January/February 2015 SNA/NFO Board

[exNavyOffRec]

I retake my ASTB a week from today and I'm hoping to score much higher. There isn't anything I can do to change my GPA short from getting my masters degree, which would cause me to age out. I had my license suspended 6 years ago for having alcohol in my system (not a DUI), so I do have a moral issue in my background. I've already had my waiver approved for this, but should I also have an appraisal interview for this incident, or will a LOR suffice?

I think with an improved ASTB you should be OK.

 

[mz247]

I retake my ASTB a week from today and I'm hoping to score much higher. There isn't anything I can do to change my GPA short from getting my masters degree, which would cause me to age out. I had my license suspended 6 years ago for having alcohol in my system (not a DUI), so I do have a moral issue in my background. I've already had my waiver approved for this, but should I also have an appraisal interview for this incident, or will a LOR suffice?

Good luck mate, I'm rooting for ya

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I think with an improved ASTB you should be OK.

+1. The alcohol-related incident was so far back, as long as you've been clean legally since the whole moral character shouldn't be an issue. I think as long as your boost your ASTB to where you have a 50/6/6/6 or higher you should be fine. GPA and ASTB scores will be the biggest factor when it comes to the boards. Remember, there's so many kits reviewed and the board spends maybe one or two days going through them. As such, each kit is reviewed in front of the board 5 minutes tops.

 

[KnightFlight]

Alright now people, let's not leave my alcohol related incident as the last thing seen here. @TheKelso how was MEPS? @AttackCanary take that PPL written and checkride yet? @mz247 ready for that 5th round of physicals? Anybody anything? haha

 

[mhunter]

We are 46 days from February! At least we know a month to aim for. Thankfully for me these days should fly by.

 

[KnightFlight]

We are 46 days from February! At least we know a month to aim for. Thankfully for me these days should fly by.

Treat yourself to a Christmas gift and take a discovery flight at your local executive airport. It wont disappoint!

 

[mz247]

Alright now people, let's not leave my alcohol related incident as the last thing seen here. @TheKelso how was MEPS? @AttackCanary take that PPL written and checkride yet? @mz247 ready for that 5th round of physicals? Anybody anything? haha

I couldn't be more thrilled for another 4:30 morning...God bless Virginia traffic :/

 

[Cmarchiafava]

Hey Rufio,

Should I consider retesting at a 52 5/6/6? I have the next two weeks off and could really get some quality study time in and possibly improve my scores. This is an all or nothing decision because I am age crit. And this will be my last board. My OR told me to not retest.

+1. The alcohol-related incident was so far back, as long as you've been clean legally since the whole moral character shouldn't be an issue. I think as long as your boost your ASTB to where you have a 50/6/6/6 or higher you should be fine. GPA and ASTB scores will be the biggest factor when it comes to the boards. Remember, there's so many kits reviewed and the board spends maybe one or two days going through them. As such, each kit is reviewed in front of the board 5 minutes tops.

 

[SykesT762]

Hey Rufio,

Should I consider retesting at a 52 5/6/6? I have the next two weeks off and could really get some quality study time in and possibly improve my scores. This is an all or nothing decision because I am age crit. And this will be my last board. My OR told me to not retest.

Looks competitive. I'm in the same boat. Age critical with a 57/6/5/5. Either I get selected this board, or I'll have to wait until FY2016 for SWO boards. Either way, best of luck to you, man.

 

[AttackCanary]

Alright now people, let's not leave my alcohol related incident as the last thing seen here. @TheKelso how was MEPS? @AttackCanary take that PPL written and checkride yet? @mz247 ready for that 5th round of physicals? Anybody anything? haha

Nope, not yet. Got too much going on right now, and I feel like I've read several times that having your PPL doesn't necessarily matter for selection... I will DEFINITELY have it before starting OCS though as it saves time going through flight school.

Been doing any fun flights since you got yours?

 

[KnightFlight]

Hey Rufio,

Should I consider retesting at a 52 5/6/6? I have the next two weeks off and could really get some quality study time in and possibly improve my scores. This is an all or nothing decision because I am age crit. And this will be my last board. My OR told me to not retest.

Looks competitive. I'm in the same boat. Age critical with a 57/6/5/5. Either I get selected this board, or I'll have to wait until FY2016 for SWO boards. Either way, best of luck to you, man.

I don't know what your other stats are, but I didn't get selected with a 46 5/6/6 and I retest Monday (my stats are in my signature). I was also told to submit with my previous scores. I'm not trying to be rude, but I wouldn't consider those scores exactly competitive, more like average. In my personal opinion (which doesn't mean anything) if you have everything in your kit complete, have everything back from MEPS, and are 100% ready to submit, I would retest. If you are age critical and this is your only shot, you want it to be the best shot you can take. If you honestly think you can get in some serious study time and improve your scores before the next board, I would do it. Rumor has it the board will be held sometime in February, if you can retest at the beginning of January and submit right away, I'd give it a shot.
Again, this is all my personal opinion and I have no professional experience.

 

[KnightFlight]

I couldn't be more thrilled for another 4:30 morning...God bless Virginia traffic :/

Haha I'm sorry that sounds terrible, maybe they'll get it right this time! I feel your pain though, i have a 35 mile commute through Atlanta everyday.

Nope, not yet. Got too much going on right now, and I feel like I've read several times that having your PPL doesn't necessarily matter for selection... I will DEFINITELY have it before starting OCS though as it saves time going through flight school.

Been doing any fun flights since you got yours?

I agree, a lot of folks get selected with zero flight experience. But the way I thought of it is, your license is something you'll have for life (pending some reintroduction and practice down the road). I know if I'm selected I probably won't be flying GA much, but I sure plan to when I retire .
Yeah I did a circle around Atlanta 2 weeks ago, buzzed the house, flew over Lake Lanier, zipped around Stone and Sawnee Mountains, and finished with a night landing at my home airport unlit grass strip (sketchy....). And I'm flying to St. Augustine Monday then to Tampa Tuesday for Christmas at the girlfriends. Should be a nice quiet cross country

 

[AttackCanary]

I agree, a lot of folks get selected with zero flight experience. But the way I thought of it is, your license is something you'll have for life (pending some reintroduction and practice down the road). I know if I'm selected I probably won't be flying GA much, but I sure plan to when I retire .
Yeah I did a circle around Atlanta 2 weeks ago, buzzed the house, flew over Lake Lanier, zipped around Stone and Sawnee Mountains, and finished with a night landing at my home airport unlit grass strip (sketchy....). And I'm flying to St. Augustine Monday then to Tampa Tuesday for Christmas at the girlfriends. Should be a nice quiet cross country

Sounds awesome. Mountains would be fun to buzz around. A couple weekends ago we had a gaggle of 7 airplanes and 17 people head over to the Bahamas for a few days... not as sketch as landing on a grass strip at night with no lights, but I tell you what, that engine starts making funny noises about 20 miles offshore...

 

[KnightFlight]

Sounds awesome. Mountains would be fun to buzz around. A couple weekends ago we had a gaggle of 7 airplanes and 17 people head over to the Bahamas for a few days... not as sketch as landing on a grass strip at night with no lights, but I tell you what, that engine starts making funny noises about 20 miles offshore...

That's on my bucket list! Let me know next time you do that lol.
Funny engine noises are never "fun". During my practice checkride I did a simulated engine out over a field and got to about 400ft AGL before the instructor told me to put the power in. I pushed full throttle and the pistons over loaded with fuel and weren't firing at full power. I leaned the fuel mixture and pulled the carb heat but nothing changed and the the whole aircraft continued to shake and climb at only 100 ft/min. We headed to the nearest airport while looking for somewhere to land just in case, turns out the only safe place was where I just did the simulated engine out and that was too far away now. We were able to make it to the airport, but never got above 1,500ft AGL. We landed and turned off the engine for a few minutes, fired it back up, did run ups at full power, and did a couple high speed taxis. We were able to safely take off, finish the practice checkride, and get home. I flew 3 hours and took my actual checkride in the same aircraft a week later and she's the one I'm flying to Florida. I just make sure to clear the throttle once in a while in any low power setting and make sure not to throw it in so fast. It was the first time I really wished I had a harness hahah.

 

[AttackCanary]

That's on my bucket list! Let me know next time you do that lol.
Funny engine noises are never "fun". During my practice checkride I did a simulated engine out over a field and got to about 400ft AGL before the instructor told me to put the power in. I pushed full throttle and the pistons over loaded with fuel and weren't firing at full power. I leaned the fuel mixture and pulled the carb heat but nothing changed and the the whole aircraft continued to shake and climb at only 100 ft/min. We headed to the nearest airport while looking for somewhere to land just in case, turns out the only safe place was where I just did the simulated engine out and that was too far away now. We were able to make it to the airport, but never got above 1,500ft AGL. We landed and turned off the engine for a few minutes, fired it back up, did run ups at full power, and did a couple high speed taxis. We were able to safely take off, finish the practice checkride, and get home. I flew 3 hours and took my actual checkride in the same aircraft a week later and she's the one I'm flying to Florida. I just make sure to clear the throttle once in a while in any low power setting and make sure not to throw it in so fast. It was the first time I really wished I had a harness hahah.

Wow! Yeah we had harnesses installed in our airplane as soon as we got it down to FL... no reason to be in an engine-out scenario and get killed because you hit your head on something when the plane stays intact.

Apparently everyone hears funny noises when you're over water with no where to ditch instead of in said water It was pretty neat though that you could see the islands from 9,500' up just off the coast of FL.