Jonny Kim solos the T-6

[Gatordev]

We do have two. The more recent guy was definitely a HAC before leaving. I have seen his records. The other guy...not so much. Someone who used to be here on AW actually knew the guy I am talking about and filled me in on his story.

Has anyone ever done a solo overnight in a T-34? Heck, I know a guy who got lost during the day x-country solo which was just a big circle around Corpus. The idea of giving someone in a T-34 from VT-27 the opportunity to get lost for days at a time is hard to imagine. Not impossible, but very unlikely for the time period.

I'm glad to hear there's two. I work with the other guy, which is how I know of him (and his record). LAMPS is too small, and I'm guessing your time frame (and your other guy) are somewhere around my sea daddies' time frames. I'm not going to lie, I'm curious about the name of the guy in question and if I know of him.

There's no reason or time in the syllabus to do an overnight solo. Every solo required a check ride prior to that solo, even if the check ride was the same day. I agree, doesn't sound right.

 

[Hair Warrior]

he did 30 years in the USMC but because he was not happy with the government has declined to take any retirement

If you don’t like the government, wouldn’t you want to get money away from the government so the government can’t spend it on what you perceive to be unnecessary spending? Heck, donate it to a charity of your choice. Whatevs, it’s his nickel; ride the ride how you want.

There is also the guy that was a USAF pilot but was told in flight school he was too valuable to move on and so he stayed at flight school teaching others and then finished out his service

This is apparently common in the USAF. Top students coming out of initial schools will get asked to stay at the schoolhouse and be an instructor for their first tour. Happens to pilots and other career fields alike. It’s not supposed to be permanent/ terminal, but sounds like maybe it was for that guy.

 

[Swanee]

This is apparently common in the USAF. Top students coming out of initial schools will get asked to stay at the schoolhouse and be an instructor for their first tour. Happens to pilots and other career fields alike. It’s not supposed to be permanent/ terminal, but sounds like maybe it was for that guy.

FAIPs are like SERGRADs in the jet community, but there are a lot more FAIPs, and from what I understand, it's a pretty crummy assignment. Maybe he lost his ability to hold a security clearance? That's the only reason I could see for keeping someone. That's not so much as a matter of importance but a matter of serving out his winging commitment which was probably only 6 years back then.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

If you don’t like the government, wouldn’t you want to get money away from the government so the government can’t spend it on what you perceive to be unnecessary spending? Heck, donate it to a charity of your choice. Whatevs, it’s his nickel; ride the ride how you want.

This is apparently common in the USAF. Top students coming out of initial schools will get asked to stay at the schoolhouse and be an instructor for their first tour. Happens to pilots and other career fields alike. It’s not supposed to be permanent/ terminal, but sounds like maybe it was for that guy.

Pretty sure the guy that said he was a Marine was lying about something, a few of us are wondering if something didn't happen that caused him to lose his retirement eligibility.

I think what raised eyebrows with a few that were in the USAF was that he was put in a Supply role for his last assignment.

 

[Notanaviator]

Pretty sure the guy that said he was a Marine was lying about something, a few of us are wondering if something didn't happen that caused him to lose his retirement eligibility.

“I lost my faith in the government when they determined that I shouldn’t receive my retirement.” There you have it!

 

[jollygreen07]

from what I understand, it's a pretty crummy assignment.

FAIPs are rarely happy about that assignment on drop night, but many go on to have very successful careers.

 

[Flash]

Pretty sure the guy that said he was a Marine was lying about something, a few of us are wondering if something didn't happen that caused him to lose his retirement eligibility.

Yeah, the only reason you could lose your retirement is if you are convicted of espionage or treason along with a few others apparently. (EDIT: Retired pay can also be suspended for several reasons.) Someone who is retirement eligible can choose to resign from the military and not retire with pay but that is exceptionally rare for obvious reasons. So the guy is probably just plain lying or still paying off his 23.99% loan on that sweet Mustang along with alimony to his three ex-wives.

I think what raised eyebrows with a few that were in the USAF was that he was put in a Supply role for his last assignment.

The USAF can be kind of funny with how they dole out jobs and commands sometimes, I had a buddy who commanded an Audiovisual squadron as a B-1 pilot.

 

[ea6bflyr]

The USAF can be kind of funny with how they dole out jobs and commands sometimes, I had a buddy who commanded an Audiovisual squadron as a B-1 pilot.

What the hell is an Audiovisual squadron? In charge of sims?

edit: found the answer: Public Affairs…..??

 

[insanebikerboy]

The USAF can be kind of funny with how they dole out jobs and commands sometimes, I had a buddy who commanded an Audiovisual squadron as a B-1 pilot.

The AF does is differently though. You can be offered a command like that and decline it without it it hurting your career. If he was commanding that squadron he willingly took the assignment.

 

[Griz882]

The AF does is differently though. You can be offered a command like that and decline it without it it hurting your career. If he was commanding that squadron he willingly took the assignment.

Just out of curiosity, does the AF view both commands with equal weight? For example, will this guy ever be able to command a B-1 wing or is he doomed to audiovisual duties for the rest of his career?

 

[jmcquate]

will this guy ever be able to command a B-1 wing

Don't think Bones are long for this world, so AV club it is.

 

[Griz882]

Don't think Bones are long for this world, so AV club it is.

I intended my question to be viewed more broadly…but we’ll played.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Just out of curiosity, does the AF view both commands with equal weight? For example, will this guy ever be able to command a B-1 wing or is he doomed to audiovisual duties for the rest of his career?

That’s a great question and I don’t have the answer. I would guess the answer is it’d probably be really hard for said AV club member…err, commander, to go on to command a B-1 wing. That’s 100% speculation on my part.

What I have seen is wings commanded by guys who are not native to the platforms on the base. Aka, a C-5 guy commanded a tanker wing, or a non-recce guy commanding a recce wing.

 

[Flash]

The AF does is differently though. You can be offered a command like that and decline it without it it hurting your career. If he was commanding that squadron he willingly took the assignment.

It got him back in the cockpit, so he was more than willing to do it.

That’s a great question and I don’t have the answer. I would guess the answer is it’d probably be really hard for said AV club member…err, commander, to go on to command a B-1 wing. That’s 100% speculation on my part.

He knew it wasn't going to lead to anything bigger or better command-wise down the road but he still happily took it as it gave him a chance to fly and was close to a twilight tour near to where he wanted to settle after retiring from the USAF.

What I have seen is wings commanded by guys who are not native to the platforms on the base. Aka, a C-5 guy commanded a tanker wing, or a non-recce guy commanding a recce wing.

Or an intel guy without any real flight experience commanding a recce wing, that went as well as could be expected though the USAF was impressed enough to eventually make him a 3-star.

 

[insanebikerboy]

Or an intel guy with any real flight experience commanding a recce wing, that went as well as could be expected though the USAF was impressed enough to eventually make him a 3-star.

With the current state of manning, especially at the O-6 level, I won’t be surprised to see more wings like this. I think the current selection rate to O-6 in the AF is 65%. A lot of guys don’t want to deal with the O-6 level of bureaucracy, especially pilots who can retire as an O-5 and get an airline job. It’ll be interesting to see how the next several years go.