quote:This may be true but I think that, like survival, weather, aero and frr are things you can't know too much about.
It is all a building blocks type of training environment. API is just what its title is, an introduction to the aviation world. For some (like me), I did NOT know what the various airspace classifications were and wouldn't have had clue with most of the terminology: p-factor, wing root/chord, WW, SIGMETS, occluded fronts, blah blah blah! At the same time, the whole training pipeline is designed to make sure that those who shouldn't be there fall by the wayside. Those that are more interested in partying in PCOLA, vice studying. Those in Primary that don't show up prepared for briefs. And down the road to getting Winged, as on each platform more and more gets thrown at you to make you a proficient pilot.
You are right, you keep going over some of the material many times. In fact, I just had another Instrument Ground School lecture the other day, I would not even hazard a guess as to how many I have had that. Publications change, you forget things, and the need to make you a better aviator are the goals. In the case of IGS, well, it was part and package to my annual Instrument Check.
In the fleet you have your quarterly open and closed book NATOPs tests on your aircraft, in addition to your annual NATOPs check in the plane. In most squadrons in one form or another you have your weekly pilot training to keep proficient. This isn't even considering your upgrading path and personnel qualification standards for each of the platforms, whether it be HAC, PPC, lead, whatever.
I am just trying to point out that everything starting at API is an iterative learning process, where you are continually exposed to the information again and again to make sure you understand it and become proficient and expert at it. I personally HAVE used the building blocks that I learned at API and that were expanded upon throughout the pipeline.
This whole topic started out about NSS, and I know just how competitive that process is. I can tell you, that it WILL come across to the IPs and your fellow SNAs if you are the person that is just interested in doing the minimum. Your briefs will be painful, nobody will want to be your FORM partner, and who would want to study to someone that wasn't all that terribly knowledgable?
I am honestly surprised that API is not part of the final NSS. It was a part of mine (but things have undoubtedly changed in the last 2 years since I had my selection). Oh well, that is my 2 cents, best of luck to all of you.
