EricD
Founding Member
Master of Strategery
Forum Replies Created
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Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram
This book was an awesome deep dive into old-school fighter culture and the behind-the-scenes politics that shaped some of the most iconic jets still flying today, including the F-15, F-16, and B-1. It really highlights the value of doing your homework and being prepared, but maybe even more so, it shows the importance of treating other with kindness and respect. Boyd was probably one of the most influential figures the Air Force ever had, but he spent most of his career fighting uphill battles, partly because he practically insisted on being difficult to work with. It’s a fascinating mix of a brilliant mind and a complicated human and left me thinking about what it means to be a leader and what I want my legacy to be when all is said and done.
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Hey @Smack-Meier ,
This is an amazing public service to reach out before the webinar to ensure everyone’s questions get answered, so I didn’t want to let it go to waste!
Primary Question: What are some of the more common reasons (and ways to avoid them) that someone makes it through UPT and IFF but then ends up struggling or washing out during the B-Course? It seems like such a high bar to clear just to get there, and I’d love to understand what differentiates those who thrive from those who run into trouble.
Bonus Round: What was it like the first time you took off solo in an F-16? It’s not every day you get to ask someone who’s actually lived that moment, so I didn’t want to miss the opportunity! I’m still at the stage where taking off into the Colorado skies in a Cessna 172 feels surreal, so I can only imagine what strapping on a Viper must feel like.
Thanks again for doing this, and I’m looking forward to the webinar!
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Hello everyone, my name is Eric. I’ve been a career college dabbler, which unfortunately made my GPA suffer, and have been a project manager for my entire professional career. I moved to Denver about 2 years ago and got fascinated by the constant air traffic overhead, including the Buckley F-16s. In the course of looking into how to become a pilot, I found Bogidope and have been singularly focused on getting my life together in order to hopefully secure an ANG spot at one of the units along the Front Range (the MAFFS mission with the Wyoming ANG looks amazing, but I’d also love to be in one of the F-16s screaming over Denver one day), and hopefully dedicate my life to flying important and fulfilling missions.
So, I have built a home gym to get into shape, and reenrolled in college in order to finally finish in order to make this dream a reality. I have age against me, as I just turned 31 last week, but I couldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t at least give it my all and let the chips fall where they may.
I see so many driven and dedicated people on this forum, and truly wish everyone the best! And thank you to all of the mentors that consistently dedicate time to providing guidance and insight to us all!
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That’s amazing, WAS! Congratulations; it seems that you are a dedicated and hard worker and earned everything you’ve achieved. I sure wish I had everything together when I was college age. Best of luck to you moving forward!
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I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to just getting together with BogiDope coaches and fellow members a few times first, even without squadrons initially involved. Simply being able to network within that group and create some unique shared experiences would already make it worthwhile!
Maybe the first few events could feature guest speakers from different airframes, a live recording of the Afterburn Podcast (since live podcasts are all the rage right now), or even some realistic mock panel interviews with the BogiDope team. I think that would offer enough value for the BG community to show up and give you a solid crowd, ultimately serving as a proof of concept to show squadrons that it’s worth their time and investment.
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@SLAP Unfortunately, I have about 1.5 years left, so hoping to start be able to start rushing this summer (thanks to the advice of @CHAOS ) and then start legitimately sending packets next year. That unfortunately only gives me one year of being qualified and sending packets before I’m 33, so working on a very compressed timeline, but the positive of that is that it’s keeping me laser focused. Just hoping that drive and intensity is enough for a unit to pick me up!
And @SLAP thanks for founding BogiDope and bringing awareness to such an amazing and unique life path and providing the tools to achieve it.
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Thanks for the replies, gentlemen! I’m glad to see that someone with your experience has seen people take the scenic route, because I thought for sure that would be my downfall. The advice is much appreciated and I will get to work on implementing it.
I also see that you flew in New Orleans! Some of my earliest memories of being enamored with aviation are going fishing at Shell Beach with my dad and seeing the F-15’s come roar over us.