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Here is what I saw as a Lead ENS down in Corpus: If you want to do cool experimental things with CNATRA, then the way to do it is Corpus. Avenger and Hellcat (T-6 topoff for the strike dudes/dudettes) were all initially fielded at Corpus. CNATRA is headquartered in Corpus, so they will...

I flew GA while in A-Pool, but you aren’t allowed to fly once you class up for NIFE. I never flew while in a syllabus during all my time in Naval Aviation thus far. I flew GA in between Primary and Advanced and after the FRS, but my flying itch is scratched plenty with the challenge and fun of...

You can't on the civil side. However, in CNATRA, visuals were listed under non-precision approach options, including for the 3710/2 instrument check. Maybe a CNATRAism, but I couldn't find anything to the affirmative or negative in the 3710.7. For the record, visuals were always logged as...

I agree in the fact that it could be a topic saved for Advanced, but I would like to see it more of a normalcy surrounding visuals in CNATRA. In my advanced syllabus (Multi), I think we did one as a special syllabus requirement and we had to do one in review stage. That was it. However, I’ve...

Yeah, sorry about that. We are in agreement. I was just half awake when I wrote that. I was saying that the risk of a tailwind ILS compared to a circling approach is less.

Especially when you are flying something like a 172 and your approach configuration is not your final configuration. Flaps 10 and 90 KIAS is not where you want to cross the threshold. 121 definitely seems circling averse. Understandably so. I have definitely heard the ILS for a runway with a...

Landing the plane from an approach is definitely an underappreciated skill. My squadron also would usually have you do I4101 and C4701 (Night Contact... it was C4901 back in my day) as your first out and in. When I went through, IGS was like 7-10 days and you had 16 or so instrument sims and 2...

I wasn't a student/IP during the transition, but there were still a lot of T-34isms in the syllabus years later. The biggest one was that you sat in the back for most instrument hops. There was also a "requirement" that you had to use a view limiting device if not in actual IMC. Obviously, the...

Do y'all recommend putting a squadron patch on or just keeping the nametag as the only thing on the jacket?

Not in the way that resembles the FAA PPL/CPL requirements for Part 61/141. CCXs (Navy abbreviation for Cross Country) are typically used for instrument training flights and they are dual (Instructor Pilot on-board). You get a lot of approaches done, fly in the IFR system, talk to unfamiliar...

For starters, I respect your desire to be as honest as possible. Very admirable. I'd just put 64 Smith.

Nothing says romance like taking pictures next to an orange and white aircraft!

Do it during a break that allows you a few weeks of leave if you want to do your honeymoon soon after the wedding. In the syllabus, I have seen at most Friday thru Monday off. Don't be surprised if you receive some pushback or the command tells you to change your wedding date. I have seen that...

I think it is a mix of instructors being bitter that they got sent there and a combination of student intimidation, inexperience, and transience that prevents meaningful complaints from being sent up. Plus, there were also certain GS employees who seemed to get their jollies from ruining the...

I wouldn't be too worried about getting selected for helos out of Primary. I have never heard of the HTs turning people away. There probably was a time though. That said, what I would be worried about with respect to IFT-R is follow-on tour options after your JO tour. As a restricted Naval...

I'd ask the NASC staff. I am three years removed from NASC and the program was not a thing when I was going through. That said, the general consensus amongst those with wings is that is that the costs outweigh the benefits for the program.

IFT-R is supposed to a be rotary-wing specific version of Primary. Its only relation to NIFE is the advertised priority placement in NIFE if you get selected to the program.

I went thru NIFE pre SNAJOC, so I can't really comment. It mainly sounds like just a time filler because it looks bad to have a bunch of O-1s not doing anything during the workweek. Regardless, SNFOs would probably take the same course. Aviators and NFOs are pretty much only differentiated by...

Too late to edit, but there are NO NFOs on helos. Sorry for the omission.

IFT-R is for pilots only. There are NFOs on Navy helicopters. If you are talking about NFO-to-Pilot selectees (as in winged NFO retreading), then you go VFR direct to SNA Primary vice taking a second trip to NASC.

Getting down to Pensacola to NIFE. If you know you want helos, you could maybe get into the IFT-R program they are pushing and get priority placement. Over to NASC on how they want to select people for that program. That said, go after helos because you are the biggest helo fan since Igor...

Gotcha, thanks everyone! Tracking on what 91.185/FIH says, just didn't know what qualified on the next route. Sounds like intercepting would be the method of choice on vectors granted you have the SA to know where you are with respect to the FAF and the localizer. Easy day in the glass world...

A buddy asked me this question and we were both scratching our heads a bit. If you are being vectored for an ILS and you go lost comms what would you do? If you are on the downwind, it makes sense to climb to the IAF altitude and fly the full procedure or if you are on the dog leg, you should...

Honest question, but are the delays really going to affect career advancement a significant amount? I'm under the impression that if everyone's timing is messed up/delayed, then in theory, then everyone is on a level playing field when it comes to FITREP time. Squadrons can't function without...

A-Pool silliness ebbs and flows like the command climate at every command. Something as trivial as changing the Phase I DIVO can have monumental changes to SNA/SNFO/SNFS QOL. As others have alluded to, taking an opportunity just to escape the silliness of a command will result in encountering a...

All good. I'm a fixed-wing guy too. I just saw it when I was at the Whiting VTs. Every other Friday, the marquis said "Congratulations Unrestricted Naval Aviators!" for wingings.

To my knowledge it hasn't changed. I haven't encountered it outside of the TRACOM (mainly helo advanced making a note of it when winging new aviators).

When was the training ship introduced in helo advanced?

I'll pile on and fourth the advice of sticking with the regular program. Regardless of what platform you go to, Primary builds a good training foundation for all platforms. You will get exposed to every type of flying the Navy does including basic VFR flying, aerobatics, IFR flying, formation...

Have you taken a look at Service Academy Forums? It is pretty much AW for the SAs, ROTC, SMCs, etc. While I'd say the majority of members are parents and applicants, there are plenty of alumni, cadets/mids, admissions liaisons, and other stakeholders. Depending on where you live, you could also...

@OscarMyers pointed out you could put goggles into your gear as part of your discretionary 5 lbs in previous thread!

I lived in Ferry Pass and it was a very happy medium between downtown and work. Palafox was 15 mins or so away. NAS Whiting was 25 mins away. If you are traveling early in the morning, you can make it in 20 if you drive offensively like most Floridians.

I would head to remedials on Day 1 of Intermediate Water Survival (IWS). There is no shame and there is no pink sheet if you go on Day 1. They will work with you specifically on the skills necessary to pass the course. The second part of water survival (helo dunker, etc.) is easier than IWS. The...

Sure! Validating means that you are exempt from taking the course. Typically, you have to take an exam and you either had to have gotten an 4/5 on the corresponding AP exam or take the same/a similar course in college.

Being ahead in your matrix (list of courses required to graduate in a given major) allows one to take part in a lot of good deals like study abroads and beginning graduate education as a MIDN. I came into USNA with some college credits to my name and I thought I’d just get the QPR boost by...

I’d say knock out the IFR rating a bit after PPL (like in college). It’s more efficient, cost-effective, and you are still close to a training mindset. It also gives one time to fly actual IFR in the system. Actually being a PIC having to fly real-world IFR builds more skills than simply going...

To all the current and former IPs, how much of the FITU is dedicated to teaching students vice learning the plane and the stuff that goes along with it (FTI, SOPs, etc.)? Do they go into FAA FOI type stuff or is it sort of here are the common student tendencies and here is how to remedy them. Do...

At some point in Advanced (each syllabus does it at a different point), you take an instrument check that results in your initial standard instrument rating.

You can get the full size medal too!

A little off topic, but Balloon Pilot wings are still for sale online at the NEX website. If only those were still around. You can also buy five star shoulder boards online at the NEX and I no kidding saw NAMs for sale online at Walmart.

As someone who sort of recently selected out of Primary (April '22), I can say that it is certainly a difficult decision that does have an impact on what your career will look like (not from an upward mobility sense, just that certain platforms go to certain places/do certain mission sets). With...

The question I have is that from commissioning or is that when Big Navy finally lets you PCS to Pensacola? If it is from commissioning, then the Navy did a really good job of working through the backlog in a timely manner.

We always flew single-pilot mins in the T-44. You had to since the SNA isn't NATOPS qualified. There was a provision for us to go down to multi-piloted minimums (like 100-1/4 on a PAR) if it was VMC. For the brolo, single-pilot mins applied, but per Wing SOP, we had to have the highest circling...

Just winged, request PNA access. Thanks!

I've been waiting six years (college and flight school) to post this, but requesting Naval Aviator Wings! Winged out of Corpus yesterday. Thanks to all who have helped and continue to do so.

I have seen people wear the brown undershirts and I have worn them myself without anyone fussing over it. I have also seen people wear navy. I personally feel the brown is more technically correct since Type IIIs are the Fleet standard. I feel this reg was possibly written this way to...

Nice to see some love for aviators doing afloat tours!

This is what the current regs read via https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/References/US-Navy-Uniforms/Uniform-Regulations/Chapter-6/6801/ (2) Brown Leather Jacket. Naval aviators, pilots, flight officers, undergraduate pilots, NFOs, and flight surgeons, aerospace experimental psychologists...

That's what I think I am going with (for the nametag). For my helmet bag, I was going to get it monogrammed with wings and my name (and a 3 inch velcro for a patch). Copy all on post two; good advice!

For the leather nametag for the G-1, is there any difference between black and gold text outside of preference (like you have to be an AC to get the gold, example)? Is one more common to have? I am winging in a few weeks (one flight left), so I am trying to get all the random (but sort of...