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I know this is no basic trainer for A-10 pilots, but what do you fly to transition into the Warthog?

F-117 use the T-38, do all A-10 pilots come from flying a different plane first or can you slide right into A-10 out of school?

Never really knew so I thought I would ask<img src=icon_smile_shy.gif border=0 align=middle>

TG out

<img src="http://www.x-plane.org/home/topgun/pic/A10logo.jpg" border=0>

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If it Flys, shoot it

My guess would be the T-37 "Tweet". An earlier variant was used in limited numbers by the USAF in Viet-Nam (as a lighter CAS platform than the A-1 Skyraider, and it was faster, just didn't have the station time or payload of the A-1) then that fleet was sold to the South Vietnamese Air Force. The USAF called it the O/A-37 "Dragonfly". Produced by Cessna, the Air Force does have some in use as primary trainers (though I don't know how many nor where).

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Just give me some ammo, a little water.....and some chips if you got 'em

Isn't the T-38 used after the T-37? I believe they fly a Turbo prop to start off, then go the T-37 and afterwards move on to the T-38 but I wasn't really sure.

TG out

<img src="http://www.x-plane.org/home/topgun/pic/A10logo.jpg" border=0>

_________________
If it Flys, shoot it

You fly the A10 sim of course... The A10 sim is dumpster you sit in while IP's throw rocks at it.

Seriously, all AF pilots start by getting a PPL in a small single engine acft (ie cessna 172) then you train in the T37 for six months. Fighter/bomber guys then go to the T38 for 6 more months before getting your wings. Those selected to fly fighers have 6 or so weeks at IFF (intro to fighter fundamentals), then its off to the RTU where you learn to fly your major weapon system (the fighters you can get out of pilot training are the A10, F16, F15C/E). By that time its probally not to difficult to fly the hawg. Empolying the weapons system is another story. But since I've only had my wings for about 72hrs and I've never even set foot into a fighter squadron, this is all speculation of course.

Great feedback MM, congrats on your Hogwings
<img src=newicons/icon_hog.gif border=0 align=middle>

TG out

<img src="http://www.x-plane.org/home/topgun/pic/A10logo.jpg" border=0>

_________________
If it Flys, shoot it

Flying the Hawg is easy. Flying it well is hard. Flying it well and employing all the systems well is an art.

There is a sim at DM now but it's pretty recent. When I went through RTU there wasn't a sim. We spent gruelng hours sitting in a mock-up while "sim" IP's put us through the ringer. After that we got one ground training mission where we went through all the checks from preflight to engine shutdown with an IP on the ladder. The first time you fly it, tha was it. So I guess the answer to the originl question is that you go from the T-38 to the Hawg...

ATTACK!!!!!!!

Thanks TG. Glad I could help.