Category Archives: Fighter Pilot

Marines Fire Officers over Crash

Dong Yun Yoon’s family was killed when an F-18 crashed into his home near Miramar.  His reaction brought national pity, when he asked that people not blame the pilot, one of “the treasures of our country,” but pray for him.

News reports now indicate that the Marines have fired the commander, maintenance officer, operations officer, and duty officer of the squadron; nine others were also punished as a result of the crash, which has been described as “avoidable.”  There are not yet any indications that the pilot was punished; he was criticized for not properly referencing his checklist, but also credited for staying with the aircraft well after he should have ejected in an attempt to steer the aircraft to a nearby canyon.

Contributing to the death of innocents–but surviving oneself–is one of the greatest fears a pilot can face.

“How do I become a fighter pilot…?”

While ChristianFighterPilot.com has seen recognition among jurists, activists, soldiers, civilians, Christians and atheists from all points of view, it also remains a source of information for those asking some more basic questions:

How do I become a fighter pilot in the Air Force/Navy/Marines?

Questions on becoming a fighter pilot, from medical qualifications to the pilot lifestyle, remain one of the most often addressed topics (as are questions on fighter pilot lingo).  Much of the answer is available in the FAQ (and new questions are added as they are asked).  Believe it or not, there are actually few reliable sources of information on how to become a fighter pilot.  Even the official military sites can be confusing, incomplete, or contradictory, often because the information changes faster than the websites.

An internet search for “become a fighter pilot” will likely find the website of Marine fighter pilot Ed Rush, who has made a virtual living answering this question. His website, http://www.becomefighterpilot.com/, features teases of dramatic “top secret” ways to virtually guarantee being selected as a fighter pilot.  He sells a “fighter pilot power pack” (the “current” price is $97) that claims to have the “tips and tricks” to give his customers an advantage over everyone else. Read more

Raptor Lieutenants Graduate

While one UPT graduate became the first assigned directly to a Predator, the first class of pilot training students assigned directly to Raptors (after a short detour in F-16s) has graduated from the F-22 basic course.

Like the much cheaper and rugged A-10, there are no 2-seat F-22s; unlike the $30 million F-16, when new pilots climb into the $140 million Raptor for the first time, they do so solo.

UPT Grad Assigned to UAVs

The Air Force Times has an article on one of the first pilot training graduates to be assigned to a UAV rather than an aircraft.  He displays an admirable perspective:

The Air Force is bigger than me. The Air Force doesn’t exist to serve my needs, I exist to serve the needs of the Air Force.

Two Thirds of AF Pilots Accept Bonus

Currently, Air Force offers bonuses of $125,000 to Air Force pilots who commit to stay on active duty for five years beyond their active duty service commitment.  The Air Force Times reports that 68% of eligible pilots accepted it, above the 66% goal.

Interestingly, the numbers for fighter airframes were low.

  • F-22 – 43%
  • F-16 – 51%
  • F-15C – 68%
  • A-10 – 53%

By contrast, the F-15E community had an 81% acceptance rate, and all other airframes, including heavies and helos, were above 68%.

By and large, the reasons cited Read more

Air Force Seeks Return of Pilots

Not long after proving monetary incentive for officers to leave the military, the Air Force Times reports that the Air Force is now trying to get some officers to come back.  Citing a shortage in the aviation career field, the Air Force is apparently looking for pilots for the role of ISR, as well as possible UAV pilots.

Board to Review Sale of Explicit Magazines

In what is a continual struggle in the military, the Air Force times carries an article on rules in the 2009 Defense Authorization Act that govern the review of explicit materials sold on military bases.  Such materials are frequently the target of advocacy groups and remain one of the few “vices” that the military preaches against yet still sells.

1 … 97 98 99 100 101 … 104