Forum: Careers & Assignments

Do you need any special skills or records to fly a stealth plane that costs almost billions of dollars? For example, would a pilot need any special skills to fly a B-2 spirit or a F-117 nighthawk?

Oh yes, one more thing, how long will the B-2 spirit and Nighthawk stay in the U.S inventory?

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You must be invisible.
Seriously I´d say there are no special extraordinary requirements for these planes.

And they´ll probbaly stay in service for a LONG time (specially the B2) unless new developments in radra technology and sensor fusion make stealth obsolete.

hansundfranz wrote:

You must be invisible.

LOL

I saw a special on "The Military Channel" about F-117's and from what I understand the AF took the best Fighter Pilots they had and gave them the job.
But like they say, never believe everything you see on T.V.

wender wrote:

hansundfranz wrote:

You must be invisible.

LOL

I saw a special on "The Military Channel" about F-117's and from what I understand the AF took the best Fighter Pilots they had and gave them the job.
But like they say, never believe everything you see on T.V.

yeah, but they gave it an f designation b/c they knew fighter jocks wouldnt fly a bomber.... (which is what the f-117 is)

that was mentioned too, watch the Military Channel, they have a lot of good info. They said that the top fighter pilots were picked to fly the steath aircraft that the AF picked that F/A designation so that the fighters wouldn't feel like they weren't fighter pilots anymore, psychology works wonders.

Why isn't the USAF updating their F-117s? I mean, we are still using the
F-117As right, so is the USAF not going to purchase a C version?

My guess is because the majority of officers in the USAF find the F-117 expensive and useless. (It can only carry 2 bombs) I may be wrong but the F-35 when in production, will be able to carry more ordinance than the F-117 right? So wouldn't the F-35 make the F-117 obsolete? Some people find the F-35 useless too though. In fact... I think a lot of people find all the stealth planes useless? Cause they cost so much!!! Why doesnt the AF just give in already and purchase X-Wings, jeese.

-Aaron

Yeah, I figured that the F-35 had something to do with it. However, even though the F-35 can hold more bombs, the F-117 is more stealthy. I wonder if eventually the USAF will retire the Nighthawk for the F-35. I sure hope not, I'm still mad knowing that the F-35 is going to replace the Viper. Evil or Very Mad

The only special requirement I imagine that they'd have would be lots and lots of experience Very Happy

! They don't want a newbie straight out of UPT flying their most expensive jets - you wouldn't want a teenager who just got his license driving your Ferrari, would you Wink

?

Actually, I've read that the USAF is updating their F-117s, just not giving them a new letter designation. I guarantee you that they're not the same jets that first flew back in the early eighties!

Quote:

My guess is because the majority of officers in the USAF find the F-117 expensive and useless. (It can only carry 2 bombs)

I really have to disagree here! First off, the F-117 isn't a very expensive aircraft at around $42 million each, especially when compared to jets like the EA-6B. It may only carry two bombs, but it can put them on target reliably in the highest threat areas. It kicked @$$ in Baghdad in two wars and so far has only been brought down once in combat.

Yes, most stealth jets are a bit on the pricey side, but you get what you pay for! I think the thing that North Korea's twisted leader fears the most is a couple of B-2s and Nighthawks coming in the night Twisted Evil

!

parrothead wrote:

so far has only been brought down once in combat.

When and how did this happen?

there is no need to upgrade them... if they are putting the bombs on the target precisely everytime, what else do you want it to do? The a10 just got the c model upgrade, after almost 30 years... the f117 doesnt really need an avionics upgrade, as it can only carry 2 bombs, it's wired for nukes already, i mean, what do you want to put on it? they upgrade the software on it regulary, just like with everyother airplane in usaf inventory...

agilefalcon16 wrote:

parrothead wrote:

so far has only been brought down once in combat.

When and how did this happen?

golden BB somewhere over the Bosnia area of the world in the late 90s...

I heard that the pilot flew over the same place twice. That's what got him. Not that they could track him, but they knew he flew in that area once and the second time he came around they just shot up and that golden BB got him.

500 hours minimum fighter time, and it helps the have the 117 squadron ask for you by name (call and talk to the sq cc or do). Those were the requirements about 4 years ago. Don't know if they changed at all.

Cylon

I can't speak for the Stink Bug, but my bro from pilot training got a B-2 out of UPT, and there was another dude from Vance or Columbus that got another B-2 last year.

Forum: Careers & Assignments

Any special requirements to fly stealth planes?