Who are the better pilots?

[SIG600]

Sig if you were smart enough to fly the shuttle you sure as hell wouldn't be posting on flight info. And some of those 300 hour wonder CFI's are working for almost nothing to get into this buisness and be where alot of us are now. Think being a civillian pilot, especially in the beginning, is an easy job? Go to the NTSB website and take a look at all the freighters, GA aircraft, etc that met an untimely end. So no, I will not call anyone crap, civillian or military. Being a military pilot is no doubt a demanding job. But come on man, good pilot's come from both sides of the fence. I have flown with good and bad pilots from all backgrounds, and am proud to call myself friends with both.

Thanks, but I quit commercial aviation to get into the military. I flight instructed for 3-4 years, and oh yeah flew part 91 and 135 charter. I know exactly what a 300 hour wonder CFI knows, and how much they make. I was one of them... and the knowledge base AND pay are commensurate. And I still keep my GA roots watered flying RV's (mainly RV-7).

I'm young and prone to bouts of controlled audacity...the very definition of a lieutenant. Deal with it.

that should be a bumper sticker.. or at least a patch! And whats with the "FAIP Mafia?" I saw a bunch of those patches at tailhook.

 

[Fury220]

Thanks, but I quit commercial aviation to get into the military. I flight instructed for 3-4 years, and oh yeah flew part 91 and 135 charter. I know exactly what a 300 hour wonder CFI knows, and how much they make. I was one of them... and the knowledge base AND pay are commensurate. And I still keep my GA roots watered flying RV's (mainly RV-7).



that should be a bumper sticker.. or at least a patch!

So...T-38 FAIP = 300 hour CFI?

 

[SIG600]

So...T-38 FAIP = 300 hour CFI?

Eh I'd say T-38 FAIP = 600-800 hour CFI, but with a much broader spectrum of aviation exposure. Not to many guys have ever seen over 250 knots below 10K, or even been into the flight levels yet (I hadn't).

 

[Fury220]

And whats with the "FAIP Mafia?" I saw a bunch of those patches at tailhook.

We gotta stick up for each other...'cause no one else does.



They say FAIPs are hand-picked...like a booger.

 

[Mud Eagle]

Mine was an ex-USAF L-17B...my dad was the first civilian owner, buying it back in the 60s from the CAP. By the time I started flying it, it had the 225 engine, the big window conversion, the Palo Alto tail, and all that. It was IFR but, at the time, I wasn't.

After UPT I went back and flew it again and realized that it handles like a dump truck, although very stable and extremely easy to fly. The short/rough field characteristics are pretty cool, too. My dad calls it 'the only single-engine DC-6' he's ever flown.

If I weren't trying to build tail-dragger time I'd definitely consider buying one...a great airplane with lots of utility and pretty sexy looking, too.

 

[Fury220]

Eh I'd say T-38 FAIP = 600-800 hour CFI, but with a much broader spectrum of aviation exposure. Not to many guys have ever seen over 250 knots below 10K, or even been into the flight levels yet (I hadn't).

Maybe CFII/MEI. I could buy that.

 

[SIG600]

Ya... implied... by CFI I just meant "instructor" in the generic sense of the word.

 

[Fury220]

Ya... implied... by CFI I just meant "instructor" in the generic sense of the word.

Gotcha.


How freaking ironic is it that we're in the "Best Pilots" thread, yet we're talking about FAIPs and 300-hour-wonder CFIs? I mean...c'mon.


FAIPs != the greatest pilots in the world.


(and before you freak out, the expression "!=" means "does not equal")

 

[SeaSpray]

GV.....

I hope this doesn't sound too defensive...but most of us don't elect to take a training assignment. Our IPs made the decision for us. If you get FAIPed out of '38s you are qualified for either a fighter or bomber follow-on (needs of the Air Force and all). Not quite like hoping for a second shot at a fighter, more like a short delay. When I graduated (2000) the FAIP assignment had a guaranteed follow-on (ex: T-37 w/ fighter for me). Just FYI. Have a nice day....

TUMBLEWEED

Sounds like the boys and girls who were FAR'd, but didn't get a fighter seat out of UPT are a little sensitive. Truth is FAIPs are already well behind their contemporaries by the time thy get to their fighter unit.

 

[AIR2MUD]

Your buddies at Graduation. "Oh SNAP....You got a T-38 instead of a real fighter!"

Typical SNAP reaction.