GATOR T-43 to retire

[satpak77]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/slideshows/Gator_to_retire_090110.html?c=n#1


http://www.mysanantonio.com/slideshows/Gator_to_retire_090110.html?c=n#4

do contractor's fly these now ?

just curious

 

[CAL to T-1A]

Yes. They are flown by contractors.

 

[michael707767]

Am I the only one disgusted with contractor's flying a military aircraft?

 

[ExAF]

No Big Deal

Am I the only one disgusted with contractor's flying a military aircraft?

Most are retired AF. The guy in the pic was my CV (and a really good guy btw) at Columbus. He retired as an O-6 and landed that sweet "retirement" job flying the T-43 at RND. I've got no problem with that. It falls in line with all of the other civilian contracting the AF does. Hondo (or whatever it is called now in CO) and QF-4 flying at PAM comes to mind.

 

[michael707767]

Most are retired AF. The guy in the pic was my CV (and a really good guy btw) at Columbus. He retired as an O-6 and landed that sweet "retirement" job flying the T-43 at RND. I've got no problem with that.

Most? Sorry but that does not make it better. A retired guy is a civilian. Civilians should not be flying military aircraft. If they want to go to that point, go all the way. Sell the aircraft to a contract company and hire them to do the training. But an aircraft owned by the military should be flown by military pilots.

 

[Fox-Tree]

Scope language in their contract must be weak...

 

[Captain Morgan]

Scope language in their contract must be weak...

Haha!

 

[RogerMOSA]

These contractors take flight billets from active duty guys. Some examples.... T-39s at NAS Pensacola, exchange tour in the T-43, FCFs in the training command.....and I imagine there are more. What once were good deal pilot billets and experience/flight time builders for a progression of active pilots are now contractor jobs for the few. Ironically, these contractors probably enjoyed one of those good deal tours.

Sad.

 

[gringo]

I have fond memories of that bird! I especially liked the looks from the Air Farce weenies when us 17-22 year old enlisted guys got off a training flight and belted out 20 (4 count) pushups.

Oo-rah.

 

[ExAF]

Most? Sorry but that does not make it better. A retired guy is a civilian. Civilians should not be flying military aircraft. If they want to go to that point, go all the way. Sell the aircraft to a contract company and hire them to do the training. But an aircraft owned by the military should be flown by military pilots.

Then you should be thrilled that they are retiring the fleet!

 

[ExAF]

Scope language in their contract must be weak...

...and they need a better union.

 

[Jetjockey]

I think one of those birds are parked on the north side at KIAH. It has been sitting for a while.

 

[kingairpilot]

Am I the only one disgusted with contractor's flying a military aircraft?

If they are retired, then they pay taxes. If they pay taxes, then they own a (small) part of the airplane. If they own a (small) part of the airplane, then what's the problem with them flying it?

Lighten up, Francis

ka

 

[propsarebest]

It'll just be a matter of time before MOST of the C-12's and C-21's are flown by contractors...

 

[Grizz]

I have a unique perspective seeing as I have flown both Gators and C-12s.

The Gator squadron at the time was a pre-retirement attaboy for guys that had been career trainers. Out of all of the field grade officers in the squadron in leadership positions, only one had ever done anything but ATC. Their view of the world was very limited - and I'm being kind. It was a miserable place for a pilot as a second assignment coming from an operational unit. Most of us were ecstatic when Mather closed and we could move on.

I left Mather and went up to Elmendorf to fly C-12s. Best job I ever had. I kept hoping and praying the Air Force would turn that into a GS position so that I could do that as a retiree. (October of 1997 would have been perfect timing ) Never happened. I had heard that the dew line support mission had transfered to contractor flights but I'm not certain about that.

 

[YeOldeProp]

You youngsters are pissed that the old farts are "taking" these spots from active duty pilots? Take a deep drink and think. Those spots are given to contracters by the active duty. Seems in the deep, dark crevices of the AF leadership/budget office/civilian leadership someone determined that it's cheaper to contract that job out. In the big scheme of things, that measly, pissant job is too far below the active duty to be deemed worthy of the young CSAF-to-be pilot that you're supposed to be. Thus, it's farmed out to some old fart who may or may not know how to fly a simple line, follow a nav-directed heading, etc. Instead of being pissed...just be satisfied that your bosses and their support groups consider you too good for the job.

The money spent to allow an active duty warrior to have a good deal is not in the budget. But, if you look at a different pot of money (how many times have you heard that term?), there is money to contract a trivial position that maintains itself through folks that actually have "the big picture", have "cleared from the trivia merchants", and have navigated the crap to be available for that pissant position. In the not-to-far future, you will fiind yourself looking for the exact same sweet deal...


Good luck out there...

 

[414Flyer]

The Janet flights are flown by contract pilots, as well as possibly the radar test bed NT-43 out on the ranges too.