Some post-primary questions

[hiei_yasha]

Hello, obviously I am new here but I've known about the site for quite a while. I didn't see like a "Q&A" section so I figured I'd post here. Sorry if it isn't the appropriate place, but I don't have the time to scour the boards trying to find the answers. I'm almost in Primary now here in Corpus, so I thought I'd post in the Primary board. So anyways, if anyone could answer these questions it'd be greatly appreciated!

1. In general, how long is Advanced trying to go for P3's?
2. What is the life of a P3 pilot like?
3. What training follows Advanced? Where is the training located and how long is it?
4. How long is SERE school and what are the locations?
5. What training follows SERE school? Where is the training located and how long is it?
6. Which planes have the longest and shortest deployments associated with them?
7. How does one become an Instructor Pilot?

 

[Angels]

Well since there has been 15 views and no replies yet I guess I will. Note that I am only a dependent but I can tell you how it went for my husband who is a P3 pilot. (Also I think if you truly wanted to find out you would find the time to "scour the boards").

1. Advanced actually took a little less time than Primary. About 6 months. He had a lot of weather delays in Primary. What do you mean trying for P3's? In Advanced you will already know what you will be flying because you select at the end of Primary.
2. Per Diem, 4 engines, stationed in JAX, HI or WA.
3. The RAG or now FRS is in JAX, FL. About 6 months.
4. Been a long time but I think 2 weeks. My hubby did it back in his enlisted days in Maine in the snow...or you can go to the desert.
5. I think FRS. Though I think some pilots do the RAG first than SERE.
6. Which planes as in other than P3's? I think 6-12 months depending on the needs of the Navy.
7. I think at one point you have too!

Hope this helps at least a little!

 

[scoolbubba]

1. Started VT-35 Aug 8, 2008. Last flight, Dec 30, 2008. Winged Jan 30, 2009.
2. I fly pretty much every other day, now that I'm on deployment as a 3P. If I'm not flying, I'm upgrading. Even then, it's not too bad on deployment.
3. SERE and the FRS. 6-8 months.
4. 2 weeks. 5 days classroom, about a week in the field. Maine and San Diego.
5. See #3.
6. This question makes no sense.
7. By Upgrading.
8. Use the search function. Maybe this should be number 1.

 

[d3west86]

All of the above in Angels' post is fairly accurate. However, being an instructor pilot is typically a tour of duty that you may choose to do after your fleet P-3 tour (if that is in fact what you end up selecting). You do not necessarily ever have to be an IP, but it is definitely a pretty cool shore tour. There are actually a lot of IP tours out there; you will just have to do some research to find out what is available i.e. Primary, Advanced, FRS, or even Personnel Exchange Program (PEP) instructor tours.

 

[Turbomentor]

In reply to your question of what life is like for a P3 pilot I can offer my own experience from the late '80s. I would imagine that life in a VP squadron is not greatly changed since then.
You enter the squadron after finishing the RAG at VP-30. You will be welcomed but you have to start working immediately to establish your reputation as a hard charger. PQS (Personnel Qualification System) is a system that proves to the squadron at large that you are serious about your tasks. You will mix PQS with training flights, operational flights, and a ground job. Your first goal is to make 3rd pilot. 3Ps are allowed to taxi the AC for ground maintenance personnel to perform runups. They also serve on a regular flight crew. The next goal is 2nd Pilot. 2Ps are the "aircraft experts" as they have been grilled on NATOPS so much that they know it in their sleep. There is an official board that you must request and pass to become a 2P. After that your goal is to become a Patrol Plane Commander and have your own crew. That position also requires a board which covers tactics and command decision questions.
Bear in mind that as you are advancing in your AC qualifications you will be holding down a ground job. It's not like flight school where all you do is fly. Some ground jobs are less demanding than others, but sometimes a ground job can throw you a nasty surprise. In my case I was assigned the innocuous job of personnel services officer (gedunk officer). Life was OK until I discovered that our gedunk owed the Navy Exchange Commissary over $13K. Getting the gedunk out of that debt occupied my Bermuda deployment while I was trying to concentrate on making 2P. Not fun, but I survived with my FITREP intact.
It is possible to be an instructor pilot in your squadron after you make PPC. However, it is only given to the ones who have shown real intitiative. After your 1st tour is up you can return to the Training Command as an instructor.
Just remember that whatever you choose to fly, the good and the bad go hand in hand. Some days suck, others are so much fun you wonder why you get paid. Work hard, show initiative and the rest will take care of itself.