New season in life

[JGr2/J5_Hotlead]

Salute all,

As some of you may have noticed, I am no longer wearing JG1 squad tags. After 8 years of flying with this excellent group, I am moving on to the next chapter of my flight sim life and transferring to Jasta 5.

My experience in JG1 has been nothing but a pleasure, and I would still heartily recommend this fine group to anyone I meet. There are few groups that a pilot can fly Albatrosses, Focke Wulfs, and Mig 21s in, each with a dedicated infrastructure to support it. Moreover, there are few groups as welcoming, friendly, and stable as JG1. I truly count my time there as a blessing, can honestly say I'm leaving without any enemies, and can count every single pilot there as my dear friend.

For this season in my life, I guess I've felt the "itch" to try something new, which really is the only reason for my transfer. I also have a lot of friends already in Jasta 5. I still love my German birds with their bold paint schemes and I'd rather transfer to a squadron where I can still fly in the same coalition as my JG1 friends without having to face them from across the front regularly. (If I had no qualms about that, I'd definitely have considered joining some of the excellent Entente squadrons out there. However, life just would feel empty for me without having to run for my life from their gunsights and/or send them down in flames. ?)

To Jasta 5: I've long respected and admired the Greentails and am stoked to be joining such a storied group! Thank you for stepping out of your way to make me feel welcomed and for giving me space as I managed the details of this bittersweet transition. I eagerly anticipate going through your training program, making new friends, and taking to the skies with the rest of you. Who knows? Maybe I'll even quit making excuses and finally learn to fly the Dr 1 now... ?

To JG1: My respect and admiration for JG1 knows no bounds. In a day and age where online clan membership is only a couple years on average, JG1 was my home for 8 years. And in some ways, I still will always feel I have a home with Richthofen's Jagdgeschwader. Thank you for taking me in when I'd never been a part of an online group before. Thank you for the wonderful flights and shared memories. Thank you for helping me grow, both as a pilot and as a person. I truly wouldn't be who I am today without you all. I will definitely be staying in touch and look forward to still sharing the skies with you all. JG1 will hold a treasured place in my heart forever.

Tonight, I will be wearing my JG1 tags and colors as I take my final flights on the ACME server with JG1 (for this season, at least). Tomorrow morning, with Bauemer's blessing, I will put on my J5 tags and appear over the front sporting a green tail.

To old friends and to the future! ?
- Hotlead

[JGr2/J5_Klugermann]

Welcome aboard.

[JGr2/J46_Hawkeye]

Congrats to J5 on this, what was already an outstanding group just went up another notch; and for some reason it feels like life on the Entente side just got a lot more challenging.  S!

[=IRFC=Tunes]

Such an exciting next step! S! to JG1 for building up one hell of a fighter pilot for the past 8 years. You will be a credit to Jasta 5, and you will find great joy in flying with your new wingmen. 

[J5_Adam]

Welcome to Jasta 5 HL!

[J37_Spyboy]

Good news Hotlead. It is a testament to the strength of the virpilot community that you can seamlessly make this transfer safe in the knowledge that any time you were to fly with JG1 in the future, you know you would be received as an esteemed ex colleague and friend.

Looking forward to seeing you in the skies

[Guest deleted@83466]

God be with you?

[US103_Baer]

Frying pan>>>>Fire :? 

[BMA_Hellbender]

Congratulations, sir! I cannot think of a finer group of flyers.

 

 

 

 

?

 

Central flyers.

 

20 hours ago, HotleadColdfeet said:

Maybe I'll even quit making excuses and finally learn to fly the Dr 1 now... ?

 

Spoiler

 

[JGr2/J5_Mueller]

I raise a glass in honor to Herr Hotlead! A fine Greentail you will make! Welcome sir, to the Kannonenstaffel. Salute!