PPR Clearances (Permission To Park On The Ramp)

Do you guys really call the airframe a hull ??

All units have hull numbers. Even land vehicles. Old traditions die hard. Small boats are numbered by length, series number and production number, hence 44300 would be 44ft long, first series (first series is always 3 for some arcane reason) and the first boat in the first production run. Larger cutters are numbered by class and type. Aircraft are sequentially numbered by date of acquisition.
 
Nope, the last guy (a young man) took 6 months, and the wife of this other guy took 9 months.

Getting my number took less than a week. You see, they said it has all slowed since 9-11 because now they check for everything, plus I'm not sure if pilots get more checked out.

Geez..... Go out and commit a crime and get caught and I bet the investigating detective will have all that info in 5 minutes..:yesnod::dunno:
 
Excellent, the C-130 has a critical mission, it gets pumps and rafts to people who are in bad shape. When one calls, "Mayday, taking on water" the 130 is often what gets there first with equipment.
 
I only took a few pictures. If I can zoom in on the in cockpit ones, where would I see the number?

Outside the cockpit below and slightly behind the windows and above and ahead of the door are four big black numbers...probably in the 1700 series. 1705 was lost in a midair with some Marine Cobras, I flew the heck out of it and 1704 while there. There may be newer J models there in the 2000 series.
 
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Outside the cockpit below and slightly behind the windows and above and ahead of the door are four big black numbers...probably in the 1700 series. 1705 was lost in a midair with some Marine Cobras, I flew the heck out of it and 1704 while there. There may be newer J models there in the 2000 series.

Sorry, I didn't know if we were allowed to take pictures, so I took very few. At the end they said it was OK but by then we went back to the meeting. No pics of the outside.
 
Interesting... Thanks for the link... During the entire Vietnam war there was 5 Coast Guard servicemen killed. Two by friendly fire..

The combat role of the USCG is often overlooked. They have fought in every war the US has fought.

During WW2, the USCG fought in every theatre, and took heavy casualties operating the landing craft for Operation Overlord, going to the beaches on D-Day over and over.
USCG personnel manned US Navy ships to escort convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic, and lost many, many men (and pioneered anti-submarine warfare).
http://www.uscg.mil/history/WW2Index.asp

The USCG is a strange, hybrid service, which is normally focused on rescue and law enforcement. But when the time comes, they fight as well. And bravely.
I have always had great respect for USCG, and while working the police Marine and Aviation unit, worked with them regularly.
 
Kimberly you seem to like the mission, the aircraft and the uniforms. Have you thought about joining the CG active duty? I have several friends who fly and love it. I'm not a water guy (sharks) so I'd never do it though. :D
 
All units have hull numbers. Even land vehicles. Old traditions die hard. Small boats are numbered by length, series number and production number, hence 44300 would be 44ft long, first series (first series is always 3 for some arcane reason) and the first boat in the first production run. Larger cutters are numbered by class and type. Aircraft are sequentially numbered by date of acquisition.

Interesting, I would have thought the CG would use BuNos like the USN/USMC do.
 
Kimberly you seem to like the mission, the aircraft and the uniforms. Have you thought about joining the CG active duty? I have several friends who fly and love it. I'm not a water guy (sharks) so I'd never do it though. :D

I'm too old, not in shape, etc.... and I doubt their starting pay would allow me to pay my bills, and I have a dog. And no - I generally don't like military types and am now starting to see why. But I'm going to ignore what I've observed and move through this. It has been mostly positive.
 
Coast Guard - Age 27. Note: up to age 32 for those selected to attend A-school directly upon enlistment (this is mostly for prior service).
 
True, they report to DHS instead of DOD, but that does not make them any less "military".

The five uniformed services that make up the Armed Forces are defined in 10 U.S.C. § 101(a)(4):
The term "armed forces" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard is further defined by 14 U.S.C. § 1:
The Coast Guard as established 28 January 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times. The Coast Guard shall be a service in the Department of Homeland Security, except when operating as a service in the Navy.

I don't want to be in the same room if you tell a Coastie that they aren't military. :D

got that right. I'm a former Coastie.

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munro... cmh winner and the reason marines and us puddlepirates get along.

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Just read about him.

What a hoss!
 
I'm not sure if it was NatGeo, Milt, or HIST channel that had a segment on the USCG a couple of years ago. A lot of information I wasn't aware of, and it was impressive. Man, I hope I'm remembering this right...but IIRC they seize more drugs en route to the U.S. than all the law enforcement agencies combined.

Drugs, Inc. will spotlight them every now and then and they are by far the most mature-acting and disciplined group.
 
Here's what some of your Coast Guard colleagues have been up to recently:

 
It is like the lady in the middle, with the dark skirt, only with the top tucked in.

Uniform_SPAR_13.jpg
 
Looks like a Suffragette meeting.
 
I gave a call to the NC uscg Air Auxilary guy last week actually, and sent in my 'info'. All I really wanted to just come to a meeting and see what it was about, but they wanted me to go ahead and have me send a letter, logbook stuff, medical...

If I have to spend $500 on a uniform though, no way jose. I also don't want to wear a uniform, ever (as a civilian). I have no problem wearing a hat and adhering to a dress code. Hopefully this group is the wear a hat and adhere to dress code type.
 
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I gave a call to the NC uscg Air Auxilary guy last week actually, and sent in my 'info'. All I really wanted to just come to a meeting and see what it was about, but they wanted me to go ahead and have me send a letter, logbook stuff, medical...

If I have to spend $500 on a uniform though, no way jose. I also don't want to wear a uniform, ever (as a civilian). I have no problem wearing a hat and adhering to a dress code. Hopefully this group is the wear a hat and adhere to dress code type.

They warn you in the beginning it will cost money and time.

So far:

$50 per year in dues, pro-rated for 2012 - so two years dues collected
$300 (so far) on uniform and that included shoes but most people will buy new, I lucked out and got used. That includes optional things like an extra pair of pants or a jacket, though, and you won't have that. The tailor told me the "nice" new pants are about $60 new and then you have to pay to hem them and the shirt is about $20 - $30 new. The shoes I think you can buy on your own as long as they look a certain way. Facial hair I think has rules and length of your hair (not sure). Then you have to buy the hat (cover), the pins that go on the hat, your nametag, shoulder boards for the shirt, socks, etc.

Then, for example, in my case, you have to get a temp. member ID and wait up to 9 months for an ID card / cleared background, wait until the once or twice per year training starts, and get 10 hours after in real flights, then take an exam. If you are a pilot you need either 200 PIC (dual doesn't count) or 500 PIC to start training.

Kimberly
 
Do they have any grooming standards while wearing these uniforms?

Yes. I HATE that I have to wear my hair in a bun. Haven't had to yet in my civilian clothes but now I have a meeting coming up. Arg.

Men I think can only have a moustache and not a beard but I don't know if they are strict about that. I haven't seen a guy with long hair yet. There is an 800 page manual with all the rules you can download as a PDF. It seemed there were 100 - 200 pages on uniforms - which I think includes grooming.

So. Much. Paper. Ick.
 
Yes. I HATE that I have to wear my hair in a bun. Haven't had to yet in my civilian clothes but now I have a meeting coming up. Arg.

Men I think can only have a moustache and not a beard but I don't know if they are strict about that. I haven't seen a guy with long hair yet. There is an 800 page manual with all the rules you can download as a PDF. It seemed there were 100 - 200 pages on uniforms - which I think includes grooming.

So. Much. Paper. Ick.

Yeah sounds similiar to typical military standards.
 
Here's what some of your Coast Guard colleagues have been up to recently:


...and the copilot was female, from University Place, WA. Time to look into that chopper rating, Kim!

Bob Gardner
 
...and the copilot was female, from University Place, WA. Time to look into that chopper rating, Kim!

Bob Gardner

I am getting confused...... She is joing the USCG Aux... The pilots flying that rescue mission where full time CG people or weekend warriors ?:dunno:
 
I am getting confused...... She is joing the USCG Aux... The pilots flying that rescue mission where full time CG people or weekend warriors ?:dunno:

Aux are civilians supporting the CG. They don't fly CG aircraft. The CG H-60 in the vid is an active duty crew.
 
Aux are civilians supporting the CG. They don't fly CG aircraft. The CG H-60 in the vid is an active duty crew.

Correct. Auxiliary members are sometimes allowed to fly aboard CG aircraft for familiarization during training exercises. They are not allowed to fly even if rated, although I have allowed brief visits to the right seat in C-130s. They are not on board during active SAR cases unless by some fluke a training mission is diverted for a hot case nearshore.
 
I am getting confused...... She is joing the USCG Aux... The pilots flying that rescue mission where full time CG people or weekend warriors ?:dunno:

I think he was joking. I am too old for active duty or reserve military and looked up the pay - no thanks.
 
While military pay looks like peanuts, the chart doesn't really reflect what an officer makes. Added on to my base pay I got a couple hundred cost of living allowance, flight pay, ($650 per month when I got out), housing allowance (rate varies by state), basic food allowance. TDY pay for attending courses/exercises. Of course when you deploy your pay is tax free and if in a combat zone or imminent danger area you get extra pay for that. Add on free medical, free dental, free college, (with housing allowance), almost free technical school (including flight training). Not a bad deal for putting up with some minor inconveniences.

Of course we don't do it for the money anyway. With the places I've been and the things I've experienced I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Anytime you get paid to fly, life is good. :)
 
While military pay looks like peanuts, the chart doesn't really reflect what an officer makes. Added on to my base pay I got a couple hundred cost of living allowance, flight pay, ($650 per month when I got out), housing allowance (rate varies by state), basic food allowance. TDY pay for attending courses/exercises. Of course when you deploy your pay is tax free and if in a combat zone or imminent danger area you get extra pay for that. Add on free medical, free dental, free college, (with housing allowance), almost free technical school (including flight training). Not a bad deal for putting up with some minor inconveniences.

Of course we don't do it for the money anyway. With the places I've been and the things I've experienced I wouldn't have traded it for the world. Anytime you get paid to fly, life is good. :)

Agreed. I made well more money than my friends from engineering school for the first 3-4 years after graduation. It started to even out around then though. Suffice to say that it is a comfortable salary by most standards. That said, the amount of money I make per hour (when you compare my work hours to monthly paycheck) is probably something near minimum wage :)
 
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