How long are you waiting to class up for API?

[KilroyUSN]

If you report after the Christmas break you will be 30 days in the hole as far as leave goes. Don't think its a good idea. But what do I know, i'm in the same shoes as you are. Delta Co. Rah!

Being 30 days of leave in the hole.... isn't that bad considering you will be in training for 1-2 years. At 2.5 days per month, you should easily get back to around 30 days of leave on the book. To put it in perspective, I have just short of 10 years in the Navy and have taken taken leave 3 times in my career, sold 60 days when I reenlisted to go STA-21, and I am still at 50 days of leave on the book...

My advice, enjoy the time off and especially if you can swing it with family, before you are unable to do anything other than eat, sleep, and breath flight school and your first operational command.

 

[Robert Allen]

As of 2014 what is the approximate hold time for classing up for API?

If you already have a private pilots license does that speed up the time for classing up or are you still waiting as long as the guys who have to complete IFS?

Has anyone heard of doing OHARP duty while waiting to class up?

 

[BusyBee604]

Has anyone heard of doing OHARP duty while waiting to class up?

Check ASTB Forum... Thread: ASTB - E/APEX 4 Experience - 2013... Posts #59-62.

For further OHARP info, use search function OHARP. This search function is your friend, try it/use it!

***Hope OCS going well for you and Classmates.
BzB, prior ET2 (SS)

 

[zippy]

As of 2014 what is the approximate hold time for classing up for API?

If you already have a private pilots license does that speed up the time for classing up or are you still waiting as long as the guys who have to complete IFS?

Has anyone heard of doing OHARP duty while waiting to class up?

Currently OCS graduates are OHARPing for a period of time. Things change depending on student loading so what holds true today may not be the case next week....

 

[Robert Allen]

Currently OCS graduates are OHARPing for a period of time. Things change depending on student loading so what holds true today may not be the case next week....

Yeah thats the rumor around here at OCS. Does the hold days start to shrink as you aproach March/April...My estimated gradutation date is March 14th.

 

[zippy]

Yeah thats the rumor around here at OCS. Does the hold days start to shrink as you aproach March/April...My estimated gradutation date is March 14th.

Slightly, then it gets really backed up as NROTC and USNA students show up in June - Aug.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

You guys get OHARP now? Lucky. When I went through, they told us point blank, "You're not getting it, don't ask for it." Timing is everything, I guess.

And Robert Allen, yes, a PPL can speed it up quite a bit. In my case, I saved about 9 weeks when I went through a few months ago. That said, if you don't already have it, it's a waste of money to go get it on your own before OCS. Might as well spend some time in A-Pool and get all the training on the Navy's dime.

 

[KilroyUSN]

If you don't already have it, it's a waste of money to go get it on your own before OCS. Might as well spend some time in A-Pool and get all the training on the Navy's dime.

Unless you have money to burn... then it just removes one more filter that can potentially get your booted from naval aviation. The CO told one of my fellow SNFO compadres, that since he was told he was unsafe to solo (even though an NFO would never solo ever again) that IFS is starting to be used more as a filter and he was not going to give him the third chance (he got one pink sheet for failing his check ride and so the unsafe to solo was his second).

Not saying anyone should be overly worried about IFS, just saying, if you have time/money and you plan on getting a private pilot license and going into the civilian world at some point, I don't necessarily think it's a waste of money At the very least it is one less thing you have to worry about.

 

[BusyBee604]

Not saying anyone should be overly worried about IFS, just saying, if you have time/money and you plan on getting a private pilot license and going into the civilian world at some point, I don't necessarily think it's a waste of money At the very least it is one less thing you have to worry about.

On the other hand, if a potential SNA goes the expensive civilian route to get a PPL, to bypass the IFS "filter"... consider; that the civilian PPL program could act as an expensive filter also, if your FI doesn't consider you safe for solo at the end of a normal number of instructional flights. Of course the FI could give you unlimited extra-time flights until the student $$$stash runs out. Question is: Is this a guy you woukd want to put your life in his hands, as a wingman (or your leader)? Just something to consider.
BzB

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Unless you have money to burn... then it just removes one more filter that can potentially get your booted from naval aviation. The CO told one of my fellow SNFO compadres, that since he was told he was unsafe to solo (even though an NFO would never solo ever again) that IFS is starting to be used more as a filter and he was not going to give him the third chance (he got one pink sheet for failing his check ride and so the unsafe to solo was his second).

Not saying anyone should be overly worried about IFS, just saying, if you have time/money and you plan on getting a private pilot license and going into the civilian world at some point, I don't necessarily think it's a waste of money At the very least it is one less thing you have to worry about.

6 grand+ is a lot of money to burn, especially when you're not even at OCS yet. Because then if you don't get selected at the board, or you get NPQ'ed or NAMI whammied, or attrite out of OCS, then it was kind of a waste of money (unless you go the civilian route at that point, but that gets expensive as hell anyway). It may have helped your friend, but in the end it would've cost at least 6 grand just to remove that one pink sheet.
It does suck that the pink sheet followed him, though. We were told that stuff wasn't supposed to matter once we got to Primary, since the whole of API is worth like half a flight at Primary when it comes to NSS.

 

[KilroyUSN]

On the other hand, if a potential SNA goes the expensive civilian route to get a PPL, to bypass the IFS "filter"... consider; that the civilian PPL program could act as an expensive filter also, if your FI doesn't consider you safe for solo at the end of a normal number of instructional flights. Of course the FI could give you unlimited extra-time flights until the student $$$stash runs out. Question is: Is this a guy you woukd want to put your life in his hands, as a wingman (or your leader)? Just something to consider.
BzB

I could care less if my wingman of the NFO variety knew how to land a Cessna
I am also not trying to say that the system does not work... or that you better do your ppl so you don't flunk out of flight school, I am just saying that it could possibly not be a "waste of money". Different people learn skills at different rates. I myself probably lack the coordination to get good enough grades in flight school as an SNA and IFS did nothing more than to make my view about wanting to be a NFO vice a Pilot, even stronger.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE flying and I didn't do all that bad during IFS, having no experience flying meant it was drivers ed for me all over again... and I was not comfortable then either. That whole "lose 10% of your brain power at the yoke" is really like 80% for me.

 

[KilroyUSN]

6 grand+ is a lot of money to burn, especially when you're not even at OCS yet. Because then if you don't get selected at the board, or you get NPQ'ed or NAMI whammied, or attrite out of OCS, then it was kind of a waste of money (unless you go the civilian route at that point, but that gets expensive as hell anyway). It may have helped your friend, but in the end it would've cost at least 6 grand just to remove that one pink sheet.
It does suck that the pink sheet followed him, though. We were told that stuff wasn't supposed to matter once we got to Primary, since the whole of API is worth like half a flight at Primary when it comes to NSS.

I completely agree, I still wouldn't have paid to get my PPL prior to coming down here, that's why I stated "if you have money to burn" and "you know you want to fly in the civilian world one day". Heck so of my fellow OC's did degree's where getting a PPL was part of the program.

I just get tired of people saying "Don't waste your money on a PPL, the Navy will teach it to you."
If flying is that important to them and they have the time/money for a PPL, I don't see it as a waste, to prepare for your future.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

I completely agree, I still wouldn't have paid to get my PPL prior to coming down here, that's why I stated "if you have money to burn" and "you know you want to fly in the civilian world one day". Heck some of my fellow OC's did degree's where getting a PPL was part of the program.

Heh, I'm one of 'em Your profile says STA-21, were you guys also called OC's?

I just get tired of people saying "Don't waste your money on a PPL, the Navy will teach it to you."
If flying is that important to them and they have the time/money for a PPL, I don't see it as a waste, to prepare for your future.

Fair enough. I do think most people should get an intro flight at least, just to make sure they don't freak out or get really airsick or something.
Maybe that new sport/recreational license is the answer. You only need 20 hours instead of 40. Get some solo time in a Cub, start laying a base for some stick-and-rudder skills.

 

[BusyBee604]

I could care less if my wingman of the NFO variety knew how to land a Cessna

Actually, my reply in general was about SNAs, as I never had a NFO as a flight leader, or a wingman. Both SNAs & SNFOs could possibly be permanently prone to airsickness. This should be taken care of one way or another, during IFS, or civilian PPL program.
BzB

 

[wlawr005]

Bottom line...if you can't pass IFS you probably don't belong in this business in the first place. Don't waste your money on a PPL...