Air Force One

[kevdog]

Anyone know what the mins are for an AF-1 job and what it pays? Or is it just part of a Top Dog Military service? I am just curious, I'm a civilian idiot.

 

[PSL]

The Aircraft Commander and Second Pilot are normally O6-s (Colonel).

The PPO (Presidential Pilot Office) commanding officer might be an 07 (Brig. General).

My knowledge is 20+ years old at this point, so things probably have changed by now.

Maybe some recently retired or active AF pilots out of the 89th might know more.

Scott

 

[Bill Mostellar]

It's actually an Air Force position. The pilots are volunteers who must pass an extensive interview / screening process.

Here's a great link:
89th Interview Process

Summary:
89TH AIRLIFT WING APPLICATION PROCESS

1. APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

1a. Minimum requirements are as follows.
- Airlift or Tanker Major Weapon System (MWS) Aircraft Commander
- no fighter or bomber
- 2000 total hours
- 3 years Time on Station (TOS) by Jun 04
- Professional Military Education (PME) completed (any method), appropriate for rank and time in grade
- MWS/OSA Instructor/Evaluator experience

1b. 89th Airlift Wing highly desires in addition to above requirements.
- 2500 total hours
- 250 MWS/OSA instructor pilot hours
- MWS/OSA Evaluator Pilot experience
- Recent worldwide flight experience
- Minimal number of qualification level 3 (or equivalent) flight evaluations

Note: We will not be hiring any Navigators to the 89 PAG on this board


2. PROCESS

2a. Prepare a package. Package must include the following:
- AF Form 3849
-- State your desire to fly for the 89 AW (no need to specify which aircraft)
-- INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER (Home and Work) AND E-MAIL ADDRESS
-- Statement of suitability and date of availability from no higher than senior rater (include typed name of senior rater)
- Copy of AF Form 942 (Record of Evaluation)
-Must send accompanying Form 8(s) for any Q-3s
- Copy of last 5 Officer Performance Reports (OPRs)
- Summary of flight history or equivalent form showing all aircraft flown
- Standard Form 86 (Security Clearance Form) - Please complete this form and make a hard copy for the application. Save to disk! If selected you will have to use the disk to electronically submit it to DSS.
- Commander’s Security Screening Worksheets (2) – Please have your commanders/supervisors complete these forms and return them with your package.


3. SCREENING

- 1st Phase, AFPC. All packages are screened at AFPC from 13-17 Oct 03. Resource managers from the applicant’s weapon systems will screen applicants for suitability and determine releaseability for 89 AW duty.

If you are not currently flying in your MWS ( ie on staff, flying as a UFT instructor in AETC, or flying in OSA) you should have a minimum of two operational MWS tours (equivalent to 6 yrs in an MWS).

If you are flying in an MWS you will be released based on your qualifications and manning requirements in the system.

Officers should expect to return to a MWS rated requirement (could be PME or staff) after an assignment to the 89th AW.

- 2nd Phase, 89 AW screening. From 20 Oct - 27 Oct 03, the 89 AW leadership will review all packages forwarded from AFPC for suitability for 89 AW duty. Candidates are selected from this list of applicants. Candidates will be invited on or about 28 Oct 03 by 89 OG/DP personnel.
- 3rd Phase, the interview. Candidates will be asked to attend a 3-day interview process from 12-14 Nov 03, at Andrews AFB. Mission and 89 AW requirements will determine the number of candidates selected for assignment.
-4th Phase, selection. Candidates attending the interview process will be notified directly from 89 AW leadership of either selection or non-selection. Notification will occur on or about 15 Dec 03.
- Report No Later Than Date will depend on training availability for each aircraft.

 

[blzr]

Holy crap!!!! Most regional carriers require more flight experience than that!!!That is too funny.

Tell me those guys have at least 10k hours to be flying the most powerful man in the world around.

 

[j41driver]

You have to remember that military pilots do not fly as often as a typical airline pilot.

 

[klhoard]

AF-1

I heard that job was being contracted out to a European fractional jet operator as part of the recent FAA Reauthorization Bill . . .

 

[blzr]

Yeah. The 747 is easier to fly than those jungle jets. And besides, the routing is always simple.

Andrews to SFO. Direct. couldn't be any easier than that.

To all you military guys, this is all in fun. You guys certainly pay your dues, but those of us who didn't have the grades to get into flight school still have to give you some crap every now and then.

 

[Snoopy58]

What Bill posted is to go to the 89th as a pilot; the guys who fly AF One have been IN the 89th for quite some time, and have considerably more experience. Also, the numbers listed are MINIMUM numbers, not necessarily competitive or average numbers.

 

[flyn96]

Off the subject but along the same lines, I was reading a magazine on the shuttle program and the pilots only have 4000-6000 hours. Yes they are PHD's and Engineers but I thought that was pretty low.

 

[GuppyFlyer]

Snoopy58 is correct. All of the AF-1 pilots have been at Andrews flying other airplanes for a long time before being invited to fly the B-747 and AF-1. The newest has at least 6 years at Andrews.

Currently the boss (commander) is a colonel and the rest (7 others, I think) are Lt. Cols. I think all are in the 4500 to 6000 hour range.

Cheers, GF

 

[FL510GV]

Bill posted the application/interview requirements/minimums to get hired into one of the "other" 89th AW squadrons, the 1st (757/BBJ) or 99th (Gulfstreams/C-9C). Typical progression would take a "fast-burner" 4-6 years to get into PPO and then 2+ years as a "backup pilot" before they actually are flying the Pres on flights in the 747. PPO pilots also fly the other jets as well as the 74, because the Pres may use those for trips where the 74 is not practical. 99.9% of pilots that are accepted into the 89th never see the PPO.

As far as flight time, remember that almost every Major airline allows an additive for military pilots (SWA is .3 per sortie and JetBlue is 1.3 total time i.e) and most military pilots have tens of millions of dollars of special training invested in them. There is no seniority system, pilots are upgraded/advance based more on ability/potential.

All that being said, I wouldn't trade my growing up as a pilot in the AF with anyone growing up in the civilian world. Civilians have it much harder accumulating time, paying bills, working other jobs, scrounging for a handout. In the military, our aviation path is basically already charted and we get a regular paycheck with benefits and pay raises.

 

[Publishers]

Shuttle

I wonder how you log that shuttle time. Do you have to record day and nights? What about the time you were out walking around?

 

[Newjetjockey]

Do you get to log glider time when landing the shuttle? How long do they glide for anyway? I know its like halfway around the world but how long does that take?

 

[MLBWINGBORN]

If you are flying the Space Shuttle im not to sure you have to worry about logging time..

But..It is an interesting question to ask..

Next time I see "Hoot" up in BWI I will try to remember to ask..

Mike

 

[SuperFLUF]

Holy crap!!!! Most regional carriers require more flight experience than that!!!That is too funny.

Tell me those guys have at least 10k hours to be flying the most powerful man in the world around.

Military guys log time more conservatively. I believe its wheels up to wheels down. There are conversion formulas for military to civilian time.
Either way. Even the transport guys don't fly as much as airline pilots during peace time so it would be overly restrictive to only allow candidates with 10,000 hours. You know the president's crew has got to be $h!t hot. If I could have any other flying job THAT would be it. Even if I did have to fly to Baghdad on Thanksgiving.

(Oops, I just saw FL510's post, there ya go: 1.3X multiplier)

 

[ChichiAV8B]

Quantity or quality? of flight time

Some people get caught up on flight time as been the only reflection of maturity in flying. Does 6,000 hours of light GA airplanes compare to 2500 hours on heavy or tacair jets? Military don't fly as much as civilian, but most flight time in the military is quality flight time as compared to the civilian flight time prior to an ATP where the pilot is flying cessnas to build flight time. I did the flight program at ERAU and then did the USMC flight training, so I have been thru both.