Bomber Pilot USAF??

[Mr.B-17]

Is it possible to be a bomber pilot specifically?? To fly B-2 spirit and B-52H? and if so what the requirements

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Top secret security clearance. American citizen. Born in America not naturalized.

Good health and vision.

I suspect you have to be a Major or higher ranking (officer) as it is a command position.

 

[Sluggo63]

Is it possible to be a bomber pilot specifically?? To fly B-2 spirit and B-52H? and if so what the requirements

You need to go to SUPT (pilot training) and do well enough in Phase II (T-6) to track to the T-38. After that, you just have to graduate. Normally, the bombers are left to the end of the T-38 students. There are lieutenants in the Air Force flying B-52s and B-1s. I don't think they are giving out B-2s directly from SUPT yet.

 

[kkoran]

Top secret security clearance. American citizen. Born in America not naturalized.

Good health and vision.

I suspect you have to be a Major or higher ranking (officer) as it is a command position.

Being a pilot, even PIC, is not considered a command position.

 

[bbchien]

Defintely Leadership grade, only.

 

[BillTIZ]

You need to go to SUPT (pilot training) and do well enough in Phase II (T-6) to track to the T-38. After that, you just have to graduate. Normally, the bombers are left to the end of the T-38 students. There are lieutenants in the Air Force flying B-52s and B-1s. I don't think they are giving out B-2s directly from SUPT yet.

What he said.

Most Lt's out of UPT get co-pilot duties on the Bombers. Capt rank for Aircraft Commander (left seat pilot) position.

You need a 4yr college degree, great health, physically fit to even get a officer commission and get into SUPT. You also need to qualify for a top secret security clearance to get a Bomber or Fighter pilot assignment. No DUI, no drug issues, no doubt about your "character". Our country's military aircrews are top shelf.

I ended up in the back seat (GIB ) as a Bombardier/Navigator because I wear glasses. I completed 20yrs with the AF flying B-52G and B-1B aircraft. (the B2 has two pilots, no navigators).

 

[Hawker800]

When I was in the USAF, you became part of a bomber crew when you didn't get your 1st choice to be a fighter pilot.

 

[Lucky]

When I was in the USAF, you became part of a bomber crew when you didn't get your 1st choice to be a fighter pilot.

Exactly! When I didn't get fighters and got to be a B-52 pilot, I was depressed for a week. It could have been "worse." If you didn't get fighters OR bombers, you got tankers or transports. All of this was 100% based upon your class ranking. After that, it was downhill fast.

 

[hindsight2020]

When I was in the USAF, you became part of a bomber crew when you didn't get your 1st choice to be a fighter pilot.

That is still predominantly the case. When my FTU initial class got asked by the academic instructor: "raise your hand if you placed this assignment #1 on your dream sheet", not a single soul raised their hand.

Crap, somebody pour me a straight one, this is gonna be a long one....

There are other logistical reasons why bombers exist in the T-38 track; most of it has to do with creating a repository for fighter assignment re-tracks. Specifically, those who do not qualify medically due to failing the centrifuge profile for their fighter airframe (the Viper one is the one that gets most people) or those who get diagnosed with a "single-seat disqualifying" incapacitation-risk condition, get sent to bombers. The second group you're looking at is IFF or RTU/FTU washouts. The third tier of unlucky winners are FAIPs finishing their instructor tour in white jets who end up facing a follow-on assignment drop just as devoid of fighter slots as their original pilot training class assignment night was. Also, if they ****ed someone off during their tenure in AETC (don't slap the IFF SQ/CC at the bar while a T-6 FAIP everybody, or you too will get Buffs two years down the road...), it is understood that some of these follow-on assignments are punitive in spirit. You'll never be able to prove that of course. In any event, timing and luck is the Hunter in this merry go round of crapshoots. It's a real trail of tears to bombers usually. And it's like Shawshank too; we're all innocent here, know what I mean?

As to my own sob story: I became a Reserve bomber pilot because economic need eventually won out over getting hired by a Guard Viper unit to fly my dream airplane. I got a couple interviews, but never the job. My application process spanned the better part of 3 years and a couple dozen (some repeat) applications in that time frame, while concurrently pursuing engineering graduate school in order to justify my livelihood (I never told the University that, of course) and theoretically make myself more competitive to the hiring units.

The gamble lost. My education and FAA self-funded tickets to CFI/I didn't help me one iota break into the gig. I fell short in the networking department. So, 8 years of wasted effort. Eventually the school job and the college holding pattern EFC ran out. I just couldn't continue playing russian roulette with getting into USAF pilot training; there is an age cutoff after all and I didn't want to be a 29 yo 2nd LT. So, gave up the dream and danced with whoever brung me. Got hired by a bunch of heavy units. Bruised ego in tow (my sentiments at the time), I picked the one who would at least send me to 38s and keep the door open (bombers, and no, it doesn't keep any doors open btw). Had a freggin' blast in 38s and did well too, not that it matters for a Guard/Res guy going to heavies. The fun factor went downhill from there, as I expected. The rest is history. If you were ever curious why my screen name is what it is, this little story is why.

Not all was lost though. Fast forward 7ish years and life is better these days. I manged to escape that community to a gig on the trainer side, got divorced, got a more military-friendly wife in the process, and I'm much happier with the kind of flying I do now (aerobatics, Gs, and formation) Landed a much needed full time AGR job. Had a healthy baby boy. So we're blessed.

I'll probably leave this job when they fire me, which trust me they're trying to get rid of these "cadillac jobs" in a bad way. I once heard someone say, "do something until it stops being fun or you get fired". Figured what the hell, I'll follow that advice with my so-called military "career". As a father now, I can certainly assert that it could be much worse. So I still count my blessings. Who knows, if United or AA want to cold call me one of these days I may just put those 1000 odd hours in that old POS to good use. Layovers to the Caribbean only boys, and no commute to domicile for this guy

Sorry for the novel, it has been quite cathartic for me.

--break break--

For clarification to the poster who said you have to be the rank of Capt (O-3) in order to be an Aircraft Commander in bombers. That's usually how it plays out training delay-wise in Active Duty, but it's not at all driven by any regulation. Case in point: I was a combat mission ready B-52H Aircraft Commander at the rank of 1st LT (O-2).

 

[BillTIZ]

Exactly! When I didn't get fighters and got to be a B-52 pilot, I was depressed for a week. It could have been "worse." If you didn't get fighters OR bombers, you got tankers or transports. All of this was 100% based upon your class ranking. After that, it was downhill fast.

My buddy was fighting for #1 or #2 in his class. He did not want a fighter. The UPT Commandant said #1 graduates are FAR qualified. He ended up #2 with a C-21, then transitioned to C-141, I tried to get him to come to the B-1 with me. Then he flew C-17s to retirement, with one tour at the puzzle palace.

 

[JimNtexas]

I would not think a C-17 would be a nightmare assignment.

Do B-52's still have EWOs? Because THAT would be a nightmare! Sit inside a dark noisy phone booth on top of a downward firing ejection seat all day to work for 15 minutes! If you are lucky, because most days there is no EW training.

And be rated by officers junior to you who have zero understanding of your job!

Oh man, I tremble when I think that could have been me!

 

[poadeleted20]

I would not think a C-17 would be a nightmare assignment.

Depends on your perspective.

Do B-52's still have EWOs?

Yes -- it was the gunner who was eliminated in 1991.

Because THAT would be a nightmare! Sit inside a dark noisy phone booth on top of a downward firing ejection seat all day to work for 15 minutes!

The EWO was upstairs, with an upward seat. It was the Nav/Bomb and Radar Nav who were downstairs with downward firing seats -- remember James Earl Jones as the Nav/Bomb sticking his head up through the hatch in Dr. Strangelove?

And be rated by officers junior to you who have zero understanding of your job!

Do they still have the AC write the OPR's on all crew regardless of rank? I thought that stopped a few decades ago.

Oh man, I tremble when I think that could have been me!

That's why I entered the USAF through the back door -- so I could be sure I'd be in a fighter (as much as an F-111 is a fighter).

 

[BillTIZ]

Yes Buffs still have EWOs, I was not one. They sat upstairs in a dark closet facing aft.

I had the downward seat as a Buff Nav, downstairs facing forward with STV and FLIR cameras. Yes I've flown across the Red Flag range and back, not in safe parameters for ejection.

The upstairs EWO did my celestial observations for me. We both have the same basic Nav Wings. He split off to EWO school after we got our wings, I went to Nav / Bomb training.

I upgraded to "Radar Nav" as an OSO in the "new" B-1B. The EWO or DSO sat beside me. Both facing forward with upward Aces II seats.

My evaluations were never written by a lower ranking officer, even if he was the Aircraft or Crew Commader. The responsibility would move to the Flight Commander or Sqd Ops Officer if it was needed.

 

[JimNtexas]

I stand corrected about the B-52 EWO seats, I guess my Buff nightmares got that part wrong.

I do remember in EWO school they had a B-52 EW simulator, and your final check ride was to bomb the capital city of a certain Evil Empire. That was pretty fun until you simulated dying, this sim being of the Kobayashi Maru type of scenario.

 

[JimNtexas]

...
My evaluations were never written by a lower ranking officer, even if he was the Aircraft or Crew Commader. The responsibility would move to the Flight Commander or Sqd Ops Officer if it was needed.

That the way it was done in F-4's and F/EF-111's. Buff guys in my EW class told me that they were usually rated by their AC, even if he was junior. Perhaps that changed when SAC went out of business.

 

[BillTIZ]

That the way it was done in F-4's and F/EF-111's. Buff guys in my EW class told me that they were usually rated by their AC, even if he was junior. Perhaps that changed when SAC went out of business.

Not sure what your years were, I did Mather in 83-84. Straight into SAC until the hostile takeover. Never had my eval completed by a lower ranking AC.

 

[EvilEagle]

OPRs are written by your supervisor, not the same guy as your aircraft commander. (It could be but you fly with different people often).

 

[BillTIZ]

OPRs are written by your supervisor, not the same guy as your aircraft commander. (It could be but you fly with different people often).

In the old SAC, we were on assigned crews, we were flight scheduled and alert scheduled by crew. The AC had primary responsibility for OER/APR unless a crew member held a higher rank.

Most crew members were same or lower rank than the AC. But if you held a higher rank, then your evaluator was changed. Most often, by then you were on wing staff and flew as subs on crews for your own proficiency. Your OER was then written by your office chief.

 

[RotorAndWing]

Perhaps a thread titled "So who wrote your reviews?"

 

[Lucky]

In the old SAC, we were on assigned crews, we were flight scheduled and alert scheduled by crew. The AC had primary responsibility for OER/APR unless a crew member held a higher rank.

Most crew members were same or lower rank than the AC. But if you held a higher rank, then your evaluator was changed. Most often, by then you were on wing staff and flew as subs on crews for your own proficiency. Your OER was then written by your office chief.

Same here.