Some Broad-Scope P-3 Community Questions

[virtu050]

heard a rumor that the reason there has been a sudden 'draft' of p3's is because they are shutting down the pipeline (in primary) pretty soon? any truth to this?

 

[zab1001]

heard a rumor that the reason there has been a sudden 'draft' of p3's is because they are shutting down the pipeline (in primary) pretty soon? any truth to this?

shutting it down for how long? reasons? kind of a broad question.

they have shut down before, I selected maritime basically the week the pipeline opened back up after a 6 month gap years ago.

 

[virtu050]

my buddy said something along the lines of wanting to have exactly the number of pilots as there are seats in the remaining planes.. and then shutting down the p-3 pipeline.. he's in P-3 NFO training in San Antonio and I guess an instructor told him this.

 

[zab1001]

considering they're gonna need new pilots until at least 2009-2011, I'd say shutting down the pipeline permanently is purely rumor. They aren't just gonna let guys stay in squadrons until MMA comes along (but man, what a great deal that would be...'super-j.o., crazy A Time, perdiem ou the wazoo). This sounds like MAYBE a hypothetical program for when the MMA integration hits. It's still pretty early on in that program for a major move like what you were told.

What I WOULD count on is a major drawdown on P-3 slots. The plans for reducing the number of squadrons are in the works, which equals less pilot positions in Maritime.

 

[Flash]

So have they decided to reduce the number of squadrons or the number of aircraft per squadron? The first makes more sense to me but when I asked one of the guys in Whidbey before I left, they were leaning toward the latter. It does keep the number of skipper slots the same, and it gives you a better chance at command Zab. Just think, "CDR Zab, arriving, twwwweeettt, tweet".

 

[zab1001]

So have they decided to reduce the number of squadrons or the number of aircraft per squadron? The first makes more sense to me but when I asked one of the guys in Whidbey before I left, they were leaning toward the latter. It does keep the number of skipper slots the same, and it gives you a better chance at command Zab. Just think, "CDR Zab, arriving, twwwweeettt, tweet".

I dunno, the last I heard, which was last spring mind you, was the proposal for one less squadron per site, and pull some planes from the reserves, but I am so far out of the loop it isn't funny.

CDR...uh....at this rate I'll be lucky to screen for DH. Let's just say I'm not counting on it by any means...anyone looking for an aircraft commander with his own hot dog suit?