How do you B2 and Dragon Lady guys log your time?

[gringo]

Just curious- When you takeoff out of Whiteman (or wherever) and go fly one of your secret squirrel missions to say, Libya, how does that go in your logbook? Years from now, when getting interviewed at FedEX, say, does the interviewer see the places you've made "overnight deliveries" to, or do they just see your total time?

Also- when you fly 1/2 way around the world to deliver democracy 500 pounds at a time, but takeoff and land at the same base, do you get to log that as a "cross country"?

For some reason these questions popped into my head last night, and now curiosity is killing the cat...

 

[gringo]

I wouldn't have asked the question if I didn't expect a response.

It's a perfectly legitimate question. Having jumpseated with some former sled drivers, I know that the secret-squirrel types do move on to the civilian side once their military career is done.

I'm curious how they present their time to the interviewer. Just a block time, a "here you go, here's my total time, take it or leave it" approach, or is it broken down any more than that?

Also, the x-country question is also legit- I do remember a few years ago the tanker guys getting upset because the feds were not considering their time to be "cross country", because they did not in fact land at an airport 50 miles away.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Also, the x-country question is also legit- I do remember a few years ago the tanker guys getting upset because the feds were not considering their time to be "cross country", because they did not in fact land at an airport 50 miles away.

Cross country for ATP certification doesnt require a landing. Just that you've flown 50 nm.

 

[gringo]

That's right, I forgot about that.

But the first question still stands. How do the B2. U2, SR-71, etc etc guys back up their times when interviewing?

I for instance have to show a logbook and the interviewer can see every flight, every airport, every route. Do the secret squirrel types just show up with a total time?

I mean, obviously, they won't be able to divulge operational secrets, but how do they back up their claims? If a B2 driver shows up in Memphis and says "I've got 5000 hours in the Spirit." does the interviewer just take them at their word?

I'm just curious what they put in their logbooks. "Flight uneventful. Slipped through radar defenses easy. Delivered package. ILS 33R."?

 

[ekuflyer]

Our ARMS folks just print us a summary that shows all our times. Not to say most don't keep personal logbooks, but the summary is good enough to show all the times. Just totals for everything.

 

[HueyHerc]

I put the take off and landing base identifiers...usually the same place on most U-2 missions. I also logged it as cross-country. Just putting the type of aircraft in the book pretty much clues people in to the type of mission and the activity.

HH

 

[AA717driver]

This guys I know who have done that type of flying said the interviewers know not to ask.

If you've got one of those special aircraft in your resume, anyone in the business knows what you've done and they know you can't tell them anything.

Besides, most F-15/16/18 etc. types take off and land from the same base. What's the big deal?

"Well, Mr. Hornet Driver, I see you've pretty much always taken off from a carrier and landed back on the same carrier. I'm not so sure you're qualified to fly from ORD to CID 4 times a day in our Embraer...".

TC

 

[satpak77]

idiot

 

[Dolce]

Crap...all those sorties and I never logged cross-country time! What about crossing international borders...is there something I could have been logging besides PIC?

 

[Mud Eagle]

My personal logbook has three columns instead of two; a "from", a "to", and a "dest".

The "to" block generally includes the name of whatever MOA or range I flew to. In the case of combat sorties, I put the killbox identifier.