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ROFCIBC · January 28th, 2005, 23:08

[ QUOTE ]
So do they have certain qualifications on who they let fly Air Force 1? Like a certain rank and certain amount of many thousand hours?

[/ QUOTE ]

Politics play a role.

Lot of heavy transport/tanker time helps too. I nosed around it when I had just made Major, had about 3000 hours in the KC135 with 2000 as an IP/Evaluator.

Then decided to turn down the promotion and join the reserves as a full time Air Reserve Technician. One must have priorities…all I wanted to do was fly, fly, fly!

All that being said, different strokes for different folks all tempered by the "needs" of the Air Force. What is "in" on time may not be the next. From time to time there are excess pilots, other times shortages. Timing is everything...and I mean everything. One pilot can make a whole career in the training side of the house…another can’t get promoted. Depends on when you are where.

Your at the top of one weapons system when another comes along. You are prime for that. But if you've been in the same weapons system a little longer, you're too "old". And the opposite applies. You just got there, so you're a "newbie". By they time you move up to an "old head" that "new" system is old.

Put over this all the career "enhancing" jobs, i.e. staff types. And their timing too...move in to one at the wrong time and you're stuck...at the right time, BINGO you're off and running.

In the right weapons system when the war takes off...great. In the same one when the "action" is somewhere else...bad news.

All about timing! It's all about timing!

IMHO which falls in the two cents range!

January 28th, 2005, 23:08	#10
ROFCIBC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bossier City, Louisiana Posts: 591	Re: Another Question For Military Flyers [ QUOTE ] So do they have certain qualifications on who they let fly Air Force 1? Like a certain rank and certain amount of many thousand hours? [/ QUOTE ] Politics play a role. Lot of heavy transport/tanker time helps too. I nosed around it when I had just made Major, had about 3000 hours in the KC135 with 2000 as an IP/Evaluator. Then decided to turn down the promotion and join the reserves as a full time Air Reserve Technician. One must have priorities…all I wanted to do was fly, fly, fly! All that being said, different strokes for different folks all tempered by the "needs" of the Air Force. What is "in" on time may not be the next. From time to time there are excess pilots, other times shortages. Timing is everything...and I mean everything. One pilot can make a whole career in the training side of the house…another can’t get promoted. Depends on when you are where. Your at the top of one weapons system when another comes along. You are prime for that. But if you've been in the same weapons system a little longer, you're too "old". And the opposite applies. You just got there, so you're a "newbie". By they time you move up to an "old head" that "new" system is old. Put over this all the career "enhancing" jobs, i.e. staff types. And their timing too...move in to one at the wrong time and you're stuck...at the right time, BINGO you're off and running. In the right weapons system when the war takes off...great. In the same one when the "action" is somewhere else...bad news. All about timing! It's all about timing! IMHO which falls in the two cents range!