is challenging and often painful. For most, the light at the end of the tunnel in the form of those USAF wings is what gets you through the difficult times -- it is far more challenging if that light is a pinprick 10 years down the road in the form of a line number at a major.
#63
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
Civilian vs. military.... fighter pilot vs. heavy pilot.... I'm here to put this to bed once and for all! Big picture wise, it just does not matter. If you are an a$$ clown and can't fly the jet, then all is lost. Airline flying is not difficult, especially these days. Follow the magenta line-LNAV & VNAV and here we go.
As for the fighters vs. heavies, you have to give the fighter guys a lot of credit and this is coming from a heavy pilot (chose to fly heavies after T-38s). Most likely, these guys/gals finished in the top 10-20% of their class, made it through IFF and RTU, and most likely were checked out as a 4 ship lead. Many were IPs, some are patch wearers, and some even got shot at. I know I know, there are plenty heavy boys, especially C-130/C-17 boys who have been there too. Coming from their world, it just takes a little training and adjustment in working with another crew member sitting next to him/her. Fighter guys are not new to CRM. Try leading a xx ship into combat and back. I haven't met a fighter pilot who could not fly an airliner, as long as some of them can check their ego at the jetway. Unfortunately, there is quite of bit of "inferiority complex" amongst those who could/did not fly fighters. Let's just be honest with ourselves, that's all.
As for the fighters vs. heavies, you have to give the fighter guys a lot of credit and this is coming from a heavy pilot (chose to fly heavies after T-38s). Most likely, these guys/gals finished in the top 10-20% of their class, made it through IFF and RTU, and most likely were checked out as a 4 ship lead. Many were IPs, some are patch wearers, and some even got shot at. I know I know, there are plenty heavy boys, especially C-130/C-17 boys who have been there too. Coming from their world, it just takes a little training and adjustment in working with another crew member sitting next to him/her. Fighter guys are not new to CRM. Try leading a xx ship into combat and back. I haven't met a fighter pilot who could not fly an airliner, as long as some of them can check their ego at the jetway. Unfortunately, there is quite of bit of "inferiority complex" amongst those who could/did not fly fighters. Let's just be honest with ourselves, that's all.
#64
Get the popcorn......
Try reading baseops.net. Just read, don't post, things get brutal there. You are correct that this has been discussed many times before. This crowd here is a bit more mature and less harsh on a newbie asking this question.
Now get back to learning Boldface Ops limits and chair flying.
Thanks for serving and welcome to APC
Try reading baseops.net. Just read, don't post, things get brutal there. You are correct that this has been discussed many times before. This crowd here is a bit more mature and less harsh on a newbie asking this question.
Now get back to learning Boldface Ops limits and chair flying.
Thanks for serving and welcome to APC
You will get some good info here as well as some smart answers. Just take it all in and do what you want but have the END goal in mind.
I told the HR folks in my DAL interview the most fun I had in aviation was flying a 160th SOAR AH-1 Little Bird for 20 min.
#65
I as an officer and eventually a CC (Reserves) I mentored folks to ALWAYS keep both options open. Do your PME, become an IP, get your ATP, etc. You can ALWAYS get out with Air War College done and turn down rank/PCS....but you can't go back and redo what you did not "do" to make rank.
I wouldn't commit to telling the boss you are getting out. I made that mistake in AD. My CC (now the AFSOC CC) was cool but subsequent ones were not so much. Then I went reserves and made O6.
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