I read an article on Marinecorpstimes.com talking about the B making its first in-flight re-fueling off of a KC-130. At the end of the article it said something about the "training pipeline opening up in October 2009". Think there's any possibility dudes finishing up advanced soon get to select it?
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F-35b
- Thread starter dce4356
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I definitely think that is the case. I'm winging next week and haven't heard the slightest hint that it will be around by the start of next fiscal year. Probably another 2+ years until the studs can select it out of Advanced.
Having the first newly minted aviators show up at Eglin for the F-35B FRS is not far off! Concur with Bunk22 that the first to go through will be the IPs and fleet transition guys. The IOC (Initial Operational Capability) is still set for 2012, a date which seems to remain solid, so work backwards from there.
Here's an excerpt taken from MARADMIN 0347/09:
"B.2. F-35B FRS (VMFAT-501) SPECIFICS: PMOS OF 7509, 7523, OR 7543, COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, MINIMUM OF 500 HOURS IN T/M/S, DIVISION FLIGHT LEAD DESIGNATION (OR MISSION COMMANDER DESIGNATION FOR 7543 PMOS), AND DEMONSTRATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CAPABILITY AND EXPERIENCE. THIS INSTRUCTOR REQUIREMENT INCLUDES: PREVIOUS FRS OR CNATRA INSTRUCTOR EXPERIENCE, ANY MAWTS-1 OR SQUADRON DESIGNATED INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATION, AV-8B WEAPONS TRAINING OFFICER (WTO), OR TRAINING LANDING SIGNALS OFFICER (TLSO). WHILE THE TARGET POPULATION IS OFFICERS WITH LESS THAN 10 YCS AS OF 30 SEP 09, APPLICANTS WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 13 YCS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE CY10 BOARD INTENDS TO SELECT SIX PILOTS FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE F-35B FRS, VMFAT-501 AT EGLIN AFB.
B.3. F-35B OT&E DETACHMENT SPECIFICS: PMOS OF 7509, 7523, OR 7543, COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, MINIMUM OF 500 HOURS IN T/M/S, AND DIVISION FLIGHT LEAD DESIGNATION (OR MISSION COMMANDER DESIGNATION FOR 7543 PMOS). WHILE THE TARGET POPULATION IS OFFICERS WITH LESS THAN 10 YCS AS OF 30 SEP 09, APPLICANTS WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 13 YCS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE CY10 BOARD INTENDS TO SELECT ONE PILOT FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE F-35B OT&E DET AT EDWARDS AFB.
B.4. F-35B DCMA GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING REPRESENTATIVE AND ACCEPTANCE PILOT SPECIFICS: PMOS OF 7509, 7523, OR 7543, COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, AND GOVERNMENT FLIGHT REPRESENTATIVE, (GFR), MAINTENANCE OFFICER (MO) OR QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER (QAO) EXPERIENCE. ALL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE AN FCF QUALIFICATION. (INCLUDE TOTAL FCF HOURS IN APPLICATION.) THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THIS POSITION IS OFFICERS WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 16 YCS AS OF 30 SEP 09. THE CY10 BOARD INTENDS TO SELECT ONE PILOT FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE F-35B DCMA DET, LOCKHEED MARTIN, FORT WORTH, TEXAS."
Here's an excerpt taken from MARADMIN 0347/09:
"B.2. F-35B FRS (VMFAT-501) SPECIFICS: PMOS OF 7509, 7523, OR 7543, COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, MINIMUM OF 500 HOURS IN T/M/S, DIVISION FLIGHT LEAD DESIGNATION (OR MISSION COMMANDER DESIGNATION FOR 7543 PMOS), AND DEMONSTRATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CAPABILITY AND EXPERIENCE. THIS INSTRUCTOR REQUIREMENT INCLUDES: PREVIOUS FRS OR CNATRA INSTRUCTOR EXPERIENCE, ANY MAWTS-1 OR SQUADRON DESIGNATED INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATION, AV-8B WEAPONS TRAINING OFFICER (WTO), OR TRAINING LANDING SIGNALS OFFICER (TLSO). WHILE THE TARGET POPULATION IS OFFICERS WITH LESS THAN 10 YCS AS OF 30 SEP 09, APPLICANTS WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 13 YCS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE CY10 BOARD INTENDS TO SELECT SIX PILOTS FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE F-35B FRS, VMFAT-501 AT EGLIN AFB.
B.3. F-35B OT&E DETACHMENT SPECIFICS: PMOS OF 7509, 7523, OR 7543, COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, MINIMUM OF 500 HOURS IN T/M/S, AND DIVISION FLIGHT LEAD DESIGNATION (OR MISSION COMMANDER DESIGNATION FOR 7543 PMOS). WHILE THE TARGET POPULATION IS OFFICERS WITH LESS THAN 10 YCS AS OF 30 SEP 09, APPLICANTS WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 13 YCS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE CY10 BOARD INTENDS TO SELECT ONE PILOT FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE F-35B OT&E DET AT EDWARDS AFB.
B.4. F-35B DCMA GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING REPRESENTATIVE AND ACCEPTANCE PILOT SPECIFICS: PMOS OF 7509, 7523, OR 7543, COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, AND GOVERNMENT FLIGHT REPRESENTATIVE, (GFR), MAINTENANCE OFFICER (MO) OR QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER (QAO) EXPERIENCE. ALL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE AN FCF QUALIFICATION. (INCLUDE TOTAL FCF HOURS IN APPLICATION.) THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THIS POSITION IS OFFICERS WITH BETWEEN 10 AND 16 YCS AS OF 30 SEP 09. THE CY10 BOARD INTENDS TO SELECT ONE PILOT FOR ASSIGNMENT TO THE F-35B DCMA DET, LOCKHEED MARTIN, FORT WORTH, TEXAS."
Actually, work forwards from IOC. With the introduction of an entirely new airplane, it'll be a while before any CAT 1 studs get to Eglin, much longer before they're being produced in any quantity, and definitely not starting this year. That article had to be talking about training up the first cadre of IP's.
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