PPL during Primary

[Reb]

Assuming it's possible at all, at what point during primary am I eligable for my PPL? Considering 25 hours accumulated during IFS as well... Has anyone done this or know how to go about it? Thanks

To avoid the "just wait till you're done, you'll get everything..." what I'm looking to do is to grab a cessna one weekend and fly home... would beat the hell out of driving and is cheaper than commercial.

 

[phrogpilot73]

At no point during primary are you eligible for a PPL. You'd have to do it on your own (Navy Aero Club is cheap), as none of your military flying equates to squat to the FAA until you've got your wings. The only thing it will help with is that you probably would be able to accomplish it with less flights than the average joe.

 

[Gatordev]

As a heads up...

To avoid the "just wait till you're done, you'll get everything..." what I'm looking to do is to grab a cessna one weekend and fly home... would beat the hell out of driving and is cheaper than commercial.

This is harder to accomplish than it sounds. Yes, it can be done, but know that it's going to be an Ops/ORM red-ass w/ STUCON. Also, what happens when a front rolls through and you can't get back in time? You're not instrument rated, so you lose yet another day of training.

I'm not even getting into the idea of having time to do work a ticket on top of Primary, as that's another whole ball of wax.

Again, anything is possible, but there's more moving parts than you're probably aware of right now.

 

[Crowbar]

Assuming it's possible at all, at what point during primary am I eligable for my PPL? Considering 25 hours accumulated during IFS as well... Has anyone done this or know how to go about it? Thanks

To avoid the "just wait till you're done, you'll get everything..." what I'm looking to do is to grab a cessna one weekend and fly home... would beat the hell out of driving and is cheaper than commercial.

Spending two or three thousand dollars to finish your license is cheaper than buying a plane ticket for one weekend?

I finished my license during advanced. See this thread.

Edit: If you're thinking of joining PNFC, I understand their rates have gone up and are about to go up even more.

 

[FLY_USMC]

Wait till you get your wings and do the commercial instrument conversion people always do. And second, I promise you, at NO TIME, will flying a C-172 ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, EVER be cheaper than buying a plane ticket. Just doesn't happen bro. I hate to break it to you, but I've been there and tried that and the only way it would work is if you filled up every seat in the 172 with your favorite 150 lb friends....which nobody has...because that's either a 12 year old boy or a fat girl and nobody likes either....and split the trip 4 ways. Which, by the way, is illegal, since you must pay for at least half of the flight until you can fly for hire.

 

[puck_11]

You're going to have little to no time to work on your PPL. The only time would be on the weekends. You're going to need those weekends to destress and relax from your to NAVY flight training during the week. Probably not a good idea to get burnt out of flight training during Primary, also you'll probably be picking up bad habits from the civilian world, and switching sight lines and techniques from a T-34 to a Cessna when you have little to no skill in either is probably not a good idea either. You're going to have to get Civilian flight training ORM'd, which is probably not going to happen easily, especially if you are in the initial stages of Primary. The Opso or Stucon Officer is going to give you a crazy look. Not to mention the fact that going back to a Cessna or a Warrior is going to be a kick in the balls after flying a T-34 (think piss poor performance, no A/C). While it is a novel idea, you'll be fronting serious cash. Keep in mind if you want to take your friends up back home, you'll need a 1-3 hour checkout at the min, as per FBO insurance requirements.

This is on top of whats already mentioned in the prior posts; money, time, and orm wise, its probably not going to happen. Several of my friends in advanced, along with me, have our CFI certificates, and none of us has even bothered to fly on the civilian side since they joined the Navy. Just something to think about.

 

[bigoaf]

Once you get winged, the FAA will recognize your military flight time and experience, you'll take a military competence written test with someone who you'll pay 200 bucks to for nothing other than him signing a piece of paper and waving a magic wand, then you'll be qualified to go smash bugs with the rest of the idiots in civilianworld with your shiny blue airplane drivers license in hand.



On the bright side, all your ratings transfer over nicely so once you actually do get winged you'll come out on the civvy side with a minimum of single engine land, instrument, and commercial ratings. Multi engine guys will naturally get that rating also.

 

[jride200]

your favorite 150 lb friends....which nobody has...because that's either a 12 year old boy or a fat girl and nobody likes either....

Whoa there fella, your getting personal .... I musn't have the requisite Marine muscles. 148# including my running shoes, shorts and t-shirt; I'm 25. I hear people both lose and gain weight during OCS. Here's hoping I fall into the 2nd category. In fact, I'd be in trouble otherwise.

JR

 

[MasterBates]

I gained weight at OCS. 205 to 220

 

[Purdue]

your favorite 150 lb friends....which nobody has...because that's either a 12 year old boy or a fat girl and nobody likes either....

I weigh in at 160 with my flight suit, boots, and 15 pounds of gear...

In my jockies I tip the scale at the 140-145 mark. Are you calling me a 12 yer old boy, or a fat girl? Because either way... I'll fight ya!! I may be small, but I'm wiry!!
:icon_tong

 

[robav8r]

. . . what I'm looking to do is to grab a cessna one weekend and fly home... would beat the hell out of driving and is cheaper than commercial.

Talk about an OPREP3 waiting for a DTG . . .

 

[Cavt]

I lost 25 pounds at Juniors and gained it all back over the next year and lost 20 at Seniors...I have no idea how guys gained weight at OCS

 

[scoober78]

I may be small, but I'm wiry!!

 

[xj220]

What about a complex or high performance endorsement? I already have my license and since the T-34C counts as both, could those hours transfer over to a civilian endorsement?

 

[port_tack]

What about a complex or high performance endorsement? I already have my license and since the T-34C counts as both, could those hours transfer over to a civilian endorsement?

An endorsement is simply a Certificated Flight Instructor signing your logbook, stating that he provided such and such training. If you happen to fly with an IP in primary who is also a civilian CFI, you could probably have him sign your civilian logbook and it would be legit. But it's all kind of hazy. Military time and civilian time don't mix well. Call your local FSDO.