USAF F-35B Pilots Go to Sea with VMFA-122

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 04 Nov 2019, 22:12

https://theaviationist.com/2019/11/04/t ... s-america/

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 05 Nov 2019, 00:16

I wonder what happened with the RAAF F-35B exchange pilot promised by LtGen 'Dog' Davis USMC a few years ago now.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 05 Nov 2019, 00:47

Honestly, what so special about this??? As exchange duty between the services and even foreign militaries is fairly common.....

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 05 Nov 2019, 01:03

Corsair1963 wrote:Honestly, what so special about this??? As exchange duty between the services and even foreign militaries is fairly common.....

Common? USAF exchange pilots are rare animals in USMC STOVL community. IIRC not since early AV-8A, ie the 70s, and maybe going back to the Kestrel evaluation in the 60s.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 05 Nov 2019, 02:38

I wonder if the USAF will ever end up with some Bs.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 05 Nov 2019, 03:44

quicksilver wrote:
Corsair1963 wrote:Honestly, what so special about this??? As exchange duty between the services and even foreign militaries is fairly common.....

Common? USAF exchange pilots are rare animals in USMC STOVL community. IIRC not since early AV-8A, ie the 70s, and maybe going back to the Kestrel evaluation in the 60s.

I was of course talking in "general terms". As exchange pilot assignments happen all of the time...

For example before Lt. Col. David "Chip" Berke (Ret) was the CO of F-35B Squadron (VMFAT-501). He flew as an exchange pilot with the USAF on F-22A's.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 05 Nov 2019, 03:46

sferrin wrote:I wonder if the USAF will ever end up with some Bs.

Short-term no long-term possible........

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 05 Nov 2019, 03:57

Corsair1963 wrote:
quicksilver wrote:
Corsair1963 wrote:Honestly, what so special about this??? As exchange duty between the services and even foreign militaries is fairly common.....

Common? USAF exchange pilots are rare animals in USMC STOVL community. IIRC not since early AV-8A, ie the 70s, and maybe going back to the Kestrel evaluation in the 60s.

I was of course talking in "general terms". As exchange pilot assignments happen all of the time...

For example before Lt. Col. David "Chip" Berke (Ret) was the CO of F-35B Squadron (VMFAT-501). He flew as an exchange pilot with the USAF on F-22A's.

Thanks for the insight.

outlaw162 · by **outlaw162** » 05 Nov 2019, 04:47

Are we saying here the USAF is discerning....or reluctant?

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 05 Nov 2019, 04:56

Blue suiter killed in an RAF GR1 in 1971; probably the latter.

outlaw162 · by **outlaw162** » 05 Nov 2019, 05:11

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=55593

Doesn't seem like it had anything to do with the pilot being USAF.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 05 Nov 2019, 05:12

Couldn't be done it seems (not surprising given the complete lack of interest by the RAAF most likely): PEP/TED TALK?

Personnel Exchange Program (PEP)

"The Marine Corps Foreign Personnel Exchange Program (MCFPEP) is a means of continuing a long-term, selectively visible presence and association among military counterparts to enhance worldwide security cooperation...."

--------- Country ---------------- Billet
------------------- Australia
-------------------- ARH Tiger Exchange
-------------------- F/A-18 Pilot Exchange
-------------------- F-35 Maintenance Officer Exchange
-------------------- Air Support Control Officer Exchange...."

Source: https://www.aviation.marines.mil/Branch ... -Exchange/

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 05 Nov 2019, 06:42

Remember, this......

Finnish fighter pilot lands on US aircraft carrier

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/y ... carrier-2/

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 05 Nov 2019, 08:19

RAAF Hornet Exchange Pilots with USMC / USMC Hornet Pilots Flying with RAAF Hornets - neither fly from any carriers. Specifically RAAF Hornet Pilots flying with USMC Squadrons DO NOT fly from carriers so I guess they are not doing so now.

quicksilver · by **quicksilver** » 05 Nov 2019, 11:32

outlaw162 wrote:https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=55593

Doesn't seem like it had anything to do with the pilot being USAF.

Has a blue suiter flown an operational Harrier anywhere in the world since then? Not a DT or OT guy; on an operational exchange?

‘Reluctant’ I’d say. Not without justification, but ‘reluctant‘ nonetheless.