Forum: Future F-16 crew

Hi, excellent website!

I am currently waiting for my job with the active air force 2a3x2 F-16 avionics. I scored a 96 on the electronics portion of the ASVAB. I would like to know what should i expect at tech school. I just know there is two tech. I have to go to. One at Lackland AFB elctronics principles and avionics at Sheppard AFB. How long is the school? What is a typical day like?

My recruiter is a F-16 crew chief, he said avionics do more than a crew chief and is a much more complex [Link pending approval] even said: "There's stuff that even I (crew chiefs) cannot touch at all or there has to be a avionics there with me."

What is it like to be a F-16 avonics tech? Thanks Cool

!!!

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With an electrics score of 96 you might end up as an electro/enviro troop instead of an avionics troop. Pointy heads as we crew dawgs call 'em usually end up just changing out a box and sometimes even get to shoot wires on this all electric jet. I don't know too much about your tech school just what I've seen and experenced over the last 11 yrs on the line. And yes the Pointy heads do most of the work on the jet but that's only because most of the aircrafts systems are computer controlled, so when a jet back broke it's usually for Pointy head stuff. I.E. FLCS fails, MFD's, GPS, INS, and Radar. Good Luck.

I'm looking at retraining into 2a312. Is all of the tech school in sheppard? By looking at this [url=[Link pending approval]]CTETP[/url] it says I need to goto Keesler too. How many weeks is the tech school? I want to know if I can PCS my wife to sheppard.

Isn't keesler in Mississippi? If thats the base I am thinking about. Its kinda been washed away, so your tech school, will probably be somewhere else.

As far as PCSing your dependents to sheppard, it depends on your length of stay. I have heard of people having thier spouses there, but I don't know if it was command sponsored.

The tech scool has to be 20 weeks or more and it's like a PCS.

Airforcewarrior, the biggest thing you have to worry about is making sure you clean your mess on the jet when your done swapping boxes so the Crew Chiefs don't kick your a$$. Your recruiter like most is full of it telling you Avionics Tech's work harder than Crew Chiefs. More complex job, yeah sure but running the snack bar is hardly TOUGH work.

So you are wanting to become a Avoinic guy. Well I can answer any questions that you have. After basic you go to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for Electronic Principles, then to Sheppard AFB, Texas for your actual avionics system knowledge. You will be at Keesler for up to 2 1/2 months and at Sheppard for an eternity or atleast that is how it feels. Then you get to join the real AF. The flight line is where all the fun is. Wether it's making fun of crew chiefs because they think they make the world go around or making fun of a weapons guy cause any trained monkey can do thier job. either way you can laugh at them because while they are hitting their 14 hour mark you will be cracking open a BEER. Well if you got any questions let me know.

TJ

[quote="airforcewarrior"]

My recruiter is a F-16 crew chief, he said avionics do more than a crew chief and is a much more complex job.He even said: "There's stuff that even I (crew chiefs) cannot touch at all or there has to be a avionics there with me."

quote]

HAHA thats so funny... tell your recruiter that he is not an F-16 CC he is a recruiter. And to stop sticking his tongue up your ***. Please Your job on a 16 requires you to be able to lift 70lbs...i.e. Boxes ...lots and lots of black boxes... most of the time we just pull the dam thing and wait for the install and sign off.

As was posted in another thread. Each job has it's needs. I have many friends that are CC so I won't disrespect their work. But CC's that say all Avionics does is lift 70lbs boxes don't help out their cause. Once again there is a reason Avionics has the highest ASVAB requirement on the flightline. And there is a reason our tech schools are so long. And why our bonuses are/were so high. I've never once had a CC assist me on troubleshooting. But I've been requested many times to help CC shoot wires or troubleshoot their system. You can also look at our CDC's and the amount of knowledge we have to retain. Each career field is needed. And the flightline would be hard pressed to go without either.

Operator wrote:

As was posted in another thread. Each job has it's needs. I have many friends that are CC so I won't disrespect their work. But CC's that say all Avionics does is lift 70lbs boxes don't help out their cause. Once again there is a reason Avionics has the highest ASVAB requirement on the flightline. And there is a reason our tech schools are so long. And why our bonuses are/were so high. I've never once had a CC assist me on troubleshooting. But I've been requested many times to help CC shoot wires or troubleshoot their system. You can also look at our CDC's and the amount of knowledge we have to retain. Each career field is needed. And the flightline would be hard pressed to go without either.

""Once again there is a reason Avionics has the highest ASVAB requirement on the flightline"" Ya whatever....

""And why our bonuses are/were so high."" Another big NEGATIVE ...

""I've never once had a CC assist me on troubleshooting. But I've been requested many times to help CC shoot wires or troubleshoot their system. You can also look at our CDC's and the amount of knowledge we have to retain. Each career field is needed. And the flightline would be hard pressed to go without either."" Total crap.... being someone that has worked both Mil and civ W an A/P I can assure you ...your not really needed ...2 of the 3 airlines I worked for never had a single elec guy!! Rolling Eyes

You'll notice in my post I gave credit to everyone. To try and say Avionics is not needed is foolish. Please produce facts if you don't believe our ASVAB requirement is higher. And I reenlisted at a 5 SRB this year while CC had nothing. So where you get your info I'm not really sure. And if we're not realy needed you can save the USAF alot of money and get rid of our tech school. But since people alot higher up think we're needed I don't think that will happen. Like I said the flightline needs both. Though I've seen more Avionics do CC work than the other way around.

You know ViperKeeper, that kind of attitude is a real good way to make friends!! It sounds to me like you have a real superiority complex going on. I don't even want to get into how many times I have had to help CCs hang/drop tanks, tow aircraft, fireguard, depanel,---- hell I even worked as a Crew Chief for a couple of years!

I'm sure that there were people at the "airlines" where you worked that had an avionics/electronics background, they were just not called that. You need people with this kind of experience to keep any flying operation going.

So tell me something oh great drifter, have you stayed in any one place long enough to actually see how things operate--or did your higher ups get you orders too fast for that to happen. It certainly appears that you don't like to stay in one place for too long. I wonder why that is? it must be your charming personality!!!

It would be my suggestion that you lose the attitude, because like Operator said--"Each career field is needed"!

Operator wrote:

You'll notice in my post I gave credit to everyone. To try and say Avionics is not needed is foolish. Please produce facts if you don't believe our ASVAB requirement is higher. And I reenlisted at a 5 SRB this year while CC had nothing. So where you get your info I'm not really sure. And if we're not realy needed you can save the USAF alot of money and get rid of our tech school. But since people alot higher up think we're needed I don't think that will happen. Like I said the flightline needs both. Though I've seen more Avionics do CC work than the other way around.

When I was in CC's were always at a 5 srb ....also YOU can prove that your ASVABs are higher...since you came up with it. I had the same yellow card that most of you carry and cant really think of a single avi guy that has blown me away with his troubleshooting skills...If you can read....you can troubleshoot!

mohody wrote:

You know ViperKeeper, that kind of attitude is a real good way to make friends!! It sounds to me like you have a real superiority complex going on. I don't even want to get into how many times I have had to help CCs hang/drop tanks, tow aircraft, fireguard, depanel,---- hell I even worked as a Crew Chief for a couple of years!

I'm sure that there were people at the "airlines" where you worked that had an avionics/electronics background, they were just not called that. You need people with this kind of experience to keep any flying operation going.

So tell me something oh great drifter, have you stayed in any one place long enough to actually see how things operate--or did your higher ups get you orders too fast for that to happen. It certainly appears that you don't like to stay in one place for too long. I wonder why that is? it must be your charming personality!!!

It would be my suggestion that you lose the attitude, because like Operator said--"Each career field is needed"!

Here we go.....lets get into another shop vs. shop pissing contest. "Without us you cant operate arguement" ...As for me not staying in a place for long while I was in the Military.....I did the 2 years at every base...same as everybody else ....I love to travel and have never been fired from any job...also as I stated we DID NOT have anyone with a Avi background. I learned how to shoot a wire years ago....On most civilan aircraft avi guys are not needed....they go work mainly for repairstations...its great that you help out the crewchiefs...you said that you were one for some time....why did you go back....it would be wise for you to stay as a mechanic so you can get enough time in to get your A/P and FCC .... Anyways .....fact is who is more replacable on the ground??? Not the mechanics!

For anybody who may have read this post and been concerned... there is no chance that your guaranteed job as 2A3X2 will be re-classed to E+E because of high ASVAB scores. Once you sign on the dotted line and your enlistment contract says 2A332 that will be your career field in the air force (*unless you are one of the 45% who wash out of the EP tech school coarse... in which case you will be lucky if you get services). So if you were lucky enough to get 2A332 guaranteed then have no fear, that will be your job.

Forum: Future F-16 crew

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