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

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.

That's called a Functional Check Flight (FCF) 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.

As Hacker said - it is just another qualification within the squadron. Some unit Commanding Officers like to keep a small, tight knit group and others qualify many more. My squadron is often tri-sited; so it is in our favor to have quite a few FCF/PMCF qualified pilots. Of course we are talking about instructors here so they are already fairly experienced before coming to the FRS and meet all of the hours requirements, though they may not be experienced flying the pros.

USMCFLYR

Awesome. Thanks guys!

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.

Civilian here...

Hey man, I would love to fly the -135! I wish my local guard unit (161st ARW) was looking for UPT candidates.

Ummm....I know plenty of guys who left the tanker for fighters (remember that crossflow program in 96/97?) and stayed. Not a fighter vs heavy hijack - I have flown both and each has its strengths and weaknesses.

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.

To up USMCFLYR's comment:

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