API vs Primary

[FlyingBeagle]

How do you guys think Primary compares to API (in any respects you find notable)? Most people I talk to say that they thought Primary was much more memory intensive than API and concerned less with concepts, but aside from that I'm hearing different things. Some people say that Primary was a lot more work and the worst time of their life. However, others say that it's basically front loaded and after the first few weeks it tones down a lot, gets a lot more fun, and they study less and go out more than they did in API.
Did anyone else go through API, not thinking it was bad at all at the time, and then look back on it as a huge pain in the ass? It seems things are usually the other way around. . .

 

[Fly Navy]

API and Primary are almost incomparable in my mind. They're two different evolutions. API is there to make sure you can retain information at a fast pace. After API you can sort of brain-dump everything. Primary has academics, memorization, etc. but it's also a physical application of concept. You can't brain-dump what you learned in Primary (within reason... you can braindump something like course-rules or T-34 specs). Yes, Primary is very front-loaded... I find it's like this even in T-45 TS. A lot of the time, once you learn the concept and see the maneuver and do it... it's just practice after that. How many times can you study a loop? You can study the parade position for formation until your eyes bleed, but you need to go out in the plane and do it to get good at it.

I had fun in Primary, I found it easy, most of the time. Some find it to be the hardest thing they've ever done. It varies from person to person. I personally think TS is the hardest I've ever done, including my EE degree. To each his own. I have plenty of friends that struggled and sucked in Primary, they got to Advanced and rocked it. I know guys that were sh!thot in Primary and sucked it in Advanced. It's person dependent.

Primary is much harder than API, in general.

 

[Gatordev]

Agree w/ Fly. The first few weeks of Primary suck because you're putting in 12+ hour days trying learn a bunch of new concepts. But after that, I didn't think Primary or Advanced was all that hard, just time intensive at different stages and requires practice. I actually thought learning the systems in the RAG was much harder because it's mostly self-study and the systems are far more complicated than "need more power, more fuel goes in." I mean, there's a controller for the fuel controller? And the fuel controller isn't even called a fuel controller? Who thinks up this stuff?

Don't sweat it, and more importantly, have fun. That's what flying is supposed to be so enjoy it (after the requisite "uncomfortableness" of the first few flights).

 

[Schmuck]

It all depends on who you ask. If you ask a FY04 guy who had to get a 94% to get through it they would say API was hardest thing they ever did. If you ask someone who cruised though API in the low 80's (like myself) they would tell you Primary was harder. I found them both to be a pain in the a$$. If you put in the time and effort in Primary you will end up flying what you want. In summary, doing well in API means you wasted 6 weeks of your life studying too hard!!!!!!

 

[Gatordev]

That's true, I didn't think about the '04 guys. I wouldn't completely dismiss the API grades. Sometimes, like when I went through, they count. It was 15% in my time.

And for the record, pain the ass and hard aren't necessarily the same thing. Flying a holding patter w/ FTI procedures is a pain in the ass, but I wouldn't call it "hard." Smiles in effect.

But your point is taken.

 

[airgreg]

This is coming from someone with no prior flight time besides IFS: I thought the first half of primary was very hard and stressful. It's the first time that an SNA is introduced to the "Know Everything and Know It Yesterday" concept. I found myself stressing over which B.S. to focus on.
Also, I think the pace at which you do Primary can determine a lot. I was jammed through Fams and BI's, and felt a little overwhelmed at first. I know others who took a lot longer to get through and were generally less stressed.

API, in retrospect, was a very canned and controlled environment. Everyone moves at the same pace, gets the same information, and is graded by the same standards.

 

[E5B]

My two cents: I thought the first 4 weeks of API was the hardest part of flight school. It may not have been the most stressful though. The contact checkride in primary (the first checkride before you do your first solo) and the instrument check in advanced (the last checkride before you get your wings/instrument rating, then you go on an out-and-in with a pardner) were pretty stressful. But I'll agree that Primary wasn't that bad, in fact I had a blast. The second hardest part (a close second) of flight school was learning the T-34C EPs along with Notes, Warnings and Cautions.....good times.

 

[HH-60H]

My one cent: I did AF primary, but the "API" portion (Phase 1) was pretty easy. Fairly easy academics, just a lot of cramming, which I learned to do in college. I had no previous flight time (no IFS back then) and the first half of "Primary" (Phase 2) was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I couldn't understand any of the concepts (the pattern, trim, visual scan, etc.) and it totally kicked my butt. I didn't have any fun and I thought about quitting ALOT. Finally, about half way through it started to click and it became easier, and I have loved flying ever since.

 

[Gatordev]

I think E5B makes another good point. There's "hard" and there's "stressful." Sometimes things can be both. Often, things are just stressful, and if you let it get to you, things start to become "hard" and you do dumb things (and it happens to everyone). You may have done the same procedure for the last 17 flights, but when you're on a checkride (or worse, the pre-check checkride...RI-17 anyone?), you do the procedure the exact opposite of what should be done.

 

[FlyingBeagle]

Good stuff. That's fascinating how people's perceptions of the two phases vary so drastically. How much of this do you think has to do with the onwings that people get? Also, I keep hearing certain squadrons are better because they pump you through faster, and while I understand that the more frequently you fly, the sharper your skills stay, but it seems it would be advantageous to the student to be in a slower squadron because he would have more time for studying and unwinding. Thoughts?

 

[zippy]

That's fascinating how people's perceptions of the two phases vary so drastically. How much of this do you think has to do with the onwings that people get?

A good amount. Some are better then others. People have different learning styles and that also plays a role.

I personally think primary is better... Ive found i dont do as well in the class room, but I do fine in the briefs and the plane.

Also, I keep hearing certain squadrons are better because they pump you through faster, and while I understand that the more frequently you fly, the sharper your skills stay, but it seems it would be advantageous to the student to be in a slower squadron because he would have more time for studying and unwinding. Thoughts

Yeah, there seem to be pluses and minuses in each squadron. Your most likely not going to have any say in which one you get so dont worry about it.

 

[Fly Navy]

Also, I keep hearing certain squadrons are better because they pump you through faster, and while I understand that the more frequently you fly, the sharper your skills stay, but it seems it would be advantageous to the student to be in a slower squadron because he would have more time for studying and unwinding. Thoughts?

It's a delicate balance. I'm better off flying once a day, every day, than I am double-pump everyday. It lets things sink it better for me. Not that I can't do double-pump, I'd just rather one flight a day. Not really a big deal though as you get more experience. Double-pumping your first flights can be overwhelming.

 

[zippy]

Yeah, not to much of a fan of the double pumps unless there is a sweet out and in involved... good food makes them more bearable.

 

[Acoustix99]

How much of this do you think has to do with the onwings that people get? Thoughts?

A lot. I had a great onwing in advanced, and I enjoyed it (for the most part). I had a far less than stellar onwing in primary, and I had a miserable time.

 

[Gatordev]

So what makes a "great" onwing? Standardization? Knowledge? Or is it that he is easy going and grades easy (and I'm not saying that's what you mean)? Just curious what the perception is.

My primary onwing was a Marine, Major, and Cobra pilot (strike three). He was all business and held me accountable on every little detail. He also was an awesome stick and part of what he taught was how to "fly" the airplane and not just follow the mechanics of the FTI. I value every flight I had with him, and had no problem flying w/ him later on in FORMS or on the road. However, if he had been all that and a douchebag, well, life would have sucked.