It's official, I am finally a USAF pilot...

[CALL911]

Got my wings pinned on last Friday at my graduation from USAF pilot training in Columbus MS! :D

(Sorry for no pics. I just moved and all my stuff is still away. I promise for pics in the next few weeks though)

[hotrod96z28]

congrats man when can u take me up

[popo8]

Congrats man!!!! thats one hell of an accomplishment to be proud of!

[Chris]

Congrats!!!!

[jaysz2893]

AWESOME!! Congrats!! I wanted to fly, but my eyes kept me off the list. Well that and the Navy wanted me to go to College.. LOL

My 12 year old son want to fly USAF some day. Thankfully he gets his moms smarts! :laugh:

[Transamman25]

Congrats man ... we are all proud of ya!

[The SRZ]

Congrats Ben! Amazing accomplishment, amazing. So what's next?

[Wooshie]

Good for you! Congrats!:cool:

[Camaro_94]

Congrats man! What kind of plane will you be flying?

[Tarheel'Z']

thats cool as hell man,:metal:

[96LT1355Z28]

Hell ya, that's awesome! Deffinatly something to be proud of and I'm proud to have a fellow LTX'er protecting our skies!:claps:

[KissMyWhtSS]

Congrats. :cool:

[ksmyss]

Thats cool. Were and what will you be flying?

My neighbor at our last house is now a pilot. He is flying f-16s out of columbia, sc.

3700

[Formula383]

Awesome man! Congrats!

[CamaroZGuy]

Congrats man! ill have to make it down to Altus some time since im going to be up at Tinker...

[Fixxer99TA]

Congrats!

[Toronto_LT1]

congrats Ben! how bout a low altitude flyover Beech bend raceway during the LTX shoot-out?:D

oh and please tell me you're flying one of my all time favourite war machine.:devil:
"
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff255/Toronto_LT1/Decorated%20images/f_15_eagle_4.jpg

[Fixxer99TA]

Yeah, when do I get my ride/low flyover.....

Can you do it at 4am to scare the shit out of my neighbors?

[CALL911]

Thanks everyone! Sorry for the late reply.

Next step will be going to Altus Oklahoma to learn to fly what I will be flying next.

...The KC-135 (sorry no fighter for me.)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2dslfys.jpg

There was a time the idea of flying fighters sounded great to me, as I love the idea of going fast and blowing shit up. However after feeling what it is like to come into work at 4 am to start mission planning all morning for a noon takeoff, all to be cramed into a tiny G-suit that is very uncomfortable, and then wedge yourself into a cockpit that have absolutely NO room in to move or store anything (including FLIP and publications that you have to fly with), then go fly for an hour and although going fast is cool, honestly pulling G's is just simply painful. 2-3 isn't bad, and is like a roller coaster. But when you get to 5-7 G's, you are boder lined blacking out and it just simply causes you pain (not fun like it might look in the movies). All that to come back and de-brief for hours upon end going over every last detail and flaw that happened. You don't get to go anywhere cool, just up to train, and over seas to deploy thats it. No sweet trips to the pacific or to Australia, just to the desert. That is the life of a fighter pilot, and a similar one I lived while flying the T-6. Didn't care for it at all, and am much happier I went the way of flying the tanker.

[HoLLo]

Awesome. I hope to finish my degree in a few years and across over to become a pilot. I'll be happy with any cargo or tanker. After being here at Little Rock around all these C130s, i'd have no complaints flying them. My brother was at Altus for many years. I work Base Ops, so if you ever make it to Little Rock, stop in and say hi!

[chevrolet423]

congrats man, you should be proud of yourself!:D

[Camaro_94]

Thanks everyone! Sorry for the late reply.

Next step will be going to Altus Oklahoma to learn to fly what I will be flying next.

...The KC-135 (sorry no fighter for me.)

http://i40.tinypic.com/2dslfys.jpg

There was a time the idea of flying fighters sounded great to me, as I love the idea of going fast and blowing shit up. However after feeling what it is like to come into work at 4 am to start mission planning all morning for a noon takeoff, all to be cramed into a tiny G-suit that is very uncomfortable, and then wedge yourself into a cockpit that have absolutely NO room in to move or store anything (including FLIP and publications that you have to fly with), then go fly for an hour and although going fast is cool, honestly pulling G's is just simply painful. 2-3 isn't bad, and is like a roller coaster. But when you get to 5-7 G's, you are boder lined blacking out and it just simply causes you pain (not fun like it might look in the movies). All that to come back and de-brief for hours upon end going over every last detail and flaw that happened. You don't get to go anywhere cool, just up to train, and over seas to deploy thats it. No sweet trips to the pacific or to Australia, just to the desert. That is the life of a fighter pilot, and a similar one I lived while flying the T-6. Didn't care for it at all, and am much happier I went the way of flying the tanker.

LMAO @ the bolded sentence!

Flying anything is cool in my books. What do those things carry? People, equipment, both?

And would you make regular trips back and forth from the middle east to the US? Just kinda curious.. I'm very happy for you man. I know this is something you've been working hard for and I'm glad you've finally achieved it!

[CamaroZGuy]

KC-135 is a Air refueler, though i think they can also carry a small amount of cargo and Pax.

[AChotrod]

Good deal!!! Congrats!!!!!

[CALL911]

HoLLo, I dropped in and out of Little Rock all the time when I was flying the T-1. I wish I would have known earlier you so we could have met up.

The KC-135's primary mission is a tanker as in being able to refuel other airborne aircraft. It does have the capability to carry passengers and cargo as well, however only enough cargo for about 6 pallets and somewhere around 50 people. Compared to a C-17 or a C-5 not really a comparison as far as moving personnel and equipment. But it holds plenty of fuel, and yes it can, and does, go to the desert and back often.

[HoLLo]

Well I've only been in Little Rock since December. It's cool working Base Ops, I get to talk to all the pilots all the time, it's an inspiration for me to cross over everyday! Good luck with everything. Definitely if you ever come here again, let me know. I've seen a KC135 drop in a few times. Too bad you didn't get C130s

[tomsws6]

HoLLo, I dropped in and out of Little Rock all the time when I was flying the T-1. I wish I would have known earlier you so we could have met up.

The KC-135's primary mission is a tanker as in being able to refuel other airborne aircraft. It does have the capability to carry passengers and cargo as well, however only enough cargo for about 6 pallets and somewhere around 50 people. Compared to a C-17 or a C-5 not really a comparison as far as moving personnel and equipment. But it holds plenty of fuel, and yes it can, and does, go to the desert and back often.


Congrats! If your ever in DAFB theres a couple of us on here with in 15 min of the base. We have a couple KC's but mainly C5's and C17's. Let us know! My understanding is that the private sector is lookiing more for tanker/cargo pilots to fly than fighter pilots. Easier to get a fedex/ups job makin the big bucks!!

[CALL911]

Well I've only been in Little Rock since December. It's cool working Base Ops, I get to talk to all the pilots all the time, it's an inspiration for me to cross over everyday! Good luck with everything. Definitely if you ever come here again, let me know. I've seen a KC135 drop in a few times. Too bad you didn't get C130s

I don't know that I'll ever be at Little Rock again. I am glad I didn't end up with a C-130. There was a time where I was thinking about applying to a C-130 unit. Everyone has their own taste for what they like in an aircraft. For me, the C-130 rattles like a flying tin can. It's loud, slow, rough to fly, it hardly ever goes anywhere nice (as their mission is to go to remote airfields). Not really what I would want in an airframe. The only one I would ever consider flying would be the AC-130U. But seeing as there are only 12 in the USAF inventory, it's hardly ever available. But it doesn't really matter as I am locked in on my KC-135, and couldn't be happier.


Congrats! If your ever in DAFB theres a couple of us on here with in 15 min of the base. We have a couple KC's but mainly C5's and C17's. Let us know! My understanding is that the private sector is lookiing more for tanker/cargo pilots to fly than fighter pilots. Easier to get a fedex/ups job makin the big bucks!!

I probably will end up at Dover at some point in time. I'll give you a shout if I get to Dover. I used to go there often when I was a boom operator in the KC-10. The needs of the Air Force is forever in state of change. When I came in, it was the most difficult time in history to become a pilot. For every 16-20 per board they would select, there would be 900 applicants. They just plain and simple don't need pilots like they used to, and seeing as it is a highly sought after position, they have an over abundance of very qualified applicants. It really made things difficult to get in. Now, it is even harder than it was before. The Air Force is downsizing yet again, taking on even less individuals, raising the bar on scores to get certain jobs. Letting people go who have been in more than 10 years. Making things that used to be a slap on the wrist like getting an article 15 or not passing a PT test into grounds for getting let go out of the Air Force. It is a sad day in the sence that our shrinking Air Force (which in my opinion is too small and we don't have the personnel to adequatly accomplish the mission as it is) is becoming even smaller. Those of us who had to do "More with less" are finding ourselves doing "more with nothing". If we ever ended up in a state of total war, I fear we may not be able to take on certain advisaries with the same capability we had 10 years ago. On the good side, the people we do have are now sharper and more capable than ever. I could go on and on about this, but I think everyone gets my point.

[tomsws6]

look what you have to look forward too...

After every flight, pilots fill out a form, called a gripe sheet which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some maintenance complaints submitted by pilots and the solutions recorded by maintenance engineers. By the way, the airline these came from is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident.

Pilot: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
Engineers: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

Pilot: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
Engineers: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

Pilot: Something loose in cockpit.
Engineers: Something tightened in cockpit.

Pilot: Dead bugs on windshield.
Engineers: Live bugs on back-order.

Pilot: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
Engineers: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

Pilot: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
Engineers: Evidence removed.

Pilot: DME volume unbelievably loud.
Engineers: DME volume set to more believable level.

Pilot: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
Engineers: That's what friction locks are for.

Pilot: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
Engineers: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

Pilot: Suspected crack in windshield.
Engineers: Suspect you're right.

Pilot: Number 3 engine missing.
Engineers: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

Pilot: Aircraft handles funny.
Engineers: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

Pilot: Target radar hums.
Engineers: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

Pilot: Mouse in cockpit.
Engineers: Cat installed.

Pilot: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
Engineers: Took hammer away from midget

[CALL911]

nice

[tomsws6]

nice


yeah its been around the net for awhile but i always get a chuckle out of it.;)