Forum: F-22A Raptor

I wonder what kind of training scenarios the pilots take part in, how the sensor fusion works in the heat of actual flying. Does the AF training include training at a severe disadvantage, i.e. you have only guns, the other guys have missles, etc? And would the new way of integrating the systems help the pilots deal with situations like that?

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ACMIguy wrote:

elp
I agree things went south quick. I operate the ACMI display systems, some may call it replay, for A/A ACMI engagements. I understand what is going on with a number of jet types because we work with all kinds.
I have never seen a 22 debriefed with other groups. I can understand why but I do get the feeling it may be very boring after a while just going up and killing everyone then come home. You would think the pilots edge would be lost over time if all they have to do is shoot kill shoot kill with no chance to really engage.
I would like to hear from some pilots and see what their thoughts are.

Well just remember that that AN/ALR-94 also gathers a lot of surface to air threats and records their geo-location. Mini "Rivet Joint" RC-135 indeed. The A2A stuff is one thing. When it is going into higher threat areas and finding stuff for the SEAD/DEAD guys to kill and killing some of those threats themselves, that I am sure is never boring.

When it is going into higher threat areas and finding stuff for the SEAD/DEAD guys to kill and killing some of those threats themselves, that I am sure is never boring.[/quote]

So they stand off and lob a few JDAMS, while the F-16CJ is stuck out there like a sore thumb on a threat scope?

I think the real test will be when they go up against the F-35, stealth against stealth.

But going back to my point about pilots and current training missions, seems to me it would be like fishing from a fish tank, you see the fish, drop a line, catch fish, release fish, do it again. For some reason that seems boring to me.

At any rate...

Tinito - As I mentioned, spend a lot of time talking to guys from different communities. Even better, if you can, visit them and try to make your own decisions. One other key point: when you're hanging with guys in the bar on a Friday night, don't pay too much attention to the ones doing all the noise making and talking. Find the guy who's spending most of his time listening, and observing. When he finally does say something, he's the one to listen to.

And, as I mentioned before, don't waste a whole lot of time listening to people bash on another community, unless they themselves have spent a lot of time in it.

Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 605

Tinito, don't listen to that guy. 5'5" is fine. As long as you are 5'2" to 6'5" you don't need a waiver. As for the passing out quicker, that is not true either. If you are a skinny guy, I would work on getting lower body mass such as in your thighs, glutes and calves. Just make sure you don't forget about the pushups and situps and the mile and a half run. Also, don't let your waist get over 34 inches or you'll have to run faster. I recommend while your in college to join a weightlifting group but don't take steriods and don't get obsessive about it. I went through pilot training and the B-Course with a guy that is 5'10" and about 140. He is skinny as a rail and doesn't have any problem with the Gs because he has developed a proper AGSM that we are all taught. Also, don't do anything drastic to bump your blood pressure. It'll spike all on its own from the excitement.

In pilot training, once you get there, it's all about how well you interact with the others in your flight. I wasn't the top scorer in pilot training but I showed them the true fighter pilot attitude in that I was willing to go in on Sundays to the sims to practice and I was always willing to help those who were having problems. Other than that, UPT is set up so that anyone who passes phase 2 "qualifies" to fly fighters. But only the top 2 or 3 in a flight have the chance at it. So for your flying scores, memorize the Maneuver Item File and what each maneuver is being graded on and study your hardest to have the General Knowledge second nature. Don't worry too much about doing this now, just file it away for when you are on casual status, awaiting your UPT slot. I recommend requesting Laughlin for UPT if you get the chance because it is far enough away from EVERYTHING to enable you to concentrate on your studies.

Bottom line, for now just get awesome grades, run, lift weights, don't get into trouble and if you can get your private pilot's license. Not a requirement, but you don't want to go through IFS if you don't have to. Salute

Raptor_DCTR wrote:

I was speeking on the techinical side of actually working the jet and troubleshooting those highly integrated systems.....huge difference between avionics and crew chiefs there dude

Troubleshooting is a breeze. But, you'll have to find that out for yourself when get get here. The jet all but changes the part itself. (yeah, that goes for Avionics as well as CC's!)

And, thanks for pointing out that there is a difference between avionics and crew chiefs...dude. Rolling Eyes

Enthusiast Joined: Jan 10, 2005 - 03:27 AM Posts: 29

A bit late to the conversation, but IFS is now a requirement for everyone, except maybe Guard and Reserve dudes.

Tinitio, if you do get a UPT slot and then attend IFS, drink in every tip you can about 'how to be the best student in UPT' from the instructors there. Now that I'm in Phase II, I'm so glad that I had a 6-week crash course on what stand-up is, how long duty days can be (yeah, I've soloed in a Cessna before, but try double-turning in the Pueblo heat), and how to manage my study habits. All the guys in my class who did IFS were at least somewhat prepared for Phase II when it hit, and I'm the kind of guy who will take any type of gouge offered.

Keep your nose in the books to drive that GPA up, and try to talk to as many pilots in different airframes about current ops-tempos to get an idea of what things are like now.

Forum: F-22A Raptor

F-22 sensor fusion