As I understand it, the T-6 doesn't have TACAN, and you guys have to travel to another field to do PARs. So while The T-6 may seem sweet (although I hear it is NOT glass cockpit, merely digital representations of STEAM guages), it is missing the capability to teach what Naval aviators use in the fleet 95% of the time (TACAN/PAR approaches).
Just wanted to hit back on your points here. Correct in that the T-6 doesn't have a TACAN... But if you can use a a VOR/DME, you can use a TACAN. It doesn't take more than 5 minutes to figure out the difference. If they were so cosmically different, they wouldn't use the T-6 to train SNFOs down in P'cola. Kind of a moot point if you ask me. The T-6 also allows for familiarization with GPS approaches and students at Vance get lots of exposure to those as well.
On to the PARs. I have no idea what you are trying to get at here. I've done loads of them during my training here at Vance. One of the several fields we use around here for PARs is 15 minutes south.
Also the T-6 does have a glass cockpit. It's fairly basic in comparison to most other advanced glass cockpits out there, but it does have the major components of one (an EFIS control panel, interchangable EHSI and EADI with several different modes, including a composite, mapping GPS etc.). You are correct in that several of the other guages are electronic representations of steam guages. Like I said before, I wasn't saying that the T-6 made better pilots, I was just saying that it is a more advanced/functional trainer than the T-34. After all that's most likely why the NAVY is transitioning to it.
You say that the TTT (time to train) was very quick, however I'm going to say there's a HUGE caveat of YMMV on that. Two of my friends who went to Vance from my same API class waited longer than me to class up, and with the increased time for the academics at the beginning, I finished primary more than a month ahead of them. So although their TTT may have been equal or slightly less than mine, the overall time I spent in primary was less (due to waits and academics etc). In general, I've seen other guys at Vance take longer than I did.
This definitely is a valid point. The initial wait to class up can certainly vary (just like it does at Corpus and Whiting). If you have a 1-2+ month wait up here and your buddies down in Corpus or Whiting class up instantly, they will probably beat you or tie you out of here. But I can tell you that unless you are struggling in training, you will most likely always get through faster up here than you will in Corpus or Whiting (if you class up on the same day they do).
Also, like I said, the day you show up you'll know the day you are going to class up (whenever it is) and the day you will graduate by or before. There are no breaks between academics and flying. You complete academics one day and start flying on the next. They leave no uncertainty up here.
Another nice aspect is that Navy studs can take leave up here on the Air Force's pass program prior to classing up. It's a sweet deal... It involves you leaving and going wherever the hell you want, but not being actually charged leave for being gone.
Then again, (unless you travel) you won't exactly be basking in the sun on some beach either.
