First of all, congratulations, you did it! Whether it was through ROTC, Active Duty, or the Guard/Reserves to fly fighters, heavies, or helos, you won the lottery and got selected during your board to attend Air Force Pilot Training. Inevitably, at some point after your well-earned celebration, you have the same thought that all of […]
This article is intended as a follow-up to my previous discussion of deployments for Guard/Reserve pilots. While not every pilot has the same experience deployed, my intent is to paint a picture of deployed fighter pilot life. For those who wish to pursue fighter aviation, I hope to offer a glimpse into what you may […]
Network, As the COVID-19 crisis continues to drag on, I can’t help asking my crystal ball how things are going to shake out. We’ve seen some regionals fold, and I’ve heard of others already starting furloughs. The government came up with a stimulus package that will protect some airline pilots through the end of September, […]
No matter which aircraft or unit you choose to pursue, chances are you will end up spending some time deployed as a pilot in the Air Reserve Component (ARC – shorthand for Guard and Reserve). The location and durations may vary between different mission design series (MDS) aircraft, but you’ll undoubtedly get to experience the […]
Welcome back! It’s time to conclude our examination of a disease that I call Wingman or Copilot Syndrome. We started this series by exploring some ways to identify this syndrome. Last week, we looked at some ways to cure it. Now, it’s time to look at ways that some ineffective ways that people try to […]
Thanks for sticking around so far TPN. To review: this is the third and final installment in a series of posts about commuting to your airline job. The two key points from earlier are: 1. Commuting it terrible! 2. Despite #1, there are a few acceptable reasons to commute Give a Hoot! Don’t Commute […]
Written by Joseph Bores, BogiDope Client and Accessible Aviation Graduate A couple years ago a lifelong interest in warfighting and military aviation, featuring a number of starts and stops, led me to an open house at the 142nd Fighter Wing in Portland. An impressive Lieutenant Colonel gave us a mass brief and the uninformed among […]
Welcome back BogiDope readers. Last week we looked at the symptoms of Wingman (or Copilot) Syndrome…the pilot disease even worse than Coronavirus. I received a lot of great feedback from people who either have or have avoided the syndrome themselves. This week we’re going to look at some ways that a pilot can recover if […]
Welcome back TPN! We just decided that commuting is a terrible way of life. (If you missed that discussion, go read Part 1 of this series here. Although you acknowledge my arguments, you may believe that you’re a magical and unique flower entitled to special treatment in life…and you may choose to commute anyway. (I know […]
With COVID-19, our world is facing one of the worst crises in recent history. The virus itself is bad enough, but its economic impacts threaten even longer-term effects. I don’t want to make light of the pandemic, but in the interest of making a point to a bunch of pilots, I’m going to make light […]
Do you remember this guy? For long-ago young Emet, Woodsy was the epitome of awesome, and his admonition was witty and cool. And yet…today I drive cars, live in a larger house than is strictly necessary, and fly big jets that burn thousands of pounds of Jet-A every hour. Past-me might be disappointed at my […]
Aviation goals for many of us are constantly evolving. Perhaps you’ve achieved an initial goal and are looking forward to another. Maybe your life or family situation has changed to give you a new perspective. Many of you reading are likely concentrating almost exclusively on the hiring process and the journey to becoming a Guard/Reserve […]