The Texas Thread

[Major Carrales]

WELCOME TO...

THE TEXAS THREAD

EVERYTHING IS BIGGER HERE!!!
  ALASKA WING MEMBERS WELCOME
"Around here we call it walkin'"  -A Texan of some note

While I was writing the WING CONFERENCE thread I was thinking (dangerous), why not make a post where Texas Wing Members could converse on TEXAS ISSUES.  A sort of networking where members of other WINGS might be able to ask TEXAS specific questions. ( I hope IOWA and CALIFORNIA will do the same)

We are all one CAP, but geography is undeniable.  There are certain elements and logistic issues that a STATE like TEXAS presents. I mean many of our GROUPS (of which there are five) are larger than some WINGS.

                                                                             -Sparky

[Major Carrales]

OK TEXANS, who's going to the WING CONFERENCE in APRIL and where are we going to meet?

Texas Wing Conference
Austin-Bergstrom Airport Hilton,
Austin, TX
Lt Col N King
APR 13-15

[MIKE]

Maj C, can you at least take the horizontal rules out of the post... It's kind of annoying.  I'll give the absurdly huge font size a pass 'cause you're a Texan.

Edit: Thank you.  I could have done it myself, but I figured I'd give you a chance.

[Major Carrales]

Maj C, can you at least take the horizontal rules out of the post... It's kind of annoying.  I'll give the absurdly huge font size a pass 'cause you're a Texan.

Done...

Edit: Thank for the chance, all you need do is ask.   

[JohnKachenmeister]

Does having been stationed at Fort Sam count as being a Texan?

[Major Carrales]

Does having been stationed at Fort Sam count as being a Texan?

Only if there are Palm trees in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Of course, as I recall, they carried you out of TEXAS kicking and screaming!!!

[BillB]

Why does CAP news in the Second largest state need a thread?

[JohnKachenmeister]

Why does CAP news in the Second largest state need a thread?

Texas is the largest state.  Alaska was only admitted to the union because they fraudulently counted the elk as part of their population.

[Trung Si Ma]

Alaska was only admitted to the union because they fraudulently counted the elk as part of their population.

What do you mean fraudulently?  We wanted everyone down there in little-land to believe we were as crowded as they were so that they would stay away.

And guess what?  It worked!

I remember a bumper sticker from the 70's that said "Happiness is 10,000 Okies headed south - with a texan under each arm"

[carnold1836]

In response to the questin about Wing conference I'll be spliting time between the cong and Muster Days at Camp Mabry. I think my sqdn is planning on hiring some AISD school buses to transport cadets and any Sr officer between the hotel and the base so they can be a part of the opening parade. Our color gaurd is at the lead and we want as many folks as possible to be there behind them. Really make a showing.

More info on Muster Days can be found here http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/ Hope to y'all there

[Major Carrales]

In response to the questin about Wing conference I'll be spliting time between the cong and Muster Days at Camp Mabry. I think my sqdn is planning on hiring some AISD school buses to transport cadets and any Sr officer between the hotel and the base so they can be a part of the opening parade. Our color gaurd is at the lead and we want as many folks as possible to be there behind them. Really make a showing.

More info on Muster Days can be found here http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/ Hope to y'all there

Muster days sounds AWESOME,  I will consider being on those busses...that is, if you don't mine this COUNTRY COUSIN South Texan along.

[AlphaSigOU]

Alright, Maj. C, we'll have the northern contingent of the Great Republic of TEXAS! probably bring down the Airvan and the fancy whizz-bang gizmos to the conference. 

[Major Carrales]

Alright, Maj. C, we'll have the northern contingent of the Great Republic of TEXAS! probably bring down the Airvan and the fancy whizz-bang gizmos to the conference. 

I have yet to see the/an Airvan up close.  Some of the Aviators in our unit are dying to get their hands on one.

[SJFedor]

I have yet to see the/an Airvan up close.  Some of the Aviators in our unit are dying to get their hands on one.

It's overrated. Too slow, seats arent that comfy, and up front, if you're more then 5'10" or have an inseam of 33 or more inches, it's REALLY uncomfortable.

I do, however, want to try to jump out of one.

[Major Carrales]

I have yet to see the/an Airvan up close.  Some of the Aviators in our unit are dying to get their hands on one.

It's overrated. Too slow, seats arent that comfy, and up front, if you're more then 5'10" or have an inseam of 33 or more inches, it's REALLY uncomfortable.

I do, however, want to try to jump out of one.

I think the Airvan has a "cool factor/new toy" mythos around it.  I would think "too slow" would be good for our type of work en re recon.  However, if what you say is correct (and I do not doubt), time sensative missions might best see other CAP aircraft deployed.

As for jumping out...did you ever see those CAP jump wings that some of the more intrepid of us created?  Quite apocryphal, but still a little novelty items I wouldn't mind having in a collection. 

[DNall]

I got to see one up close for a good while when it was down here for the airshow. It's big, but otherwise sucks pretty hard & looks terrible. If I were personally buying a plane that size, I'd go to a small twin. If you really want to stick to a single though, there are some excellent options of that size on the market. I think this one was all about unit price. If can get a large body single that meets the requirements for a touch less than a 210, then who really cares that it's not fun to fly - just up the req's for the pilots so you knwo they can handle the beast and you're good to go.

[Major Carrales]

Hummmm....  curious then...why is so much made of about them then?

[DNall]

cause you gotta hype something to build enough buzz about it so the AF will believe you really need it & give you the money. That's legitimately part of the process - it's the same thing a lot of our threads here do, building buzz behind ideas that causes them to get noticed on bother CAP & AF side, and clears a path for them to make it thru the chain of command. If you don't do that, it doesn't matter how good your idea is, it almost for sure WILL be rejected w/o being read before it gets out of your Wg.

[AlphaSigOU]

I have yet to see the/an Airvan up close.  Some of the Aviators in our unit are dying to get their hands on one.

Only 16 of 'em around, two assigned to each region, though they're considered NHQ assets and not the wing's.

Southwest Region's Airvans are located in Texas (Addison) and New Mexico.

And yes, the seats are only good for about an hour's flight time - after that, they give you a colossal pain in the [fourth point of contact]. Zilch rudder trim - pilots have to keep a foot planted on the rudder to keep the beast from yawing away from a straight flight path. (Gippsland is working on improvements to the seats and the rudder trim, but I wouldn't hold my breath.)

[Major Carrales]

I have yet to see the/an Airvan up close.  Some of the Aviators in our unit are dying to get their hands on one.

Only 16 of 'em around, two assigned to each region, though they're considered NHQ assets and not the wing's.

Southwest Region's Airvans are located in Texas (Addison) and New Mexico.

And yes, the seats are only good for about an hour's flight time - after that, they give you a colossal pain in the [fourth point of contact]. Zilch rudder trim - pilots have to keep a foot planted on the rudder to keep the beast from yawing away from a straight flight path. (Gippsland is working on improvements to the seats and the rudder trim, but I wouldn't hold my breath.)

Oh...by "hands on one" I mean to get experience in one, not to have one assigned.

This is truely interesting.