Hey Hampton!!!! John!!!!!

[CSR_Admin]

Anybody else getting wood? Hampton, what I would do to be in your shoes for a day! Problem get vomit all over the canopy, but it would be fun!!!!!

 

[sea salt]

Now...tell the truth John....do you get sick on a roller coaster at the amusement park........great stuff!!!

 

[Hampton]

Now...tell the truth John....do you get sick on a roller coaster at the amusement park........great stuff!!!

I don't stay awake long enough to find out - JK, sort of. I think they're kind of fun, but only if you can run up the ramp and jump to the front of the line. Definately not worth the wait.

For those of you who would trade places - I appreciate the thoughts, but see the link on what it took to get there before you see the grass as greener. That being said, having paid my dues, I'm quite comfortable in the seat which I sit these days. Like my Grandfather said on his death bed, "I don't see what the big deal is...you know....life. Given the chance, I wouldn't go back and do it over again."

I think I would go back and pick up about where I am now, but I would definately not go back and start over in pilot training!

One other thought: A standard mission begins with pre-flight planning which can be as little as an hour prior to brief for a basic mission to 2 or 3 days prior for a large force employment operation. Generally, mission planning begins 2 - 3 hours prior to brief. Briefing starts 2+15 prior to takeoff for most missions. Once that starts, don't plan on eating for about 4 hours. Coordination briefing (with adversaries) takes 15 minutes. The next 5 minutes is spent with your ground radar operators, if any. The next 12 minutes is administrative; Start, min equipment required, taxi, takeoff, departure, planned formations, required checks, airspace, then after the Knock it Off, the rejoin, battle damage checks, RTB (return to base) plan, types of patterns (tactical initial, instruments...) and the martialing plan once back on the ground and debrief time. In that 12 minutes you also cover the threat brief (Mig-29...), Wx, Special Interest Items, G-tolerance, Emergency Operations, Out-of-Control procedures, and other administrivia.

The next 48 minutes are dedicated to the tactical aspect of the day's mission. Then, 10 minutes to get suited up and meet at the Ops desk, 20 minutes to get to the jet, pre-flight, and start. 15 minutes to program the jet (extremely complicated), 15 minutes to taxi out, get armed up, and in position for takeoff, takeoff and fly about 1 hour, 10 minutes up to a few hours with a tanker, then, after landing, about 30 minutes to park, post flight, debrief maintenance, get inside and fill out the post-flight paperwork, then, usually 1 hour to review your own tapes and prepare for the mass debrief. Mass debrief (with everyone involved) lasts about 1 hour, then, 10 minutes to eat and get a drink, then usually 1.5 - 2 hours to debrief your own flight. Operationally, this can take several hours to a couple of days for complicated upgrade missions. For students, you get the dazed look after about 2 hours, and he can't absorb anymore, so I pick 3 main points, hammer them home, then cut him loose. After that, about 20 - 30 minutes to document his progress in the training folder, then I'm free to execute my other duties, whether that be squadron scheduler, Senior Operations Duty Officer in the AOC (me), Stan Eval pilot, snack bar officer, life support officer, academic training, wing scheduler, safety, operations officer, squadron commander, training officer,... You get the point. Most missions take 7 - 9 hours of intense work. It can get old, but you have to keep your eye on the goal.