Predator exchange/Living at nellis
 

Have seen a recent trawl for volunteers to go to Nellis AFB to a certain UAV. I dissmissed it straight away but on reflection I can see some benefits...

So, assuming that:

a: I am accepted.
b: desky will let me go.

Can anyone let me know whether a youngish singly pilot will enjoy his time? Job satisfaction would be good but I'm prepared to sacrifice a little job satisfaction for a great lifestyle for a few years. (ie why trawl, is this not a good job??)

Basically i'm concerned that Vegas looks good but will wear thin quickly. Looking for knowledge from anyone in the know. Cheers, Marly.

Marly
Have you never done a Red Flag?
Vegas is great, but not for long! It's a complete mad house, where the lunatics run the asylum!
I loved going to 'Flags' for a couple or three weeks, but that was enough for me I'm afraid, it was great to get back to sanity (well almost anyway!)
And why would you want to fly a toy anyway?
The Winco

This is not a trawl cos its no good - just the usual 'its coming up, who's interested' signal. There are folks out there now, get in touch and ask them.

As background said, It's a trawl, but you're not guaranteed it! There'll be plenty of applicants!

Pros: You'll live in the states for a while, your accent will probably get you laid. It will look good on the F6000.
Cons: You'll be working for a foreign Air Force. It will be (in various parts) confusing, and infuriating. (But mostly infuriating!). THEY are not as professional as you may think! And american chicks will expect you to be Tom Cruise... i.e. you buy all the drinks... you're an aviator!

Have a go anyway son. How many other people get the chance?

Good luck

A Good job!! Flying a couple of hundred weight of balsa wood around the desert!! Bugger me, you must be desperate!!

The signal states that it was probable that personnel would do at least 4 months OOA during the tour. Ask your deskie - it'll be more like 4 months every year! (thats what a colleague was told). Spending 1 year out of 3 in the sand and then the rest in the madhouse that is Vegas - no thanks.

As a bonus, BA and Virgin really dig those hours.

It's not like they take that many passengers on flights at the moment anyway. :p

On a personal note, I have seen all sides to this.

Yes Vegas is an asylum, but also can be a massive eye opener to a single, fun loving guy. It's a bit like London sometimes, full of tourists. You'll either love it or hate it. Also, the British accent will get you layed...many times!

1yr/3yrs in the sand? I'm not aware of current RAF deployment times as I'm more a sandy brown shade. But if that's around the time, isn't that what the average deployment is for you? By the way 2/3 is what some of us are doing these days.

Last but not least. Being aware of the fantastic job those things do, I'd take satisfaction of doing a top job well in front of possible deployment to the sand or other hair raising areas. I know we're all a little peeved at present situations in some way or another, but life goes on.

Good luck in your choice.

PS

Life really is short. When you get the chance to do something extraordinary, I recommend grabbing it. You'll find plenty of time later for the mundane.

Additionally, people I know who live or have lived in Vegas tend to love it, and it has been America's fastest growing city for some time. There is a lot of natural beauty and recreational attraction nearby. It's great motorcycle country nearly every day of the year.

You've got to learn to control the gambling habit, though, or it will eat you up. And pay attention maintaining the air conditioner.

I visited the Dayton Air Show and found one of our guys with a Predator and a large Union Jack flag. Got talking and he seems to really enjoy the job and the locations, he seemed genuine about it all but I suppose it could come down to personal preferences. It's probably worth talking to a few of them over there if you can.

Professionally be prepared for a lot of hard work. Long hours but doing a job that is right at the front of technology and giving direct support to operations. Expect time in other sunny climes. despite the uninformed BS you read, the operation is run by some talented individuals. Working with our cousins can be frustrating but also tremendously rewarding.

Vegas is Vegas and most people know the Strip and all its distractions. Once you're away from the Strip its like any other US city. Great quality of life but a brutal climate.

If you're looking for a holiday, try elsewhere. If you want a challenge it's unique.

Vegas is Vegas, but courtesy of low cost carriers like Southwest you can be many places that aren't Vegas in an hour or less for not much money. Same can not be said for Kandahar/Basra. Go and do it.

First hand knowledge of UAV Ops
 

Gents, Ladies, All,

As part of the team out here in Vegas, we are more than happy to answer Q's for interested individuals. An info pack should be with all the desk officers by now, and they have our contact details out here. Best advice is to get this info from the horse's mouth and not Rumint. Look forward to speaking with you soon enough.

Cheers

Good thing the job is in Las Vegas....at least the folks with upturned noses will not risk drowning in a drizzle.

Q?

Is it pilots only? or is it open to WSOs?

Marly Lite
give any exchange a go. I am at Nellis, though not with the Predator team. What an overseas tour has given me is a sense of perspective on our own Air Force. I have been able to understand what bits I value and what I would love to change. There is a great deal more to Vegas than the strip. Come on out to the states and have a blast.

Second that. My exchange tour was a blast (not that this is strictly an exchange, as I understand it). The chance to immerse yourself in another culture, see how another Air Force operates and then, in 3 years time, sort the wheat from the chaff is one not to be missed.

As for Vegas, yep, it's a helluva town, but as alluded to, nowhere is far away in these days of cut-price air travel. If you're considering it and don't apply, you'll be asking youself "what if?" until the day you hand back the blue suit.

Is it Nellis or Creech? If it is the latter, it's a fair distance from LV and Indian Springs is... well... not exactly the world's garden spot.

Either way, you still live in LV - and given where most UK pers live the commute isn't much different in terms of time, although Creech is about twice as far.

Thanks chaps. I need to do some more research on the job. The vegas accent thing has me sold though:E