I've talked to some AF guys about this and they certainly agree. From what I'm told, pilots run the AF and I even heard a story today that some of them "jokingly" wear t-shirts that say "if you aren't a pilot you aren't shit" which apparently many of them believe. It's definitely a different outlook as to what being an Officer truly means compared to the Navy, but then again the Navy spends money on ships and the Marines focus on the ground support. Naturally the Air Force spends all their money on planes *shrug*
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31 things learned as a fighter pilot
- Thread starter Swanee
- Start date
I've talked to some AF guys about this and they certainly agree. From what I'm told, pilots run the AF and I even heard a story today that some of them "jokingly" wear t-shirts that say "if you aren't a pilot you aren't shit" which apparently many of them believe. It's definitely a different outlook as to what being an Officer truly means compared to the Navy, but then again the Navy spends money on ships and the Marines focus on the ground support. Naturally the Air Force spends all their money on planes *shrug*
The Air Force Caste System
So true. I worked daily with them when asigned to the Joint Tactical Air to Air Missile Office and they have a definite pecking order tied to Type/Model/Series and then based on rank and experience within that. A colonel I worked with was in positional authority over many of them but since he was a WSO to pilot transition and had only a star over his pilot wings and not a star and wreath, it was like he had a skeleton in his closet or something. Think there will ever be anyone else than a fighter pilot as Chief of Staff of USAF not to mention in any high ranking position especially wearing wings of a navigator? The fact that they treat their WSOs or "Navigators" like second class citizens should be no surprise. Only Navy and Marine Corps practices equal opportunity in that regard.
Decades ago the SAC bomber guys ruled the roost, then the fighter guys took over (hence the tenacious clinging to the argument that Raptor is top priority to expense of all else. Their pyramid of clout values air superiority above all other missions even when we don't see a threat in OIF or OEF. The light gray Eagle drivers put down the "Mud Hens" (dark gray two seat Strike Eagles) believing their mission is most pure of them all.
So true. I worked daily with them when asigned to the Joint Tactical Air to Air Missile Office and they have a definite pecking order tied to Type/Model/Series and then based on rank and experience within that. A colonel I worked with was in positional authority over many of them but since he was a WSO to pilot transition and had only a star over his pilot wings and not a star and wreath, it was like he had a skeleton in his closet or something. Think there will ever be anyone else than a fighter pilot as Chief of Staff of USAF not to mention in any high ranking position especially wearing wings of a navigator? The fact that they treat their WSOs or "Navigators" like second class citizens should be no surprise. Only Navy and Marine Corps practices equal opportunity in that regard.
Decades ago the SAC bomber guys ruled the roost, then the fighter guys took over (hence the tenacious clinging to the argument that Raptor is top priority to expense of all else. Their pyramid of clout values air superiority above all other missions even when we don't see a threat in OIF or OEF. The light gray Eagle drivers put down the "Mud Hens" (dark gray two seat Strike Eagles) believing their mission is most pure of them all.
BurghGuy
Master your ego, and you own your destiny.
Don't hate
We don't. Thats kind of the point I think.
31 things this guy learned as a "fighter" pilot ... ???
**Haruuummmph** He must have been a slow learner. Most of his "31 things" list should apply to "any" pilot. Just strike the word "fighter" from the list ....
I feel slighted. I only learned two things as an Adversary (*ahem* ... fighter) pilot:
1. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL ...
2. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR "6" ...
**Haruuummmph** He must have been a slow learner. Most of his "31 things" list should apply to "any" pilot. Just strike the word "fighter" from the list ....
I feel slighted. I only learned two things as an Adversary (*ahem* ... fighter) pilot:
1. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL ...
2. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR "6" ...
#32 on the list of things learned as a fighter pilot should be: We make movies. Attack pilots make history.
From my personal "things learned as a JO:"
1. Cruise: it only hurts when you're awake.
2. A letter of reprimand is better than no mail at all.
3. F*cking over the hired help: Not a good idea.
4. F*cking the hired help's wife: Worse idea.
5. Never turn down a trap or a cross country.
6. Khaki's make great pajamas during GQ.
7. JOPA rules.
8. No matter how much you drink, only the Air Force gets Alcohol Abuse Awards to hang in their O'Clubs.
From my personal "things learned as a Dept Head/CO:"
1. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
2. Why did the Ensign cross the road? Because his dick was stuck in the chicken.
3. It takes months and months to build a cohesive unit.
4. A cohesive unit can be flushed down the toilet in days, or less.
5. It is exponentially easier to screw the pooch than it is to unf*ck a screwup.
6. The media is never your friend.
7. JOPA rules.
From my personal "things learned as a JO:"
1. Cruise: it only hurts when you're awake.
2. A letter of reprimand is better than no mail at all.
3. F*cking over the hired help: Not a good idea.
4. F*cking the hired help's wife: Worse idea.
5. Never turn down a trap or a cross country.
6. Khaki's make great pajamas during GQ.
7. JOPA rules.
8. No matter how much you drink, only the Air Force gets Alcohol Abuse Awards to hang in their O'Clubs.
From my personal "things learned as a Dept Head/CO:"
1. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
2. Why did the Ensign cross the road? Because his dick was stuck in the chicken.
3. It takes months and months to build a cohesive unit.
4. A cohesive unit can be flushed down the toilet in days, or less.
5. It is exponentially easier to screw the pooch than it is to unf*ck a screwup.
6. The media is never your friend.
7. JOPA rules.
Generally, agreed. However, one night on the Connie, we trapped and the Boss came up, decks yours for multiple traps.....it was ass crack dark so no thank you. Actually could have been full moon with a horizon and being night, I would have said the same, no thank you
I'd rather make per diem.
The Air-to-Air world and the Air-to-Ground world are completely different in the AF (and the ANG; after all, the Guard has a lot of airplanes and a lot of squadrons). As has been stated before, the Light grays look down on the Dark grays, Vipers, and the Warthog drivers; But who are you going to take more seriously when they have 250 combat hours?
I can't understand the Viper community and their "I fly xx block; I'm better than your xx block." Pretty much all the Viper guys are fulfilling the same mission in combat.
I agree with the Raptor comment. Case in point, they proved it could drop a few JDAMs, so now it has a2g ability. Yet the fleet of A-10s is just getting around to the first major overhaul and they won't fund the re-engine program that has been around since the early 80s. They have tried to kill that airplane more than twice now, and each time it keeps coming back.
Zilch
This...is...Caketown!
F'd up, I think, considering it's probably the most useful tactical aircraft in their inventory...
So true. If it hadn't been for checks and balances in the Budget (POM) process and ACC had its way, the A-10 wouldn't have been around much past Desert Storm, but it earned its keep in combat. The fact that the Guard had it also helped as the Guard Bureau doesn't always toe the USAF party line because it gets its own NGRE funding line. The irony is the A-10 may outlast all the other "fighters". It's so rugged and simple that it just keeps going and going while being pretty effective and relevant to needs of folks on the ground (McPeak tried to give away the close air support mission during his tenure as Chief of Staff tot he point of offering aircraft to Army to take care of their own CAS needs and lack of love for the A-10 was a subset of that caper).
Same-o, same-o in the Navy ... not so different .... especially in the "old" days prior to the advent of VFA.
I had first-hand experience with that when I transitioned from VA to (quasi)VF ....Adversary ... I had to "prove" myself even though I was very experienced when I showed up to fly in the Reserves.
The best "street cred" seemed to be derived from being locked in some F-4's "6" and calling "tracking .... tracking ... tracking .... GUNS KILL". And pulling off with a barrel roll around his canopy.
Instant credibility with that particular crew.
Same-o, same-o in the Navy ... not so different .... especially in the "old" days prior to the advent of VFA.
I had first-hand experience with that when I transitioned from VA to (quasi)VF ....Adversary ... I had to "prove" myself even though I was very experienced when I showed up to fly in the Reserves.
The best "street cred" seemed to be derived from being locked in some F-4's "6" and calling "tracking .... tracking ... tracking .... GUNS KILL". And pulling off with a barrel roll around his canopy.
Instant credibility with that particular crew.
I have fortunately been able to well avoid this different-world-than-I-knew thread, 'til now.
But you now give me no choice!
And while I'm in agreement with what you post about the "old" days……….
It very much looks to me like there might be –
[Just to bring me out of the woodwork with your very unusual A-4 geometric positioning, overly dramatic and excessively descriptive "tracking.... tracking ... tracking .... GUNS KILL" F-4 kill 'fiction,' not to mention a later and unconscionable victory "barrel-roll" :icon_rage / ]
– some of this pictured below just to draw me into a posting on this subject, you wily old adversary :icon_wink :]
But no-sir, A4s! I'm not taking any of your Heineman Hot Rod Bait!
[As an ironic side note, a majority of the best fighter pilots of that day, flew an "atttack" and not a "fighter" aircraft - they flew the venerable and aggressive, A-4!]
skidz
adrenaline junky
I guess it could soon be called the energizer bunny instead of the warthog then. (insert appropiate smilie here) It makes no sense for them to devote everything they have to the -22, as air to air hasn't happened in what, a decade now?
As for the origonal post, I think everyone else covered it pretty well. Rieks of zoomie.