bigmouth said:
Yeah, I'll just make the most of Corpus, I guess. 6 months won't kill me. Actually, it was mentioned that t-44/c12's often takes a year to complete, with weather being a big factor. Anyone know if this is true?
Zab1001,
Thanks for your response. I appreciate the clarification. So, if you're not flying and there's not much to do in terms of a desk job, then what exactly are you doing? Just using the sims day in and day out? Also, if you weren't to make ac commander and lead, then wouldn't you be booted from the squadron? What use would they have for you?
Also, does anyone care to comment on the base at Corpus. I know it has to be better than Whiting. Well, I hope the gym is better, at least...
Thanks
Advanced took me about 8-9 months. Good times. Weather...well typically if it really sucked we'd take off and do our business (after FAMs) at a WAY outlying field.
"Thanks for your response. I appreciate the clarification. So, if you're not flying and there's not much to do in terms of a desk job, then what exactly are you doing?"
Um....golfing...at the beach (at least in Hawaii)...avoiding the man...
No seriously, you have a shop to run, or maybe you are working in a department like Tactics or safety. You won't be overwhelmed, and on AVERAGE your first year and a half to 2 yrs are spent studying and upgrading to PPC. Your ground job won't take away too much time from studying. If you're a nugget pilot and you're at work, but not working in your shop, you're studying your butt off for the systems board and your 2P check flight. Hounding PPCs...making them sign your PQS and watching them try to remember how to explain systems they havent studied in depth since they were in your shoes. After 2P, you have to start studying the tactical stuff for PPC, and since most of that stuff is sensitive, guess what? You have to do it in a secure space in the hangar. You are also helping junior guys study as well, once you start to get seniority.
There's also the dreaded annual NATOPS open and closed book exam, which requires a huge squadron wide (Pilots, NFOs, all Aircrew positions) gear-up as far a group studying and preparation.
"Just using the sims day in and day out?"
Maybe twice a week. Maybe somethng for the upgrading syllabus, maybe a tactical trainer for your crew, if you are qualified maybe just a nice practice session for 2 and 3 engine landings. A good 2 months or so each homecycle is devoted to your crew qualifying to deploy (sims, flights, all done together to prove you are safe and capable tactically). This also includes seminars, classwork, etc. These quals have to be maintained and subswquent re-quals occur to keep an aircrew "Combat Ready".
"Also, if you weren't to make ac commander and lead, then wouldn't you be booted from the squadron? What use would they have for you?"
Like I said, they will QUALIFY you, IF you are competent, pass your review boards, checkrides, and the Skipper is confident in your ability to be "ulitmately responisble for the safe operation of the aircraft". They'll keep you in their back pocket, in case they need a PPC for a crew going out to do something and the regular PPC is med down, or needs time off or whatever. You will get your minimum aircraft commander time each month (don't ask, I don't remember) to stay legally qualified to sign for an aircraft. No matter what, yu won't be bored, and if you are DON'T tell anyone, you're asking for it. Look busy, help junior guys qualify. You'll have days where you really won't do much, and then you'll have day where you're working on a project that takes from 7am to 7 pm (but not often).
I've seen 2 guys not qualify as PPCs, they both kept their wings, but didn't fly in the Navy again. It is very rare. The PPCs without crews are used to fill in on tactical events and various other evolutions.
Did any of that make sense? I just got home from spanish class and my head is swimming.
Don't listen to anybody who hasn't been there/done that ("get ready to take it"- yeah whatever) You are gonna have a blast. Balance balance balance. And don't dick over anybody in your squadron.
And go WESTPAC!!!
