Is the Air Force really short of pilots?
05-11-2016, 11:17 AM
#51
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Center seat, doing loops to music
Posts: 825
In my experience, the lack of popularity of GA among mil officers has more to do with the prevalence of single income household spousal arrangements and the dependents sheer disdain for any male centric discretion being placed above hers, than a face value snobbery on the part of turbine trained pilots for piston equipment. Don't shoot the messenger, that has been my observation as a airplane owner and mil pilot for 10 years.
05-11-2016, 03:10 PM
#53
Get me outta here...
Joined APC: Oct 2008
Position: Boeing right seat
Posts: 1,541
Originally Posted by AF2Navy
Amen! I was amazed on active duty, how few of the officers in all the squadrons i was assigned to had GA experience and even when i offered.....were not interested in that side of aviation!?!?!?
Originally Posted by Grumble
Go get a tail wheel endorsement, it'll make you a better pilot.
05-11-2016, 03:39 PM
#54
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,083
Originally Posted by Adlerdriver
I get that some pilots really enjoy all that goes into GA. I think you need to realize that some pilots just don't (and make that choice with no disrespect meant).
05-11-2016, 08:41 PM
#56
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,230
You guys have the wrong site picture when thinking GA. Droning around in a spam can at 8500' is not it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zDo7hkmCNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsxs0oIPLBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zDo7hkmCNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsxs0oIPLBY
05-11-2016, 09:10 PM
#57
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,193
Originally Posted by trip
You guys have the wrong site picture when thinking GA. Droning around in a spam can at 8500' is not it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zDo7hkmCNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsxs0oIPLBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zDo7hkmCNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsxs0oIPLBY
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XkjlryraiWE
05-12-2016, 05:26 AM
#58
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,722
Originally Posted by Adlerdriver
If people simply have no interest is that automatically a "dis" on GA?I think you're drawing conclusions based on a particularly unique portion of society that may not necessarily be accurate. Military pilots spend a lot of time with job related duties, some flying, some non-flying. Maybe when they have time off, they just want to spend time with their family or do something unrelated to their job. I think that goes to personal preference rather than some "mindset" instilled at UPT.
You think there might be some auto mechanics out there that don't feel like going out to the garage on a Saturday and working on a '57 Chevy just for the fun of it?
When I was active duty and in the ANG flying F-15s, I had no interest in flying around in a light airplane on my time off. For one, I didn't (and still don't) have a PPL. I guess if I could have found a Skymaster, I could have exercised my commercial/center-line thrust privileges.
Additionally, since my time in light aircraft is somewhere around 35 hours, I gave GA a healthy respect due to my inexperience. So, I would have needed to spend some extensive time and money to get where I was comfortable. Even at the aero club it was expensive. Out on the economy when I was ANG, forget it. I had access on a very regular basis to a seriously high performance aircraft. It's not a "dis" - just reality - GA flying was nowhere near a fun or challenging, so why would I do it?
Even now, as a professional airline pilot, I feel zero draw to GA. I enjoy flying at work, I just don't feel the need to spend a lot of time or money on a regular basis to do it lower, slower and simpler.
I get that some pilots really enjoy all that goes into GA. I think you need to realize that some pilots just don't (and make that choice with no disrespect meant).
They didn't seem to mention the T38 that flew into the ground going super sonic doing the exact same thing, the week before we arrived.
I've flown with many, many military only trained guys at Delta who have told me straight up, they are afraid to fly little airplanes. I think it's due to this "Dangerous Civilians" thing that was being preached back then, and perhaps it still is in some places. But if you don't go out and experience the fun side of light airplane flying, well, you'll never know what you're missing.
I have no desire to own something like a Mooney, too expensive to maintain and if I want to go cross country fast, I'll non-rev on Delta with a beer in my hand. But I would love to own a Cub again. The most 'fun' flying I've ever done was always low and slow, into small grass strips or into a lake in an amphib. It's the complete opposite of military or airline type flying, no radios, no time constraints, do what you want, go where you want, just don't hit anything! True Freedom!
My neighbor is Phil Lockwood who manufactures the Air Cam. That is probably the most fun airplane I've ever flown. Check out his videos. He said most of his customers are airline guys who are sick and tired of going high and fast, straight and level. Yanking and banking down in the weeds is much more fun, in an open cockpit, more fun still! On floats? Even more fun!
Wait... let's do it in formation?? YES! More fun than you should be allowed to have!
Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maoHutUGv4U
05-12-2016, 06:46 AM
#59
Get me outta here...
Joined APC: Oct 2008
Position: Boeing right seat
Posts: 1,541
Timbo,
I went through Del Rio by the Sea in 1985... just after you. However, I do not recall any specific bias against GA flying. There were a few IP's that did it, but it wasn't widely known... probably due more to the AF's whole philosophy that everything you do after work is risky, and they kept it below the radar.
Totally agree on the Air Cam. I've flown 100+ types of aircraft, and the Air Cam is near the top in "grin factor". And HUGE safety margins too. You can climb out on one engine better than most single-engine aircraft can.
I met Phil this past October at the Palm Springs Aviation Xpo. Known by many for his expertise on the Rotax engines, he not only builds the Air Cam, but he is the guy that designed it for National Geographic 20+ years ago.
I went through Del Rio by the Sea in 1985... just after you. However, I do not recall any specific bias against GA flying. There were a few IP's that did it, but it wasn't widely known... probably due more to the AF's whole philosophy that everything you do after work is risky, and they kept it below the radar.
Totally agree on the Air Cam. I've flown 100+ types of aircraft, and the Air Cam is near the top in "grin factor". And HUGE safety margins too. You can climb out on one engine better than most single-engine aircraft can.
I met Phil this past October at the Palm Springs Aviation Xpo. Known by many for his expertise on the Rotax engines, he not only builds the Air Cam, but he is the guy that designed it for National Geographic 20+ years ago.
05-12-2016, 07:03 AM
#60
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,722
Originally Posted by HuggyU2
Timbo,
I went through Del Rio by the Sea in 1985... just after you. However, I do not recall any specific bias against GA flying. There were a few IP's that did it, but it wasn't widely known... probably due more to the AF's whole philosophy that everything you do after work is risky, and they kept it below the radar.
Totally agree on the Air Cam. I've flown 100+ types of aircraft, and the Air Cam is near the top in "grin factor". And HUGE safety margins too. You can climb out on one engine better than most single-engine aircraft can.
I met Phil this past October at the Palm Springs Aviation Xpo. Known by many for his expertise on the Rotax engines, he not only builds the Air Cam, but he is the guy that designed it for National Geographic 20+ years ago.
I went through Del Rio by the Sea in 1985... just after you. However, I do not recall any specific bias against GA flying. There were a few IP's that did it, but it wasn't widely known... probably due more to the AF's whole philosophy that everything you do after work is risky, and they kept it below the radar.
Totally agree on the Air Cam. I've flown 100+ types of aircraft, and the Air Cam is near the top in "grin factor". And HUGE safety margins too. You can climb out on one engine better than most single-engine aircraft can.
I met Phil this past October at the Palm Springs Aviation Xpo. Known by many for his expertise on the Rotax engines, he not only builds the Air Cam, but he is the guy that designed it for National Geographic 20+ years ago.
. Luckily one of my classmates had warned me so I was ready to duck under him when he did it, and he did!
I was probably more sensitive to their comments, being a civilian pilot when I showed up, with 4,500 accident free hours.
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