You have mentioned a few times how you were interested in Herks. If so, I would go slicks first, get time and experience under your belt…become an instructor pilot then put in for AFSOC.

As much as I love my Gunships. I believe the full fun is in the Talon IIs (though, now that they also refuel…I do not know how much fun they have…)

So, for seat of the pants, go Talon, for pride and history, I would go Gunpig.
Anything else is good too… Slicks are fun. Shadows are a good bunch. I know you know abou the Combat Wombats more then I do…
I know that the 6th is now recruiting much younger fellows…I would go do that but I would suggest you get to be an IP or EP first.

For some good reading to see if it is for you;
The Praetorian STARShip: the untold story of the Combat Talonby Col. Jerry Thigpin

Warning: fighter pilot song coming up…you might be offended :diablo:

http://www.dosgringosrocks.com/audio/DOS_GRINGOS-Predator_Eulogy.m3u

😉 I know it well…

73rd SOS is the unit I was with.

I’m about to finish up the T-6 program so I’ll figure out what I’m going to next in a few weeks.

Did they have any of their Combat Wombats yet when you were with them?

I suppose to each his own. I probably haven’t talked to the number of people you have, and I don’t fly the -130 for a living (at least not yet…..in 7 months maybe that will change…), but I’ve heard some good things about the J by both people who flew in it and those who fly it or know people who do.

(On another note, has the 16th moved to Cannon yet or is the 4th going to go instead?)

I believe they are still at Hurlburt for right now, but the 16th will be the squadron going to Cannon (Stupid move if you ask me… but you didn’t 😉

I remember a while ago you saying that you were on casual status at Hurlburt? What squads were you sitt’n with?

If you do decide to go C-130s, I suggest you go AMC first, get the tactical side done first…and gain your knowledge…then go AFSOC. You will love it, I guarantee it.

this is part 1, I just found it, its a little more interesting…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrEFGa-7izI&feature=related

Wonder why they cut the video as the lights were just about to hit the sky so you could not see the shapes around the lights.

l…they do not want it.

I’m not so sure that’s the case with every unit……at least not from what various Herc people I know have told me.

Are you a gunship guy stationed at Hurlburt?

I used to be in the 16th SOS. I later went on to a AMC unit flying C-130H1s

Have you known any of the Tactical active units that wanted the J or lets say a Talon I or II unit? did you know any of them that would want a J?

I have not met one. We had two pilots who went to the J unit at Little Rock, (one stan-eval pilot the other a DO) and they both fought hard to get back to a standard herk unit…

I am not saying 100% of the people out there want the older H1,H2,H3s but I would bet my dog, my wife’s cat and my ugly sister that the majority do…

Hi,

Could anyone please shed some light on why the C-130H seems more popular than the C-130J?
I’m somewhat surprised that pilots don’t love an aircraft that flies higher and faster?
Is it this issue that it was not designed to mil specs?
How much of the goodness of the C-130H did they throw out?

Why doesn’t Lockheed offer C-130H’s anymore? There seems to be a lot of worldwide demand for it. The Belgians are getting a 40+year-old WC-130H refurbished, the Dutch are getting a Navy C-130 out of AMARC refurbished…
If these air forces and the USAF just said to Lockheed: “We want C-130H’s and we’ll pay for them”, why won’t they just build them?

Cheers, Transall.

Also a problem with the Jerky model,

When it stalls, there is no longer a buffit…they have added a shaker but if there is not an immediate response, the plane tends to roll inverted.

The warnings is a voice warning of “Stall, Stall, Stall”, then a stick shaker, then if no action is taken then a stick pusher to help the problem.

Because of the new props, the plane handles different.
The crew can elect to turn off the shaker and pusher while in tactical or low level but the voice is still active.