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Random Griz Aviation Musings

number9 said:
Is the event kid-friendly? My little guy is 19 months old.. might fun to make the drive up to check it out.
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Absolutely! It's an Aviation Family Day. Shouldn't even be too loud since its a static event this year. Couldn't get FAA approval for an aerobatics box.
 
Griz882 said:
Impressive…do guard units have that much access to flight school slots?
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Griz - Generally Guard and Reserve units "hire" to their complement. Other than transfers - this also involves being sent to OTS. Going the "Guard Baby" (or "Reserve Baby") route seems like a tremendous opportunity. Genrally, apply with a Bachelors degree and Private Pilot rating in hand and assuming you are a fit and interview well you are off to the races. AF manning in pilot training is a different animal - the production capacity and class assignments are what they are. Where as its typical for newly commissioned Navy and Marines to remain on active duty to get "stashed" or "pool", in AF land, if your UPT class-up is not imminent after commissioning (OTS, ROTC, etc) young Lt's are transferred to IRR unless they can work out some specific job or role. Ironically, many get "GS" type civillian jobs conveniently (we have quite a few here at WPAFB) until they are recalled to AD for UPT. Its a very different system. A lot of ANG and Reserve 2Lts go back to their respective units hometown and drill until their UPT slot comes available to class up. I think Navy and Marines treat newly commissioned far better.
 
Griz882 said:
Is there a chance CAP will utilize them?
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I wish! No chance unfortunately. The CAP fleet is in the hands of Textron thanks to their legislative affairs folks. CAP will take delivery of 30+ new aircraft over the coming months. Yingling Aviation does the mission package STC (who is also the vendor for a number of agencies that operate piston singles). The Caravan would be perfect for CAP if it was my choice.

The only military surplus aircraft CAP has received are the "Taliban Turbos". C182 Turbocharged that were procured for Afghan National Air Force pilot training. It was quite the discovery that operating with AVGAS in remote developing country was a bad idea. These aircraft were transferred to CAP, many still in AF Gray livery and serving today
 
IIRC we have a CAP liveried 182T coming Friday for the static display at our event this weekend. I asked for a GA-8 but apparently our wing's is already tasked for something else this weekend. I believe we have one of the haze grey airplanes in MAWG as well.
 
Quick shot from the pattern at MXF rwy 15. We did the full arc on the ILS DME 15 and then 6 stop and goes (3 for me in the right seat, 3 for my GS/retired C17 colleague in left seat). Dark hazy night thanks to all the crap in the air from the local paper mills. Super junior Airmen in the tower and we needed to request the lights get turned up for us old guys!

PXL_20230921_002748049.NIGHT.jpg

Edit - the pic makes it look much less dark than it was. Believe me it was dark. Phone did the enhancement. It was a JO kind of night.

Edit Edit. I am very grateful for this job/role ; it's been a great ride so far. I feel enormously fortunate.
 
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