?'s about Primary and Pipeline

[cans]

New member to AW and all the information I've seen so far has been very very helpful. That being said I have no Military background period, and was just accepted into flight training this past spring. I recently signed my contract like 3 days ago and I'm scheduled to go to OCS in Jan 13'. I've also researched on cnatra how the pipeline and training work but just wanted to clear some things up. First when you go to primary when/how does the Navy choose which pipeline you’re going to? Second, do you fly the same plane throughout primary like everyone else, or is it broken up in to different parts throughout depending on the pipeline? Third, are there any classes that you need to take in addition to training to help your progression toward a certain a/c or rank? Like I said I'm completely new to the military lifestyle and order of it all so if these are stupid questions I apologize, but any direction on where to look for info would be greatly appreciated.

Also random question, I was watching a NatGeo program about being a Navy pilot and a pilot said that the average age of an actual Navy pilot who is flying on the ship is 27. Is that true? If so is there a reason for that? i.e. The Navy wants you to have more experience before they put you on the ship or there are certain classes you have to take prior to getting there. I know just from my own personal experience that 25 yr old me and 21 yr old me think and act completely different about things, just saying.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Also random question, I was watching a NatGeo program about being a Navy pilot and a pilot said that the average age of an actual Navy pilot who is flying on the ship is 27. Is that true?

Graduate college around 21. Spend two years in flight school. Spend another year in the FRS. Spend about three years in fleet squadron = 27 years old when leaving first tour. That's a broad generalization (this is for a jet guy - other "ship" guys might vary - helo, e2/c2).

Use the "search" function a little more and you'll find most of the answers to your other questions. Good luck.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Have a looks-see at the CNATRA website. It has cool pictures like this that answer some of your questions.

As far as your statistics question, look here.

-ea6bflyr

 

[cans]

As far as your statistics question, look here.
-ea6bflyr

See I had no idea that the geometric median was a rotation invariant extension of the median for points in Rn. That clears up a lot

Thanks for the help guys I'll try that search function a little more, I've basically just been pointing and clicking thus far so it's been hard to sort through everything.

 

[squorch2]

Yeah man, it's a rough life.

 

[scoober78]

See I had no idea that the geometric median was a rotation invariant extension of the median for points in Rn.

Says the future P-3 pilot...

 

[Renegade One]

New member to AW

Congrats on your contract and selection. Welcome aboard!

...just wanted to clear some things up. ... are there any classes that you need to take in addition to training to help your progression toward a certain a/c or rank?

Don't try to overthink this thing. Between now and January, stay healthy; stay in shape; get ready for a life-altering experience. There is no book to read, no movie to see, no additional training course to take that will have any influence on your pipeline progression or promotion...until maybe WAAY later in your career. Stay away from high-risk activities...don't want to break your leg or require knee surgery before you report. What pipeline you get selected for is a combination of many variables...primarily your performance to date, "what's available" in your timeframe, and, based primarily on the former, I guess, your desires. So work hard to create your own options.

the average age of an actual Navy pilot who is flying on the ship is 27. Is that true? If so is there a reason for that?

What Recovering LSO said, basically. But, if you're 25 now, you'll be 28 or 29 by the time you make it to the fleet. There will obviously be some younger. It is what it is. By the time you get there...you'll be as well trained as everyone else and hopefully anxious to go..and then happy to be there..

Again...congrats!

 

[rondebmar]

Times change ...

Completed first cruise at age 23; second cruise at age 25; third cruise at age 26 (+ one month) ...guess that's why I was always addressed as "son" or "kid" ...LOL!!

 

[MIDNJAC]

I hit the fleet a month before my 29th birthday. It just takes some time to get through all the training. I wouldn't call it "classes" (that's what you do during API), but it is going through various different flying syllabi before you ever get a chance to enter an operational fleet squadron. For reference, I was just a hair under the 4 year mark before I got to said fleet squadron. 2 years flight school, 20 months in the Hornet FRS (including 6 months of sitting around waiting to start), then finally off to the real world. That is fairly typical, to slightly on the long side for Hornet types.

As for making rank, that part is basically automatic for O1-O3 provided you don't do anything really stupid (DUI, frat, etc). 2 years active duty, you promote to LTJG, 4 years, you promote to LT. You might be thinking of enlisted advancement exams wrt your question about taking classes.

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

One thing that would be helpful to you during flight training would be previous flight experience. There's an accelerated syllabus in primary, but it seemed like no one was put on it, even if they had their commercial license. People like that would go through primary and finish with a sky-high NSS - like 75. That pretty much guarantees that you'll get whatever you want out of primary.

So if you can afford it, I'd recommend getting some flight time under your belt.

 

[Gatordev]

One thing that would be helpful to you during flight training would be previous flight experience. There's an accelerated syllabus in primary, but it seemed like no one was put on it, even if they had their commercial license. People like that would go through primary and finish with a sky-high NSS - like 75. That pretty much guarantees that you'll get whatever you want out of primary.

So if you can afford it, I'd recommend getting some flight time under your belt.

Um, no. There's a plethora of threads about this. One does not guarantee the other. Fly on the civilian side because you enjoy it and want to, not because you think you're going to rock a 81 NSS.

("Why 81?" "Because it's one more than 80.")

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

Um, no. There's a plethora of threads about this. One does not guarantee the other. Fly on the civilian side because you enjoy it and want to, not because you think you're going to rock a 81 NSS.

("Why 81?" "Because it's one more than 80.")

True, no guarantee, but it wouldn't hurt to understand what an approach plate is and fly one before you get to instruments in primary.

 

[KBayDog]

True, no guarantee, but it wouldn't hurt to understand what an approach plate is and fly one before you get to instruments in primary.

You're absolutely right. Gatordev has no clue what he's talking about.

 

[BigBadBoJenkins]

You're absolutely right. Gatordev has no clue what he's talking about.

My original post in this thread was in response to OP's question about classes/training/experience that may help him in the future. I was just trying to suggest something that I thought would be valuable to OP. I wasn't trying to lecture anyone.

 

[Brett327]