Squadrons with access to GA-8s

[A.Member]

BTW, what "customer" rides would we be talking about exactly?

Counter drug, flights for the ANG (around here we do GIIEP training with them annually and we fly), teacher orientation flights, Angel Flight, disaster assessment with an agency observer, etc.

I know what "potential" customer flights are available.  I was curious as to what his specific one's were in thinking the GA-8 was a better option.  I don't know anyone that's flown the GA-8 and one of our glass airplanes that would make that argument; and the glass are more readily available than a GA-8.  I would prefer our steam gauged aircraft over it as well.

Aside: You guys are still training with GIIEP?  Learning yesterday's technology today? Have you ever had a mission that really required it?  We quit wasting our time with it.

[themainmane]

How many guys here have been on counter drug flights? It's not really available in my area, but what does it entail? How much agency control is there?

The activity varies by wing.  Beyond that, while it's not a secret, those discussions are best left for private conversations.

Roger that.

[Spaceman3750]

Aside: You guys are still training with GIIEP?  Learning yesterday's technology today? Have you ever had a mission that really required it?  We quit wasting our time with it.

Until someone gives us something better, yes. It has its issues but it works, and is better than any other agency in the state has for real time airborne imaging. Sure, some agencies are messing with drones, but I have yet to meet a drone that can photograph every bridge for 100 miles or survey the path of a tornado in one shot.

Plus we like working with the Guard so I'm sure as long as they keep asking for the training we'll keep delivering it.

[Eclipse]

Aside: You guys are still training with GIIEP?  Learning yesterday's technology today? Have you ever had a mission that really required it?  We quit wasting our time with it.

The majority of our photo missions could be fully accomplished with a decent cell phone (or even an iPhone), beyond that it's all gravy.

If nothing else, GIIEP provides a mechanism for legitimate aircrew-base coordination, which in and of itself has value, as many times our esteemed
pilots forget the mission is more then "Wheels up / wheels down".

When it works, it is very effective.  When it doesn't, time to learn.  Nothing's perfect, nor free.

[JeffDG]

Aside: You guys are still training with GIIEP?  Learning yesterday's technology today? Have you ever had a mission that really required it?  We quit wasting our time with it.

You know they just released GIIEP 2, right?

[A.Member]

Aside: You guys are still training with GIIEP?  Learning yesterday's technology today? Have you ever had a mission that really required it?  We quit wasting our time with it.

You know they just released GIIEP 2, right?

No, but rather than hijack this thread or revisit past conversations on the topic, I'll just simply refer to my comments here; they haven't changed:
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=12167.msg222980#msg222980  (page 4 and 5)

Bottom line:  I have yet to have any partner truly require real time (they may ask but after consulting with them, they realize they truly don't and/or can't handle it) and the Guard doesn't use GIIEP, at least ours doesn't.  I'd call it a rejected technology; it died circa 2012.  I'm willing to be proven wrong but if there is actually a Guard unit using it, they're an anomaly.

[Eclipse]

I'm willing to be proven wrong but if there is actually a Guard unit using it, they're an anomaly.

Call ours that then - cooperative GIIEP training this weekend in my wing.

Perhaps we should all be thankful that the need for real-time imagery in an incident of Katrina scale hasn't occurred yet.
Sandy could have been that but it wasn't.  If there are people on rooftops waving, or evolving destruction that
real-time decisions could help, I'd prefer to know how to turn things on, instead of rummaging around
in the supply closet under the CPR dummies and having to tell the Guard (or whoever), that "this will take a bit
since we haven't used it for years..."

The same thing happened to SDIS.  A fairly simple, coherent system was hoarded by people for whom email
is an "activity" (seriously, 1/4" of paper to explain how to send an email from Outlook), the packages got
broken up with the sat phones sitting in Wing CC's homes and the cameras going to the PAOs, until finally
the empty box wound up in someone's trunk and the capability was lost.

CAP needs to achieve organizational proficiency with a technology before it can allow members to cast it off as "obsolete". 

This is why we can't have nice things.

[A.Member]

When it doesn't, time to learn.  Nothing's perfect, nor free.

Agreed.  Our long time learning is this:  Don't waste members time with overly complex technologies and process that don't add value.

[SarDragon]

They can be very effective when training Aircrew or running O-rides.

The GA-8 is terrible for o-rides unless your goal is to just pile a few kids in the back.  That's a sucky experience.

?

Ever ride in one? It's frequently puke city for the folks in the back. That's for the adults, too.

[lordmonar]

Aside: You guys are still training with GIIEP?  Learning yesterday's technology today? Have you ever had a mission that really required it?  We quit wasting our time with it.

You know they just released GIIEP 2, right?

No, but rather than hijack this thread or revisit past conversations on the topic, I'll just simply refer to my comments here; they haven't changed:
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=12167.msg222980#msg222980  (page 4 and 5)

Bottom line:  I have yet to have any partner truly require real time (they may ask but after consulting with them, they realize they truly don't and/or can't handle it) and the Guard doesn't use GIIEP, at least ours doesn't.  I'd call it a rejected technology; it died circa 2012.  I'm willing to be proven wrong but if there is actually a Guard unit using it, they're an anomaly.

https://www.giiep.us/