The basics of API

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153252

enjoy

This is a great post. Does the link below provide current publications?

https://www.netc.navy.mil/nascweb/api/api.htm

A few changes have been made, but they are good enough to read through to get familiar with the material before you begin API.

I read somewhere in this thread that someone was waiting to start API in May 2011. My question is what would one do during that year? If this is a question better suited to another thread please disregard my post and/or guide me to that post. Thank you

Drink beer. Get a tan. Try not to get caught up in the stoopid circus. Try to avoid stash jobs. If you have to get stashed, then actively work to get a stash job you want. Like at the museum, or something you only do one day a week, etc..

I had to wait a year from graduation to start AI.
Couple of thoughts:
1) Try to stay at your college as a stash Ensign and work on a Master's Degree. Most schools let the staff take free classes.
2) Find employment outside of P'cola. Look to Recruiting Districts or fleet units and try to get a stash job there. If you are waiting for AI, maybe you can get a stash job at an aviation Wing or Squadron and start your learning about what it takes to be a Naval Officer and pilot/NFO.
3) Ask about doing an IS/GSA assignment. Get the check in the block now since you have nothing else going on. It's an excellent opportunity to learn what the Joint world is like.

Don't be the guy who just sits around and does nothing productive during this time. You have an excellent opportunity to improve yourself, you should take advantage of it.
Don't plan on getting stashed at the museum or the pool for a year. There's lots of folks in P'cola looking for something to do; you will have a better expirience if you find something that interests you and ask for it.
If you're at school talk to your PNS. If you're an OCS guy, then talk to your OR about finding employment prior to API.

I had a year to wait until AI, so I sailed in the Merchant Marine for 3 months and made some fast cash, then I coached H.S. soccer until I reported to CNET to work in the ROTC office for 6 months. (For the record, do NOT work in the ROTC office for 6 months!!!)

I was that guy. I'll never have another 8 months like that again. It was awesome. Myself didn't need improving.:icon_wink

uugh...You're making me feel lazy. OK, I went and took a pile of classes at the AF Special Operations School at Hurlburt, and also took the course for everybody going to the CAOC. There are my self improvement checks in the blocks. While I wasn't doing that, I administered piss tests on Tuesdays at noon in the auditorium. Aside from that, it was golf. Alot.

Like I said, do anything to stay away from the stoopid circus. I probably would have gone abroad if I didn't have dogs and a (then) pregnant wife.

Thank you gentlemen for the information and advice. From reading here I've discovered that there is often a substantial wait between TBS and API. I suppose I wanted to hear some of the ways officers have spent that time in waiting be it other training or schools etc. Thanks again.

Someone sent the old API pubs to me (2007...I believe) and the pdfs are all jacked up. Anyone have a better link to them than the one posted?

So what ever happened to the kid that fessed up to breaking in and stealing tests? PMs work if its not appropriate for the forum.

Allegedly they let him re-designate to SWO.

see post #327 and 328 above. lilnk is https://www.netc.navy.mil/nascweb/api/api.htm

And a lot of the pubs ARE from 2007. they don't update them often. In Aero2 you will find out that the F/A-18D is a "new model".

I hope that I missed the sarcasm here. You can't be serious.?.

He's not. I work with the guy. He's on his way out.

I wouldn't count on it. We were told something similar and ended up classing up about 4 months in. There isn't much of a C-Pool nowadays either, with people shipping off to Corpus a couple weeks after API is done. Right now, if you're IFS complete you can expect to class up within a few weeks of reporting down here.

/implying I'm IFS complete.

Update on API:

NSS (SNA's Only) NSS is 43 right now. but is always changing depending on how the pilots before you do. It is only calculated with other Pilots grades so those NFO Marine, CG, AF ect... who only need an 80 dosn't bring the average down. Sorry
You need a weighted average of 93 MINIMUM!
PRT 6%
Weather 19% (50 min test)
Aero I 15% (50 min test)
Aero II 15% (50 min test)
Engines 15% (50 min test)
Navigation 21% (2 hr 10 min test) HUGE TEST
Flight Rules and Regulations 9%

Current Wait: or lack there of.
If you check in and you are IFS complete, the day you finished check in medical, divolc, NAMI, dental ect.... you will class up. both of my roommates classed up for API within 4 weeks of checking in.

Yeah, you got that backwards.

You need an NSS of 93?

...and also be the greatest pilot ever.

I believe he meant the average for tests changes constantly. The NSS is FIXED does not change, but the minima average requirement does change, i.e. bounces between 91 and 94.

I think some of y'all might be getting the idea that the pass standard is being changed, which isn't the case. NASC and CNATRA have always taken a look at marginal performers coming out of API...this is adjusting the definition of 'marginal'.

API isn't difficult, but it does require some work in order to max out the tests. If you're not willing to put in the book time to score an A+ on a multiple-choice exam where you get a whole week of academic prep, plus a review, why should they have confidence that somehow you'll do better flight-side with much more material to learn in less time with less guidance?

Getting by with 'good enough' grades is fine for most things. Not your time in the Training Command.

This is very accurate. API, in hindsight, wasn't bad at all. Yeah I went through when an 80 got you into Primary, but the amount of stuff that you have to learn and be able to regurgitate EVERY BRIEF/FLIGHT can be overwhelming when compared to the amount of prep you have for the API tests... not to mention that you fly damn near daily right now and sometimes twice a day. From my experience, the guys who struggled with the basics in IFS and API are having a harder time here in Corpus. Primary is not that bad, but it is definitely more intense than API. But... you are flying.