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Summary of NFO flight school

Revamping this post a bit - I'm not sure if things have changed over the last couple years. How much do SNFO's actually fly the T-6 in primary versus backseating and doing instruments, navigation, etc.?
 

Huffs09

Member
None
Revamping this post a bit - I'm not sure if things have changed over the last couple years. How much do SNFO's actually fly the T-6 in primary versus backseating and doing instruments, navigation, etc.?

You will be in the front seat for a total of 5 flights. After your contact checkride you will be in the backseat for the remainder of flight school. Your IP may let you fly from the backseat on occasion but that won't likely amount to any significant amount of time in the long run.
 

Waveoff

Per Diem Mafia
None
Sitting in the front seat does not mean flying either. In my case 2 years ago we were adjusting the PCL and so on only during my stalls and spin maneuvers. Then again my on wing was fresh out of the FIT and was likely going super by the book. I had friends that got way more time with the stick in the tower pattern and during some aero work (that sounds sad I know...). It's just not the purpose of the training so you'll have to get used to it and more focused on being a crew member.
 

tide7

E-2 FRS
None
Revamping this post a bit - I'm not sure if things have changed over the last couple years. How much do SNFO's actually fly the T-6 in primary versus backseating and doing instruments, navigation, etc.?
You will be in the front seat for a total of 5 flights. After your contact checkride you will be in the backseat for the remainder of flight school. Your IP may let you fly from the backseat on occasion but that won't likely amount to any significant amount of time in the long run.
Even when you're in the front seat, you're never required to actually take the controls if you don't want to. You might get better grades or have more fun if you do, but it's your call. You're only graded on how well you direct the various maneuvers. (At least that was the case Summer 2019, things always change)
 

Waveoff

Per Diem Mafia
None
I can only speak from the student perspective, but when you do get to primary try and avoid being the guy who's constantly asking for the controls. If you've demonstrated to your instructor that you're nailing navigation, radios, and whatever the event tasking is, he/she might offer you the controls as a reward, since flying after all isn't our job.

Sometimes things like that happen naturally, i.e. you nail the brief, preflight, and first few point to points in navigation and the IP says "cool nice job, lets ask for a direct clearance" and then you can fly the rest until the approach and ask fleet questions on the way to your out and in lunch break.
 
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