I'm trying to work out all the details about the pilot training pipeline, etc. Currently I'm finishing my degree and have 500 Flight hours as a flight instructor, building 50 per month till I head to OCS. I was wondering an approx percentage of pilot candidates with prior experience. also, my main question, my fiance is traveling with me and is finishing nursing school. Once OCS and Preflight school is complete, do I have a choice where to go for flight training or is it told to me after preflight? Also, I heard there is an option to go to Vance and if you do that, the chances for a jet slot might be greater (not sure if this is correct) any help or advice is appreciated.
Three places to go for primary: Whiting Field FL Corpus Christi TX Vance AFB OK You do have somewhat of a choice or preference, but in the end, you can be 'voluntold' to go to any of the three.
First, the Vance thing is def false. You have the same chance of getting jets no matter where you train. Second, as far as Primary location, you are told before API where you'll be heading for Primary. You can request Corpus, Vance, or Whiting, but that doesn't mean that's what you'll get. It can't hurt though. As for prior flight experience. Yes, there are a few people with lots of hours. That can either help or hurt you. Sometimes that means that you'll be put on a faster track which can mean that things come at you 10x faster. I'll let someone who is on the accelerated path answer this better for you. Anyone?
Thanks for the info. The Gouge on vance above says that you have a better shot at getting what you want most of the time at vance. read through it, let me know what you think. Also, before I go, I can do any type of training I want as far as flying. I did some aerobatics before, would you say it would help me out to go through it again? Also, any other type of training I could do anything thinks would help? Pitts, etc. I have access to.
The biggest thing that will help will be instrument flight time. Aero doesn't matter cause its such a short part of the syllabus, and if you go helos or props you won't do it again. Instruments are a HUGE part of the syllabus, both in Primary and Advanced. The more comfortable you are flying instruments and talking on the radios in that environment will help. Otherwise just have fun and don't worry too much about gaming the system; tons of guys (like me) have gone through and gotten winged without any prior flight time.
Mike, If you request a Primary location it's been my experience they will do everything they can to get you where you WANT to go. Right up until the end, when they have to fill holes with bodies in a hurry. Heck, even Whiting is opening back up (somewhat) for single guys. Sure, the wait is a little longer than Corpus/Vance, but it's only by a couple/few weeks. I think Mules is heading that way and he can attest to the (lack of a) wait time. And as for Vance, attitude is everything. If you walk in there (or any place for that matter) thinking you are going to hate life; you probably will. There's a lot of negative gouge about Vance around these parts, take it with a grain (or shaker) of salt. ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING. -jai5w4
I actually requested corpus but got whiting. At first I wanted to change it, but after seeing how much of pain it was to move and having most of my friends at whiting, i was happy. I waited 6 weeks to start api but that is changing due to the summer flood of ensigns at pcola. TW5 is saying i'll wait about 2 weeks to start primary (checked in yesterday). Oh, by the way....i LOVE the phone muster
I really doubt that you'll be accelerated in your Primary training. One of the guys in my class is an Avaition grad from the U of North Dakaota, is a CFI and has multi-engine tickets etc...he has on the order of 900 hours and he was not accelerated...much to my dismay sometimes cause he's woopin my arse! According to the instruction, they could accelerate anyone with a PPL but in experience...at least at Trawing 4, they won't unless you are over ~1000. The only other flying tidbit I can think of to choose between Corpus and Whiting is that our (Trwawing 4's) course rules are waaaaay simpler than Whiting's. This isn't really that important...but its nice. Don't even think about Vance...someone may hear you and think that you want to go. It's not the end of the world but....
Some may disagree, but I also felt that the instructors in Corpus (VT-28 in particular) were a lot more relaxed than they were in Whiting. Going into advanced at South Field, everyone said that it was going to be more relaxed than it was in primary. Well, it was if you did Primary at Whiting or Vance. The Corpus studs wanted to know why everyone was so uptight. Also consider what you want to do in your off time. If you like to hunt and fish, Corpus is the place to be. I don't know what they do in Vance, hang out at the Wall-Mart, maybe. Milton is a decent little town and there is some stuff to do, but since New Orleans has been knocked out, there really are not big towns to find good night-life at. San Antonio and Austin are a really easy drive from Corpus.
Excellent advice. I also noticed the same thing about the IPs in HTs. They weren't anal retentive by any means, but still not as relaxed as 28 IPs.
Agree 100%, did primary at North Field and am now at South Field and things are MASSIVELY more relaxed than up north...just take it for what its worth.
I would second the post on getting as much instrument time as possible. That is the hardest part of primary and definately what makes or breaks you. Aero is only like four graded flights and everyone does "well". Best of luck!!
Knew many who did really well in instruments...found it fun...and still did not get a great NSS as a result of FAMs (and those weren't horrible)...if you screw up instruments then yeah it will break you, but if you do well there then it won't reverse an overall average jacket...
Thats fine, I can definitely see that viewpoint, all I am saying is that no one should be counting on Instruments to turn around their grades if things have only gone average up till that time... just my 2 cents... best plan would be to use EVERY stage of training as the key to getting jet grades and work for those 5s every time...
I had a pretty high RI NSS and an average contact/PA NSS. Im at south field now. The system is not good for people who start slow. There are just as many contact/PA flights as there are RI. Bottom line you have to work hard and perform all the time.
I went through TW4 at Corpus with ~300 civilian hours (ASEL Instrument). I *was* accelerated -- all of about 4 flights. I think, with weather and whatnot, I still finished at the same time as the rest of my classmates. What really helped me was previous exposure to ATC and IFR. (The talk-and-fly and think-and-fly aspects of them.) If you already know the basics, then you can use the flight to learn an instructor's sweet little technique that will make your next flight that much easier. It's like surfing -- paddle your ass off to get in front of the wave, then ride it all the way to the beach, or else paddle half-assed and spend the rest of your time wondering why you're working like a dog and still can't catch up with the guys in front of you.
I was accelerated with ~1000 hours, but no instrument ticket. I had a Commercial Helicopter ticket, and about 50-60 hours in Cessnas and such. RIs kind of sucked for me. I did well, but I had to work harder at that than any other stage.
