Grades in Primary

[sna-vt3]

Can anyone clue me in to how the 'new' grading system works for primary flight training. What kind of grades will get a 50/60/70 NSS? How many 'aboves' do you need, etc? What NSS scores have any of you gotten with certain grades? Some people say that the guys in student control give reliable estimates.

I'd appreciate any info that you might have. They spend so much time up here giving us lectures on stress management and other stupid **** that they don't give us the goods on anything important.

 

[HornetDrvr]

Well I can't answer your question specifically but as an observation I can tell you that you are thinking and heading in the wrong direction. Everyone always frets about what grades they "need" in order to get what they "want". Worrying about getting enough aboves in order obtain and score is going to cause you to fly worse not better. Besides that the information that you get this week is going to be different than the information that you get next week. The system works on a standard deviation over the past few months. So, say 20 total aboves equated to a 50 NSS this week. Next month it might be 24 total aboves equates to a 50 because the standard deviation slid because more students were on avaerage doing better. Makes sense? That that means that working towards x number of aboves might not get you what you want on your particlar week of selection. Why not just study your butt off, fly the best you know how and let the chips fall where they may. I can assure that if you aren't worrying about that stuff you will do better.

 

[bunk22]

I have to agree with Hornet Driver. I got wrapped up in the grade thing during the last couple of flights (forms) in primary way back when. It was so competitive that I began to worry about what grades I needed to finish near the top that it hurt my flying and effected my selection. I still finished with right around a 52 NSS but it certainly could have been better. I missed that coveted jet/strike slot by 1 (finished 7 out of 15 total and there were 6 six jet slots and #1-6 got jets) and ended up with E2/C2's. I was on track to finish number 3 or 4 and blew it. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change anything as it stands now, I'm very happy where I'm at. Yet at the time, I felt devasted. Don't worry about the grades, just concentrate on doing your best and of course, partying hard on the weekends. Good luck.

 

[Dave Shutter]

SNA...I was in the same boat as you for a very long time. What I've been doing however is checking the selections sheet posted in the wing once in a while, just to see what selections are like and it varies greatly from week to week. One week there's jet and prop slots galore, the next week there's none. Each service has it's own needs also. I hear there's a big push for Marine jets (they're putting a Hornet SQDN on each carrier) now so a score in the fifties could get in but a Navy guy may needs 60's, and again, that will vary greatly. You could smoke the syllabus and get a great NSS but they can't give out slots that don't exist. Predicting what the requirements will be months down the road when you select is pointless. You'll be stressed out enough in Primary, why make it worse.

 

[virtu050]

is that a 1-5 scale with 1 being the best?

 

[EODDave]

1 is only used for a demo item. 2 is worst 5 is best.

Dave

 

[webmaster]

You know, this is a much beaten down topic, and one that I should probably highlight on the forum. As usual, the guys hit it right on with their answers, and are shooting you straight gouge. You can't "chase" after X number of aboves (for us old guys) or 5s (whatever you call them in the new syllabus), you just need to do your best in the training. It is all about the studying and preparation for each event. Everything builds off each other as you go through Primary. Talk to you friends ahead of you, get the gouge and the heads up. If you aren't talking to IPs, your PA, or your fellow students while going through training, you are doing something wrong. We are a tight group, and take care of each other. It is one thing to be close lipped about what your grades are (that is your own damn business if you want it to be), but if you aren't asking questions or in turn helping out the next SNA behind you, then you are just plain wrong.

There are the amazing ppl out there that just blow through the program, but the rest of us study hard, go through EPs with the wife/girlfriend (who ends up knowing them better than you do!), and usually have one or two good friends to study group with. You find what works best for you, but the 150% effort is going to get you there, along with the partying on the weekends to blow off some steam!

Best of luck in training, and I hope you get the platform and grades you want.

 

[gunnerdd972]

PAP whats up man!
I am in VT-6, I hope to have my FAM 1 on this Tuesday. I would of flown last week but weather and shortage of planes kind of screwed me. I am just happy to be at this point in my life. I will study my ass off and see what happens. My instructor told me to know the infomation before the flight, even if I don't know what the information means. He said he will teach me how to fly. Well good luck in selection PAP. Hey Shutter good luck in ground school, glad to see you tracking again.

GM2(SW) Hosehead

 

[airwinger]

That 1.20 means your .20 above the mean(or MIF). You'll probably see this when you go to stucon and try read the chicken bones to decipher your NSS. It's very normal to sweat how you're doing, since sadly you'll have NO clue how you're doing. Oh they'll tell you you're above average or below, but that means little quantitatively. Hopefully we can get a thread going with raw scores and grades per block(if people are willing to share) that way we can create a feel for what happened in the past gradewise.
semper fi,
air winger

 

[Paul Burke]

It's a friggin reunion-Pap, Gunner

What's going on guys! How's the Navy life?

 

[rutherfj]

If anyone was wondering... I selected in May out of VT-6 with a 1.156 raw score. This came out to a 65 NSS. The StuCon civilians predicted this for me about a month in advance right on the money. Granted, I had to maintain the performance for them to be accurate. The mean definitely swings from month to month, but that's just it. There is a standard for each MONTH, not each week, but the slots, however... Who knows?

 

[EA-6B1]

What did you select?


"There were many airplanes, but it was the skinny bird that scared us the most."
- Iraqi POW on the AH-1W Cobra -

 

[rutherfj]

Jets - Kingsville; first choice.

 

[Ray]

Its hotter than a bag of dicks here in Kingsville. But at least you'll be starting right away. I had to wait 7 months. But its almost over now.

VT-22 T-45A TS
Currently: Phase 2/July boat

 

[Jaxs170]

Here, this will certainly add some confusion to the NSS issue. I just selected out of VT-28, finished with a final score of 1.184, which only came out to be a 53.8 NSS (adjusted down from a 56.1). So you can see, if jjriv was in 28, he would have been HELO bound with his 1.156 score, as it would have probably only been about a 50 NSS. Fortunately, God said "let it be" this week, and an E-6 slot was there for me

. So unfortunatey, you can't predict week to week, squadron to squadron what score will get you what platform, just do the best you can wherever you are and whenever you are there.