If the missile jockeys were willing to go all Slim Pickens with the missile, I think a flight suit would be warranted.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Aircraft
- Thread starter Davis
- Start date
If the missile jockeys were willing to go all Slim Pickens with the missile, I think a flight suit would be warranted.
I guess we take a different stance on what "earning" is. In the Marine Corps- I didn't earn my Eagle, Globe and Anchor until I completed OCS and commissioned. I didn't earn the right to be called an Officer of Marines until I completed TBS. I didn't earn my flight suit until I completed API academics and was put into a flight status. Sure a name patch with my name and wings on it are in a case on the wall at my squadron- but I won't have earned those until fly and pass my last flight in flight school.
I asked my little bro what he thinks about it. "It's kinda stupid to think we earned something other than our commission by graduating college and completing field training- but we've always done it so why not?"
But at the same time, if it makes them feel good about the AF and that's what it takes for them to have a sense of belonging then go for it.
No? Why? They weren't flying. Weren't in a training syllabus. Earned nothing. It was essentially a merit badge for being given a shot at AWACS, pilot, or wso wings. Stupid...plus the fact that they pinned glider wings on them without being glider qualed seemed extra retarded. Plus they wore ascots. All around big ball of douche once a week.
Switch to Marines.
Pray that God and the Commandant allow you to fly skids.
Problem solved.
Yes, it is an Air Force forum, but it is far from an equivalent to this site. Air Warriors will give you some crap, but you can typically get good answers. Flying Squadron is, well, ... something else.
I have not flown anything other than jets, but spent quite a bit of time with other communities. I'm of the opinion that many helicopters and jets have a similar lifestyle, just fly different aircraft. It is fast paced, tactically focused (for most of the airframes), and very busy. Speed is relative as helos can fly lower and in terrain that jets can't go interacting with threats/problems that are closer. Jets fly higher and faster, but deal with threats/problems that tend to be further away - both result in similar problem solving issues. So a helo and a jet end up with similar amounts of time to deal with their respective challenges in flight. I describe it best as a fluid environment that requires constant adaptation to the situation at hand.
Bombers and refuelers - they have a different lifestyle that also includes its own set of challenges, but they don't tend to be quite in the same "immediate" nature as helos and jets. They are more involved with time sensitive related missions, but are typically not operating in as fluid of an environment. Plan and execute. Do your best to be flexible (trust me, it is hard for them). There is less reacting on the fly, but it does happen.
Transports are airliners that wear military uniforms. You need to be able to ensure your plane is loaded properly and that flight planning is done. Your biggest challenge is handling in-flight related emergencies that are no more than any civilian pilot flying a big plane does.
Be as good as you can in flight school and you will have more options. Yes, the needs of the Navy/Marines/AF trump all, but the better you do, the more options you'll have. If you are dead last in your class you get stuck with what is left. If you have the choice then ask yourself these questions: How much of a challenge are you looking for in life? What kind of optempo/lifestyle are you looking for? Select as appropriate at that point.
Definitely going to agree with this. Now I wasn't even considering joining the military in college, but if I were wanting to at that time and didn't know anything about a flight suit and just got it handed to me, yeah out of ignorance, I'd probably take it.
However, knowing what I know now and taken the same situation and I was as knowledgeable about what it takes to even get through flight training, I agree with Scoolbubba. Getting the flight suit in API is a big deal, not gonna lie, but even then, you're a FNG in a flight suit. Still haven't been in a military aircraft or in military flight training really. It's not until you actually start Primary that you realize, "okay it definitely takes a shitload more than just wearing the bag, to earn the right to be called an Aviator." A flight suit doesn't make you a good Aviator or a good Officer.
Really? A thread like this and the guy whose tagline is "Obvious Troll" sends the hate huh?
Get back to your NATOPS and your CBTs, young Jedi.
Davis
Air Force Kid in a Navy Forum... Death Wish?
I don't understand why you are under the impression that cadets given pilot slots have no idea that "it definitely takes a shitload more than just wearing the bag." I haven't even been selected to join the Air Force yet, but I sure as hell know that flight school is a lot of studying, reading, and flying. I'm not ignorant and I understand that it takes an extreme amount of dedication to push through it. Of course I haven't experienced it yet, but that doesn't mean I don't know what it involves. And that definitely goes for the cadets who've been given a slot. Also, I never once argued that a flight suit makes you a good aviator or officer. Where did you even get that from? It's a flight suit. Simple as that. It's not like cadets are being given permission to take some F-16 out for a spin every now and then. It really is not that big of a deal, as you make it seem.
What, specifically, do you mean? I haven't been able to experience the AF one very much yet. I'm sure getting my experience in, here, though. I accidentally started an argument on flight suits, for crying out loud.
Thanks, though. You had a lot of good things to say. I appreciate it.
I don't understand why you are under the impression that cadets given pilot slots have no idea that "it definitely takes a shitload more than just wearing the bag." I haven't even been selected to join the Air Force yet, but I sure as hell know that flight school is a lot of studying, reading, and flying. I'm not ignorant and I understand that it takes an extreme amount of dedication to push through it. Of course I haven't experienced it yet, but that doesn't mean I don't know what it involves. And that definitely goes for the cadets who've been given a slot. Also, I never once argued that a flight suit makes you a good aviator or officer. Where did you even get that from? It's a flight suit. Simple as that. It's not like cadets are being given permission to take some F-16 out for a spin every now and then. It really is not that big of a deal, as you make it seem.
What, specifically, do you mean? I haven't been able to experience the AF one very much yet. I'm sure getting my experience in, here, though. I accidentally started an argument on flight suits, for crying out loud.
Thanks, though. You had a lot of good things to say. I appreciate it.
You're arguing for the AF on a Naval Aviation website.
AF gives you a flight suit through you college, Navy/USMC/USCG makes you earn it through the Aviation pipeline.
Davis
Air Force Kid in a Navy Forum... Death Wish?
Mhmm. I know I am. It's a challenge. Even about something as unimportant as when one is issued a flight suit.
I don't understand why you are under the impression that cadets given pilot slots have no idea that "it definitely takes a shitload more than just wearing the bag." I haven't even been selected to join the Air Force yet, but I sure as hell know that flight school is a lot of studying, reading, and flying. I'm not ignorant and I understand that it takes an extreme amount of dedication to push through it. Of course I haven't experienced it yet, but that doesn't mean I don't know what it involves. And that definitely goes for the cadets who've been given a slot. Also, I never once argued that a flight suit makes you a good aviator or officer. Where did you even get that from? It's a flight suit. Simple as that. It's not like cadets are being given permission to take some F-16 out for a spin every now and then. It really is not that big of a deal, as you make it seem.
What, specifically, do you mean? I haven't been able to experience the AF one very much yet. I'm sure getting my experience in, here, though. I accidentally started an argument on flight suits, for crying out loud.
Thanks, though. You had a lot of good things to say. I appreciate it.
My point is that it was retarded. You want to be in the AF? Wear your blues. Don't play pilot once a week. The flight suits just looked stupid considering the people wearing them (wirh ascots) weren't actually flying anything.
Look man, you came on here asking our opinions and we gave them to you. No its not a big deal and personally I dont really care, but you mentioned it and we, as those of us who have earned our flight suits (and many of the members who have earned FAR more important things than that)....but it wasn't just handed to us for getting accepted.....which essentially the equivalent of, "Congratulations, you finished high school, here is your automatic acceptance and graduation cap and gown for (insert whatever university you want here)." instead of taking the SATs and getting accepted and proving yourself like everyone else has to do. THAT is why we're saying....YES IT IS A BIG DEAL TO EVEN EARN A FLIGHT SUIT.
And the other side of that reasoning is this....MANY of my friends (and I'm assuming most of the other guys here will agree with this) who came down from OCS DID NOT make it through API to get their flight suits and/or flight gear. Or they didn't make it through Primary, etc. and had to give it back. It's a privilege to wear a flight suit and one that shouldn't just be handed out in my opinion. We started with 38 from OCS coming down to Pensacola almost 2 years ago. As of today, there are maybe 13 of us left that are currently either winged or in Advanced/RAG training.
Yes I knew that flight training was going to be hard and it would be difficult and I'd study alot too. However, I didn't REALLY REALLY understand until the clock started when I classed up for my first day of Primary. API? Yes, at the time it seemed hard and like it was a ton of studying...but comparing what I did then to now....those were the easy days. In my opinion, I know nothing about AF training but I know guys who didn't make it through the AF pipeline either and as much shit as I talk about the AF, any flight training program is difficult and there a ton involved; and I honestly don't think one can truly understand just what it takes to fly in the military until you're balls deep in it and have systems knowledge, ops limits, EPs, approach plates, low and high charts, fuel calcs, NATOPS, etc spewing from every orifice on a daily basis.
So forgive us if we don't necessarily agree with you or pat you on the back because you have a flight suit. Not trying to be a dick, but again, you asked our opinions and we gave it.