Marine NFO

[pilothoward]

Looking for as much info as possible on Marine NFO track. Ex: what does the flight training include? What can you expect as far as platforms and duties?

 

[DBLang]

You go to OCS, TBS, API, Primary, then intermediate/advanced training. I think its slightly shorter than the pilot pipeline. As far as platforms, if you want jets you've got them. NFO's fly only on the F-18s and EA-6Bs as far as I know.

 

[Pat1USMC]

I know theres a couple of good sites out there with a lot of info, i'll try to track em down for you.
But for now...
API is the same as for pilots. Primary is in the T-34. You get 6 fam flights for pilot appreciation, then you switch to nfo mode. You learn different types of navigation, instrument approaches, how to handle comms, all that stuff. Then comes low levels (vnavs), formation flights and then we switch to the T-1. Do more air navs, and vnavs and then comes advanced. I havent gotten there yet. I'm in the middle of intermediate, but i know that ten weeks into it you select strike (prowler), or strike/fighter (hornet). I wish i knew more about advanced.
Let me know if you need more help.
good luck

 

[EA-6B1]

Anyone know of any good websites for NFO's?

 

[reapergm]

Damn, I wanna be an NFO!!! Pat, any info?

 

[Pat1USMC]

Wow, this was a post from a long time ago! I hadn't even started advanced when i made that post. Now i have 10 flights until i get winged!

Well, adding on to my previous post...
In advanced you'll fly the T-39 first. Learn some radar nav, and do some low levels. Then you select. Hornet guys go on to like 3 more months of air to air stuff before T-2s, and Prowlers guys have 8 flights and 3 sims until T-2s. I wanted Prowlers so i'll talk about that. After selection, you do two strike flights which is where you fly out to the first point of a low level route at a certain time, and then fly the low level using radar and visual every other leg. Then 3 sims and the next 6 flights are comps where you have to fly out to the low level and get to the target at a real world time. You can use anything to navigate. These were the best flights of flight school. 500 feet over the mountains and following rivers and going over waterfalls... It was great. Then you go to T-2s. I just started that. 3 FAM flights, 2 WEPS flights where you fly as a section through a low level, 1 WEPS where you fly as a division, and then 6 ATMs where it simulates dogfighting.

I'm not sure what else you guys want to know, so just let me know and i'll try to answer it.

 

[EA-6B1]

How long has it taken you since you started API to now?

 

[Pat1USMC]

I started API the second week in July of last year. I'll be winged either this month or next. And I also started API as soon as I got down here. Some guys from my TBS class waited several months.

 

[EA-6B1]

Is Primary, Intermediate, & Advanced all in P'cola?

 

[AviatorMR239]

i dunno about you guys......but i squirm in my seat everytime i read this kinda gouge.....how friggin cool does that sound... and people wonder why i'm stressin out over being selected

 

[EA-6B1]

I hear you AviatorMR. I can't begin to describe how awesome it is to have a shot at 1). Joining the Marines and becoming an Officer, and 2). Being able to be apart of the Aviation communinty. This is a chance of a lifetime.

 

[EA-6B1]

Pat1USMC,
I read in another post ("Aviation Pipeline Diagram")that the old diagram is old and no longer useful. Could you please let us know the flowchart for SNFO's from API to the fleet? Could you put in the (expected) length of each step too? Thanks a lot.

 

[riley]

great info for nfo:

http://www.marineofficercandidate.com/nfo.htm

 

[EA-6B1]

Thanks Riley.

 

[Pat1USMC]

I'll write you up a whole description of everything I've done and how long it took and everything. Just give me a day or so, this T-2 syllabus is killing me. I'm hoping to have some time tomorrow...