Search results

  1. Witmo

    It's official... BasicMed expanded

    Looked up the requirements for safety pilot as I was asked to accompany a friend doing some currency work. The last time I was a safety pilot I knew I had to have a current medical but didn't need any currencies. Turns out since I had Basic Med instead of a medical, I could only be safety...
  2. Witmo

    What is too windy for training in a 172?

    Several years after buying a 150, I had gotten (overly) comfortable with gnarly crosswind landings. On a cross country I was overflying an airport and noticed the windsock was 90 off the runway so I decided to drop in and do a touch and go. I don't remember exactly the wind velocity but the...
  3. Witmo

    Important aspects of flying (outside of passing the checkride) that a pilot should learn for PP.

    Stomp on the rudder when you're at a high angle of attack and tell me what happens.
  4. Witmo

    Important aspects of flying (outside of passing the checkride) that a pilot should learn for PP.

    Somebody does a W&B for every airline flight. It may be the dispatcher or one of the pilots but I would be flabbergasted if there wasn't an official W&B done as part of the dispatch process.
  5. Witmo

    Important aspects of flying (outside of passing the checkride) that a pilot should learn for PP.

    I did all my initial training in a Cessna 150. We were always at max gross :)
  6. Witmo

    CENTCOM CC gots some splainin' to do

    The point I was trying to make was having a dedicated airframe for one single mission is an expensive solution to a single requirement. Having a roll on, roll off, module that can be used when needed and stored when it's not which allows the use of the airframe for other missions, is a more...
  7. Witmo

    CENTCOM CC gots some splainin' to do

    The Air Force has dedicated E4 Command Post 747s for Strategic Command and Control for flying around the continental US. I would suspect that we have capability today of rolling onto a C17 a similar connectivity capability for combatant commanders when they are traveling around their AOR so...
  8. Witmo

    Senior Enlisted Petty Officer Court Martialed

    I haven't seen a transcript of what was presented at the court martial so I can't say. My comment was based on the only information available to me. I've seen officers who have behaved badly get a similar punishment when a junior enlisted would have been dishonorably discharged. It may be...
  9. Witmo

    What would you do?

    Reminds me of a story when I was an instructor at Mather AFB and my squadron moved into a new building. We painted reserved parking spots for all the permanent party in the adjacent parking lot. All the parking spots but one or two in the far corner were "reserved." Worked out great until the...
  10. Witmo

    CENTCOM CC gots some splainin' to do

    I don't think some of y'all are clear on what the chain of command is concerning commanders of combatant commands. As CC of CENTCOM the only people above him are the SECDEF and President. He is the big cheese in his AOR and is probably really antsy when he's out of the loop of what's going on...
  11. Witmo

    Zombie F-35 Mishap Report Out...

    The accident pilot was placed in command of a prestigious test unit 6 months after the accident board released its findings. The accident pilot was undoubtedly on the fast track for a star and had been assured that the accident would not affect his new assignment. The Commandant of Marines had...
  12. Witmo

    Senior Enlisted Petty Officer Court Martialed

    An E8 aboard a Littoral Combat Ship in the Pacific got reduced one grade to E7 as a result of a court martial. She lied at least 3 times to the ship's skipper's face concerning what turned out to be a Starlink system she and the other Petty Officers paid for and installed without authorization...
  13. Witmo

    CENTCOM CC gots some splainin' to do

    General Kurilla, CENTCOM Commander, is on the hot seat for reportedly having an argument with a C-17 aircrew member as he was flying to Israel where he allegedly shoved the airman. The argument concerned the General's access to a communications system aboard the aircraft. Pretty ballsy of an...
  14. Witmo

    Zombie F-35 Mishap Report Out...

    I believe the accident board identified a problem with how the emergency procedures were worded. The accident pilot actually followed the emergency procedures to the letter by ejecting when there was a perceived loss of control below 6000 feet. Practicing using the emergency "six pack" in the...
  15. Witmo

    Zombie F-35 Mishap Report Out...

    I had a wing commander O-6 that every WSO prayed would make BG because the rule then required Brigadier Generals and above to only fly with an IP in the other seat. As a counterpoint to the above, I've also flown with several O-6s who were among the best pilots in the Air Force bar none.
  16. Witmo

    Zombie F-35 Mishap Report Out...

    Try putting yourself in his situation. The flight was absolutely normal until he's close to landing. The ATIS reported 1900 broken and 4 miles vis. He's well below 1900 and still in solid IMC and as he calls his wingman to transition to STOL configuration, he loses his radios and his primary...
  17. Witmo

    Zombie F-35 Mishap Report Out...

    He was at low altitude (1900' ?) when he punched out.
  18. Witmo

    uAvionix skyBeacon: A false sense of security?

    What happens in airspace that requires ADSB when it fails but the transponder continues working just fine? Does ATC even say anything to you about the failure?
  19. Witmo

    Growler Down

    I've got a significant amount of low level flying time mostly at 480 kts but higher (on the target run). Birds and wires were my biggest concern. We practiced with terrain following radar most of the time but did occasionally hand fly. It was getting harder and harder to find places where the...
  20. Witmo

    Mechanic in Annual Inspection Replaced ELT that hadn't expired and charged me for it

    1st off, ELTs don't expire but their batteries do. If the ELT failed a function test and needed to be replaced, that's a different issue and should have been authorized by the owner. The batteries could have been found to be dead before their expiration due to the ELT being activated after a...
Back
Top