Preparing for the Flying Phase of NIFE

[Stalin]

Without going into details, I'll just say I know a great deal about the flying phase of NIFE... what you can do to prepare for day one, common misconceptions, areas many students are unprepared for, etc.

I'll start with the most beneficial things you can do to prepare and end with some "good to know if you have time" items. If you do not have enough time to do all of these items, do as many as you can in this order.

1. Memorize limits and EPs. This is probably the first thing you should do for any aircraft you'll fly and NIFE is no exception. You will be expected to know them day one, for your checkride, and every day in between. You may not be asked them on day one or any given day, but you may be asked them at any time.

Know them verbatim. Be able to recite them like you read them. Do not mix up steps. Do not skip steps. Do not add steps or techniques. Do not add additional phrases like "now we are going to shut down the engine." Just recite them as is.

Realize that the only memory items are the ones with a * next to them. If they aren't memory items, you don't need to have it memorized. In most cases, it's best to not try and memorize the rest of the checklist (students usually confuse which items are the actual memory items, they sometimes memorize them incorrectly, and there are better things to focus on).

2. Realize that you may potentially have your first cockpit procedural trainer on day one, especially if you have a last name at the beginning of the alphabet. This CPT event has discussion items! Many people show up not realizing this until they get to the brief. Look in the NIFE syllabus (can be found on the SkyWarrior NIFE website).

The C1101 has discussion items you need to be able to discuss and talk through competently. Everyone does the C1101 on day one (it's the check-in brief) but you will actually brief the discuss items on your C1201 CPT event. Kind of confusing, just know those items before arriving day one. IMSAFE, CRM, etc.

3. Read through the FTI. You're responsible for all the knowledge in the FTI, and it's the same way when you get to Primary. Especially pay attention to the maneuvers. These are not verbatim memory items, but you do need to know how to do them. Be able to talk through the maneuvers and understand what is being said.

4. Start chairflying and getting used to the normal checklists. It helps if you have a poster of a Cessna. SkyWarrior's Cessnas are all a bit different inside but this is close enough:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/35/ed/1e35ed26dfe1082c6e0fa4e298d16ed8.jpg

The radio panels are different. Just know you'll at least have 2 radios and transponder, and each radio has an active frequency and a standby frequency.

Have a friend to study with. The one flying uses the checklist. Not they Hollywood script. Not a gouged up checklist. A clean, authorized checklist. Your study partner will have the Hollywood script and ensure you are doing everything correctly per the Hollywood script.

Get familiar with the checklist and about where things are in the cockpit. A 70% solution is better than nothing, so if you don't know where exactly everything is, you are better than showing up knowing nothing.

Practice checklists the way they're done in the military. Start every checklist with "[Checklist Name] Checklist." Challenge, action, response. Challenge, action, response. Etc. Complete every checklist with "[Checklist Name] Checklist Complete." Challenge-action-response means you'll say the item (such as "Flaps"), you will do the action, (such as raising the flap lever), you ensure the action is completed (such as the flap indicator raises up and you visually look to see the flaps are up), ONLY THEN do you say the response (such as "up"). You don't say "flaps - up" and then throw the lever up. Challenge. Action. Response after you've executed and verified the action.

It helps to start memorizing things like what you need to check when doing the flight instrument check, the takeoff brief (doesn't need to be exactly verbatim but pretty close), etc. Can't hurt to start throwing in comms.

Realize that the checklists you'll perform in flight you need memorized. Typically, normal checklists are not memorized (nor should they be) but sometimes during that phase of flight it's too detrimental to basic airwork to have to look down to read off the checklist. When it comes to NIFE, literally everything is too detrimental to basic airwork, so flying checklists will need to be memorized. Climb Checklist, Cruise/Post Maneuver Checklist, Pre Maneuver Checklist, Descent Checklist, Before Landing Checklist.

The more comfortable you are with the checklists and knowing where things will be in the cockpit, the easier your life will be early on.

5. Do step 4 except with the EPs

Beyond that, I would say do NOT focus on too much else. I say that with a disclaimer because something may be escaping my mind right now. I'm just saying that there is enough in these 5 steps that you probably won't have time to look up much else, as step 4 will consume a lot of time and can only be improved upon.

If you don't do steps 1 and 2 prior to day one, you'll probably get away with it but you may get blindsided. If you end up dodging that bullet, you'll just be required to learn it that night anyway so you're behind either way.

Step 3, again, you can probably get away with not knowing on day one (and maybe two or three), but you're going to hate life playing catch up.

Step 4 is the first step you can not do and not be behind immediately, but the more you can do of step 4 the easier your life will be. This is where you can quickly go from an average student to a squared away, above average student.

Step 5 is easily tacked onto step 4 but something you probably won't get to until several days in.

There is definitely a lot more you'll need to learn but they aren't things that will not blindside you right away, things you can start learning after you get there.

One more random tip I'll add, not something to do prior to day one but something you should do prior to your first flight (C4101) is do a dry run of the brief. Do it at least the day before. Figure out what you don't know (oops, I don't know how to do weight and balance, oops, I don't know which airfields to pull up for NOTAMS, etc.) Otherwise it'll be 0629 and you're freaking out because you don't know something and you'll look like crap on your very first brief.

NIFE has a reputation, and those running things are well aware. Help make the program better. Seek out those that care and let them know how you think the program can be better. When you do your critique post-checkride, put good info in it. "I felt unprepared when I showed up to day one because I didn't realize I needed to know ____." "I feel like the CFIs could have been more standardized in regards to ____." Be constructive, don't be an asshole.

Let me know if anyone has any questions, but no promises on a timely response. First time logging on in about 8 years but figured I can help some people out. Good luck out there.

 

[Meyerkord]

I didn't do NIFE when I went through, but this is solid advice for any stage of flight training. Great write-up.

Also I feel like I had it easy with IFS back in the day. NIFE flying just sounds like the beginning of Primary now.

 

[Ozarky]

Holy smokes. I just looked through the NIFE FTI on the Skywarrior website and I am so glad I went through in the IFS days. I can’t argue that these new methods probably won’t make better pilots, but a 200 page FTI for a Cessna 172 is a lot. IFS for me was like flying flying with a cool older brother with 0 expectations other than to have fun and to get you safe to solo ?

 

[Skywalker]

Good knowledge, thanks OP. I can happily report that NASC is at work developing a flight sim program for NIFE similar to Project Avenger to try and soften the learning curve in NIFE.

 

[Birdbrain]

It sounds like NIFE is Primary prep school whereas IFS was more of a Primary screening program. I remember memorizing emergency landing and airborne engine start or something like that and that's it. Everything else was low stress, low skill putting around Mobile Bay at a couple thousand feet in a C172 just to see if I even liked flying and could learn basic maneuvers and comms. And landing. Landing is important too, usually later in the flight.

 

[RoarkJr.]

Good knowledge, thanks OP. I can happily report that NASC is at work developing a flight sim program for NIFE similar to Project Avenger to try and soften the learning curve in NIFE.

X plane helped a lot. They have a free version for mobile I think, not that I necessarily recommend that. But every NIFE flight is the same except for the 2 or 3 different areas you can fly to.

 

[squorch2]

IFS->IFT

 

[Stalin]

At JKA (and I'm sure PNS is very similar):

Day 1 (Monday): get a check in brief that is about one hour long. Goes over a plethora of things, take notes. There is a lot of information in the brief that seems to be lost on some classes, and there seems to be a strong correlation between forced note taking and class preparedness going forward. Taking notes is a tip you should take on board throughout your entire career, especially in post-flight debriefs.

Then you'll roll right into C1101. This is an overview of the NIFE briefing slides you'll use before each flight. The instructor will go through the slides and show you what to pull up, what to say, etc. Again, note taking goes a long way, especially when copying airport identifiers.

Best thing I can recommend is getting ahold of the brief slides (politely asking the instructor to email them out or where to get a copy, or asking a student in a class ahead of you) and running through the brief AT LEAST A DAY PRIOR TO YOUR FIRST BRIEF! Do the whole thing including weight and balance, pulling up all the websites, learning how to read METARs/TAFs and NOTAMs, etc. It's almost a guarantee you will realize you're deficient in some areas. Better to figure that out when you have time to fix it instead of 5 minutes before you brief.

You want to have enough time to pull up and review everything prior to the brief time. If you're reading NOTAMs for the first time (big wall of text) in front of the instructor in the brief, it shows a lack of preparedness. Bonus points if you're briefing every unserviceable tower light, including the ones 200' AGL/7nm away. More bonus points if you have about 3 airfields you may go to that day and you don't pull up 2 of them.

That all may sound very cynical but think about it from the instructor's perspective. We realize you're new but hopefully you'll get some tough love early on that will set you on a good course going into Primary. Strive for owning the flight and feeling confident in the mission profile... It all starts with a good brief.

Anyway, after the C1101 you'll do the C1102. You'll be in groups of 4, some will start right away, others may wait a couple hours. An instructor will take you out to the aircraft and do an exterior preflight with you. Low threat but definitely follow along with the checklist and ask questions. Make sure you fully understand each item on the checklist. Just like with most things in flight school, once you've been taught something, you're responsible for it. Much of this event is too much to fully grasp just by hearing/seeing it once, which is why good note taking and studying that evening is vital.

Finally, a select few may do their first Cockpit Procedural Trainer (CPT), C1201. Typically it's just the first people in alphabetical order, so if your last name begins with an A or B, be ready.

There are discuss items!!!!!!!!!!!! You are responsible for them, so realize you may show up day one and be responsible for discuss items later that afternoon! SkyWarrior personnel are working hard with Phase 3 to ensure students are better prepared going in, but definitely mention this in your post-checkride critique if you're being set up for failure (again, be respectful and constructive in your criticism.) Look in the Master Curriculum Guide, there are discuss items for C1101 even though you brief them on the C1201 CPT event. The syllabus may be changed one day to reflect this. If you're confused, just know those discuss items before showing up on day 1.

The C1201 CPT mostly focuses on normal checklists (minus the exterior inspection.) It'll be two students for this event. One student sits in the CPT (a Cessna cockpit with all the knobs and stuff, no visuals or anything like that) in the left seat with the normal checklist, the other sits in the right seat with the Hollywood script. The instructor will walk them through the normal checklists then switch and allow the students to go through (usually on their own). Some instructors do other things in addition, but it's mostly normal checklists.

Please show up knowing a bit. It's very low threat (know your discuss items but beyond that, you can be clueless on checklists) but if you haven't even looked at the checklists, you'll get much, much less out of the event.

Days 2-4ish: remaining students do their first CPT event and then the second CPT event, the C1202. There will most likely be a day off somewhere, whether it's before both CPTs, after both, or in the middle.

The second CPT focuses on maneuvers (so again, know something! Have the maneuvers memorized so you can perform them) and EPs will probably be practiced as well.

Week 2, give or take: even without a backlog of students, you'll probably start flying no earlier than the next week. If there are weather delays or something, you may wait longer. Trust me, it's better to sit a longer time before starting so you can fly more consistently than starting right away and having all your flights spaced out. Use the time wisely to study.

You'll have 4 flights (C4101-C4104) on-wing (flown with your primary instructor) then two off-wing, C4201-C4202, (flown with a different instructor.) This concept is taken from Primary where you have an on-wing for 9/12 of your first flights then three separate off-wing instructors.

Then it's your C4390 checkride with a knowledge test before or during the brief (G0790 or something.) The checkride is with Naval Aviation Schools Command military instructors or a select few SkyWarrior instructors (mostly prior T-6 instructors.)

I kind of lost my train of thought while writing this post but hopefully it's useful. If you're reading this months from now realize that things change so as they say, live and die by the gouge.

 

[DanMa1156]

Holy smokes. I just looked through the NIFE FTI on the Skywarrior website and I am so glad I went through in the IFS days. I can’t argue that these new methods probably won’t make better pilots, but a 200 page FTI for a Cessna 172 is a lot. IFS for me was like flying flying with a cool older brother with 0 expectations other than to have fun and to get you safe to solo ?

How hard could it be when you have time to edit youtube/instagram/tiktok videos describing the entire process in detail?

 

[jollygreen07]

Holy smokes. I just looked through the NIFE FTI on the Skywarrior website and I am so glad I went through in the IFS days. I can’t argue that these new methods probably won’t make better pilots, but a 200 page FTI for a Cessna 172 is a lot. IFS for me was like flying flying with a cool older brother with 0 expectations other than to have fun and to get you safe to solo ?

Yeah, no shit. I actually had fun in IFS. Flying a 172 with a chill guy who just liked flying. No check rides, very little stress… This is just Primary at 1/2 the speed.

I was flying the other day and one of the NIFE IP’s transmitted on PNS approach that “he couldn’t pass this guy on his pre-check” obviously thinking he was on their IP common. Awkward.

 

[Stalin]

Here is a much better picture of the cockpit, this is very close to most of the Cessnas at SkyWarrior:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/15/19/5c/15195c1dd8a46d57006dfde90647ef0e.jpg

I'll now attempt to try and explain what you're looking at. If this doesn't make any sense, well, sorry.

Start at the gauge with the light blue sky. This gauge, the one to the left and right of it, and the three below are what is referred as the "six pack." Six pack, from left to right and top to bottom is your airspeed indicator, attitude indicator, altimeter, turn/slip indicator, heading indicator, and vertical speed indicator. These are your primary instruments and what you'll be checking when you get to "flight instruments" in the checklist (in addition to the engine gauges). You need to know what these do and what to check for on the ground. Refer to your Hollywood Checklist.

Ignore the 3 gauges to the right. Those are for IFR.

The gauge below the six pack's left side is the tachometer. This is where the RPMs are displayed. When you are descending and getting slow and you don't know why, and the aircraft "just doesn't want to hold altitude today!", it's probably because this needle is too far to the left and you should probably add power. The Tach meter is also on here (the IP will record this number and the Hobbs meter before and after the flight, but it's always good to back them up).

The red circle under the six pack is where the yoke goes.

The tiny gauge to the far left is the suction gauge. To the right of that is a clock. Below are the fuel gauges. Below those are the oil temperature gauge and oil pressure gauge. Below that is the ammeter.

The red switches below the ammeter are the master switches, the alternator and battery. Almost always flip them on and off at the same time. Below and to the left is the primer. To the right, the key looking thing, is indeed the thing where you put the key. These are the magnetos (mags) with the positions being OFF/L/R/BOTH/START.

The switch just to the right of the mags is the avionics power/avionics master. If it's referred to as the avionics master, make sure you're not confusing it with the master switches (alternator and battery.) Usually in these Cessnas it's referred to as avionics or avionics power but you may hear avionics master, just FYI.

Right next to the avionics power are two rows of little circles. These are the circuit breakers. In reality, they come in different shapes and sizes in the real cockpits, but don't worry about that for now.

The white switches to the right of the circuit breakers are the lights. Different aircraft have slightly different lights but the taxi and/or landing light(s) will be on top (sometimes it's a single switch for both) and the rest are at the bottom. Don't worry too much about which ones are where, they're labeled and every aircraft is different.

To the right, the slightly crooked square thing is carb heat. It's not a button, you actually pull it out. Out is on, pushed in is off.

To the right, the big white knob is your throttle. It's actually a black knob with the interior sometimes black or sometimes white/silvery. It just looks all white from this angle. Again, it's not a button, it's a knob you pull out. Pulled out is idle, pushed in is full afterburner.

To the right of the throttle, the red knob, is the mixture. Pulled out is full lean/idle cutoff/no fuel to the engine, pushed in is full rich. Anything in between is adjusting and fine tuning the mixture depending what you're doing. I won't explain mixture here but just make sure you aren't randomly pulling it all the way out in flight. In fact, many IPs won't even want you to mess with it at all. Work with the IP and have a healthy respect for it. It's very easy to accidentally kill the engine if you pull it out too far.

The two remaining white circles below sometimes differ from aircraft to aircraft, aren't used much, and are labeled. Don't worry about them for now.

The lever to the right is the flap lever, 0 10 20 30.

The rectangular boxes above the flap lever are the radios and transponder. They differ from aircraft to aircraft, but on most, the transponder is on bottom and looks different from this picture. It's a digital display where you can type in the transponder code and select standby/altitude/etc. Then typically you'll have two radio panels above the transponder. Both will have an active and a standby window. Typically, you'll talk on VHF1 and have your next frequency in standby, and you'll listen on VHF2 (ATIS/AWOS) with the next ATIS/AWOS in standby. Once you switch to the next frequency in VHF1 you can put the next frequency you'll use in standby, rinse and repeat. If that doesn't make sense, I wouldn't worry about it too much now, but do know the frequencies or have them very easily accessible (in-flight guide!) It's kind of embarrassing to be asked on your checkride what the working area frequency is, the one tuned up every single flight, and have no idea what it is or where to find it. Yes, the IPs usually deconflict and handle the comms in the working area, but own your flight! Know what is going on! You'll be expected to do that and much much more in Primary, both for SNAs and SNFOs.

Ignore everything to the right of the radio panels except for that little black rectangular box at the far right near the top. That's the Hobbs meter, recorded before and after flights.

The two white knobs to the right of the flap lever are the cabin heat and cabin air vents, they are knobs you pull out to open and push in to close. Unless you're really good buddies with your IP, the IP will probably not want your hand maneuvering between their legs, so they'll move the knobs for you.

Lastly, the stuff between the yokes in the picture (in reality, next you your knees): on the left is the elevator trim. Contrary to popular belief, you are allowed to use it. It's actually encouraged! (For real, trim is your friend). If your yoke is heavy and "the plane just wants to descend/climb today!" then you're probably not trimmed. The larger black rectangle is the wheel you move up and down, the smaller black rectangle to the left of it is the elevator trim position. You'll move the little white mark up and down, and this is what you reference when setting the trim for takeoff.

The thing to the right of the trim wheel is the hand mic you'll probably never use unless the normal transmit buttons aren't working. Some aircraft don't even have them. Don't worry about this.

At the very bottom is the fuel selector. It's actually on the floor. Up is Both, down is Off, and you can probably guess what left and right are.

On top of the dashboard is the compass. Note that since you're looking at the back of it, it is reversed. Keep that in mind when you're setting your heading indicator. If the compass shows slightly to the left, you'll need to set the heading indicator slightly to the right. Easy trick is to look at what numbers are to the left and right of your heading. If the compass reads between S and 21, make sure the heading indicator reads between 21 and S. If that doesn't make sense, don't worry about it now... just take a close look in the CPT and aircraft.

The gray rectangle under the circuit breakers is the parking brake. Don't use it, you probably won't set it correctly and will end up creeping forward.

The push to talk buttons are on the yoke, usually next to your thumb (so on the left on the left yoke, on the right on the right yoke).

The remaining stuff is either something I forgot about or isn't important.

Hopefully this helps and isn't too confusing. Maybe there is a poster with better resolution and labeled, so if you find one, post it here for all your friends

 

[Stalin]

Holy f***, this is fire. I wish I had this 3 weeks ago. You're a NIFE instructor?

Well, since you asked, I may or may not be doing your checkride tomorrow afternoon

The reason I'm semi-anonymous is because I don't want to appear to be speaking in an official capacity. Also, while I proofread everything and am pretty confident there are no errors, I am not perfect. Furthermore, people reading this in 2 months may have outdated information if there are changes to the program. This is gouge and I want it to appear as gouge because this will not be updated, it hasn't been thoroughly reviewed by Phase 3, etc

I am working with Phase 3 to make the transition better and get things incorporated into the official classes you go through, but that takes a lot of time. The posts I made took only about 3 hours to type up, they get shared instantaneously, and are good enough until the more thorough, thought-out process occurs.

If these post help people, pay it forward... you'll be in a position to help others one day. I couldn't have gotten where I am now without people helping me out

 

[Stalin]

I've had a great few months down here and it's nearing its end. If you're looking for the latest göuge then skip this message. If you want to know why you're in the flying phase of NIFE and if it's worth anything useful, keep reading.

I've learned a lot during my time here. I don't want to sound like a hinge (JOPA for life, for real, hitting terminal as an O-3 soon) but I've worked with Phase 3 and really tried to improve the program. During my career, I've dealt with instructors that care about students, and instructors that couldn't care less... Phase 3 has really good instructors that care about your learning.

In my few months here, I've seen a lot of aspects improve. There are a ton of little things, things everyone takes for granted, that really set you up for Primary. I've seen students coast through knowing how to properly run checklists the military way, recite EPs well, etc. Good for them, they are set up well for the next phase. But I've also seen students screw them up and learn a hard lesson...... It's much better in NIFE than Primary. Trust me, been there, done that.

A criticism of NIFE is that it's too militaristic and not chill enough. I understand that viewpoint, but seeing it from both perspectives (I did chill IFS back in the day), I can honestly say that while it's a work in progress, it sets you up for Primary in more ways than you think.

Keep an open mind, enjoy it, but learn how to study for NIFE. Many students will ask me afterwards how to study for Primary. Primary is more involved and complex, obviously, but a lot of how you studied (or wish you had studied) for NIFE directly translates to Primary. Furthermore, the critiques you give Phase 3 when you're done do get read, and many changes come from them. Your voices are heard, I have seen it. Help those behind you and help make the program better. Many before you have given you so much, return the favor.

More than happy to keep answering questions even after I leave here. You are in good hands... There are some knuckleheads out there, but the majority you'll meet in Phase 3 and at SkyWarrior are great people that care about your career as an aviator.

 

[Ozarky]

But do you have the NIFE gouge?

 

[Jim123]

But do you have the NIFE gouge?