hc130radio

Surprised they didn't divert to Long Island where they have the NY ANG Rescue boys.

Well, they got the checkride - not me, and they've got to train like they fight.

What a waste and a mistake. Not trying to talk back on CSOs/EWOs but an RO can do their job - hell Marine KC-130 Navs are enlisted. I've been on far too many exercises where I have had to teach these guys how to operate their own radios before takeoff.

I have a tip for you - hang out with the 1A3's - Airborne Mission Systems Specialists (aka: radio operators) and not the boom operators!!! The 1A3s will help you! Haha! Brandon

Hopefully the AFSOCer's will not remove the RO from the ShadowJ. With all the additional systems on the Wiskey, the RO could be a great asset on that aircraft.

I'm at Ft Bragg now. I drive thru Pope everyday to get to work. The previous poster was correct - ton's of Army grunts here now, and with Ft McPherson in Atlanta closing and moving FORCCOM up here (think them moving the equivalent of a MAJCOM up here), 10 to 20,000 more grunts are moving up here. This will be the largest concentration of generals outside of the pentagon. They are building lots of buildings and will eventually close the portion of highway 87 (Bragg Blvd) that goes thru the middle of the base by the Stryker golf course to the general public. Pope is slowly making the transition from active duty to reserve. Lots of the offices are blended now and in the next year or two all the active duty folks will be gone. From what I understand, 1xC-130 squadron will be a full up active duty unit under the OG - but I'm not 100% positive since I don't work or fly with those guys. I do see lots of C-17s here on Green ramp quite often. Pope is small - no BX , clothing sales, or commissary. All that is on Bragg now (however Bragg has 2xcommissaries and 2xPX's). There is only a Shoppette, dry cleaners, and a Burger King. The golf course and driving range is closed and overran with weeds (closed UFN). Base housing is now open to the Army. The town outside of Pope, Spring Lake is OK. Kind of run-down compared to most off base towns. Fayetteville is OK - lots of crime, lots of Army. The mall and all restaurants are packed on payday weekends. I live about a 30 min drive north of Pope in a town called Sanford. This puts me about a 30 min drive from the base and 45 min drive from Cary and the southside of Raleigh.

i'll ask some 413FLTS and 18FLTS dudes I know about the ATL, and if it has gone to the bone yard in 2 weeks when I go to HFLD, FL for a conf.

I went TDY to Hurlburt to flight test this mod on a MC-130E. There is a retractable arm that goes up and down that can be configured for whatever is required. The aircraft is capable of presurization. The view is spectacular. The bubble is a roll-on/roll-off mod. The paratroop door is pinned in the up position. The chair was never a requirement, but a "niceity". The bubble is designed to fit in any model of C-130 out there.

We changed from RO to AMSS when the Air Force merged the 1A4X1 (AMSS - think airborne radar and computer techs from AWACS/JSTARS) into the 1A3X1 (Airborne Comm and Electronics Specialists) career field a few years back. I know Maj Woosley from when he was a Capt and I was just a snotty SrA/SSgt at Moody. Smart guy, cool head. I've heard of PJ Widner before. Sounds like the unit was from the 79th RQS out at DM. As a rescue guy, I can't believe I hadn't heard this story, but I was doin the AETC thing at Kirtland back then.

Man, I hope they get the fwd scanner windows. As a RO, sitting in the loadmasters seat assisting with scanning was pretty nice. Additionally, I hope ACC keeps the RO crew position. AFSOC is pushing hard to remove the RO from the MC-130J, using the likes of a CSO, which is nothing but another Nav, or even worse, an EWO. Hopefully the RO union is strong in ACC (i'm slightly removed from ACC and the HC-130 community with my current assignment).

Muff Millen wrote: This aircraft is currently at Kirtland AFB. From what I hear from some of my aerial delivery friends (loadmasters) that have helped load the laser components in the back it, it\'s pretty cool looking...lot\'s of weird stuff...Also, I go to school at night with some Boeing guys that have helped out with some of the laser testing. Cool stories...