Hacker MikeD and others..

[///AMG]

The OLS is the typical VASI-type system I see at all the NAS/MCAS fields I've flown into. IIRC, they're generally set at about a 4 degree GS, and aren't coincident with the ILS GS.

Depends on what kind of field you fly into. All the jet training bases have full up IFLOLS on the duty landing runways, and FLOLS in the normally off-duty runways. We do a good portion of our FCLP's here at the field when the weather is questionable or when the sked dictates, not to mention that every landing we make (aside from on the road) is an FCLP type with the exception of a few practice precautionary approaches....so having the fresnel lens is a requirement for us. Most of the other tacair type fields I have been to have them as well, including NAF El Centro, NAS Lemoore, and I'd assume Oceana as well (though I haven't been there). Corpus only had VASI type lights on the long runway and no fresnel lens. I'd imagine that bases with typically rotary or maritime traffic most likely don't have them either.

As for GS, I know Meridian has a 3.0 while El Centro was a little more unusual at a 2.5.

 

[bunk22]

Is a bolter or no-grade considered a bad thing or negative? Or does it depend on the circumstance behind it being given?

A bolter not necessarily but it was either a 2.0 or a 1.0 if a no-grade bolter so not a good thing either. A no grade is negative, much harder to get one in the fleet compared to the training command. Like AMG said, an OK is rare in the training command.

 

[bunk22]

As for GS, I know Meridian has a 3.0 while El Centro was a little more unusual at a 2.5.

I always felt so low at the 90 when at El Centro to arrive at centered, well, cresting ball.

 

[///AMG]

I always felt so low at the 90 when at El Centro to arrive at centered, well, cresting ball.

Yeah it felt awkward, especially with that house right there around the 90. We watched a C-2 come out there and bounce from about 0800 all the way until well after sundown....I'm guessing that they refueled several times, but they were just tearing the **** out of the pattern.

 

[MikeD]

Depends on what kind of field you fly into. All the jet training bases have full up IFLOLS on the duty landing runways, and FLOLS in the normally off-duty runways.

We in the AF just call them OLS for both FLOLS (standard one) and the improved one. Haven't seen the improved OLS yet first-hand.

Good, effective VASI systems though.

 

[///AMG]

We in the AF just call them OLS for both FLOLS (standard one) and the improved one. Haven't seen the improved OLS yet first-hand.

Good, effective VASI systems though.

If you aren't already familiar with the distinction, there are just more cells above and below the datums on the IFLOLS (compared to the FLOLS). Makes catching small deviations in GS much easier, at least closer to the start through the middle. Also you technically can't have a fully centered ball on IFLOLS, as the datums lie between the two center cells, though the difference is almost imperceptible (at least for my scan).

 

[MikeD]

If you aren't already familiar with the distinction, there are just more cells above and below the datums on the IFLOLS (compared to the FLOLS). Makes catching small deviations in GS much easier, at least closer to the start through the middle. Also you technically can't have a fully centered ball on IFLOLS, as the datums lie between the two center cells, though the difference is almost imperceptible (at least for my scan).

I've seen the improved one as in physically seen the box, but just have never flown it. Sounds like alot of good improvements made.

 

[challenger]

Fez.....unfortunately, you're in the NEW USAF. That is, your career is going to be the world of all-around REMFs pushing such important things such as reflector belts, Class A uniform changes, stupid CBTs, political correctness, "asian-pacific islander" celebration months, and new cell-phone-in-uniform regs.

It is not, I repeat not.....contrary to what you've heard......a fighting force that breaks things and kills people.

Welcome!!!

So basically what you are saying is that AD AF is like my stint with AFROTC? haha. Hopefully it isn't as bad in the ANG

 

[MikeD]

So basically what you are saying is that AD AF is like my stint with AFROTC? haha. Hopefully it isn't as bad in the ANG

They're all the same now....same BS, different part of the AF, be it AD, AFRES, or ANG.......best thing is to do it part-time, IMHO.

 

[challenger]

They're all the same now....same BS, different part of the AF, be it AD, AFRES, or ANG.......best thing is to do it part-time, IMHO.

Yeah, I can see how living it 24/7 would get over bearing. F'ing desk jockeys.

Since I am enlisting and not done with college, I guess I will just take it as it comes and see if that is really the direction I want to go for my eventual career.

 

[bunk22]

If you aren't already familiar with the distinction, there are just more cells above and below the datums on the IFLOLS (compared to the FLOLS). Makes catching small deviations in GS much easier, at least closer to the start through the middle. Also you technically can't have a fully centered ball on IFLOLS, as the datums lie between the two center cells, though the difference is almost imperceptible (at least for my scan).

I've spent years flying both and the IFLOLS is easier catching deviations, well, once you got used to it. Great improvement.

 

[skidz]

Mission comes first!!


...after safety.

...and sexual assault/harassment briefs.

...and 42 character passwords that include chinese characters

...............that need to be changed every 12 days.


:clap:

haha, aint that true, at least we can use cac login these days for most of the stuff

 

[chunk75]

Is a bolter or no-grade considered a bad thing or negative? Or does it depend on the circumstance behind it being given?

Well, they blow your GPA so yeah, they are bad. Each ready room will have a "greenie board" with each pilot's name and colored sticker dots for each pass. Little notes can be written on the dots (very little) and the colors are green for OK, yellow for fair, brown for bolters...you can guess what they call the brown stickers.

In my old squadron, they had a naugahyde lightening bolt (what can't PR's make with naugahyde!?!?) with the bolt used to secure the hook tip (weighty piece of hardware there) tied to the end of it. They lightening bolt is hung over the RR chair of the pilot who last boltered where it stays until someone else in the squadron bolters then it's moved to his chair. NOTHING in Naval Aviation is faster than the moving of that bolt by the last guy to the new guy who boltered! Bad luck to sit under it, too....

Hook skip? Too bad...still a bolter. Pitching deck? Too bad, still a bolter.

Now a no-grade or 'cut pass' well, they aren't talked about much. I've been in the jet during a cut pass at night, scary thing. Went out the next day to find the hook scrape about 12 inches from the round down. That's when you start wondering why you didn't go P-3s or helos!

 

[falconvalley]

Mission comes first!!


...after safety.

...and sexual assault/harassment briefs.

...and 42 character passwords that include chinese characters

...............that need to be changed every 12 days.


:clap:

For anyone daydreams about what it must be like in the AF, FF has the most realistic example :laff:

Great stories!

 

[///AMG]

NOTHING in Naval Aviation is faster than the moving of that bolt by the last guy to the new guy who boltered! Bad luck to sit under it, too....

Sounds a little like the pink bomb award.....

<---- Lucky winner of several

 

[bunk22]

Never had a cut pass luckily but the E2/C2 with the props operating at 100% rpm helped to get us out of a bad situation. Though I've seen a few of them in the aircraft. Not pretty at all.

 

[germb747]

For anyone daydreams about what it must be like in the AF, FF has the most realistic example :laff:

Great stories!

When I was at UPT, the 4-star general CC of AETC told us flatout that he thought "Safety First" was total (expletive I can't use here). Tunes has since retired.

 

[///AMG]

When I was at UPT, the 4-star general CC of AETC told us flatout that he thought "Safety First" was total (expletive I can't use here). Tunes has since retired.

I can understand that attitude when talking about combat operations, but it is pretty hard to justify stateside or in the training command IMHO.

 

[Hacker15e]

I can understand that attitude when talking about combat operations, but it is pretty hard to justify stateside or in the training command IMHO.

I heard Looney talk several times before and during his tenure as AETC CC. What I recall from his spiel on safety was that "if safety was really #1, we would never even turn a wheel."

So, it's not that he had a combat attitude that wasn't appropriate for the training command -- it's more that he didn't buy into the falsehood that is "safety first". That there is an inherent risk that we accept when we fly airplanes for a living, and that it is not completely safe.

 

[MikeD]

I heard Looney talk several times before and during his tenure as AETC CC. What I recall from his spiel on safety was that "if safety was really #1, we would never even turn a wheel."

So, it's not that he had a combat attitude that wasn't appropriate for the training command -- it's more that he didn't buy into the falsehood that is "safety first". That there is an inherent risk that we accept when we fly airplanes for a living, and that it is not completely safe.

He seems to have understood that even in training, accidents are sometimes simply the cost of doing business.

Unfortunately, in the pansy "safety first in everything" AF, we've lost that understanding.

.....and get your reflector belt on.