calling all fixed wing marine pilots

[FLY_USMC]

Since nobody except the great sperm killer SemperGumbi got my sarcasm, I don't get it either.

In real life, I don't give an F what you flew, if you're my friend, I'm totally going to give you shit about what you fly, no matter what it is.

I'm starting to wonder about you rotary-wing types, ya'll seem to cut the ribbing off at the pass, which is starting to make me wonder

 

[phrogpilot73]

Since nobody except the great sperm killer SemperGumbi got my sarcasm, I don't get it either.

In real life, I don't give an F what you flew, if you're my friend, I'm totally going to give you shit about what you fly, no matter what it is.

I'm starting to wonder about you rotary-wing types, ya'll seem to cut the ribbing off at the pass, which is starting to make me wonder

I got your sarcasm as well... Truth be told, I don't give a shit what anyone else flies either - I had fun flying the Phrog, the rest of you can get bent!

You shouldn't need to wonder - only jet guys are gay.

 

[Bolter]

I certainly don't remember being a 2nd Lt and ever getting this many officers into a pissing content. Derek, my hat (or my "cover" I should say), is off to you my friend!

 

[SemperGumbi]

Since nobody except the great sperm killer SemperGumbi got my sarcasm

You're gonna make me blush.

 

[Harrier Dude]

You're talking out of your ass.

First, you say that you "fly single seaters (harriers)." Yet your profile says that you're in Meridian flying the T-45C. That's not a Harrier.

Why do you have to bust the kids balls? He probably hasn't updated his profile since he selected (Congrats, by the way).

Second, just because you're in intermediate/advanced doesn't mean you'll make it to the fleet as a Harrier pilot. And if you do make it to the fleet as a Harrier pilot, it doesn't mean you'll stay a Harrier pilot. I've got a buddy that is an Intel officer now. Note to future Harrier pilots - don't try to taxi with the nozzles full forward.

Now look who's talking out his ass....

BTW, his nozzles were down, not forward. Huge difference. I was there as an IP when this happened.

Once Harrier/F-18 bubbas return home, they're home doing whatever training it is they do.

And you would know this how?

Helo guys come home, and do their training but then - Oh shit, there's a Hurricane. I didn't see many Harriers flying in support of Katrina, but I saw a shitload of Phrogs/Shitters. That's on top of their normal training, and oh-by-the-way - not flying from their home duty station.

This happens ALL the time, right?

My point was that the young man in question needs to realize that no matter what, it's a very real possibility that he's going to fly helos if he joins the gun club. Even if he's dead set on jets.

Concur. But the candidate in question had a question about fixed wing pilots. Let's just let him ask it and move on.

Ask the guys that selected with me out of Primary - no jet slots that week. 4 guys selected, all had jet grades - all got helos. Good for me and my buddy, since it was my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice and it was his 3rd (Space Shuttle and SR-71 were his first two). Not as good for the other two guys.

Why does EVERY SINGLE Phrog pilot have this exact same story? I'm just curious.

From personal observation both in real life and on this site, it would appear that 90% of candidates and TBS 2ndLts want jets. 99% of Phrog guys say they've wanted Phrogs since OCS. You do the math.

Oh, and lighten up Francis.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Why do you have to bust the kids balls? He probably hasn't updated his profile since he selected (Congrats, by the way).

I was busting his balls because he hasn't updated his profile. Being that he's selected Harriers, congratulations.

Now look who's talking out his ass....

BTW, his nozzles were down, not forward. Huge difference. I was there as an IP when this happened.

Here's how the genesis of bad gouge happens: I came back from my first deployment, I looked up my buddy from TBS on the GAL, figuring he was done with the FRS by now. I see that he's an intel officer. I shoot him an email and ask him what happened, and he understandably doesn't want to talk about it. Fast forward a couple of months, and some buddies and I are having a barbecue. One of them (a former WSO) says "Did you hear about X", I respond "yeah, what happened", and our other buddy (a Harrier guy) says "it was a bunch of things that culminated in him trying to taxi with his nozzles forward." Not being a Harrier guy, I took it as being true. I apologize.

And you would know this how?

This happens ALL the time, right?

I don't know what Harrier guys do when they come home. Hence why I said "whatever training it is they do." No, thankfully things like Katrina don't happen all the time. However, 2 months after my first deployment we were in Haiti with Hueys (no Harriers/Hornets there), and 1 month after my second deployment we were in N.O. for Katrina with Shitters (again, no Harriers/Hornets). When you eliminate all the standard schools that the Wing supports (WTI, TACP, etc...) and just look at normal day-to-day frags, alot of them require us to be on the road (G-8 summit support, TBS Frags, etc...) whereas a good portion of the ones for Harriers/Hornets can be supported from their home base. It's just the nature of the beast because of our range. You can hardly refer to it as a "normal" life though. Nothing in the Marine Corps is normal.

Concur. But the candidate in question had a question about fixed wing pilots. Let's just let him ask it and move on.

I'm willing to move on. I stand by my assertion that I could probably answer just about any question this kid had (with the exception of what's it "feel like", in which case I'd be willing to bet that he'd be disappointed when he was put in touch with a C-130 guy). Becuase my job sucks and I have a lot of free time here, I am more than willing to talk to any candidate. And if he does ask the what's it feel like question - my response would be "I have no idea, I've got some buddies I can put you in touch with, but I can tell you that you'll love whatever you fly. You could be told to fly a dishwasher with wings, and by the end of it - you'll be proclaiming that dishwasher is the best damn thing in the world to fly."

Why does EVERY SINGLE Phrog pilot have this exact same story? I'm just curious.

From personal observation both in real life and on this site, it would appear that 90% of candidates and TBS 2ndLts want jets. 99% of Phrog guys say they've wanted Phrogs since OCS. You do the math.

I guess I'm part of the 1%. I won't lie - I wanted Harriers in TBS. Right around FAM 3, I told my on-wing that I was seriously considering helos. He sent me to South Field to link up with a buddy of his who was FCF'ing that day, and I got a ride. Came back with a huge grin that couldn't be wiped off my face to this day.

As for the guy that put Space Shuttle, SR-71, Helos on his selection card? He surprised us too. As long as I knew him (API), he said he wanted Phrogs. Come selection time, he picked Cobras...

Oh, and lighten up Francis.

Don't call me Francis.

 

[FLY_USMC]

I still want Harriers.....someday....someday.

 

[Frumby]

Geez! Did I click on the Air Force forum? It doesn't make a damn bit of difference what you fly, if your CO is a tool then you probably hate your community.

Semper Fly,
Frumby

 

[bradler]

Good info... I am Candidate at OCS right now and I still have a lot of questions. If any of you are willing to talk to this candidate about the flying community PM me. I have been getting a sh!t load of ground kool-aid and grunts telling me don't get to comfortable in the cockpit cause most likely you next tour will be a FAC or a B billet as a OSO. Kind of has me guessing if I am in the right spot. Please PM and I will call you next weekend when we get Liberty. Probably Saturday if not Sunday.

Background: Air contract, gung-ho getting here then hearing a lot of ugly stories about a pilots career and now doubting.

Thanks

 

[Raptor2216]

I can't stand the haters...it just shows how insecure THEY are. So frekin what if you have to do a desk job. At the end of the day, you are still a pilot and guess what, after that FAC tour you'll hop back into the cockpit and guess what else, you can still go fly after uncle sam puts a stop to the flight pay.

You should ask the ground pounders when they start their flying tour...oh wait, they don't cuz that's right, they never go to flight school.

Good info... I am Candidate at OCS right now and I still have a lot of questions. If any of you are willing to talk to this candidate about the flying community PM me. I have been getting a sh!t load of ground kool-aid and grunts telling me don't get to comfortable in the cockpit cause most likely you next tour will be a FAC or a B billet as a OSO. Kind of has me guessing if I am in the right spot. Please PM and I will call you next weekend when we get Liberty. Probably Saturday if not Sunday.

Background: Air contract, gung-ho getting here then hearing a lot of ugly stories about a pilots career and now doubting.

Thanks

 

[phrogdriver]

Good info... I am Candidate at OCS right now and I still have a lot of questions. If any of you are willing to talk to this candidate about the flying community PM me. I have been getting a sh!t load of ground kool-aid and grunts telling me don't get to comfortable in the cockpit cause most likely you next tour will be a FAC or a B billet as a OSO. Kind of has me guessing if I am in the right spot. Please PM and I will call you next weekend when we get Liberty. Probably Saturday if not Sunday.

Background: Air contract, gung-ho getting here then hearing a lot of ugly stories about a pilots career and now doubting.

Thanks

Those guys are talking out their ass, at least on this one subject. It's likely that most of the pilots they've come into contact with ARE FACs, because those are the ones ground officers come into contact with. Your B-billet may be one of those things, but it will just as likely be flight school or FRS instructor. There are plenty of career options for pilots, most of them involve mostly flying, some don't. The better you do as you progress in the Corps, the more likely the choice will be up to you. I've been in just under 13 years, and exept for TBS, every billet since then has been either flight training of some type or a flying billet.

 

[FlyMikeFly]

It is entertaining to read over a thread like this, after it's all said and done. I just imagine this discussion taking place in reality, sitting at a bar or at a table. I wonder at what point someone would have thrown a temper tantrum and left? Keep it going gentlemen!

 

[phrogpilot73]

It is entertaining to read over a thread like this, after it's all said and done. I just imagine this discussion taking place in reality, sitting at a bar or at a table. I wonder at what point someone would have thrown a temper tantrum and left? Keep it going gentlemen!

Don't know about the pointy-nose bubbas, but in rotor trash world (at least among the Phrog guys), there would be no temper tantrums. It would end along the lines of "Fuck you, it's your turn to buy a round." or "Moocher, you cheap bastard, are you EVER going to buy a round?"

I think the skid guys would just start a bar fight among themselves. I once saw a patch on a skid det that said "Yes, we hate each other. But we hate you more."

 

[FlyMikeFly]

Don't know about the pointy-nose bubbas, but in rotor trash world (at least among the Phrog guys), there would be no temper tantrums. It would end along the lines of "Fuck you, it's your turn to buy a round." or "Moocher, you cheap bastard, are you EVER going to buy a round?"

I think the skid guys would just start a bar fight among themselves. I once saw a patch on a skid det that said "Yes, we hate each other. But we hate you more."

That's funny. So is it just a friendly "sibling rivalry" type of competition between pilots of different platforms or is it as cutthroat as it always seems?

 

[phrogpilot73]

So is it just a friendly "sibling rivalry" type of competition between pilots of different platforms or is it as cutthroat as it always seems?

You hit the nail on the head about sibling rivalry... Phrog burn excluded, we have a huge amount of respect for each other, don't be the grunt that tries to weigh in 'cause even us Phrog guys will kick his ass if he talks bad about the jet fags.