Osprey crash in Darwin, 3 fatalities

[GroundPounder]

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No matter what your squadron, or group commander, or wing CG, or what the deputy commandant for aviation, says, THOSE HOURS ARE NOT OKAY.

There was a time when pilots got 1000 hours in their first tour. Those folks are wearing stars on their shoulders. That's the US military aviation arm that defeated the 5th largest military in the world (that was fresh off of a peer level conflict) in a matter of weeks. Those same folks are telling you that it's okay to get less than 100 a year, to not be able to have the hours to FCF an airplane on your first tour.


I've got some awesome bourbon from a recent trip to Louisville flowing through my veins right now, so I'll not type much more- but holy shit, stay safe. Your family values you a lot more than the Marine Corps ever will. Don't get yourself killed because you're trying to make your boss look good. Too many of our friends have done that already.

I wonder how much it would cost to get ya'll up to the actual minimum hours and maintenance standards. Would that figure be worth coming out of some of the foreign aid budget?

What better foreign aid could we promise a country other than " when you really need us, there will be a hellstorm of fully trained and maintained fighting men ( and women ) on the way "

 

[ChuckMK23]

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I wonder how much it would cost to get ya'll up to the actual minimum hours and maintenance standards. Would that figure be worth coming out of some of the foreign aid budget?

What better foreign aid could we promise a country other than " when you really need us, there will be a hellstorm of fully trained and maintained fighting men ( and women ) on the way "

The AF is addressing this for F-22 and some F-35 squadrons by colocation of AT-38s designed just for pilot proficiency.

The IPs for these jets are GS13's

 

[Roger_Waveoff]

The AF is addressing this for F-22 and some F-35 squadrons by colocation of AT-38s designed just for pilot proficiency.

The IPs for these jets are GS13's

I would kill to get some T-44s or even T-6s/T-34s in V-22 squadrons for the same purpose.

 

[whitesoxnation]

Your family values you a lot more than the Marine Corps ever will. Don't get yourself killed because you're trying to make your boss look good. Too many of our friends have done that already.

This - real talk.

How competently do you think we can fight a war with China if we can’t figure things out in peace time.

 

[whitesoxnation]

Standard color on any F35 hotboard is red, with yellow sprinkles. Plenty of 100 hr waivers as well. Marine Corps can't pony up cash for flying, for T/O, or by ever accepting a maintenance phase in the deployment cycle to try to get ahead of the power curve.

What does red and yellow correspond to?

 

[Roger_Waveoff]

What does red and yellow correspond to?

Hours per 30-day period. 15 or greater = green, 6-10 = yellow. 5 or fewer = red.

 

[bucka]

Hours per 30-day period. 15 or greater = green, 6-10 = yellow. 5 or fewer = red.

We use red below 10, yellow below 15. But same idea.

 

[Roger_Waveoff]

Margins are variable, what we use is red below 10, yellow below 15.

My bad, yeah the actual numbers can be both T/M/S and squadron specific.

 

[IKE]

My bad, yeah the actual numbers can be both T/M/S and squadron specific.

And, to be that guy, are probably/arguably CUI, although it's likely the Wing admin doesn't go through the pain of marking the SOP/training SOP.

 

[whitesoxnation]

We use red below 10, yellow below 15. But same idea.

Sheesh. I can understand mostly red and some yellow for certain squadrons in certain phases, but that should never be the standard across a MAG/CVW.

The difference between having >30 in the last 30, 15 in the last 30, and less than 10 in the last 30 is so noticeable between all three.

>30 - feel so good in the jet, like you’re on a drug
>15 - meh, I’m safe. Tactical hard deckish.
<10 - Night DCA in IMC with tanking? Need to focus on not getting spatial D and aborting into the water.

 

[taxi1]

Our sims are good, very good in fact, but like any other they are NO substitute for real stick time.

Only 120-130 hrs/year is scary little. For a new guy, there's no way to get really smooth at plain old aviating. To become one with the machine. Any machine.

What's the plan for using sims to maintain skills? Ratio of sim hours to real hours?

 

[Roger_Waveoff]

Only 120-130 hrs/year is scary little. For a new guy, there's no way to get really smooth at plain old aviating. To become one with the machine. Any machine.

What's the plan for using sims to maintain skills? Ratio of sim hours to real hours?

I don't currently work in Ops (nor have I ever), so I couldn't speak to any real plan. What I see on M-SHARP is anywhere from a 1:1 to a 3:1 sim hour-to-flight hour ratio.

I CAN say sim hours are now tracked in greater detail and receive greater attention than they used to be. My squadron Hotboard has a column for FY sim hours, not just flight hours. The daily Corrected includes them now, too.

Tangent off IKE's point about the numbers being CUI - damn shame because I would love to post a snip of our Hotboard to make a point about how bad it really is. Bottom line - it SUCKS to suck if you're not an NSI or WTI.

 

[HSMPBR]

My last squadron tracked sim hours closely. To make sure you had 50. To count for half your 100.

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