Posted on Oct 26, 2016
$175K bonus for Air Force drone pilots now available
2.38K
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They better make sure they won't have to pay this back in ten years.
Airmen flying remotely piloted aircraft who agree to re-up for five more years will soon be eligible for Aviator Retention Pay bonuses of $35,000 per year — or $175,000 in all.
For many RPA officers, that's a considerable increase from the $25,000 per year bonus they previously have received for agreeing to a five-year extension. But some RPA airmen will no longer be eligible for nine-year, $25,000 per-year bonuses that totaled $225,000, which had been an option til now.
Airmen flying remotely piloted aircraft who agree to re-up for five more years will soon be eligible for Aviator Retention Pay bonuses of $35,000 per year — or $175,000 in all.
For many RPA officers, that's a considerable increase from the $25,000 per year bonus they previously have received for agreeing to a five-year extension. But some RPA airmen will no longer be eligible for nine-year, $25,000 per-year bonuses that totaled $225,000, which had been an option til now.
$175K bonus for Air Force drone pilots now available
Posted from airforcetimes.com
Drones
Pilot
Aviator
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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Holy shit.
What are they...hiring PhDs with a background in brain surgery to fly these drones?
I thought giving them a flight suit was a silly idea. Then they needed a medal that was higher than a Bronze Star. Now they're being paid like pilots.
The post says "Airmen flying remotely piloted aircraft..." Huh? They're not flying anything. They're sitting in an air conditioned van outside Las Vegas, drinking coffee and operating a drone. Lots of buttons and lights, indicators and TV screens, but they're not flying.
I'm pretty sure I remember flying. Sweating like a bull in a jet on a loud and dangerously busy sun-drenched flight deck. Getting kicked in the ass, real hard, on the catapult. Watching the horizon to make sure we were going up instead of down. Then taking G's that made your heart pound and felt like you were really working, just to stay seated. Keeping a sharp ear for the warning that a commie fighter jet might sneak attack and try to shoot you down. Then in-flight refueling--a delicate task that could flip you over suddenly and send you hurtling to the deck. Finally, there was an arrested landing, hoping the pilot could maneuver your northbound jet in 4 dimensions simultaneously to land on an eastbound moving postage stamp so you don't end up like so many of the others, flattened on the back end of a carrier, or screaming inside a fireball on the deck, or inside the belly of the ocean, black as night, fighting a tangle of parachute cord while trying to figure out which way is up to the surface.
Please don't tell me these drone guys wear wings.
What are they...hiring PhDs with a background in brain surgery to fly these drones?
I thought giving them a flight suit was a silly idea. Then they needed a medal that was higher than a Bronze Star. Now they're being paid like pilots.
The post says "Airmen flying remotely piloted aircraft..." Huh? They're not flying anything. They're sitting in an air conditioned van outside Las Vegas, drinking coffee and operating a drone. Lots of buttons and lights, indicators and TV screens, but they're not flying.
I'm pretty sure I remember flying. Sweating like a bull in a jet on a loud and dangerously busy sun-drenched flight deck. Getting kicked in the ass, real hard, on the catapult. Watching the horizon to make sure we were going up instead of down. Then taking G's that made your heart pound and felt like you were really working, just to stay seated. Keeping a sharp ear for the warning that a commie fighter jet might sneak attack and try to shoot you down. Then in-flight refueling--a delicate task that could flip you over suddenly and send you hurtling to the deck. Finally, there was an arrested landing, hoping the pilot could maneuver your northbound jet in 4 dimensions simultaneously to land on an eastbound moving postage stamp so you don't end up like so many of the others, flattened on the back end of a carrier, or screaming inside a fireball on the deck, or inside the belly of the ocean, black as night, fighting a tangle of parachute cord while trying to figure out which way is up to the surface.
Please don't tell me these drone guys wear wings.
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SGT (Join to see)
Capt Michael Greene, I couldn't believe what I read. The picture of the guy sitting at a desk, flying a drone, getting 175K, is ridiculous. Why would these desk pilots get so much bonus? I can sort of relate to your description of being a fixed wing pilot, and going on dangerous missions. When we were going into an LZ, we didn't really know how hot it was. It was up to me and the CA to protect our pilots. It was especially more dangerous at night. Except for the trim lights, it was dark black. We were returning to our AO one night and ran into fog. Thank God my pilots knew instrumentation and which was up and down. Another time, at 5K feet we lost an engine, and had to coast in to wherever we set down. Again the trim lights were the only light. My point being, why would someone get an exorbitant amount of money to do our job, protected from any harm? When we flew at night we were shot at plenty of times. Seeing those green tracers zipping by us, and waiting to get hit, caused a huge pucker factor, if you know what I mean. I know it's not the same as fixed wing, but we're all in the air.
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Capt Michael Greene
SGT (Join to see) - I gotta say, rotary wing in the cloud or in a hot LZ--you got my respect. At least I had a parachute for emotional support.
If a drone operator is startled to see tracers coming up from the ground to his AUV and thus falls out of his chair, does he get a Purple Heart?
If a drone operator is startled to see tracers coming up from the ground to his AUV and thus falls out of his chair, does he get a Purple Heart?
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What God giveth, DFAS taketh away, twice, ensuring a no pay due...at Christmas.
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LTC Jason Mackay
SGT (Join to see) - no just saying that DFAS will figure out a way to screw them out of it.
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In 10 years, we'll hear about how those bonuses were actually supposed to be $3500 and year, and they will all be told to pay back the rest. Wouldn't be unprecedented, huh? Lol
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SGT (Join to see)
I think anyway the Military members can be screwed, it's going to happen. I don't put anything past them.
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