Study for API while on OHARP?

[IronDuke]

Hello all,

I recently graduated OCS and am currently on OHARP for a few months while waiting to go to API. I pulled the pubs off of the NETC site and so far have only gotten about halfway through the aerodynamics portion. I notice there are a lot of equations that they give you. Is it important to know all of the equations? Or are they just there as a reference to the material?

 

[AllYourBass]

Hello all,

I recently graduated OCS and am currently on OHARP for a few months while waiting to go to API. I pulled the pubs off of the NETC site and so far have only gotten about halfway through the aerodynamics portion. I notice there are a lot of equations that they give you. Is it important to know all of the equations? Or are they just there as a reference to the material?

I went through API a couple years ago. As I recall, there are various equations you'll want to remember...I don't think it was for the sake of memorizing equations itself, but rather because you could answer questions about the physics of lift and stuff by knowing the equation. I'm a liberal arts major who tends to get too wrapped around the axle on that sort of stuff and I did fine. You'll definitely be told what you need to know before the test, and you should have five minutes right before the test is handed out to brain dump equations onto a piece of paper.

In fact, here's a video I made of me practicing my dump sheet the night before the test (I was showing my then-girlfriend back home what studying for API looked like!).

 

[IronDuke]

Cool video. I hope everything on that sheet makes sense to me one day....

 

[AllYourBass]

Cool video. I hope everything on that sheet makes sense to me one day....

You'll be fine. I honestly don't recommend studying ahead of time for API. Enjoy your free time while you have it, because you're about to become a career flash card maker and seasoned study master really soon.

If you're dying to kill spare time, skim through the pubs to get an idea about what the classes are about. Maybe geek out a little bit on the T-6B specs since you'll be flying it for awhile (I'm assuming the pubs have been updated from the T-34 since I've been there). But while you're in API, you'll only have enough room on your mental plate to fit everything for your two relevant classes at a time, I promise

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Don't worry about studying ahead too much. Do worry about staying in shape, though. Especially since you have a few months' wait between OCS and API. If you have plenty of time to kill beyond that, maybe just use the pubs as bathroom reading material, don't dig too deep into it. The instructors will highlight the most important parts of the material when you get there. Plenty of people pass API with no advance studying, like AYB said you'll be fine.

 

[Gatordev]

If you're dying to kill spare time, skim through the pubs to get an idea about what the classes are about. Maybe geek out a little bit on the T-6B specs since you'll be flying it for awhile (I'm assuming the pubs have been updated from the T-34 since I've been there). But while you're in API, you'll only have enough room on your mental plate to fit everything for your two relevant classes at a time, I promise

I was going to ask if you were a T-34 guy. I'm guessing the trim circle doesn't really apply anymore for the T-6. Anyone confirm?

 

[ea6bflyr]

Good advice above; enjoy your time at home, and PT. That is all. Don't worry about studying just yet.

 

[Surf]

I was going to ask if you were a T-34 guy. I'm guessing the trim circle doesn't really apply anymore for the T-6. Anyone confirm?

Sir, yes it applies to the T-6B IAW the FTI. To the OP, just stay in shape. You take a PFT Day 1 and you do not want to start off failing the first event...it happens.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Stay in shape. You need to pass the PFA and there are several physical events, but honestly the swim/phys parts of API are not hard. Really, everyone's saying to hit the gym because it's just the most productive use of your time.

Read through the pubs, sure. Give your future learning some sticky points to anchor on. But as far as studying them - making notes and memorizing - nah.

Studying ahead this far in advance is largely unproductive. There's a lot of material in there you don't really need to know and knowing extra material doesn't help. Flight school is all about focused, efficient studying, not memorizing the book.

 

[Gatordev]

Sir, yes it applies to the T-6B IAW the FTI. To the OP, just stay in shape. You take a PFT Day 1 and you do not want to start off failing the first event...it happens.

To further derail this thread... So what do you actuate with the T-6? I thought the AFCS did a lot of the heading hold stuff for you. Is there a rudder trim switch now instead of a knobby thing? I thought (perhaps incorrectly) that the pitch and roll trim are on your stick/coolie hat now.

 

[Pags]

Stay in shape. You need to pass the PFA

I'd wager that historically the part of the API PFA that people struggle the most with is the run as its a unique beast. Don't let your running abilities atrophy.

 

[Recovering LSO]

I'd wager that historically the part of the API PFA that people struggle the most with is the run as its a unique beast. .

How's that? Has it changed from the super fast and comfy wood chip trail?

 

[AllYourBass]

To further derail this thread... So what do you actuate with the T-6? I thought the AFCS did a lot of the heading hold stuff for you. Is there a rudder trim switch now instead of a knobby thing? I thought (perhaps incorrectly) that the pitch and roll trim are on your stick/coolie hat now.

Pitch and roll are on the cyclic, rudder trim is on the PCL, and there was definitely automatic heading trim somewhere in there (I don't remember what it was called, but I don't think I ever touched the pedals in flight except for rapid power changes or slips). Shifting to the TH-57 was a pretty steep reintroduction to pedal use, and I still don't trust the MH-60R

 

[MGoBrew11]

Yeah, I was taught in T6 land to make your power input and click the rudder trim a few times in the right direction. Usually did the trick. Then to adjust you just looked at your digital "ball" and trimmed it into the center.

 

[Pags]

How's that? Has it changed from the super fast and comfy wood chip trail?

I don't think so. And I've read some recent comments on here about people still struggling with it. I just remember when I went through that the chip trail was adding a minute or so to people's times. So folks who might have been able to pass a normal PFA were at more risk.