IFS>Primary

[UORBulldog]

Question for the guys in Primary..
I'm just wondering about the opinion of the pilots in primary on the benefits of doing IFS and getting some flight experience before API/Primary. Does a lot of the stuff transfer over.. or should I just get ready to data dump it all? I know there's huge differences in aircraft performance/limitations, as well as, Navy regs vs. FAA.

 

[FLY_USMC]

Being comfortable in an airplane prior to Primary is worth it's weight in gold.
BUT IF YOU SUCK YOU SUCK

 

[Raptor2216]

Just learn how to land and that should be sufficient. IFS is a good time so just enjoy it and don't worry too much about how it will affect your success in primary. Use IFS to develop your stick skills and you should be just fine and again, learn how to land.

 

[tiger84]

IFS was useful as far as being comfortable in an airplane and recognizing the basic mechanics and corrections necessary to be somewhat safe. However, primary brings things on a lot faster and is a lot more complex so IFS doesn't really do much in those terms. Just enjoy the free flight time and don't worry about things too much. You'll have plenty of time to practice the stick monkey skills in primary.

 

[BACONATOR]

I had my PPL so I didn't need IFS, but I also hadn't touched an airplane (controls that is) in 2 years when I got to primary. Needless to say, my IFS compatriots had more recent experience than me (despite my 80 or so BS hours). So far, there has been no real difference either way as to who is a better. So getting a couple hours prior to primary is not going to make a huge difference. Now the consensus says if you get an IFR rating.....that's where you make your money, because that lessens the suck of the RI block of training which is the worst part of flight school...

 

[NavAir42]

I'm a little past primary, but I think I can help answer the question. I wouldn't exactly say IFS is worth it's weight in gold. It does help you become comfortable in an airplane. It gets you used to speaking and listening on the radios. It gives you a familiarity with what a runway looks like out the front windscreen of a cockpit and some chance to practice the monkey skills. In my case it also gave me a little familiarity with the area around which I would be doing primary (IFS at Mobile, primary at Whiting).

That said, it will not give you more than the slightest taste of what you will be up for in primary and advanced. You will not be a good pilot because of IFS, and if you think you are because of your 25 hours of flight time, please stay away from wherever I happen to be at the time. Since coming through flight school, most of the conversations I've ever had about IFS centered around the phrase "I'm amazed I didn't die, or that someone else hasn't." I'm not saying it's completely unsafe. I'm just saying that if I was out on my cross country solo and the engine stopped or caught fire I don't think my, or anyone else with 20 hours in an airplane, chances of survival would have been that stellar.

Over all IFS is a good time. You're being paid to go flying so enjoy it by all means, but it's only a baby step compared to what you'll be able to do by the time you earn your wings.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

*BEGIN THREADJACK*

Bogey, or anyone who is in primary or who has gone through it, just one question. Are the students aware of their class standing all throughout primary, or do you not have any idea until selection time? Thanks.

-Ken

 

[BACONATOR]

You have a GPA (basically what you scored on each Maneuver-in-flight totalled divided by the passing score). You can compare your GPA for various blocks with your classmates, and they MAY publish a list of average scores in each block for each class, but I only heard this.

Basically you have a pretty good idea how you're doing based on gouge/instructor input/comparing with friends etc. If you have a 1.0, you're going to make it through flight school by the skin of your teeth (or should). If you have a 1.3, you're tits. I don't think you can really guestimate what your NSS is until the end of primary when you have enough grades to make an educated estimate.

 

[bunk22]

From what I've seen, being a Primary instructor for a year now, IFS doesn't do jack squat for skill. I like how Fly_USMC put it, if you suck, you suck.

 

[tiger84]

*BEGIN THREADJACK*

Bogey, or anyone who is in primary or who has gone through it, just one question. Are the students aware of their class standing all throughout primary, or do you not have any idea until selection time? Thanks.

-Ken

Yeah, you pretty much have no idea besides what you can gather through talking to other students. The instructors will tell you if you're doing well or if you suck, but I haven't figured out a way to translate "you seem to be doing well" into an NSS. Your best bet is just to study your ass off and hope you have the stick skills and the luck to end up in whatever platform it is that you want.

 

[nugget81]

And some squadrons give students a projected NSS. Just do your best...

 

[Herc_Dude]

And some squadrons give students a projected NSS. Just do your best...

Yeah, and those are only good for as far as you can throw em ... do your best, put what you want.

All you can do is set yourself up to be in a position to get what you want if it is available (ex: being above 50/52 for you know what). Once you do that, sit back and enjoy what you get.

You know how the song goes "...but you get what you need." It's true. Believe it.

 

[Raptor2216]

I can only speak for VT-27 but they did post up the GPA for each block for the squadron from the previous month. Having completed primary and having compared myself to the average GPA all though primary, I do not believe it to be very accurate. I tried to judge where I fell in with the average based on these results and it was placing my below my actual NSS.

With that said, the best way to judge yourself is to ask the guys who are doing very well what they block averages look like. If your averages look similar then you are doing well. How well you ask? Well, that's something you can't really determine because your final NSS is affected by the 200 or whatever students before you.

The real key to a high GPA is making MIF early. Given a half-way coordinated brain/body combination and the proper amount of chair flying/MICROSIM/SIM practice along with lots of memorization, you can def get jet grades. I know a lot of people hate the MICROSIMS but they will make you money...believe it!!

*BEGIN THREADJACK*

Bogey, or anyone who is in primary or who has gone through it, just one question. Are the students aware of their class standing all throughout primary, or do you not have any idea until selection time? Thanks.

-Ken

 

[Boom2]

just concentrate on learning to land and pass a checkride for now, i know two guys who were attrited from ifs within the last 4 months, one in Quantico and one in P-cola

 

[Nomar116]

We had several people attrite at my IFS school (I just completed IFS last week).

After going in to talk to the "powers that be" after finishing the program, I was asked what I thought of my IFS experience. I told them that it really helped and I feel much more prepared.

But I also mentioned that when I asked a friend of mine, going through Primary now, that same question he doubted whether IFS had really helped him. The LT pointed out that since September 2007 the IFS program has changed drastically. They were of the opinion that the new "more standardized" way they are running IFS wasn't comparable to those that have completed the program in the past.

With that said, having gone into IFS very confident to begin with, I feel I learned ALOT and was actually humbled in discovering the challenges in learning to fly at such a fast pace. IMO several of these schools are now doing what the Navy seems to want; using this program more for attrition than for "aclimating" students to the flight environment.

With that said, its far from perfect and it can still be said that primary will have its share of students that "if you suck, you suck" applies to. I just don't plan on being one of them.