WOFT aircraft selection?

[SemperGumby]

I don't really know how much of aircraft selection is considered under OPSEC but let's just say, 47s are very hard to get and there are plenty of 60s.

[Hotdogs]

I don't really know how much of aircraft selection is considered under OPSEC

 

It's not.

[SemperGumby]

 

 

It's not.

Fair enough. Last selection had 1 47, 4 64s, 4 58s, 5 60M, the rest were 60 A/L. The rest ofthe class had pre-assigned airframe from their states. Typically 47s go first, followed by guns, then Mikes, finally, the 60A/L. I did see a class where it was heavily lift oriented and the 47 and 60s mostly went first.

[d10]

I did see a class where it was heavily lift oriented and the 47 and 60s mostly went first.

 

That's how you can tell which class had the best IPs.

[Velocity173]

Blah! Take a cylinder and put two rotors on top of it. Ugly...fast ugly though. Lucky bastards did have a place to sleep when ever we got stranded.

 

Interesting tactics he employed with CMWS. If I did a diving corkscrew every time my aircraft dispensed flares, there would be puke everywhere, on every flight.

[Lindsey]

Interesting tactics he employed with CMWS. If I did a diving corkscrew every time my aircraft dispensed flares, there would be puke everywhere, on every flight.

 

Probably had less to do with the flares, and more to do with the SAM coming up his ***.

[Velocity173]

 

 

Probably had less to do with the flares, and more to do with the SAM coming up his ***.

 

Let's just say specific CMWS tactics issued by Redstone are classified. ATM does have broad outlines.

[akscott60]

Yea....this topic should go back to selection.

 

 

So anyway, for yall hopefuls and newbies. You will think about selection every day, and when it comes, its surreal. 2 seconds later its done.

 

Boom.

[Velocity173]

Oh nothing wrong with discussing basics of CMWS. You all can get on BAE's website and they have a good PDF on how it works.

 

As far as aircraft selection, A-10s all the way!

[Lindsey]

As far as aircraft selection, A-10s all the way!

 

That's the only military fixed-wing aircraft I'd ever want to fly. What an amazing friggin' plane.

 

Here's a cool story about an A-10 that still managed to land after the tail was near shot-off. Piloted by CPT Kimberly Campbell, who earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for her actions (that's right, fellas ).

 

I think Stearmann4 even mentioned to me once that he knew her.

[Velocity173]

 

 

That's the only military fixed-wing aircraft I'd ever want to fly. What an amazing friggin' plane.

 

Here's a cool story about an A-10 that still managed to land after the tail was near shot-off. Piloted by CPT Kimberly Campbell, who earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for her actions (that's right, fellas ).

 

I think Stearmann4 even mentioned to me once that he knew her.

 

You'll see people in the Army switch over to the "Dark Side" every now and then. Mostly they go transports and helos but I worked with two 60 guys who now fly A-10s in the AF.

[Lindsey]

You'll see people in the Army switch over to the "Dark Side" every now and then. Mostly they go transports and helos but I worked with two 60 guys who now fly A-10s in the AF.

 

Sir, I thought the Army was the "Dark Side."

 

And I've no intent of crossing over to the AF to fly anything, once I get picked up for WOFT. It's all helicopters for me!

[Velocity173]

 

 

Sir, I thought the Army was the "Dark Side."

 

And I've no intent of crossing over to the AF to fly anything, once I get picked up for WOFT. It's all helicopters for me!

 

I think Dark Side is any branch other than the one you're currently in.

 

As far as fixedwing, the only Army fixedwing I ever wanted to fly was the OV-1. If they brought that back in a CAS role, I'd come out of retirement to fly it!

[akscott60]

I was in the selection room when a guard guy said something like "F22" or "F117" when they called his name for state and airframe.

 

It was hilarious.

[electron_si]

Yeah we had a guard guy say TH-67 it was pretty funny.

 

of course the cadre don't take jokes and got all pissed off. After that they wouldn't even let guard guys stand up and talk

[SemperGumby]

That's how you can tell which class had the best IPs.

 

Or or or "worst" IPs because they just wanted to get out of Rucker and the 60 course was the shortest.

 

My stick buddy said C-12 (because he's slotted for it from his Reserve unit) and the Reserve liaison was quick with the "Negative, UH-60." I guess it's one of those "you have to have been there" moments.

[Velocity173]

My class the rotorywing chief put C-12 on the board with one hash mark next to it. Everyone got excited then he erased it and laughed. There's no C-12s for you guys. Honestly don't know if I would have picked it or not.

[SemperGumby]

Word from proponent is that they're trying to revamp that system and bring back fixed wing to the selection process. But like anything in the military, we'll see it when it happens.

 

As for my stick buddy, he's still going to the C-12 course but he still needs to get rated on one of the big four airframes before he goes to the C-12 transition. For active duty students, nobody's getting fixed wing for now.

[jag32]

There's nothing exciting about the C-12 (Beechcraft Super King Air) unless you're just trying to build significant multi time for a civilian job later on. I would much rather be flying any of the big 4 Army helicopters. It reminds me of those "Combat Learjet" Air Force pilots I see flying into MCAS Cherry Point. I'm not giving up my previous career to join the Army as an aviator only to end up flying corporate.

[Lindsey]

There's nothing exciting about the C-12 (Beechcraft Super King Air) unless you're just trying to build significant multi time for a civilian job later on. I would much rather be flying any of the big 4 Army helicopters. It reminds me of those "Combat Learjet" Air Force pilots I see flying into MCAS Cherry Point. I'm not giving up my previous career to join the Army as an aviator only to end up flying corporate.

 

Both are way better than those Beechjet/Hawker 400s the Air Force flies. What a pain in the ass to fuel on a busy summer day.

 

/former line tech

 

I agree though, corporate flying would be my absolute last choice out of any aviation gig.

[Velocity173]

Word from proponent is that they're trying to revamp that system and bring back fixed wing to the selection process. But like anything in the military, we'll see it when it happens.

 

As for my stick buddy, he's still going to the C-12 course but he still needs to get rated on one of the big four airframes before he goes to the C-12 transition. For active duty students, nobody's getting fixed wing for now.

 

Fixedwing has always been in the selection process. When they want WO1s they open it, when they don't they close it. When I was an instructor I had a bunch of CW3 friends who were ticked they didn't get picked up but yet a bunch of WO1s did...life isn't fair. I did a cross country to Bragg couple years ago and met a junior CW2 who got C-12s out of flight school.

 

I've said before, would you rather bore holes through the sky in an RC-12 with no threat of action, or skim across the tree tops into a hot LZ? Nat Geo doesn't do documentaries on C-12 pilots, they do it on those who serve at the tip of the spear.

[SBuzzkill]

To be fair none of the guys I know who got fixed wing out of flight school selected it. Some of them just asked because they heard there were slots open and others were offered it. All of them went to C12s although I have one friend who is going through the Dash 7 course after a couple years flying RC12s.

Edited March 9, 2013 by SBuzzkill

[Velocity173]

I will say the majority of the guys I know who got fixedwing enjoy it. Only had one friend get out and go back to 60s. Also, while circling in an RC-12 might sound boring, ISR platforms are very relevant in our last two wars. Of course the VIP guys live a pretty good lifestyle traveling the world as well. I would recommend flying helos first and see how you like it before jumping over to fixedwing. Once you're utilized I don't think the fixedwing community likes to let you go.

[SBuzzkill]

I just enjoy being in the air.

[Hellfire]

 

Last selection had 1 47, 4 64s, 4 58s, 5 60M, the rest were 60 A/L. The rest ofthe class had pre-assigned airframe from their states. Typically 47s go first, followed by guns, then Mikes, finally, the 60A/L.

 

How many people are in each class on average?