U.S. Air Force to shut down 'Space Fence' surveillance system

Ok there's a lot of information here about aircrew currencies that I had to look up because I didn't think that it was such a long period to recertify. Even up to six months without flying, most certifications can be completed with two flights (a day and a night), maybe up to four depending if they can knock everything out in those.

And with sequestrian, most of the currencies will be waived anyway. Here's the F-15 currency stuff.

Here's about the waiver:

4.9. Proration of End-of-Cycle Requirements. At the end of the training cycle, the SQ/CC may prorate all training requirements when DNIFs, emergency leaves, non-flying TDY/exercises (ANG: and/or mandatory training required by civilian employment), combat/contingency deployments, preclude training for a portion of the training period. Normal annual leave will not be considered as non-availability. Extended bad weather which precludes the unit from flying for more than 15 consecutive days may be considered as non-availability. The following guidelines apply: 4.9.1. Proration will only be used to adjust for genuine circumstances of training non-availability, not to mask training or planning deficiencies. 4.9.2. Proration is based on cumulative days of training non-availability in the training cycle. Use Table 4.4. to determine the number of months to be prorated based on the cumulative calendar days of training non-availability. 4.9.3. If IQT or MQT is re-accomplished, a pilot's training cycle will start over at a prorated share following completion of IQT/MQT training.

I asked one of my former pilots (KC-135) who is now at Scott heading the KC-46 development team if this rule above would apply to this circumstance and he said it does. Its been formally waived for all grounded squadrons in ACC and AMC. Couldn't verify for the other commands though.

Here's the F-15 currency charts:


and the notes to go with it:


(Taken from AFI 11-2F-15V1- Aircrew Training)

This one sticks out with IP's:

8. Instructor pilot currency is 60 days. Non-currency for 61-180 days requires an instructor re-currency flight with an IP; over 180 days requires a Stan/Eval flight check. IP rear cockpit landing currency is 45 days. F-15 FWIC student sorties count as instructor sorties for currency.

Mind you this info is for the F-15 A,B,C, and D models. The E is in a different AFI, but I checked out those too, and the F-16, as well as the B-1, B-2, and B-52. They are all about the same, with a few differences.

Another note to point out, any aircrew member who has gone through Mission Qualification Training (MQT) is automatically given Combat Mission Ready (CMR) status. It was the same with us booms. As soon as we were mission qualified, we were combat mission qualified.

Combat Mission Ready (CMR)—A status of an aircrew member who has satisfactorily completed training (MQT) prescribed to be fully qualified to perform the basic unit operational missions, and maintains qualification and proficiency in these missions. All active duty RPI/API -1/2's, Squadron Commander, Operations Officers, and OG/CC designated RPI/API -6 manning positions are required to maintain this qualification level. EXCEPTION: If a unit is over-manned, they may elect to train the front line of their UMD to CMR with the overage designated as BMC. Approximately 50% of the aircrew selected for CMR must be inexperienced.

reply to post by boomer135


That's for the individual pilot though. For the entire squadron, per the commanders, it can take up to 60 days to have them all recertified, with the time they've been grounded. Don't forget, you're also looking at having to FCF the aircraft, since they haven't flown in a long time either. That's quite a few aircraft to have to FCF per squadron. So even though it's only two or three flights per pilot, multiply that by the time it takes to FCF, and by the number of pilots in the squadron, and you're looking at minimum 30-40 days probably.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by boomer135

 

That's for the individual pilot though. For the entire squadron, per the commanders, it can take up to 60 days to have them all recertified, with the time they've been grounded. Don't forget, you're also looking at having to FCF the aircraft, since they haven't flown in a long time either. That's quite a few aircraft to have to FCF per squadron. So even though it's only two or three flights per pilot, multiply that by the time it takes to FCF, and by the number of pilots in the squadron, and you're looking at minimum 30-40 days probably.

Oh yeah, I wasn't talking about the FCF's. Kind of sad to just have jets sitting on the ramp with no money to do anything to them. Also, Im pretty sure that the SQCC's and above are talking out their rears about the length of time needed to get their squadron recertified. A lot of people have been going to capital hill to make their case that it's gonna take such and such amount of time to get back and yada yada yada. Alot of it is to force the governments hand with this sequestrian bullcrap to get either it lifted, or to get money switched from projects like this into the flying squadrons. I had thought of a great example of this and can't remember where I saw it. But some general was asked by congress about how long it would take to do something and he flat out lied his arse off to them.

reply to post by boomer135


Oh, I agree that it probably won't take the amount of time that they claim (we all know that generals would NEVER lie to Congress about anything important), but it's not going to be a quick process either. If you figure a week to FCF (counting flights that have to be redone, or don't go off on the first try), two flights a day, for 5 to six pilots, you're still looking at two to three weeks minimum to get basic certifications back, and longer to get combat certs back.

Zaphod58
reply to post by boomer135

 

Oh, I agree that it probably won't take the amount of time that they claim (we all know that generals would NEVER lie to Congress about anything important), but it's not going to be a quick process either. If you figure a week to FCF (counting flights that have to be redone, or don't go off on the first try), two flights a day, for 5 to six pilots, you're still looking at two to three weeks minimum to get basic certifications back, and longer to get combat certs back.

Well its true about the two to three weeks but once you have your basic certs and are mission qualified again, your automatically combat qualified as well. They go hand in hand.

reply to post by boomer135


The problem with combat certs though, is that while you're certified, the reflexes, and muscle memory for some aspects need practice. Even though you're technically certified, I wouldn't want to see some of these pilots in combat until they had gotten some practice in again. Sixty plus days is a long time for a pilot that goes in low and hot. Not so much for an E-3 pilot, or something along those lines, but a B-1, or an F-15E pilot, needs to practice again for a bit.