The tower jump is fun. Just "step" out to the little flags and you'll be fine.
That was the one thing I had to re-do a couple times.......couldn't keep my body underwater long enough to make it to that black line at the end.
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The basics of API
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That was the one thing I had to re-do a couple times.......couldn't keep my body underwater long enough to make it to that black line at the end.
The tower jump is fun. Just "step" out to the little flags and you'll be fine.
Use good form with your arms and you're golden.
Floppy_D
I am the hunted
You and me both. I nearly drowned as a kid, and was terrified of the water. Four weeks with the fantastic instructors over at the pool, and I grew gills. Those guys know their shit inside and out, and can teach anyone to swim. I thought the helo dunker was a lot of fun: it meant overcoming a lot for me. API is a good time, embrace it and get to know your future buddies.
I was in the same boat. Those guys can teach a rock to float with weights attached.
I almost drowned twice before API, sucked at swimming, had no confidence in the water, etc.
A few weeks at Hold Swim did wonders. Though I had to work at the tower jump (just let yourself "start" to drown and keep going) and had issues with floating initially (helmet drowned me, get the ones with holes on the side)... I made it through fine. TBH I was second-to-last to finish the mile swim, but who cares, I passed! The dunker was FUN. Yes, even blindfolded... FUN.
TLDR version...
I was a rock. I still passed API swimming.
I almost drowned twice before API, sucked at swimming, had no confidence in the water, etc.
A few weeks at Hold Swim did wonders. Though I had to work at the tower jump (just let yourself "start" to drown and keep going) and had issues with floating initially (helmet drowned me, get the ones with holes on the side)... I made it through fine. TBH I was second-to-last to finish the mile swim, but who cares, I passed! The dunker was FUN. Yes, even blindfolded... FUN.
TLDR version...
I was a rock. I still passed API swimming.
Snfo nss to 40
I'm not sure why the "SNFO NSS TO 40" thread was discontinued, but it's important to note that it's not simply a rumor. Both pilot, and NFO, candidates must earn an NSS of 40 in API academics in order to continue training.
Words to the wise:
1. Every push-up, sit-up, and second on the PRT counts and could make the difference between clearing the NSS hurdle or being eliminated from training.
2. Students who get seriously injured or arrested are unlikely to be retained.
3. If you arrive at NASC overweight or out of shape, you'll probably get sent home.
4. If your anthro measurements don't meet the standards, you will not enter training. Do not count on getting a waiver once you arrive at NASC. Do whatever you can to redesignate to another career field before you get here.
5. If you're finishing at the bottom of your class and got an aviator contract only because Daddy knows a Senator or Admiral, your benefactor will not be able to save you from the 40 NSS. Either do what you can to redesignate or start exercising and studying so that you can make up some of the deficit before you get here.
6. Official API pubs are available on the NASC website.
7. IFS uses the Jeppesen Part 141 ground school program.
8. It is not cheating to start studying before you arrive at NASC.
Bottomline: Once you check in to NASC, you'll be sent to the force shaping board if you get eliminated due to academics, anthro, height/weight, legal problems, or serious medical issues. You'd be wise to take care of those issues before you get here...
I'm not sure why the "SNFO NSS TO 40" thread was discontinued, but it's important to note that it's not simply a rumor. Both pilot, and NFO, candidates must earn an NSS of 40 in API academics in order to continue training.
Words to the wise:
1. Every push-up, sit-up, and second on the PRT counts and could make the difference between clearing the NSS hurdle or being eliminated from training.
2. Students who get seriously injured or arrested are unlikely to be retained.
3. If you arrive at NASC overweight or out of shape, you'll probably get sent home.
4. If your anthro measurements don't meet the standards, you will not enter training. Do not count on getting a waiver once you arrive at NASC. Do whatever you can to redesignate to another career field before you get here.
5. If you're finishing at the bottom of your class and got an aviator contract only because Daddy knows a Senator or Admiral, your benefactor will not be able to save you from the 40 NSS. Either do what you can to redesignate or start exercising and studying so that you can make up some of the deficit before you get here.
6. Official API pubs are available on the NASC website.
7. IFS uses the Jeppesen Part 141 ground school program.
8. It is not cheating to start studying before you arrive at NASC.
Bottomline: Once you check in to NASC, you'll be sent to the force shaping board if you get eliminated due to academics, anthro, height/weight, legal problems, or serious medical issues. You'd be wise to take care of those issues before you get here...
I don't know who closed/deleted it, but I can take a guess as to why.
I doesn't fucking matter what the NSS is. Put in the time and effort to earn your wings.
I doesn't fucking matter what the NSS is. Put in the time and effort to earn your wings.
I don't know what happened to the thread (I wasn't watching it) but just something to keep in mind is that VINNYNY has some extra special insight into API-goings on.
Isn't that pretty much what VINNYNY said?
Start Early!
I'm guessing that most of the 202 students who have been removed from training during the increased NSS program would disagree with you. Very few of them would tell you that they didn't put forth their best effort. If you want to be a pilot or NFO, it would be a good idea to show up physically and mentally prepared to compete. Start putting in that time an effort before you get here or your best may not be good enough.
I'm guessing that most of the 202 students who have been removed from training during the increased NSS program would disagree with you. Very few of them would tell you that they didn't put forth their best effort. If you want to be a pilot or NFO, it would be a good idea to show up physically and mentally prepared to compete. Start putting in that time an effort before you get here or your best may not be good enough.
Perhaps #2 needs to be clarified amongst students in the best interest of all involved. It seems that Students have started to show up at the VTs with the idea that if they go med down for anything they will be attrited- no questions asked. When asked where they got this idea from they state they were told that at API. Needless to say, it leaves us unimpressed with the staff of building 633 because it seems that this is a scare tactic that does little more then create situations where students who really should be med down, and getting healthy, attempt to go flying anyway- putting both them and their IPs at greater risk every time they do so.
Or, perhaps more likely, it stems from studs being told that getting seriously injured, especially due to recreational off-duty shenanigans, will probably result in getting attrited (vs spending a year on the limpdu list). During my tenure as NASC safety-O, I told them they should think twice about taking risks with their health and safety. They were also told by me and many others, to never push their luck with flying when not healthy.
Come on, man. That's the rumor mill and Ensign Logic. No instructor in their right mind is going to encourage studs to fly sick, or try to 'scare' them into doing so. "They told us at API we should fly sick" falls in the same category as "I was told we can't wear brown shoes until we're winged".
I know someone that went hard down because his eardrums blew when he went up while being sick. What I remember when I was doing the altitude chamber is the instructors were adamant about finding out if people were sick because this very thing could happen to them. I even recall the instructors making the same statement you just made which is basically don‘t fly if you are sick. That being said, I have flown when I didn’t feel 100% but I wouldn’t fly if I couldn’t clear or for that matter if I felt too terrible. That is one of the most important things anyone that is new to aviation should realize. You are not a hero if you fly while you are sick!
I don't disagree that its ensign logic and rumor mill- students are afraid to IMSAFE enough as it is. I've even had 3Ps in the fleet who flew with sinus blocks because they were afraid to ORM out of a flight. You can't stop stupid, but more aviation students may start to get the message early if someone Takes 5 minutes and explains to a pool of students in API that going med down for a while because you have to get work done on your teeth, or get rid of the blocked sinus is not the same as going med down because you got punched in the face during a fight, feel down the stairs drunk or rode your motorcycle without PPE and wiped out- and therefore won't get attrited as a result.
Well...they do. Extensively. Multiple briefs from the leadership, NASC and NAMI flight docs, safety o's, class officers, survival instructors, and so on. But that's how Ensign Urban Legends work: one stud might have heard something one time from one instructor (or roommate, or classmate, or some guy they talked to at Seville once) that might have been construed as "go med down and you're an auto-attrite" and suddenly they all seem to believe it. And they'll continue to believe it despite:
- No one actually telling them that
- Making zero sense from any perspective (why exactly the fuck would we attrite a student for getting a cold? why would we try to scare them into flying with a cold?), and
- Being emphatically and repeatedly told the exact opposite by many people, including the ones who would be in a position to make such a policy (skipper, API and ATS directors).
- No one actually telling them that
- Making zero sense from any perspective (why exactly the fuck would we attrite a student for getting a cold? why would we try to scare them into flying with a cold?), and
- Being emphatically and repeatedly told the exact opposite by many people, including the ones who would be in a position to make such a policy (skipper, API and ATS directors).
It's not necessarily about stopping stupid, it's part of the type a / naval officer personality. Being sick is seen as being weak, and no one wants to be seen as being weak. It's hard to convince people who are trying to demonstrate that they're tough and can get the job done that it's ok to spend a few days in the rack and get better. Plus, what aviator doesn't fear the flight surgeon to at least a limited extent? There's always the thought that what may just be the common cold could turn in to some sort of disqualifying condition. Pretty ridiculous I know, but I think a lot of young SNAs and nuggets put getting wings and quals ahead of their own health.
When I was on my HAC cruise, our 2Ps used to hate to admit they were sick to the point of flying when they should have been at home and having miserable flights for it. We had to have the OIC tell them it was ok to stay home if you're sick and that changing the flight schedule to let you get some rest for a legitimate illness was easy and ok. One or two days off the flight sked and staying home to sleep isn't the same as malingering, but no one wants to be a no load.