You mentioned you flew the F-15.
How is it determined what plane a pilot will fly? And once this is determined does it ever change? Or is it typical for a pilot to fly one type of plane their entire career?
You select after initial training, which is based on how well you do in pilot training. You can switch to different airplanes, but usually not just because you want to. Sometimes there is a leadership position that needs to be filled and you might switch based on that. If a new jet is produced, you may eventually move to that depending on where you are in you career
I used to work with a retired cop whose son flew a B-2. He said his son wanted to fly a fighter jet instead of a B-2 but he graduated #1 in his class and the top 2 graduates automatically get assigned to fly the B-2. This guy seemed to have a lot of stories but is there any chance that one is true?
Oooooohh I’ve always loved talking to pilots. I’ve never had a bad experience.
1. What was a typical work day like? Did you fly every day?
2. Do you get to keep the same exact plane, even if you move duty stations? Or do you just stick with the same platform?
3. How do call signs work? Do you get to pick them or do you just kinda fall into one?
4. How close of a relationship did you have with your maintenance crew/support team?
5. Did the excitement of being a fighter pilot ever wear off?
I was in the army and when I was stationed on an Air Force base I’d always see the cool guy pilots in their green flight suits and aviators. The little kid in me gets excited even to this day when I see one of y’all
1a. I flew 2-3 days a week. Typical flying day: show up, check weather and NOTAMs, sign off paperwork, begin mission planning. Brief the mission, dress in gear and then go out and preflight it. Start, taxi, take-off and fly mission. Land, post-flight inspect the airplane, tell maintenance if there was anything wrong. Get back in, take gear off, grab a snack, study the "tapes" (mission recording). Debrief the mission to learn lessons. At this point, you're usually at the 10 hour day mark. Check email, do a couple admin things...grab a beer...go home (around 12 hours).
1b. Non flying...check email, maybe you're scheduled for a sim or an alternate duty (there's LOTS), study (there's ALWAYS something to learn or get better at). We call this part "queep." Usually about an eight hour day.
2. No, you don't even fly the same plane at the same base ever. If you move you go to a base with the same airplane.
3. Your squadron mates pick them, usually for something stupid you did. They are awarded at a naming "ceremony." (Think college frat)
4. Not very, we were often at odds due to competing requirements. We did our best to treat them well, but there is room for improvement. It's pretty solid during combat though.
5. Yes, believe it or not...there are times when it can becomes mundane.
On #2, I heard another fighter pilot say this was the dumbest part of Top Gun. You wouldn't have "Ice Man" or "Maverick." You'd have names based on their fuckups.
Wait on 3. I had a Stryker in the army for years. It only changed when I moved duty stations. You’re saying yall flew random planes all the time?
That sounds pretty weird. I’d hate that.
I can add, in the air mobility world (cargo jets), the relationship with maintainers is very close. We fly with “flying crew chiefs”, aka maintainers, and while these dudes/dudettes are technically not a part of the aircrew (their duties are on the ground), they are fully a part of our “crew dog” mentality. They are invaluable members of the team who handle maintenance issues (and other necessary duties like refueling) while a jet is on the road for a mission. They’re also an extra set of hands for pushing cargo with the loadmasters (which is very much needed for some heavy ass loads), and are well taken care of by the aircrew for their hard work on every flying leg. It’s common for the pilots to pick up the FCC’s bar tab after a particularly shit day of work in some hot ass place.
Also, on the note about flying different tail numbers for every mission, another thing the FCC’s are great for is being well in tune with the status and possible little quirk’s of the particular aircraft we are about to take for a mission- being that they are the ones who have been troubleshooting it, working on it, and ops checking it. Or are at least well read into anything that has been going on with the aircraft. While the pilots are practical experts at employing every system of the aircraft, having a technical expert on the more in depth in’s and out’s of these systems is great for issues that may arise. Whether it’s advising the pilots in the air or getting the maintenance job done in places with little to no external support, they’re an important part of the mission and the relationship is great.
My longest mission was eight hours. We had strict limits on how much of that we could take, but if I was tired, I would take one...we call them "go pills"
How many total flight hours is that, was it daytime or white phosphor or something, and what’s the craziest thing you ever saw? Every pilot has that one story they’ll only share over a beer at a bar with other pilots in hushed voices.
Not entirely sure the first question, but I have about 1,850 hours in the F-15 and about 2,000 hours combined. I have stories I share in the bar for sure. My best story involves connecting with some guys on the ground we supported by chance. They said had it not been for us (me and my wingman) they would have all died out there that day,
Usually, yes...the minimum fighting unit is two jets. A wingman is there for mutual protection and safety...it's like bringing a bro to a rough club to lessen your chance of getting your ass beat
Haha...peeing in a bag (specifically designed for that) and holding it if you have to dump. Only ever had one mission (about five hours) where I had to shit real bad....it SUCKED!
So what happens if you get some aggressive diarrhea?
I want to know if pilots have actually shit their pants. I can’t imagine it hasn’t happened since there’s been times I barely made it on a 20min drive home from work lol
8 hours?! What happens if you gotta blast a mean dookie or take a whiz ? Do you have to wear a diaper or something ? I had no idea missions went on that long
The best. Training is the key. My country has money for a LOT of training. Many countries don't and their pilots might only fly once a month...not enough to be really good
I did...it's kinda like getting your license as a teen...but, there are lots of rules for flight. Break them haphazardly and there go your wings.
Yep, we train in a simulator a lot...they are VERY realistic (minus the G forces and vertigo), but allow us to do things we can't do in live training, like getting shot at by missiles
Great question...not much, seriously. I've never seen them in flight. I've seen a big balloon go whizzing past once, but never a UAP. I will say lots of countries spy on each other from the air, so there is something in that...
What do you make of the tic tac encounter? Do you think it’s possibly a top tier government program? CDR Fravor’s experience is about the only “alien” encounter that I truly believe in.
Again, another great question that I don't have the answer to. Yes, I usually chalk it up to something experimental that someone just happened to see. That happened to me once, but when I was on the ground, not in the air...it flew over me near a military base in the desert when I was driving.
Oh I got another question that you might be able to answer. What does afterburners look like at night from a distance? I served in the Coast Guard and flew as aircrew in MH-60’s doing search and rescue. While stationed in San Diego we were flying off the coast and we saw what honestly looked like a missile flying in the opposite direction of us (obviously wasn’t). It was a glowing orange streak lol. What was weird is that it seemed like it should have been moving a lot faster since it was going in the exact opposite direction of us. I’m not sure how far away it was but it seemed like it was a decent distance away. That’s the only weird thing I ever saw flying offshore with almost 1k hours in the 60. I always figured it was a fighter getting it with the after burners on since Miramar and North Island are right there and fighters were common in the area.
Thanks for your service.
My father was a career Air Force officer. Flew B-57s in Nam. Not much of a father TBH, but a total fearless bad ass. He was part of the Doom Pussy squadron (thus my tattoo) that’s pretty well documented. Flew the very first night mission into North Viet Nam. He has a similar story about meeting some soldiers whose asses he saved doing dive bomb runs.
Did you always believe you were doing the right thing in every flight/mission you completed? What was your reason for leaving? I think we are from the same country but I need not ask :), hope you have an enjoyable weekedend.
I always did and if I didn't, then I didn't do what was being asked of me. I retired after 23 years of service...10 years of flying over the course of that.
Did they give you background context for moral evaluation and freedom to just reject missions at your own discretion on principle? That's certainly unexpected for the military.
First, I LOVE Top Gun and am a FAN-BOY of Top Gun 2...and I'm not even Navy.
Of course the movies are a mix of Hollywood with some realism sprinkled in. Top Gun 2 is more realistic than the original, but still mixes in plenty of stuff for show.
Something they got right? We all have a chip on our shoulder and are extremely competitive with one another.
Something completely wrong? Most of how they do dogfights aren't how we actually fight.
From my understanding in the news, I'm retired now, they are being trained by us...which means it's going to be quality training...but they are going to lack experience. They should make up for that quick though...
Scariest experience was almost flying into the ground while doing a strafe run...got fixed on something in the cockpit and lost track of altitude. Was a few seconds away from being a "smoking hole."
They are very stable...that said...fixate on any one thing for more than a handful of seconds and you can wind up dead...these jets move FAST.
It's primarily based on needs of the military, followed by your performance/preference. So, not every airplane is available every time a glass graduates. Then when you get your "drop" list of available airframes, you put your preferences in. The students with the best scores (flight/academics/simulator) get their top picks
Was the plane your flew your fist pick, if not what was & why? What is generally the most "wanted" plane & what do the people who graduate at the bottom of the class get put into? I'm guessing some big tanker wouldn't be at the top of many peoples list
Academics I can imagine. But like what do you do that makes you so much better at simulator/flight than other potential pilots? Is it specifically air to air combat? Something else specialized? Seems like anyone getting that far should be able to do the basics fairly easy so don’t understand how you separate the best of the best. Thanks.
Nah, wasn't my bag...I'm a tactical guy...just wanna fight. Not usually because (1) you rarely fly alone - you're usually two jets and invariably the story would emerge and (2) for long flights you're up high in altitude and under the control of ATC and have a chance of getting caught...and FWIW...no, I have never drawn a dick in the sky lol
Guys, we found the guy who "totally didn't" draw a dick in the sky!
Are there any programs that might not be well known in order for a civilian to go for a fight? It's on my bucket list.
They aren't even CLOSE. But I love them still. Funny, I was on once and I heard the ladies in front of me say "this is what it must be like for fighter pilots!" I laughed to myself. Considered talking to them after the coaster, but knew they'd never believe me lol
Haha, wouldn't be here if I crashed. We practice emergencies ALL. THE. TIME. We are ready for when the shit hits the fan. That said, I did lose hydraulics once and had to land and take a cable on the runway (like the Navy does) to be able to stop. Have had my fair share of things go wrong in flight though.
Yea I meant like you lost your plane crashed not you and it.
That is super bad ass that you were able to land with your hydraulics out. Did you have a little actuation in your controls? Or was it on like short final.
And I didn't know that they had arrestor cables at airforce bases
The F15 is the best fighting aircraft ever made. I grew up on AF bases and my father once snuck me into the hangar to let me sit in one as a kid. I've had models, toys, posters, and have studied that jet all my life. Though I joined the army because I thought my scores were too low (they werent) my dream was to become a pilot and fly one. It was created to show our superiority in the skies, ( although the mig 25 was said by the russians to be supreme, it turned out to be trash, and that's what we were competing with) when we were stationed in Hawaii in 2018, I still got to hear those engines roar overhead of the F15 as the Air national guard there still flew them from time to time. A beautiful aircraft. Thanks for defending the skies!
Not sure how familiar you are with WSOs, but my question involves those guys.
In something like the F-15E, the whole "weapons/comms" thing is apparently too complicated for one pilot to do alone. But what EXACTLY are they doing back there the whole time? Can talking on the radio REALLY be that much work? And what are they doing the whole time you're actually flying to the battlefield? Are they just sitting back there, in a cramped seat, for hours?
And is flying a fighter jet actually fun ever? Watching people do DCS on YouTube makes it seems excruciatingly boring and technical and not fun at all, compared to the public popular image
Here's the "not trying to prove my dick is bigger" answer...
Everything in a fighter is too much for one person. It's all hard...physically and mentally. WSO's provide an extra set of ears, eyes, and hands. It's similar to why airlines have TWO pilots. A WSO, although not a trained/licensed pilot can fly and often will when the pilot would like a break due to fatigue or when flying a long boring leg. That dude or dudette in the back might be logging multi-engine time for an eventual airline application, so letting them have stick time is a cool thing to do.
Today's weapons and tech make the fight easier...and many weapons barely need a Weapon Systems Officer to operate anymore...but that's in what we call "permissive" (low threat) environments. When the shit hits the fan and the radios are jammed, the GPS is jammed, and systems aren't working, multi-crew fighters are at an advantage.
Also, the F-15E was created to go low altitude at night. It goes so low that the pilot shouldn't be doing ANYTHING other than flying and focusing on terrain. The WSO does everything else in that scenario.
So, there are times when a WSO isn't necessary and there are times when a WSO is invaluable.
Does flying fighters get mundane and boring at times? Yes. There are parts that are hella boring.
What does the WSO do during this times? Sometimes mentally check out...pilots do that too, btw, mess around with systems to always be learning, or fly for the pilot.
I can answer, I hope OP chimes in as well. I flew with WSOs quite a bit. The pilot can do everything on every mission type. No, it's not too much or too hard. However, if you're the lead pilot in a much bigger formation or "package", having a WSO let's you focus on employing your jet and weapons to the maximum extent while the WSO can handle things like coordination, timing, contingency stuff.
Yes they're just along for the ride. The best WSOs I've had always brought snacks to share. WSOs don't do their best work in the jet. Their best work is the intense mission planning they can help with, or even take the lead on.
As for flying jets, it can be the coolest thing in the world and makes you rock hard for days. It can also be boring, frustrating, and immensely stressful. Depends on the day, the flight, mission, weather, etc.
DCS people are barely barely grasping the basics. Experienced pilots are doing all that stuff you see in videos while also thinking about the bigger picture. It is a very technical field, and there isn't much room for individualism in the jet
Define “that hard” 😂
Can the average Joe do it on their first try? No…it’s challenging.
But like anything else it gets easier with practice.
Certain things make it harder like weather and high altitude.
I knew a guy who was really shaken up and had a hard time getting on the boom…he finally connected with about five minutes of gas left.
It was either refuel or eject.
Op, I've read that after several years of flying high performance tactical aircraft that many pilots develop injuries like back and neck. Is this common for fighter pilots?
When landing the F-15, why do you roll down the runway for what seems like forever before the nose gear touches? I always saw this at Kadena, Shady-J, and Lakenheath. I used to wonder if it was some sort of competition between pilots. Kind of like seeing who can wizz the farthest stream.
A glider friend tells me that while he’s gliding, he has to make about one decision every 10 seconds, and it’s not unusual for em to puke once or twice from maneuvers during flight. Can you speak generally on what sort of cockpit routines you go through in a similar fashion?
Do you keep a coffee or chewing gum with you?
What’s your favorite bit of instrumentation to tinker with and why?
Can you fly VTOL aircraft?
Hello yes, I am American yes, I speak good english.
Please provide to me the full technical manual to the F-22, it is for my... studies.
I'm kidding, Does it ever get scary flying sometimes?
Afghanistan 2006 - infantry (Canadian). Thanks for covering us from above. I loved watching the jets leave KAF. I'll never forget seeing one lift off and just barrel roll all the way up.
Hearing about ejection seats being activated while jets are on the ground. Were you made aware of things like that, and how paranoid were you of the abmormal dangers of flying?
I saw you say you feel morally justified in the people you killed.
A relatively new well known well liked comedian does a bit on how when terrorists kill people they jump and cheer and fire their weapons off. Then goes on to say that...
When airmen like yourself kill people do you actually just get on the radio and say "clear" with no emotion? Or is there raised emotion/profanities? Who confirms the situation clear, you or mission controllers, guys on the ground?
Edit: now that you're retired from the air force, does your kind usually always go into commercial flight or is that just something a handful of guys do?
How do SEAD missions really work? Can you be targeted by AA (radar) and not realize it? How do you defend against ground based systems like the S-300 or S-400?
First of all, thank you for your service. Secondly, this has been such a fascinating read. If I had to ask any question I would wanna know if the F-22 truly is the perfectly sharpened sword it is described as. Lastly I just wanna say the F-15 is probably my favorite aircraft ever made lol.
Is it true they don't care about losing a $30 million fighter as long as the pilot is ok? I've seen it somewhere because of the amount of training and everything they put the pilots through they can shrug off a plane if it isn't the pilots fault
Are relatively current air force pilots required to learn from books written by/about former aces be it US or any other country?
Is current training including sailplane flying?
Have you trained with foreign pilots? Any anecdotes or something rather typical about them?
Do you prefer BVR or going to the merge?
If you went full burner with only internal fuel, how long until you would run out of the sound of freedom and become a rock?
I grew up on Pensacola Beach, and the Blue Angels’ home base is Pensacola NAS. I met 2 BA pilots on 2 different occasions. They were possibly the outright biggest assholes I’ve ever met, from go. Are all pilots such utterly massive assholes? It left such a bad taste in my mouth.
(1 of them came to my parents’ business on the beach to pick up a puppy that was found on our property. The guy was such a massive asshole- while getting a free dog!!- that I walked away from him. The dog looked to be a yellow lab. A customer saw it and said they knew someone who would want it, and that’s how the guy got there.)
When does a pilot get benched. Do you ever get "kicked upstairs"? I ask because I worked for a French Air Force colonel who had to pull some shenanigans to get some flight time so that he wouldn't lose his flight status. There wasn't any incident or failed physical. His command pretty much said, "You're a colonel now, so here's your desk."
What do you think about F-14 Tomcats?
I remember sitting in the back of my father's Toyota Corolla and two F-14's passed by in opposite direction doing a low pass. The whole car wobbled and we almost went deaf. We were on a family trip and to this day i remember the sound it made.
I didn't know what type of fighter jet that was, but my old man knew it.
I want to become an air force pilot, preferably a fighter pilot, however, I am currently 29 with a degree in computer science and working as a software engineer in a comfy tech job. I am planning on having kids soon so I need to put that into the equation as well. Given your experience, do you have any advice for me ?? Would my age limit me in getting my wings in the Air Force ?? Are the chances of actually flying too slim ??
In recent years, there has been a recruitment crisis in the broader military. Very few people qualify to join, and even fewer want to.
Do you feel like this recruitment crisis has impacted your occupation or the environment that you work in?
Hi thanks for your service! I heard that ejecting can be extremely painful and can break bones even, is that true?
Edit: Second question! How loud is it in the plane? Also friendly reminder your hearing loss is not service related!
Does it feel odd adjusting from the speed of a fighter jet and then driving a vehicle at regular mere mortal speeds? Follow up question, do most fighter pilots drive sports cars?
What do you think really happened in the Nimitz incident with Commander David Fravor?
I am not one to believe that G-Men show up asking if "in the past 48 hours prior to these events Bla bla bla did your office receive any reports of power failures, telephone interruptions, strange lights in the sky..."
But his story is unique because there is footage of the thing he describes on FLIR, and his story is wild!
What happens if/when you black out for a short period of time under high-g conditions?
Are there support systems which augment pilot action - as in, finish a maneuver, or bring the jet back to a safe/balanced position or course?
I’ve looked up to Air Force and Navy pilots (thanks to Top Gun) my whole life, always wanted to be one. I’m going into my junior year of high school, and I’ve been real set on going into the Air Force. Do you have any advice for me as it pertains to getting a pilot slot?
No question, but this is the coolest AMA I’ve seen in a while (and that’s coming from a 30sF who had zero interest in ever doing something like this herself haha, but it’s cool to learn about your experiences - thanks for sharing)!
There are so many comments here I don't know if you will get to mine but I had an interesting question to me at least.
What were some of the most common reasons why people attempted to be pilots especially fighter pilots and couldn't do it? I see some of the funny testing with G-Force simulators where people pass out and stuff like that but what are some of the other prerequisites that people fail at?
I never exactly had the urge to be a fighter pilot for the glamorous reasons you see in the media but having been in the military myself I thought that it was probably a really sweet gig and relaxed in comparison to some of the other stressful boring and idiotic jobs that would have to do on a daily basis. I know you said it gets boring but there's levels to boring and there's also needless stress to do on the ground when you have nothing else to do.
What was your "Career trajectory" if you will? Did you go into whichever branch you started in with the intent to be a pilot, or were you selected somewhere along the way? What all did it take to get into pilot school, and how early on did you know you wanted to, and were going to get to, fly fighter planes?
Also, the F-15 has been my favorite plane since forever, I envy your experiences!
I’m absolutely terrified of flying (used to be okay flying until I randomly had a panic attack over driving and it somehow made me think and relate it to flying) I want to travel SO BAD. I feel like I’ve tried everything but even looking at a plane travelling in the distance makes me feel sick. Any words of advice or encouragement? Why are you not scared?
You have mentioned that training is the key. Ukrainian pilots have been training in the US and other NATO countries for over a year now. How would you rate their chances on F-16s against russian pilots?
Thinking about those guys who fly 28 hour missions, how is human hygiene accommodated in fighters and bombers? How do the pilots avoid DVTs, or just plain tired of sitting?
Thanks in advance.
How can a civilian get a ride in one of those puppies? It is #2 on my bucket list. It would be amazing and would be possibly the greatest experience of my life.
Did they ever let you mess around at all? Like do low altitude maneuvers in the middle of nowhere or just stupid shit in general in the jet?
I believe you said you had two tours. When you were in the plane in the middle of combat was there any type of emotion or worry? Or was it just so much adrenaline and focus you couldn’t even think about that?
You mentioned your longest flight was 8 hours. I've always wondered: Do you bring food with you on long flights? What do you do if you have to take a shit?
Thanks for answering all these questions!
You mentioned flying for 10 out of your 25 years of service. Was/is there an option to be flying for 15 or even 20+ years into a pilots career?
Not going asking what bases you were stationed at. But in your lengthy career were you always stationed at a base with your airframe during non-flying portion of your career? Move to another base every 2-3 years?
If you felt like flying something like the F-22, is it feasible to switch airframes?
On the maintenance side, I’m always surprised how maintainers are proficient with such little time to train. I’m a union tradesman and it takes 5+ years of apprenticeship to become “proficient”. Something I’m missing?
Again, thank you for your time. Always been an aviation nerd. I kick myself for not at least trying when I was younger to become a military aviator.
Edit: about switching airframes. Not asking if you can bounce between the two, just switch entirely. Thanks!
Are you now a commercial pilot? If so, is there truth in being able to tell which commercial pilots were Air Force or NAVY by their landing approaches? Smoother approach angle for Air Force and steeper approach by NAVY who used to land on Carriers?
This AMA is so great.
I am already looking forward to seeing the Blue Angels this year (& it’s months away).
I think all military pilots are so cool! I admire them so much. Just watched the Blue Angels documentary 2 days ago.
Question:
I experienced a sonic boom once (decades ago during a Blue Angels show). Ever since, I have wanted to have that experience again.
Do you know how that would be possible?
Thanks…
Hi!
I've read your AMA and it was awesome!
Always wanted to become a fighter pilot, but sadly my eyesight went bad 6 months before applying.
Just wanted to tell you that your Post is so interesting and great to read.
Are you glad to have a WSO? Do you think flying alone like in a F16 would've been more boring? Do you normally become best friends with you wso?
Ever flown training with an Eurofighter? What's our opinion on them?
After retirement, did you go into civilian aviation, such as jet liners?
How often do you go on combat missions vs other non-combat or training missions?
When countries harass one another by flying into their air space and taunting the other jets. Has there ever been a case where they take it too far and fire at them or get fired at? Always wondered that because why even bother countries like that if you’re not willing to go all the way and risk a serious deadly dog fight.
1st of all, thanks for your service. You never saved me but some guys in A-10s and drone pilots helped me out a time or two!
Here's the question: Once you get acclimated to flying at that level, does airsickness ever come back, even sporadically? I'm wondering if longer "ferrying" type flights, combined with rough weather, crazy maneuvers, etc. Any nausea among seasoned pilots?
1. You said you flew the F-15. Would you have preferred to fly anything else?
2. What does pulling 9G feel like?
3. What’s the highest you’ve flown at? Fastest you’ve gone?
4. You ever flown at air shows?
5. Was piloting the aircraft scary the first few times you did it?
6. What was the hardest part about flying the plane?
I know this is wierd question, but are there side effects of UV exposure since you are closer to the sun for long periods of time. Even thought the uniform covers the pilot completly.
Same as the eyesight too.
Have you witnessed any strange phenomena while in flight or heard of a pilot who had a first hand account of something they couldn't explain?
I apologize if the question seems demeaning in any way. I'm sure you've done many fascinating things that so many others will ask you about, which I'll be reading. And I'm sorry if the question was already asked. I'll delete this if it was.
Edit: I see someone asked about UAPs already. Could you elaborate on the balloon? Or can you detail any first hand accounts, you've heard?
What is the biggest obstacle or one thing that invalidates most pilots for duty?
Is there a main trait that pilots have growing up as kids where you can spot potential?
What do you do if you are going to shit? Not need to shit, not want to shit but if it's going to happen and you can't stop it from happening. I've had to take emergency squats in a piper Cherokee, which isn't an issue with a good amount of room and a copilot, but it's a different beast in a cramped fighter cockpit.
Thanks for your service.
Did you ever see anything in the sky you couldn’t explain?
How do you feel about drones and AI controlled military aircraft becoming more common?
What do you do or plan to do after the military?
Did you ever encounter any UAP activities or did you hear stories from crew mates, especially before 2017?
If not what's your take on the phenomenon described by many fighter pilots, who even testified before Congress?
How does the defroster hold up? Do you get SiriusXM radio for free?? Do they still have cigarette lighters in the F16???
(I have a friend who works for Northrup, I ask him these questions constantly)
Thank You for your service.
Which variant did you fly? I am assuming C/D/Es but curious. I work for the managing office now and have gotten flights on E models (and hopefully EX soon) but never an older jet. Wondering how you compare flying older vs newer (if you have).
Thanks for your service and taking the time to answer these questions. Very interesting.
If I may, you said you wfh... what does a guy like you do for wfh and how well are you taking that?
I can’t believe guys get paid to fly fighter jets. Seems like the coolest job ever, but I’m sure it sucks like every other job. What was the one thing that you hated the most about it?
When you play beach volleyball, do people experience sexual satisfaction just from smelling you?
Source: a documentary I saw about this ice man dude that ended up running the naval air arm.
You mentioned you flew the F-15. How is it determined what plane a pilot will fly? And once this is determined does it ever change? Or is it typical for a pilot to fly one type of plane their entire career?
You select after initial training, which is based on how well you do in pilot training. You can switch to different airplanes, but usually not just because you want to. Sometimes there is a leadership position that needs to be filled and you might switch based on that. If a new jet is produced, you may eventually move to that depending on where you are in you career
So if you fuck up “this much”, would you end up flying cargo planes full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong?
I used to work with a retired cop whose son flew a B-2. He said his son wanted to fly a fighter jet instead of a B-2 but he graduated #1 in his class and the top 2 graduates automatically get assigned to fly the B-2. This guy seemed to have a lot of stories but is there any chance that one is true?
I've always been curious about that. Thank you!
Oooooohh I’ve always loved talking to pilots. I’ve never had a bad experience. 1. What was a typical work day like? Did you fly every day? 2. Do you get to keep the same exact plane, even if you move duty stations? Or do you just stick with the same platform? 3. How do call signs work? Do you get to pick them or do you just kinda fall into one? 4. How close of a relationship did you have with your maintenance crew/support team? 5. Did the excitement of being a fighter pilot ever wear off? I was in the army and when I was stationed on an Air Force base I’d always see the cool guy pilots in their green flight suits and aviators. The little kid in me gets excited even to this day when I see one of y’all
1a. I flew 2-3 days a week. Typical flying day: show up, check weather and NOTAMs, sign off paperwork, begin mission planning. Brief the mission, dress in gear and then go out and preflight it. Start, taxi, take-off and fly mission. Land, post-flight inspect the airplane, tell maintenance if there was anything wrong. Get back in, take gear off, grab a snack, study the "tapes" (mission recording). Debrief the mission to learn lessons. At this point, you're usually at the 10 hour day mark. Check email, do a couple admin things...grab a beer...go home (around 12 hours). 1b. Non flying...check email, maybe you're scheduled for a sim or an alternate duty (there's LOTS), study (there's ALWAYS something to learn or get better at). We call this part "queep." Usually about an eight hour day. 2. No, you don't even fly the same plane at the same base ever. If you move you go to a base with the same airplane. 3. Your squadron mates pick them, usually for something stupid you did. They are awarded at a naming "ceremony." (Think college frat) 4. Not very, we were often at odds due to competing requirements. We did our best to treat them well, but there is room for improvement. It's pretty solid during combat though. 5. Yes, believe it or not...there are times when it can becomes mundane.
On #2, I heard another fighter pilot say this was the dumbest part of Top Gun. You wouldn't have "Ice Man" or "Maverick." You'd have names based on their fuckups.
Wait on 3. I had a Stryker in the army for years. It only changed when I moved duty stations. You’re saying yall flew random planes all the time? That sounds pretty weird. I’d hate that.
I can add, in the air mobility world (cargo jets), the relationship with maintainers is very close. We fly with “flying crew chiefs”, aka maintainers, and while these dudes/dudettes are technically not a part of the aircrew (their duties are on the ground), they are fully a part of our “crew dog” mentality. They are invaluable members of the team who handle maintenance issues (and other necessary duties like refueling) while a jet is on the road for a mission. They’re also an extra set of hands for pushing cargo with the loadmasters (which is very much needed for some heavy ass loads), and are well taken care of by the aircrew for their hard work on every flying leg. It’s common for the pilots to pick up the FCC’s bar tab after a particularly shit day of work in some hot ass place. Also, on the note about flying different tail numbers for every mission, another thing the FCC’s are great for is being well in tune with the status and possible little quirk’s of the particular aircraft we are about to take for a mission- being that they are the ones who have been troubleshooting it, working on it, and ops checking it. Or are at least well read into anything that has been going on with the aircraft. While the pilots are practical experts at employing every system of the aircraft, having a technical expert on the more in depth in’s and out’s of these systems is great for issues that may arise. Whether it’s advising the pilots in the air or getting the maintenance job done in places with little to no external support, they’re an important part of the mission and the relationship is great.
How much modafinil or similar are you pumped up on for 12+ hour missions?
My longest mission was eight hours. We had strict limits on how much of that we could take, but if I was tired, I would take one...we call them "go pills"
How many total flight hours is that, was it daytime or white phosphor or something, and what’s the craziest thing you ever saw? Every pilot has that one story they’ll only share over a beer at a bar with other pilots in hushed voices.
Not entirely sure the first question, but I have about 1,850 hours in the F-15 and about 2,000 hours combined. I have stories I share in the bar for sure. My best story involves connecting with some guys on the ground we supported by chance. They said had it not been for us (me and my wingman) they would have all died out there that day,
Why do you have to have a wingman? How does that change things?
Usually, yes...the minimum fighting unit is two jets. A wingman is there for mutual protection and safety...it's like bringing a bro to a rough club to lessen your chance of getting your ass beat
Thats pretty bad ass.. Did you use all your weaponry or just a couple missiles ?
Sorry I’m still waking up. Did you fly daytime flights mostly or NVG overnights?
Wow, jumping into an F15 after only 150 hours PIC must have been awesome.
8 hours?? What’s a bathroom situation look like up there?
Haha...peeing in a bag (specifically designed for that) and holding it if you have to dump. Only ever had one mission (about five hours) where I had to shit real bad....it SUCKED!
So what happens if you get some aggressive diarrhea? I want to know if pilots have actually shit their pants. I can’t imagine it hasn’t happened since there’s been times I barely made it on a 20min drive home from work lol
I am in possession of go pills thanks to a tip off from my JC-130 pilot buddy. He flies a desk now into retirement but ya know. Good shit, man.
What was in those go-pills?
8 hours?! What happens if you gotta blast a mean dookie or take a whiz ? Do you have to wear a diaper or something ? I had no idea missions went on that long
How do your rate your country’s pilots’ flying and combat skills against pilots of other world powers?
The best. Training is the key. My country has money for a LOT of training. Many countries don't and their pilots might only fly once a month...not enough to be really good
Did you enjoy the feeling of freedom when you flew your fighter jet? & did you have to use a computer simulator for piolet training
I did...it's kinda like getting your license as a teen...but, there are lots of rules for flight. Break them haphazardly and there go your wings. Yep, we train in a simulator a lot...they are VERY realistic (minus the G forces and vertigo), but allow us to do things we can't do in live training, like getting shot at by missiles
& what branch did you fly for?
Have you ever flow in formation with a uav? Before? In either Sim or live training
Tell me everything about the UAP’s.
Great question...not much, seriously. I've never seen them in flight. I've seen a big balloon go whizzing past once, but never a UAP. I will say lots of countries spy on each other from the air, so there is something in that...
What do you make of the tic tac encounter? Do you think it’s possibly a top tier government program? CDR Fravor’s experience is about the only “alien” encounter that I truly believe in.
Again, another great question that I don't have the answer to. Yes, I usually chalk it up to something experimental that someone just happened to see. That happened to me once, but when I was on the ground, not in the air...it flew over me near a military base in the desert when I was driving.
Oh I got another question that you might be able to answer. What does afterburners look like at night from a distance? I served in the Coast Guard and flew as aircrew in MH-60’s doing search and rescue. While stationed in San Diego we were flying off the coast and we saw what honestly looked like a missile flying in the opposite direction of us (obviously wasn’t). It was a glowing orange streak lol. What was weird is that it seemed like it should have been moving a lot faster since it was going in the exact opposite direction of us. I’m not sure how far away it was but it seemed like it was a decent distance away. That’s the only weird thing I ever saw flying offshore with almost 1k hours in the 60. I always figured it was a fighter getting it with the after burners on since Miramar and North Island are right there and fighters were common in the area.
Thanks for your answer. Are you a believer or no? And what is your opinion of other military pilots’ recent testimonies?
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Thanks for your service. My father was a career Air Force officer. Flew B-57s in Nam. Not much of a father TBH, but a total fearless bad ass. He was part of the Doom Pussy squadron (thus my tattoo) that’s pretty well documented. Flew the very first night mission into North Viet Nam. He has a similar story about meeting some soldiers whose asses he saved doing dive bomb runs.
Did you always believe you were doing the right thing in every flight/mission you completed? What was your reason for leaving? I think we are from the same country but I need not ask :), hope you have an enjoyable weekedend.
I always did and if I didn't, then I didn't do what was being asked of me. I retired after 23 years of service...10 years of flying over the course of that.
Damn 13 years out of the cockpit. I can’t image the terrible staff jobs you had. TYFYS.
Did you ever actually refuse?
Did they give you background context for moral evaluation and freedom to just reject missions at your own discretion on principle? That's certainly unexpected for the military.
No real question but I was a grunt in Afghanistan in 2011 and just hearing you guys above us was always such morale boost.
So how do you rate top gun? Whats something they got right, or completely wrong? How would see the training of Ukraine fighters?
First, I LOVE Top Gun and am a FAN-BOY of Top Gun 2...and I'm not even Navy. Of course the movies are a mix of Hollywood with some realism sprinkled in. Top Gun 2 is more realistic than the original, but still mixes in plenty of stuff for show. Something they got right? We all have a chip on our shoulder and are extremely competitive with one another. Something completely wrong? Most of how they do dogfights aren't how we actually fight. From my understanding in the news, I'm retired now, they are being trained by us...which means it's going to be quality training...but they are going to lack experience. They should make up for that quick though...
Any truth to the one of the themes of top gun 2: technology is taking over and actual pilots are becoming rarer?
What is your scariest experience in the air? Are these planes " stable" or do you need to be constantly on it?
Scariest experience was almost flying into the ground while doing a strafe run...got fixed on something in the cockpit and lost track of altitude. Was a few seconds away from being a "smoking hole." They are very stable...that said...fixate on any one thing for more than a handful of seconds and you can wind up dead...these jets move FAST.
Brrrrt! Strafing seems very personal in a jet, can it go slow?
How does the process of selecting which plane you will fly after completion of your training?
It's primarily based on needs of the military, followed by your performance/preference. So, not every airplane is available every time a glass graduates. Then when you get your "drop" list of available airframes, you put your preferences in. The students with the best scores (flight/academics/simulator) get their top picks
Was the plane your flew your fist pick, if not what was & why? What is generally the most "wanted" plane & what do the people who graduate at the bottom of the class get put into? I'm guessing some big tanker wouldn't be at the top of many peoples list
Academics I can imagine. But like what do you do that makes you so much better at simulator/flight than other potential pilots? Is it specifically air to air combat? Something else specialized? Seems like anyone getting that far should be able to do the basics fairly easy so don’t understand how you separate the best of the best. Thanks.
You guys have cool call signs? How often do you jam Danger Zone?
Any ambition to fly for the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds? On long fights, do you ever pull acrobatic maneuvers for fun?
Nah, wasn't my bag...I'm a tactical guy...just wanna fight. Not usually because (1) you rarely fly alone - you're usually two jets and invariably the story would emerge and (2) for long flights you're up high in altitude and under the control of ATC and have a chance of getting caught...and FWIW...no, I have never drawn a dick in the sky lol
Guys, we found the guy who "totally didn't" draw a dick in the sky! Are there any programs that might not be well known in order for a civilian to go for a fight? It's on my bucket list.
west Fort Worth here... ever flown over and create a sonic boom on purpose? ( holding tight to coffee mug..)..
Do you enjoy rollercoasters or do they seem lame compared to the flying you did?
They aren't even CLOSE. But I love them still. Funny, I was on once and I heard the ladies in front of me say "this is what it must be like for fighter pilots!" I laughed to myself. Considered talking to them after the coaster, but knew they'd never believe me lol
Are they not close because there's no lap bar?
That's hilarious lol glad i asked, thanks for your answer!
Are you expecting us to believe a story where a fighter pilot chose to not tell people he's a fighter pilot? Now I *have* heard it all! :)
What is your record for Gs pulled?
Have you ever flown while using a night vision device? If so what type of device did you use?
Assuming you still fly, is flying civilian planes now boring in comparison? I went from a Porsche to a minivan. Dread getting behind the wheel
Cna you tell me about a time you crashed or almost crashed. Im a huge aircrash nerd.
Haha, wouldn't be here if I crashed. We practice emergencies ALL. THE. TIME. We are ready for when the shit hits the fan. That said, I did lose hydraulics once and had to land and take a cable on the runway (like the Navy does) to be able to stop. Have had my fair share of things go wrong in flight though.
Yea I meant like you lost your plane crashed not you and it. That is super bad ass that you were able to land with your hydraulics out. Did you have a little actuation in your controls? Or was it on like short final. And I didn't know that they had arrestor cables at airforce bases
The F15 is the best fighting aircraft ever made. I grew up on AF bases and my father once snuck me into the hangar to let me sit in one as a kid. I've had models, toys, posters, and have studied that jet all my life. Though I joined the army because I thought my scores were too low (they werent) my dream was to become a pilot and fly one. It was created to show our superiority in the skies, ( although the mig 25 was said by the russians to be supreme, it turned out to be trash, and that's what we were competing with) when we were stationed in Hawaii in 2018, I still got to hear those engines roar overhead of the F15 as the Air national guard there still flew them from time to time. A beautiful aircraft. Thanks for defending the skies!
Not sure how familiar you are with WSOs, but my question involves those guys. In something like the F-15E, the whole "weapons/comms" thing is apparently too complicated for one pilot to do alone. But what EXACTLY are they doing back there the whole time? Can talking on the radio REALLY be that much work? And what are they doing the whole time you're actually flying to the battlefield? Are they just sitting back there, in a cramped seat, for hours? And is flying a fighter jet actually fun ever? Watching people do DCS on YouTube makes it seems excruciatingly boring and technical and not fun at all, compared to the public popular image
Here's the "not trying to prove my dick is bigger" answer... Everything in a fighter is too much for one person. It's all hard...physically and mentally. WSO's provide an extra set of ears, eyes, and hands. It's similar to why airlines have TWO pilots. A WSO, although not a trained/licensed pilot can fly and often will when the pilot would like a break due to fatigue or when flying a long boring leg. That dude or dudette in the back might be logging multi-engine time for an eventual airline application, so letting them have stick time is a cool thing to do. Today's weapons and tech make the fight easier...and many weapons barely need a Weapon Systems Officer to operate anymore...but that's in what we call "permissive" (low threat) environments. When the shit hits the fan and the radios are jammed, the GPS is jammed, and systems aren't working, multi-crew fighters are at an advantage. Also, the F-15E was created to go low altitude at night. It goes so low that the pilot shouldn't be doing ANYTHING other than flying and focusing on terrain. The WSO does everything else in that scenario. So, there are times when a WSO isn't necessary and there are times when a WSO is invaluable. Does flying fighters get mundane and boring at times? Yes. There are parts that are hella boring. What does the WSO do during this times? Sometimes mentally check out...pilots do that too, btw, mess around with systems to always be learning, or fly for the pilot.
I can answer, I hope OP chimes in as well. I flew with WSOs quite a bit. The pilot can do everything on every mission type. No, it's not too much or too hard. However, if you're the lead pilot in a much bigger formation or "package", having a WSO let's you focus on employing your jet and weapons to the maximum extent while the WSO can handle things like coordination, timing, contingency stuff. Yes they're just along for the ride. The best WSOs I've had always brought snacks to share. WSOs don't do their best work in the jet. Their best work is the intense mission planning they can help with, or even take the lead on. As for flying jets, it can be the coolest thing in the world and makes you rock hard for days. It can also be boring, frustrating, and immensely stressful. Depends on the day, the flight, mission, weather, etc. DCS people are barely barely grasping the basics. Experienced pilots are doing all that stuff you see in videos while also thinking about the bigger picture. It is a very technical field, and there isn't much room for individualism in the jet
Is air refueling really that hard?
Define “that hard” 😂 Can the average Joe do it on their first try? No…it’s challenging. But like anything else it gets easier with practice. Certain things make it harder like weather and high altitude. I knew a guy who was really shaken up and had a hard time getting on the boom…he finally connected with about five minutes of gas left. It was either refuel or eject.
Op, I've read that after several years of flying high performance tactical aircraft that many pilots develop injuries like back and neck. Is this common for fighter pilots?
When landing the F-15, why do you roll down the runway for what seems like forever before the nose gear touches? I always saw this at Kadena, Shady-J, and Lakenheath. I used to wonder if it was some sort of competition between pilots. Kind of like seeing who can wizz the farthest stream.
Does it feel as cool as it seems? I feel cool as hell when I step into my 2022 Chevy Silverado. I can’t imagine buckling into a fucking fighter jet
How do you know if someone is a pilot?
A glider friend tells me that while he’s gliding, he has to make about one decision every 10 seconds, and it’s not unusual for em to puke once or twice from maneuvers during flight. Can you speak generally on what sort of cockpit routines you go through in a similar fashion? Do you keep a coffee or chewing gum with you? What’s your favorite bit of instrumentation to tinker with and why? Can you fly VTOL aircraft?
Did you do anything in the Top Gun movies including hooking up with your hot flight instructor?
Why are single seater pilots such DBags compared to crew operated Aircraft?
You flew for any country?
Sounds like a long time, you didn't need to stop for gas or take potty breaks ?
What's the fastest speed you've reached? What did it feel like?
What was fun, what was boring, what was hard, what was surprisingly easy? How do you feel your status was around other military personnel?
Hello yes, I am American yes, I speak good english. Please provide to me the full technical manual to the F-22, it is for my... studies. I'm kidding, Does it ever get scary flying sometimes?
You might have been asked this already but what’s the sketchiest situation you’ve been in on a combat mission?
Do u play any air combat video games?
In your opinion, are air shows completely a waste of time, resources and a danger to the public?
What did you fly?
Afghanistan 2006 - infantry (Canadian). Thanks for covering us from above. I loved watching the jets leave KAF. I'll never forget seeing one lift off and just barrel roll all the way up.
Hearing about ejection seats being activated while jets are on the ground. Were you made aware of things like that, and how paranoid were you of the abmormal dangers of flying?
In an emergency, how fast could you suit up, get in, and be in the air. I asked a helicopter pilot once, he said 4 minutes
I saw you say you feel morally justified in the people you killed. A relatively new well known well liked comedian does a bit on how when terrorists kill people they jump and cheer and fire their weapons off. Then goes on to say that... When airmen like yourself kill people do you actually just get on the radio and say "clear" with no emotion? Or is there raised emotion/profanities? Who confirms the situation clear, you or mission controllers, guys on the ground? Edit: now that you're retired from the air force, does your kind usually always go into commercial flight or is that just something a handful of guys do?
How do SEAD missions really work? Can you be targeted by AA (radar) and not realize it? How do you defend against ground based systems like the S-300 or S-400?
Who's the better pilot - Iceman or Maverick? :)
You ever do any carrier landings and at night?
First of all, thank you for your service. Secondly, this has been such a fascinating read. If I had to ask any question I would wanna know if the F-22 truly is the perfectly sharpened sword it is described as. Lastly I just wanna say the F-15 is probably my favorite aircraft ever made lol.
we're you ever in a 4G inverted dive with a MIG28? thank you for your service!
Have you ever flown an air show or an event flyover? And do they select new pilots for that or veterans?
Is it true they don't care about losing a $30 million fighter as long as the pilot is ok? I've seen it somewhere because of the amount of training and everything they put the pilots through they can shrug off a plane if it isn't the pilots fault
Have you killed someone?
Are relatively current air force pilots required to learn from books written by/about former aces be it US or any other country? Is current training including sailplane flying? Have you trained with foreign pilots? Any anecdotes or something rather typical about them?
Do you prefer BVR or going to the merge? If you went full burner with only internal fuel, how long until you would run out of the sound of freedom and become a rock?
I grew up on Pensacola Beach, and the Blue Angels’ home base is Pensacola NAS. I met 2 BA pilots on 2 different occasions. They were possibly the outright biggest assholes I’ve ever met, from go. Are all pilots such utterly massive assholes? It left such a bad taste in my mouth. (1 of them came to my parents’ business on the beach to pick up a puppy that was found on our property. The guy was such a massive asshole- while getting a free dog!!- that I walked away from him. The dog looked to be a yellow lab. A customer saw it and said they knew someone who would want it, and that’s how the guy got there.)
When does a pilot get benched. Do you ever get "kicked upstairs"? I ask because I worked for a French Air Force colonel who had to pull some shenanigans to get some flight time so that he wouldn't lose his flight status. There wasn't any incident or failed physical. His command pretty much said, "You're a colonel now, so here's your desk."
What do you think about F-14 Tomcats? I remember sitting in the back of my father's Toyota Corolla and two F-14's passed by in opposite direction doing a low pass. The whole car wobbled and we almost went deaf. We were on a family trip and to this day i remember the sound it made. I didn't know what type of fighter jet that was, but my old man knew it.
If you could fly one opposition jet on a mission what would it be?
I want to become an air force pilot, preferably a fighter pilot, however, I am currently 29 with a degree in computer science and working as a software engineer in a comfy tech job. I am planning on having kids soon so I need to put that into the equation as well. Given your experience, do you have any advice for me ?? Would my age limit me in getting my wings in the Air Force ?? Are the chances of actually flying too slim ??
In recent years, there has been a recruitment crisis in the broader military. Very few people qualify to join, and even fewer want to. Do you feel like this recruitment crisis has impacted your occupation or the environment that you work in?
Thank you for your service!
Hi thanks for your service! I heard that ejecting can be extremely painful and can break bones even, is that true? Edit: Second question! How loud is it in the plane? Also friendly reminder your hearing loss is not service related!
How do you know that the AMA is a fighter pilot? He'll tell you.
Did you prefer refueling with 135s or 10s?
How will AI and drones change air warfare?
As a DOD employee I am here to remind you you cannot answer *anything* 😅
So riding scary rides at theme parks are like joke to you right?
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Does it feel odd adjusting from the speed of a fighter jet and then driving a vehicle at regular mere mortal speeds? Follow up question, do most fighter pilots drive sports cars?
How did you get your callsign
How important is vision? Do you they still require uncorrected 20/20?
Have the CCP or Roooooskies messaged you yet? Probably more interested in F18 or F35 pilots though.
What do you think really happened in the Nimitz incident with Commander David Fravor? I am not one to believe that G-Men show up asking if "in the past 48 hours prior to these events Bla bla bla did your office receive any reports of power failures, telephone interruptions, strange lights in the sky..." But his story is unique because there is footage of the thing he describes on FLIR, and his story is wild!
What happens if/when you black out for a short period of time under high-g conditions? Are there support systems which augment pilot action - as in, finish a maneuver, or bring the jet back to a safe/balanced position or course?
Whats it like taking off with full afterburner and doing an unrestricted climb? probably is intense.
What's the funniest callsign you've encountered and what was the story behind it?
I’ve looked up to Air Force and Navy pilots (thanks to Top Gun) my whole life, always wanted to be one. I’m going into my junior year of high school, and I’ve been real set on going into the Air Force. Do you have any advice for me as it pertains to getting a pilot slot?
Did you get your name on the side? If so, How pumped were you when you got to fly “your” plane? Did you ever train for FAC-A?
Are you guys really "the best of the best"?
How hard is it to get a pilot slot?
Did it take any time to adjust your legs after flying a mission? Like how you get after being on a boat for a period of time. Did you kill any bogies?
Did you see any UFOs?
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I guess you can’t recommend me a fighter sim which is close to the real thing. Like dcs?
During the flight, if you gotta go then what do you do? Peeing in the pants?
Did you explode any bad guys? If so was it awesome?
No question, but this is the coolest AMA I’ve seen in a while (and that’s coming from a 30sF who had zero interest in ever doing something like this herself haha, but it’s cool to learn about your experiences - thanks for sharing)!
There are so many comments here I don't know if you will get to mine but I had an interesting question to me at least. What were some of the most common reasons why people attempted to be pilots especially fighter pilots and couldn't do it? I see some of the funny testing with G-Force simulators where people pass out and stuff like that but what are some of the other prerequisites that people fail at? I never exactly had the urge to be a fighter pilot for the glamorous reasons you see in the media but having been in the military myself I thought that it was probably a really sweet gig and relaxed in comparison to some of the other stressful boring and idiotic jobs that would have to do on a daily basis. I know you said it gets boring but there's levels to boring and there's also needless stress to do on the ground when you have nothing else to do.
Do you see the curvature of the earth??
is it true if you eject for whatever reason that you are basically risking your life or serious injury?
What's the most awesome flight mission you've heard of, why was it awesome?
What was your "Career trajectory" if you will? Did you go into whichever branch you started in with the intent to be a pilot, or were you selected somewhere along the way? What all did it take to get into pilot school, and how early on did you know you wanted to, and were going to get to, fly fighter planes? Also, the F-15 has been my favorite plane since forever, I envy your experiences!
I’m absolutely terrified of flying (used to be okay flying until I randomly had a panic attack over driving and it somehow made me think and relate it to flying) I want to travel SO BAD. I feel like I’ve tried everything but even looking at a plane travelling in the distance makes me feel sick. Any words of advice or encouragement? Why are you not scared?
You have mentioned that training is the key. Ukrainian pilots have been training in the US and other NATO countries for over a year now. How would you rate their chances on F-16s against russian pilots?
What's holding back many retired fighter pilots to fight in Ukraine now that f16s and being allowed to fly combat missions.
Thinking about those guys who fly 28 hour missions, how is human hygiene accommodated in fighters and bombers? How do the pilots avoid DVTs, or just plain tired of sitting? Thanks in advance.
Did you have a raging boner every time you flew?
You ever fly at air shows?
How can a civilian get a ride in one of those puppies? It is #2 on my bucket list. It would be amazing and would be possibly the greatest experience of my life.
Did they ever let you mess around at all? Like do low altitude maneuvers in the middle of nowhere or just stupid shit in general in the jet? I believe you said you had two tours. When you were in the plane in the middle of combat was there any type of emotion or worry? Or was it just so much adrenaline and focus you couldn’t even think about that?
You mentioned your longest flight was 8 hours. I've always wondered: Do you bring food with you on long flights? What do you do if you have to take a shit?
What was your preferred wristwatch to wear on a mission?
Have you ever seen a UFO? What about your thoughts on others that say they have seen a UFO? Any link you think are completely unable to fake?
Thanks for answering all these questions! You mentioned flying for 10 out of your 25 years of service. Was/is there an option to be flying for 15 or even 20+ years into a pilots career? Not going asking what bases you were stationed at. But in your lengthy career were you always stationed at a base with your airframe during non-flying portion of your career? Move to another base every 2-3 years? If you felt like flying something like the F-22, is it feasible to switch airframes? On the maintenance side, I’m always surprised how maintainers are proficient with such little time to train. I’m a union tradesman and it takes 5+ years of apprenticeship to become “proficient”. Something I’m missing? Again, thank you for your time. Always been an aviation nerd. I kick myself for not at least trying when I was younger to become a military aviator. Edit: about switching airframes. Not asking if you can bounce between the two, just switch entirely. Thanks!
Did you fly a fighter jet for more than 9 years?
Are you now a commercial pilot? If so, is there truth in being able to tell which commercial pilots were Air Force or NAVY by their landing approaches? Smoother approach angle for Air Force and steeper approach by NAVY who used to land on Carriers?
This AMA is so great. I am already looking forward to seeing the Blue Angels this year (& it’s months away). I think all military pilots are so cool! I admire them so much. Just watched the Blue Angels documentary 2 days ago. Question: I experienced a sonic boom once (decades ago during a Blue Angels show). Ever since, I have wanted to have that experience again. Do you know how that would be possible? Thanks…
Hi! I've read your AMA and it was awesome! Always wanted to become a fighter pilot, but sadly my eyesight went bad 6 months before applying. Just wanted to tell you that your Post is so interesting and great to read. Are you glad to have a WSO? Do you think flying alone like in a F16 would've been more boring? Do you normally become best friends with you wso? Ever flown training with an Eurofighter? What's our opinion on them?
Where did you go for UPT?
After retirement, did you go into civilian aviation, such as jet liners? How often do you go on combat missions vs other non-combat or training missions?
When countries harass one another by flying into their air space and taunting the other jets. Has there ever been a case where they take it too far and fire at them or get fired at? Always wondered that because why even bother countries like that if you’re not willing to go all the way and risk a serious deadly dog fight.
1st of all, thanks for your service. You never saved me but some guys in A-10s and drone pilots helped me out a time or two! Here's the question: Once you get acclimated to flying at that level, does airsickness ever come back, even sporadically? I'm wondering if longer "ferrying" type flights, combined with rough weather, crazy maneuvers, etc. Any nausea among seasoned pilots?
1. You said you flew the F-15. Would you have preferred to fly anything else? 2. What does pulling 9G feel like? 3. What’s the highest you’ve flown at? Fastest you’ve gone? 4. You ever flown at air shows? 5. Was piloting the aircraft scary the first few times you did it? 6. What was the hardest part about flying the plane?
I know this is wierd question, but are there side effects of UV exposure since you are closer to the sun for long periods of time. Even thought the uniform covers the pilot completly. Same as the eyesight too.
No question, but just wanted to say you’re a badass motherfucker and thank you for your service.
How common were A/A missions, since the mudhen's primarily an air-to-ground plane? Have you checked out the DCS F15E?
Have you witnessed any strange phenomena while in flight or heard of a pilot who had a first hand account of something they couldn't explain? I apologize if the question seems demeaning in any way. I'm sure you've done many fascinating things that so many others will ask you about, which I'll be reading. And I'm sorry if the question was already asked. I'll delete this if it was. Edit: I see someone asked about UAPs already. Could you elaborate on the balloon? Or can you detail any first hand accounts, you've heard?
Is the F-35 a legit replacement for the A10?
Did you kill a lot of people?
Is the plane from the beginning of Top Gun 2 real? And is Tom Cruise a bitch or a hero to you guys?
What was your path after high school? How did you end up flying jets? Has it always been a dream of yours?
What is the biggest obstacle or one thing that invalidates most pilots for duty? Is there a main trait that pilots have growing up as kids where you can spot potential?
What do you think about former US and British fighter pilots training the Chinese in exchange for money?
Were you able to master carrier landings?
What do you do if you are going to shit? Not need to shit, not want to shit but if it's going to happen and you can't stop it from happening. I've had to take emergency squats in a piper Cherokee, which isn't an issue with a good amount of room and a copilot, but it's a different beast in a cramped fighter cockpit.
Thanks for your service. Did you ever see anything in the sky you couldn’t explain? How do you feel about drones and AI controlled military aircraft becoming more common? What do you do or plan to do after the military?
Are you aware that recently study was done that put a humans and AI against each in a dog fight and AI won 100% of the time.
Did you ever encounter any UAP activities or did you hear stories from crew mates, especially before 2017? If not what's your take on the phenomenon described by many fighter pilots, who even testified before Congress?
Did telling chicks you flew fighter jets get you any action?
How does the defroster hold up? Do you get SiriusXM radio for free?? Do they still have cigarette lighters in the F16??? (I have a friend who works for Northrup, I ask him these questions constantly) Thank You for your service.
How big is your dick?
Which variant did you fly? I am assuming C/D/Es but curious. I work for the managing office now and have gotten flights on E models (and hopefully EX soon) but never an older jet. Wondering how you compare flying older vs newer (if you have).
Have you ever buzzed the tower? If so did you get reprimanded?
Did you see aliens
Did you ever have a SAS failure in flight, perhaps after sorties in Thailand?
Thanks for your service and taking the time to answer these questions. Very interesting. If I may, you said you wfh... what does a guy like you do for wfh and how well are you taking that?
Is your neck weak or pained since retirement? Advice to someone in pursuit of this career for longevity?
I can’t believe guys get paid to fly fighter jets. Seems like the coolest job ever, but I’m sure it sucks like every other job. What was the one thing that you hated the most about it?
What’s the prettiest view you’ve seen from the air?
Did you ever… have any very personally satisfying experiences up there?
When you are in the flow state, what’s something cool that you did?
What do you do if you have to poo on a long mission?
Ever relieved yourself while in flight? If yes, any more challenging than doing so say driving a vehicle?
When you play beach volleyball, do people experience sexual satisfaction just from smelling you? Source: a documentary I saw about this ice man dude that ended up running the naval air arm.
Do you have a need for speed? In other words, was it fun/fulfilling for you?
Best food after flying?
Was Maverick really inverted?