Any pilots?

Retired CW5 on 30 January....good luck and don't quit.

 

Haven't read all the threads yet...but I am a single engine HP Complex VFR pilot who is/was an A&P mechanic. I have been a public school teacher for the last 10 years now. My wife; however, is a CFI, II and MEI instructor (graduated out of Embry Riddle Daytona Beach FL in 1992) who is currently an FO flying for US Airways out of HIA.

Oh I kicked skydiver out at 15k feet and tried beating them down while flying a C-182.

Does that count?

 

65 is the golden age now for airline pilots; and they should be retiring in the next 3-5 years.

 

Recently commissioned and waiting to go to flight school as we speak. Should be there soon! Can't wait!

 

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Which branch and what aircraft ... just curious.
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Hey SOS I think his logo shows he's army. He won't get to pick his a/c but will submit a dream sheet. If he chooses Apaches it will not be a problem. If the ranks are short of Blackhawk drivers then he'll go there. He will not get fixed wing as he is a newbie and has to learn to keep the dirty side down. By the way did you read an Osprey rescued one of the F-15 pilots that went down in Libya? That had to be wild for those guys. I would have loved to listen to the debriefing on that!!!!

 

Freelance helicopter pilot here in Florida. R44 and CB/i 300 ratings.
Whilst on the subject. If anyone is thinking about flight training (helicopters) in the US, DO NOT use Bristow Academy in Titusville. I have done a lot of flying with ex students from there with many tails of wowe. By all accounts they promiss you the world, screw the shit out of you, then when you have run out of money they hang you out to dry. I got offered a CFI job there, did some research, spoke to people then declined the offer.

 

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rme,

Thanks for the info.

FWIW ... I would take an Apache in a heartbeat ... great a/c there ...

Yes, I saw that piece on the Osprey and I think that they wanted & needed some good press on it. They are using it in some protected areas now.

Sorry ... but I just can't get excited on the V-22. IMO, it has way too much rotor blade & turbine exposure plus reliability concerns for me. It will be interesting to see how it stands up to small arms fire & RPGs in real world situations.

PS ... On a more fun note .... how does it feel to be retired ??? ...
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Retirement is great and I've gotten two retirement checks and never showed up for work once...But the wife and I have realized I'm too young to stop working (59) LOL. Plus she keeps leaving me "honey do" list and I got to escape, You got an extra bedroom?...LMAO. VA hasn't come back with anything yet and it's been about 5 months so I'll just hold on for awhile. Still got to get that way to visit with you and drink a beer.

On the Osprey---I agree. Who you gonna sneak up on in that thing to get someone out!! But hey like I always say semper fi

 

I am in the Army National Guard, so my aircraft selection is a little different than active duty. Right now I'm slotted as a PL for an OH-58 unit, so it looks like I will be a Kiowa pilot. I like the mission of the Kiowa and it will provide for a lot of flight hours while deployed. Most of the officers in my unit have a preference for the Blackhawk because of all the redundancies and fail-safes, but I guess we will have to see. I definitely like the idea of being armed and that should make for some additional fun during flight school. I think the Apache would be a blast as well, but we don't have an Apache unit any more. My step-brother is a Chinook crew chief and loves the bird, but again, we don't have a Chinook unit here either. The newest addition to our aircraft is the LUH, but it is designed for stateside missions only and that just doesn't sound like a lot of fun.

 

Remember the hard deck and keep it in your thoughts at all time. All the crashes we experienced in my last (final) tour in Iraq were the guys who wanted to fly on the deck. Wires ususually got them and a good number of them were killed and a/c destroyed. They aren't making any more OH-58's. So when the army loses one it loses an airframe. Good luck. Little birds are a great asset and probably help turn the tide of the war in Iraq and stepp'n out a skid with an M-16 to shoot some turd seems crazy to me but alot of guys did it and live to tell about it....

"Fly Scared" and you'll be just fine.

 

... ^^^ ... Sounds good to me ... ... Might be able to take you down to PDK and have a lunch and that beer on the outside patio deck and then go over to the staging area/flight line and get a "up close & personal tour" on the various news helicopters too. ...
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58 is good. It'll teach you a lot and make you a better pilot in the long run. Blackhawks are nice but every pilot I've met coming out of the them to smaller civilian aircraft have to relearn to use the pedals and power management. No disrespect to hawk pilots but I've had a few very close call, scary moments with guys going from the hawk direct to a long ranger on interview flights. it was not fun

 

Hey SoonerTaco, I went on a visit at OU today and took a tour of the aviation department (which I thought was great, pretty much sold on going there) and I saw your truck in the parking lot. First truck besides mine I've seen with a TW decal! Actually noticed a lot of Tacos on the campus.

 

RME:

Thank you for the advice. Your thoughts reflect a lot of experience. Flying scared makes too much sense and probably the best advice I've heard yet. THANKS AGAIN!!!

 

When are you going to flight school? I'm heading down there in September.

 

I rep flight simulator 2004. Always fly the money bravo

 

NICE! Sorry I missed ya, let me know when you come down again!

 

Looks like June right now, but I haven't received orders. Still anxiously waiting.

 

i see your stationed in clovis. i was thinking about bop'ing there because i used to work afsoc in england. i am assuming thats what you do now?