Writing young adult book - need some CQ questions answered, please?

[porw0004]

Ok so it happens more than I realized, people commissioning closer to the minimum of 19. I should have said practically unheard of.

 

[Schnugg]

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[nittany03]

Sheesh. The Mod Squad begging for funds? Unseemly, I tell you.

Although our tip jar is always open.

 

[nittany03]

And to add to what nittany posted, CQ really isn't that scary of an evolution. My class (as well as some other oddballs that went with us) spent basically an entire month ahead of time out at the local OLF (outlying Field....Joe Williams for Meridian guys like me) and back at Meridian doing FCLP's, as well as a few simulator events. You are VERY prepared by the time you ever see the boat for real. I never saw anything scary, and never scared myself, and all in all it was a pretty relaxed month away from the rest of the advanced strike syllabus (which comparatively was much more challenging). It was probably the most fun I ever had in flight school....far from being scary or nerve racking.

This. That said, depending on the personality of the student in question, the last few days before CQ are either stress-free or stress-filled depending on a student's personal inclinations (I was the latter; oh, well). I wouldn't say this has anything to with their final score; it's just how it is. I had a couple LSOs who were characters in their own ways. Amongst other reasons, they made it a habit to bust the balls of any stud or instructor who deserved it during the time we were CQing, and I've never laughed as long or as hard in a debrief as I did in TRACOM CQ while still learning what I needed to learn.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Yeah, the our Paddles worked hard to make it a pretty fun time, yet were obviously still hard on us. There were frustrating days at Joe, and there were some awesome ones where you couldn't wait to do it. I had some butterflies manning up at North Island heading out to the boat, but as soon as I got abeam, it was pretty much something I had seen hundreds of times. I remember thinking as I was crossing the wake the first time "damn this looks just like the sim", and compared to flying the FCLP pattern on a bad wind day, it was MUCH easier to fly the ball at the boat. The first day was a little bit intense, but it was awesome to spend the night out there, sitting up on the flight deck with my buds, BS'ing about everything. I don't remember much of the next day after we got back to the beach. I do remember having about the worst vertigo of my life on the trip home riding trunk through some bad weather between OKC and Meridian, which was probably the most unnerving part of the whole thing. Luckily for our section, all 4 of us had it lol

 

[Catmando]

In prehistoric times, FWIW.... and for comparison....

I CQ'd in a TF-9J out of NAS Beeville aboard the USS Hornet (with hydraulic cats and wood planked deck) in the Gulf of Mexico, six days after my 22nd birthday in 1969.

I qualed with only 3 traps (I think 4 were the targeted normal - but I guess the LSOs liked what they saw and qual'ed me), with no bolters or wave-offs, and with one preceding touch and go.

I received my wings a month later still a young 22, and was flying combat missions in SEA at age 24. (Would have been sooner but I went to Maint/management School and then was in a 6-month RAG pool post winging.)

Looking back on it now, I don't think I had a clue what I was doing... just some luck, excellent training, and a bit of talent.... and a whole lot of fun!!!!!!

 

[MIDNJAC]

Looking back on it now, I don't think I had a clue what I was doing... just some luck, excellent training, and a bit of talent.... and a whole lot of fun!!!!!!

Well said sir....I think the same could be said about most of us that followed in your footsteps.

As for the age thing, I don't think you were too far off base powr0004. There are some younger guys, but it isn't that common by advanced. I went hook down the day after my 27th birthday, and I wasn't even the oldest guy (senior dude in my class was like 31)

 

[MasterBates]

I was the old man in my CQ class, I was a couple weeks from my 30th birthday.

 

[Morgan81]

I was the old man in my CQ class, I was a couple weeks from my 30th birthday.

... and I was the youngest... also when I was 29....and I guess I'm the freak who will say/ admit that the boat freaked me the hell out something fierce. Maybe that's just me.

 

[porw0004]

As for the age thing, I don't think you were too far off base powr0004.

Rog, I know I wasn't, just didn't cover my ass down to the letter . The typical age for a high school graduate is 18. 4 years later, the typical age of a college graduate with an immediate commission is 22. 1.5 to 2 years later when the typical tailhook flight student finally gets to the CQ stage after 2-4 months in A-pool, 6 weeks in API, more of a wait in C-pool, a very lean average of 6 months in Primary, a small wait to start I-jet, approximately another 6 months in I-jet, usually some Phase II stages under the belt before CQ.. 24.

Of course there will be exceptions, and in this thread they came out of the woodwork. Many don't take such a direct route. So while there will be a few young-ins who skipped a grade in school, started early, or were Doogie Howsers, the vast majority are 24 or older.

 

[Lougideon]

Wow! This is all really helpful. I've already learned a LOT more from these answers...and I thank you for taking the time.
i probably should have mentioned that this young adult book I'm writing (think Harry Potter aged audience) is an action/adventure/comedy that has a Christmas theme...as in, my main character is a 17 year old female elf. Jake is a minor character, but it's VERY important to me to get my facts about his background RIGHT in the book, even so. Jake ends up having to fly Santa's sleigh and land on a small iceberg (yep. He helps save the day) and that's where the CQ back-story comes in. I need his character to grow through the story as well...to have a personal challenge he overcomes, even though he's a peripheral character....and I thought the CQ idea would be different and interesting for his role in the story. Don't throw tomatoes at me...there's a great message in the book for young people and that's the main reason I'm writing it. But I'm a stickler for accuracy - even in a fantasy story. I don't want some pilot's kid reading it and enjoying it until he gets to Jake's part and then throwing it across the room yelling, "this story is so totally BOGUS!" So thank you VERY much for your help. I've got a lot of rewrites to do tomorrow because of your answers...and I'll post some more questions, I'm sure, as Jake takes more form. You've really helped me understand who this guy might be a lot better.

 

[armada1651]

Well...that plot definitely has a few twists I didn't see coming.

 

[Scoob]

If you had to ask me, a fatality like you describe during CQ would likely be a result of pilot error (it's happened, and there's a video of a fatal T-2 crash that everyone in the business has seen and discussed)

That's exactly what I was thinking of as an example of what would REALLY freak an SNA out to the point of "holding on too tight", to the point where he's "lost the edge", and perhaps might want to take up some "shirtless volleyball" as an alternative career path.

...elves, and Santa's sleigh notwithstanding.

Lou, you really want authenticity as to what might make Jake re-think his career choice - have him witness this from vulture's row:

 

[Mumbles]

Santa doesn't need any help.....

 

[MasterBates]

He needs some help to stay off the ace. But then again COD guys don't care as much about GPA. Boarding rate is key though.

(then there is that guy who shall remain nameless that bolted with Neil Armstrong in the back, while the whole wing watched)

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