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Do fighter pilots take drugs?


AH64D

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I read somewhere there could be a possiblity that fighter pilots take medication. For inhanced performance, more alert, no need to go pee...stuff like that.

 

I wondered if thats true. Or remember the myth that fighter pilots got spinal tapped to check for ACID/LSD use. That was debunked simply because that operation is so expensive. I mean Fighter Pilots are the top 1% of the Elite. But a surgery is dangerous. I guess at some point, maybe in the 1940's era. A fighter pilot did use ACID, if even existed back then. But, appaerently, you can get messed up flying a plane. If you used LSD. I highly doubt that, but its documented.


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Yeah, they have go/no-go pills that they can take during exhaustive operations (e.g. the opening days of an air war).

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DCS Panavia Tornado (IDS) really needs to be a thing!

 

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I read somewhere there could be a possiblity that fighter pilots take medication. For inhanced performance, more alert, no need to go pee...stuff like that.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if some mild form of it like e.g. Caffeine tablets would be used.

 

I wondered if thats true. Or remember the myth that fighter pilots got spinal tapped to check for ACID/LSD use. That was debunked simply because that operation is so expensive. I mean Fighter Pilots are the top 1% of the Elite. But a surgery is dangerous. I guess at some point, maybe in the 1940's era. A fighter pilot did use ACID, if even existed back then. But, appaerently, you can get messed up flying a plane. If you used LSD. I highly doubt that, but its documented.

 

I read somewhere that it wasn't uncommon for pilots in WWII to use Amphetamine to fight fatigue and stay alert.

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I read somewhere there could be a possiblity that fighter pilots take medication. For inhanced performance, more alert, no need to go pee...stuff like that.

 

I wondered if thats true. Or remember the myth that fighter pilots got spinal tapped to check for ACID/LSD use. That was debunked simply because that operation is so expensive. I mean Fighter Pilots are the top 1% of the Elite. But a surgery is dangerous. I guess at some point, maybe in the 1940's era. A fighter pilot did use ACID, if even existed back then. But, appaerently, you can get messed up flying a plane. If you used LSD. I highly doubt that, but its documented.

 

Medications? Yes, there's many types we are approved for. Gin, Rum, Whiskey, Tequila, wine, beer, etc.

 

As long as we adhere to the rule: No drinking within 50ft, no smoking within 12 hours. :lol:

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I heard a story of a American pilot accidently taking the no-go pills when he was supposed to take the Go pills during a cross Atlantic flight in his fighter. He got renamed "Coma" after that. I can't recall the youtube video though. :(

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Years ago, in the early stages of the Afghanistan "adventure", some air support was provided by F-16's flying from the Persian Gulf. Lots of air to air refueling. Many many hours in the tiny cockpit of a Viper. Some pilots were given the option of using a provided stimulant. I don't know details, but apparently it was pretty powerful stuff.

 

Problem: it affected a person's abilities in judgment, in some cases. This may not have been known at the time of use. But it caused people to SOMETIMES be less logical than they'd normally be. A lot of different things happened on the ground during one such flight. The end result was a "blue on blue", four friendly soldiers got an LGB on them, and four more injured. An old buddy of mine was there that night.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarnak_Farm_incident

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Have used Dexedrine as a stay alert type kick on long flights.

That was early ‘90’s though, don’t know what is used now, but it’s not uncommon.

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In UPT we got exposed to no-go pills (ambian if I remember right) to see how well it worked on us, and if there were any side effects. In the MAF we were not authorized for go pills (amphetamine if I remember right), but guys in the CAF could be -- I assume they went through a similar exposure trial under the direction of a flight doc.

 

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HAHA....Getting drunk before flying a fighter jet, and smoke a cigarette in the cockpit...I bet that happened in WW2. Can you get a DUI flying an F-16? Apprently you can get a DUI if your drunk riding a horse...but what if the horse is drunk too? Will that horse get charged. All kidding aside, yeah thats interesting. Hmm...Flying the campaign in the F/A-18C is really stressful and that is just a simulation. If some pills help the fighter pilot I am all for it. Especially in combat. My dream was to be a fighter pilot, but playing DCS makes realize how dangerous and insane this profession is. I would still do it obviously. But, its serioulsy crazy stuff. Taking on 5 Mig 29's, should be fun...but its not. I love it, but still its kinda harry. Welp thats why they are the top 1% elite. The US fighter pilot. No drugs allowed until you make it into the cockpit. With that LT. "Your call sign" on the side of the jet...heh so awesome.

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This new forumn feels wierd I liked the original. It felt more "Jet Fightery"...this feels like, I dunno Twitter or something. Its actually wierd, I would have said Facebook; (I am not on that) but I tried it once...and man it was ghetto. A billion dollar piece of software and it felt like AOL. Facebook is really cheessy...maybe they upgraded. Don't know don't care.

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Nowadays people are taking Provigil. It works great compared to the drugs that we used to use. You can stay up for about 48 hours with no loss of alertness or focus, but it doesn't make you all jittery. And best of all, even after you take it, if you want to sleep, you don't need to take anything to bring you down, you can just go to sleep.

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Back Lead in Fighter Training (LIFT) at Holloman (I'm dating myself), they had us do a trial of both the Go and No Go pills at the time. The Go Pills were dexadrine IIRC and I didn't like them. Made me feel jittery like I had just guzzled about 10 gallons of coffee. I'm not sure if "alert" was the correct term, but I was awake. The NO GO pills were Temazepam and they rocked! They would knock you out for a solid 8-10 hours and I would wakeup feeling alert and refreshed. Not draggy like some pills do like muscle relaxers that knock you out but you feel drugged for 12 hours after.

 

Later on, they switched the NOGO to Ambien and the GO to something I couldn't remember. Total opposite effect for me. The Ambien would knock me out for 4 hours max and then I was wide wake and couldn't sleep, regardless of how massively fatigued I was going to bed. OTOH, the GO pills were epic. I recall taking one for the first time on a night combat mission over Iraq. We were 6 hours into an extended Vul and looking like at least another 4-5 to go. I was massively dragging. So I took it and something like 30min later I went ZING! My mind was wide awake and totally alert while I could still feel the body being tired. I recall looking up at the stars on NVGs and going HOLY Sh*t!!!! Later on, when we landed at Moron Spain on the way home from the deployment, I found a couple of the GO pills left over in my bag. We were all headed out to go eat and then party in town after being stuck in the desert for 120 days, so I popped one to keep me going. That was a fun night! :music_whistling:

 

I really wish I could remember the name of that Go pill, I'd get some now.

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Back Lead in Fighter Training (LIFT) at Holloman (I'm dating myself), they had us do a trial of both the Go and No Go pills at the time. The Go Pills were dexadrine IIRC and I didn't like them. Made me feel jittery like I had just guzzled about 10 gallons of coffee. I'm not sure if "alert" was the correct term, but I was awake. The NO GO pills were Temazepam and they rocked! They would knock you out for a solid 8-10 hours and I would wakeup feeling alert and refreshed. Not draggy like some pills do like muscle relaxers that knock you out but you feel drugged for 12 hours after.

 

Later on, they switched the NOGO to Ambien and the GO to something I couldn't remember. Total opposite effect for me. The Ambien would knock me out for 4 hours max and then I was wide wake and couldn't sleep, regardless of how massively fatigued I was going to bed. OTOH, the GO pills were epic. I recall taking one for the first time on a night combat mission over Iraq. We were 6 hours into an extended Vul and looking like at least another 4-5 to go. I was massively dragging. So I took it and something like 30min later I went ZING! My mind was wide awake and totally alert while I could still feel the body being tired. I recall looking up at the stars on NVGs and going HOLY Sh*t!!!! Later on, when we landed at Moron Spain on the way home from the deployment, I found a couple of the GO pills left over in my bag. We were all headed out to go eat and then party in town after being stuck in the desert for 120 days, so I popped one to keep me going. That was a fun night! :music_whistling:

 

I really wish I could remember the name of that Go pill, I'd get some now.

Yeah, the Dexedrine sure gave me the quakes too! Remember a squadron mate thinking that the one pill wouldn’t be enough, and managed to get hold of three. He was hospitalised for a couple days and taken off the roster for a week. I swear he was possessed by something from the devils bed chamber! Scary. Not a nice come down from dex, but it served a purpose I suppose. Hope what is used now is better, and kinder!

 

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WOAH! Notso and Garyscott, your real fighter pilots? Pleasure to meet you. What fighters did you fly? A little off topic, but since your the top elite, how should I approach the first mission in the F/A-18C campiagn I keep getting shot down. Assuming you played it. But if you did, I am sure you rocked. Any advice...anything from you guys would be gold. So cool. I met real fighter pilots! Yay.

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Back Lead in Fighter Training (LIFT) at Holloman (I'm dating myself), they had us do a trial of both the Go and No Go pills at the time. The Go Pills were dexadrine IIRC and I didn't like them. Made me feel jittery like I had just guzzled about 10 gallons of coffee. I'm not sure if "alert" was the correct term, but I was awake. The NO GO pills were Temazepam and they rocked! They would knock you out for a solid 8-10 hours and I would wakeup feeling alert and refreshed. Not draggy like some pills do like muscle relaxers that knock you out but you feel drugged for 12 hours after.

 

Later on, they switched the NOGO to Ambien and the GO to something I couldn't remember. Total opposite effect for me. The Ambien would knock me out for 4 hours max and then I was wide wake and couldn't sleep, regardless of how massively fatigued I was going to bed. OTOH, the GO pills were epic. I recall taking one for the first time on a night combat mission over Iraq. We were 6 hours into an extended Vul and looking like at least another 4-5 to go. I was massively dragging. So I took it and something like 30min later I went ZING! My mind was wide awake and totally alert while I could still feel the body being tired. I recall looking up at the stars on NVGs and going HOLY Sh*t!!!! Later on, when we landed at Moron Spain on the way home from the deployment, I found a couple of the GO pills left over in my bag. We were all headed out to go eat and then party in town after being stuck in the desert for 120 days, so I popped one to keep me going. That was a fun night! :music_whistling:

 

I really wish I could remember the name of that Go pill, I'd get some now.

 

 

 

Your a real fighter pilot?

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I was asking the same thing...are you a real fighter pilot? I wonder if, being a real fighter pilot makes DCS super easy. Even in multiplayer. I wonder if they just dominate. Problem is if we are not real fighter pilots and they are, how are we supposed to not die insantly? We cannot take them on. Us lonely gamers. Trying to learn everything about how to fly and use our cockpit effectively. We could never match them. Question is, how many real modern fighter pilots play this simulation/DCS? WellI would not mind going up agains tthe best. It would be honor to fight a real fighter pilot. I would die sure, still be fun. But I guess if you make a squadron, and a real fighter pilot is on it, then you would learn a lot. And fly with the top ELITE. I would like that very much.

 

Bu funny thing is, a modern real F-22, A-10, F-16 or F/A-18 real actual fighter pilot would be unstoppable. He would configure his systems so fast and hard hit you with perfect speed and altitude and AoA (if that matters), use the perfect weapons at the perfect timing. BVR mode RWS mode, then switch to TWS SST mode...flawlessly. If thats even how they do it I dunno. I wish I did know how its done. In this simulation they probably just go for ACM mode as fast as possible. And say screw the FCS A/A radar and just blow you away. A real fighter pilot in DCS probably makes special confgiurations on his HOTAS that we would never know. Basically the real thing, but certain tweaks for the simulation. To make him unstoppable. And you know, he is a real fighter pilot, so he can switch to the right systems at the perfect time. Making you dead.

 

When I play multiplayer I hope I don't shoot down a real fighter pilot that would just make him mad. Thats the last thing I want, I want to be friends. And fly togethor.

 

I love the USAF.

 

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I read somewhere there could be a possiblity that fighter pilots take medication. For inhanced performance, more alert, no need to go pee...stuff like that.

 

I wondered if thats true. Or remember the myth that fighter pilots got spinal tapped to check for ACID/LSD use. That was debunked simply because that operation is so expensive. I mean Fighter Pilots are the top 1% of the Elite. But a surgery is dangerous. I guess at some point, maybe in the 1940's era. A fighter pilot did use ACID, if even existed back then. But, appaerently, you can get messed up flying a plane. If you used LSD. I highly doubt that, but its documented.

 

What about increased g-tolerance like on The Expanse?

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To AH64D, I was a pilot years ago.

RAF, F-4 for the first two years and then Tornado for the final 8. As for your comment basically saying because ‘we’ were real deal we must beast everyone on DCS, that is very wrong!

I have not had the pleasure of using the campaigns etc that you hint at, personally I am quite happy using the editor to throw up a problem for me to go at.

The problem I have with DCS is I cannot “feel it”. I can’t feel the airframe shake when near AoA limit, nor can I feel how hard im turning, or how quick the onset. These are a few things a pilot needs. Your body is the extra flight instrument. DCS doesn’t give you that.

I must say though how blown away I am with regards to graphical abilities, the sims in squadron use that I remember were not even in the same league!

DCS is invaluable to me, I can “fly” such types that I only coveted from afar - the F-14, F-18, Harrier, all are a joy, and the learning curve is for me the most fun.

BUT, I live in hope that I can again - virtually - fly the F-4 in a few years. Belsimtek, I’m looking’ at you!!

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To AH64D, I was a pilot years ago.

RAF, F-4 for the first two years and then Tornado for the final 8. As for your comment basically saying because ‘we’ were real deal we must beast everyone on DCS, that is very wrong!

I have not had the pleasure of using the campaigns etc that you hint at, personally I am quite happy using the editor to throw up a problem for me to go at.

The problem I have with DCS is I cannot “feel it”. I can’t feel the airframe shake when near AoA limit, nor can I feel how hard im turning, or how quick the onset. These are a few things a pilot needs. Your body is the extra flight instrument. DCS doesn’t give you that.

I must say though how blown away I am with regards to graphical abilities, the sims in squadron use that I remember were not even in the same league!

DCS is invaluable to me, I can “fly” such types that I only coveted from afar - the F-14, F-18, Harrier, all are a joy, and the learning curve is for me the most fun.

BUT, I live in hope that I can again - virtually - fly the F-4 in a few years. Belsimtek, I’m looking’ at you!!

 

Maybe you already do, but even if it's some heavy money, VR does increase immersion, and maybe a "but kicker" of some sort for feed back :smilewink:

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Maybe you already do, but even if it's some heavy money, VR does increase immersion, and maybe a "but kicker" of some sort for feed back :smilewink:

 

Hi. I get what you are trying to say.

Your “butt kicker” I had to google - eventually I found something related to flight simulation!

But I have to maintain, the lack of feel regarding ‘G’ is something that is missed, as it is quite a part of manoeuvre flight.

 

 

 

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Yes, of course, nothing worth the "real deal" :thumbup:

 

Did you try VR ? Some other real pilots seems to find their mark better and adapt quicker in VR...

 

Hi jojo.

No I haven’t tried VR, I use TrackIR - I seem to do well with it, so I stick with it.

I have seen VR units, and they do look good I’ll admit, but my preference is with what I have.

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Angle of Attack (AoA) So awesome!!!!!

 

https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/...of_Attack_(AOA)

 

I still dont get it, in combat.

 

I just have a hard time considering angle of attack in combat. I admit, I don't study all this complicated stuff. About (AoA). Not sure if its relavent. In combat. I die all the time in the first mission of the campaign. If I keep playing, I am sure I will progress, but, kinda sucks I have no idea what I am doing.

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