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  1. Hopeful Hoya

    Naval Aviations "One" Problem...

    I don’t think anyone reasonable is arguing that NAS Lemoore can realistically go away, but the fact that it’s a “Master Jet Base” with one gate onto ops side, no parking whatsoever (I see younger Enlisted walking 20+ minutes in 110 degree heat in the summer), and a Subway in a double wide and a...
  2. Hopeful Hoya

    Naval Aviations "One" Problem...

    A JO from my fleet tour had a theory about retention, and it basically boiled down to three things (for Pilots specifically, from the single seat VFA perspective): 1) Poor compensation relative to the civilian sector 2) Poor duty locations 3) Lack of resources (NIPR laptops, personnel in terms...
  3. Hopeful Hoya

    Meridian MS rentals

    Like @FinkUFreaky said, a decent number of people live on base. That was more the married studs. When I was there (~4 years ago) most of the single studs lived on Dalewood, which is a lake 15 mins from base. It was always the party spot, lots of people had boats, etc. I didn’t live there but I...
  4. Hopeful Hoya

    Sergrad - How does it affect your career?

    My previous skipper (VFA) was a SERGRAD. I was also a SERGRAD, but for a relatively short duration due to T-45 Blade-Gate kicking off right as I finished the IUT. Has not impacted my career timing as of yet. It was super rewarding to be able to fly with students and teach, and a nice break...
  5. Hopeful Hoya

    Graduate school & Naval Aviator

    In VFA land, the only people I have seen do graduation education personally are prior to flight school (i.e. right out of USNA / ROTC) or post DH (FSEP / War College). One of my prior DH's is at Harvard Business School currently doing FSEP, not sure how "career enhancing" it is but guessing he...
  6. Hopeful Hoya

    War in Israel

    https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-military/2023/11/12/five-us-troops-killed-in-military-aircraft-crash-in-mediterranean-sea/ Helicopter crash during AR. 5 dead, RIP.
  7. Hopeful Hoya

    High Finance or Aviation - Fearful of making a choice I will regret.

    Is this what you’re talking about? https://cdn.phenompeople.com/CareerConnectResources/UAIUADUS/documents/UMPPGuide-1695909785051.pdf If so, seems interesting. Curious what the take of the guys/gals at the Show is.
  8. Hopeful Hoya

    F-35C transitions

    There's a number of factors. All I'll say is that F-35C is very in-demand in the Navy right now, will continue to be, and there will be some interesting things coming down the road in the next few years. VFA-86 is just beginning to start their transition as well.
  9. Hopeful Hoya

    VFA or VAQ?

    It’s going to depend on what Y connector they use on your comm cord. If you ask the PRs at the squadron they should know. I haven’t seen an ACCES cord so I’m not sure if it uses the same connector as CEPs or not.
  10. Hopeful Hoya

    Random Griz Aviation Musings

    Because PAOs are so good at recognizing the differences between different T/M/S's ;)
  11. Hopeful Hoya

    Flight School backed up

    Until they change your commitment to wings + 10…
  12. Hopeful Hoya

    Navy JTACs/FSOs

    I've known a few dudes in VFA land who have done the JTAC thing as a JO, but they're all senior O-4s or O-5s at this point. Right now, between flight school delays and being undermanned, they're having enough issues filling flying billets, so as a VFA JO the expectation is to essentially be on...
  13. Hopeful Hoya

    CVN 70 F-35 ramp strike mishap report

    I think if you have access to RMI and can read the SIR, you'll see that the AMB really did try and dig into the issue(s) of why we had this mishap, beyond what the MP did/did not do that caused the aircraft to hit the ramp. I may be in the minority on this, but I really don't lament the loss of...
  14. Hopeful Hoya

    CVN 70 F-35 ramp strike mishap report

    If dudes are getting shot at while in the stack during the next conflict, WW2 style, then things have seriously gotten punted at several different levels. What will be interesting to see is if the SHB ban means no longer being allowed to break at the stern. Can you break at the stern at 350kts...
  15. Hopeful Hoya

    CVN 70 F-35 ramp strike mishap report

    Physically, he’s fine. Seat and all of the survival equipment worked per design. Like the JAGMAN said, he kept his wings but is no longer in a flying billet.
  16. Hopeful Hoya

    IFR training

    For the Navy at least, prior civilian time doesn't really matter for selection. Once you get to flight school I believe they will waive certain events based on your prior training, which boosts your NSS (the score that factors into what platform you eventually select). I would say there's a big...
  17. Hopeful Hoya

    The Great Flight Jacket Thread (wearing/buying Leather, NOMEX, WEP jackets/patches)

    I have never seen anyone in the Fleet rocking a brown undershirt with a green flight suit (at least in VFA land). Not saying you can’t, but at best I would expect some sideways glances. Stick with black and you’ll be fine.
  18. Hopeful Hoya

    Flight School backed up

    At least as of a couple of years ago you get it at some point while you're in the RAG.
  19. Hopeful Hoya

    What did you get from Santa for Christmas 2020?

    That’s the wrong variant @ChuckMK23! At least the variant and picture match up, even the JPO and the Navy screw that up more than you would think ?
  20. Hopeful Hoya

    T-6B Advanced (JAPT)

    I'm sure some on here will have a better idea of manning in the NAE, but I know PERS has been playing with people's orders lengths both for first sea and first shore in order to create enough time prior to MSR to get them a Super JO tour. I would imagine this is being done to plug what they see...
  21. Hopeful Hoya

    T-6B Advanced (JAPT)

    The MCG says they'll do the FITU as a follow on. In the T-45, you do an abbreviated FITU syllabus as a SERGRAD, it wouldn't surprise me if they institute a similar waiver for the T-6 SERGRADs. This may be an incorrect assumption, but don't FAIPs do the full T-38 or T-1 syllabus before going...
  22. Hopeful Hoya

    T-6B Advanced (JAPT)

    Sounds like CNATRA is hurting for IPs right now. They're also pulling dudes from the fleet with prior T-45 IP quals on 180 day TAD orders back to the VT-Js. Guessing this is maybe to give dudes something to do if they select Strike and there's a large pool due to the T-45 engine issues. The...
  23. Hopeful Hoya

    Jonny Kim solos the T-6

    Sure, no one is saying that every SN entering the Navy is going to end up as an Astronaut, but I think LCDR Kim is an excellent example of how you can use the myriad of benefits that the military offers (and generally does a very poor job of communicating said opportunities to Sailors) to better...
  24. Hopeful Hoya

    Flight School backed up

    No, it's the fiscal year that you commissioned in (which starts in October). So if you commissioned in Oct 2022 or later, you are YG23.
  25. Hopeful Hoya

    Which watch?

    Both my CO and myself have the previous gen GMT Batman (116710BLNR). I’ve been wearing it near daily for almost 6 years and it’s been bullet proof. Either a GMT or a Sub would be an awesome watch to pass down. I have small wrists and the 40mm GMT fits me fine. Unless you are going for a...
  26. Hopeful Hoya

    Air Force v.s. Navy Culture Differences

    Nope, think basic JMPS waypoints with a lat/long/elevation. Flying locally it isn’t much of an issue, but if you want to go on the road you essentially need to mission plan the route and expected waypoints to have them in the jet, since there is no RNAV database like the Super Hornet has. And if...
  27. Hopeful Hoya

    Air Force v.s. Navy Culture Differences

    You a Rhino dude? We recently got iPads with ForeFlight turned back on in JSF land. Happy to provide our SOPs if it will give you guys something to press the Wing on it.
  28. Hopeful Hoya

    Little known / experimental aircraft

    As @sevenhelmet said, I would argue that there are platforms that have more capability in terms of ordnance, weapons carried, and training/proficiency with A/S fires if we are plinking JDAMs from the CAS stack in a permissive environment.
  29. Hopeful Hoya

    Little known / experimental aircraft

    There is no reason an F-35 should ever have external stores, and if that is what the USAF and USMC are training to, that is a huge waste of time and resources. It's the equivalent of buying a racing-based Porsche or Ferrari model and only using it to drive your kid to school.
  30. Hopeful Hoya

    Flight School backed up

    It'll be interesting to see how the attrition numbers change as they shift initial CQ to the FRS. It's certainly easier to fly a good pass in a fleet jet with PLM, but having to do that for the first time, while dealing with all of the admin of getting to/from the boat (as opposed to being...
  31. Hopeful Hoya

    USN Electronic NATOPs jacket, how to access after you're out?

    I highly recommend the Sheppard Air gouge as well. Spend a night or two studying it and you'll have no issues with the exam.
  32. Hopeful Hoya

    Lemoore Oceana or Miramar

    Who knows. If you go east coast generally they do Med and 5th fleet deployments. But dude please don’t be picking which coast you go to based on what would happen in a highly improbable wartime scenario instead of things that will actually impact your life during the next 4 years.
  33. Hopeful Hoya

    Lemoore Oceana or Miramar

    VFA between the two coasts is pretty homogenous now days as far as culture and mission sets go. I'd say the bigger differences are QOL and culture between the single seat and two seat communities.
  34. Hopeful Hoya

    What is the state of the dual designator program?

    He is talking about the Aeromedical Dual Designator (AMDD) Program, which means you are essentially on Active Duty as a Naval Aviator while dual designated as a Flight Surgeon. Program Authorization I don't have much info on the current program, except to say that one of the guys I went...
  35. Hopeful Hoya

    Which watch?

    Any news on the custom Speedster from Hook? Was hoping for an Omega booth and some details but didn't come across anything. It was great to see IWC there, they had an awesome booth.
  36. Hopeful Hoya

    Urinalysis regs

    That's what happens when you try to be helpful the Sunday of Tailhook weekend!
  37. Hopeful Hoya

    Urinalysis regs

    I just checked my logbooks, I finished Primary with ~80 hours in the T-6, and at the end of Advanced I had roughly 160 hours in the T-45. All in all, between the additional time I had as a flying stash while waiting for the NOBOGS backup to clear and a short stint as a SERGRAD, I left the...
  38. Hopeful Hoya

    Flight School backed up

    Don't worry, flight school is just prepping you for when you end up in Lemoore and weather cancel every day from late November to early February because of the fog...
  39. Hopeful Hoya

    F-117 Retired??

    If you haven't read it yet, Ben Rich's book Skunk Works is an excellent read from the man who came up under Kelly Johnson on the U-2 and SR-71 and was the driving force behind Have Blue and the F-117.
  40. Hopeful Hoya

    Random Griz Aviation Musings

    TACAIR is slowly starting to get EFBs again. My squadron is now using iPads with Foreflight.
  41. Hopeful Hoya

    New Retired ID...

    I’ve personally seen it at Fresno, LGA, DCA, CLT, and a couple of other places.
  42. Hopeful Hoya

    How long does it take to class-up

    A bunch of guys roughly my timeline in VFA land are even being pulled from their sea tours early, so they have enough time to do a 24 month shore tour and then a super JO tour.
  43. Hopeful Hoya

    New Retired ID...

    On a related note, has anyone had an issue using new CACs at the TSA checkpoint? The last few times I’ve flown the machine has rejected it, and according to to the agent on duty they’ve been having problems with newer CACs. I’ve ended up having to use my (non-Real ID) PA drivers license each time.
  44. Hopeful Hoya

    Ejection Seat Groundings?

    Think you probably saw the Marines, thankfully my squadron is ashore and not on das Boat...
  45. Hopeful Hoya

    Ejection Seat Groundings?

    It seems to affect most, if not all, T/M/S’s that use MB seats. My squadron has been at a large multi-service exercise for the past few weeks, and it’s been interesting to see how this rolled like a slow wave over many of the participants.
  46. Hopeful Hoya

    Growler "Golden Path"

    Not to mention that the 35B doesn’t have the on-station legs required to fill the EW requirement for more than a small time slice of a mission.
  47. Hopeful Hoya

    Single-Pilot KC-46 ops in INDOPACOM?

    F-35 has dual FADECs on its engine. If one fails that is a no-shitter for us (especially if it was caused by the fuel being too hot and overheating the FADEC). It basically drives us to a flameout profile since if the second FADEC fails the engine will flameout with no manual backup available...
  48. Hopeful Hoya

    So long HGU-55/P

    With F-35 gear you just wear a G-suit and a full-sleeved survival "jacket" that has anti-flail arm restraints on the sleeves. We also have hot weather gear, where you wear a special flight suit that has the arm restraints built in, and you just need to wear a survival vest over it. Very clutch...
  49. Hopeful Hoya

    So long HGU-55/P

    It still blows my mind how antiquated the F-18/T-45 gear setup is compared to the modern USAF harness. When I moved to F-35 gear (with no pilot-worn harness) it was an absolute revelation.
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