VANCE - Facts about Primary?

[wlawr005]

yeah...Moody was canned because they got rid of the T-6 and brought the A-10's and F-16's back. My father-in-law worked for Raytheon (maintaining the T-6) and heard that it might come back. Just wondered if they would start sending studs there again if true.

 

[Matthew]

Hey Saluki,

I just graduated here at Vance and selected these past couple weeks. I will give some of my opinions on Vance. I have no idea what Navy training is like and I am excited to get back to it, but I can't compare here to either Whiting or Corpus, besides what I have seen from my friends and heard from them.

First, yes, all the civilian contractors are on strike, and from what we have heard, they aren't even talking yet. I have heard that they are just going to send the Navy students to other AF bases to train because they are too far in AF training. Not sure what the Navy is doing about this at your stage.

The T-6 is fricking awesome! It was definitely a lot of fun to fly, and I wish I was still flying it. I don't know what the T-34 is like besides the ride I had on cortramid as a midshipmen, but from what I remember, it sucked in comparison. I loved pulling G's, and this plane allows you to pull up to 7, which was pretty awesome to me, and when you get to formation, you get to do extended trail exercises, which to me, was like dogfighting, and was awesome! (Yes, jet guys, I have no idea what real dogfighting is like, but I just liked calling it that.)

You will start in Phase 1 which is all academics, a lot of repetition from API, but you will do a lot better than your AF classmates because you have seen the stuff before and will not have to spend as much time on it. You will start flying when you get to Phase 2.

When you hit phase 2, you will have the 15 day program. Its a little longer than 15 days if you can't do "stand up" every day. Stand up is what you have heard about the EP's, you stand at attention in the class and have to go through in EP in extreme detail and bring it to a "Logical Conclusion." You will still have them after the 15 day program, and if you get sat down (you did something wrong) you won't be flying or doing anything first go. The 15 day program sucks, but its not terrible.

12 hour days are plenty. I really can't complain about these, because you are so busy that the day just seems to go by fast anyways. You will be studying constantly and for me, it helped to be by people to ask questions. It will definitely be awhile before you don't have to be there for 12 hours. You are also on 12 hour days because you will be double and triple turning. You will barely ever have 1 event a day. When you are doing academics while flying, you very possibly will have a flight, sim, and class all in the same day. I have also been in class till 8pm on a Friday. That definitely blows.

It is very structured here for a reason. You will finish faster than your friends at corpus and whiting. I have just finished faster than a friend of mine at whiting who graduated college a semester before me! I have also finished before friends at corpus that were a couple classes ahead of me in API. Now, the fast pace isn't for everyone. We seem to lose quite a few Navy studs in every class. I would like to say that the percentage of females lost seems to be higher, I don't know if this is true, but from my eyes, that is what it seems like. But, if you are motivated and work your ass off, you will make it.

Enid: Not the best time, but if you like hole in the wall bars, that are cheap to drink at and get drunk, then you will like Scooters and Crappies. Fridays: $6 all you drink bottled beer till midnight, not so bad. If you like a little better place, Callahans is a good time. Yes, you will definitely have to leave some weekends for Oklahoma city and stillwater to escape and they are a good time too.

Rumors: You will not be more likely to get jets coming here, haha. You never know your NSS here, I have heard on navy bases, that you can ask someone to calculate it, not sure if that is true, but here you don't know till you are done. I would say that everyone in my class got their first choice though!

I would like to comment on everyone bashing Vance. In the beginning it sucked, because there was so much information so fast, that it was hard to keep my head above water. Near the end, flying is simple, you are studying less, and having a blast. Like I said, I didn't know what it was like to go and study on the beach, or not have to work some days. I was there everyday working and studying, but isn't that the point of Primary? I wanted to get my wings and not be in primary for 10 months, so I did volunteer for Vance for the strict timeline. I think the biggest problem is people are always bashing vance because they were either voluntold or have never been here.

I can only offer my opinion, but I just graduated and wouldn't have traded my training for T-34 training. I am excited to get back to the Navy side though!

Hope this helped, and if you have any questions just ask!

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

I wanted to get my wings and not be in primary for 10 months, so I did volunteer for Vance for the strict timeline.

I finished in 6 months and 2 weeks at VT-27 in Corpus, and some of the studs in my class finished a month before I did. Plus, I went on leave for 2 weeks for Christmas. I don't think Vance really has that much of an advantage as far as how fast you get through. How long did it take you?

And how many times did you pull 7 G's in the T-6? or 6....or 5, or even 4 for that matter....Nice to know you can if you had to though I guess.

 

[SemperFi Fly]

I graduated from Vance the first week of April, and it took me about 6 months to finish. That is including 6 weeks of academics, 2 weeks of Christmas leave, and probably 2 weeks canceled flights due to weather. So while at Vance you're really moving quickly through Phase II. However, the differences in AF and Navy training (primarily EP training) is totally opposite. I just started advanced helos, so I can't say whether or not that will hurt me in the program. However, I would recommend going out to Vance simply cause you get to fly the T-6. Talking to all my buddies, there is on comparison. The only time I pulled less than 5 G's on a flight was during instruments. During formation, I pulled at least 6 G's every flight while doing Extended Trail Exercises. So at this point, I would say going to Vance is a really good deal, cause of all the cool things you'll do that your buddies in Navy training won't. However, if you can pull waiting long enough to class up at Whiting with the T-6, that would probably be the way to go.

 

[torpedo0126]

Rumors: You will not be more likely to get jets coming here, haha. You never know your NSS here, I have heard on navy bases, that you can ask someone to calculate it, not sure if that is true, but here you don't know till you are done. I would say that everyone in my class got their first choice though!

Interesting stat...The CO of the 8th FTS (I think he turns over shortly) told us that Vance students get their 1st choice 5% more than Whiting/Corpus (not jets, first choice).

He also said--and which is more important to me--is that in the last 1.5 year since he had been there, there was a 0% washout rate in advanced for Vance students.

One other point that I thought was valid with the T-6 is how dynamic it is. You fly the pattern at 230 knots and things are changing rapidly.

We seem to lose quite a few Navy studs in every class.

Just wanted to point out...AF studs are prepped for this program prior to starting JSUPT. All of them, as of now (including PPLs), attend IFS. However, its not like Navy IFS where you drive to the airport and its pretty laid back. They are sent to a 'compound' as they call and live at the FBO. They have stand up EPs, shotgun questions, and mandatory PT for their entire time during IFS. Anecdotally, it sounds like they have a much bigger washout rate at IFS.

So they come here kind of expecting the pace. Plus, Phase 1 is a joke. It has a few API repeat classes, but the rest are easy T-6 classes. I think a lot of the Navy/Marines, having seen the material before plus it being easier, get into bad study habits. Whereas the AF guys are studying much harder because this is the first time they are seeing this stuff AND it counts toward their MASS score (API/Phase 1 academics don't factor into your NSS). When the flightline hits and you have the 12 hour days, you might be doing some catch-up.

Either way, a good PMA will do wonders .

 

[wlawr005]

I graduated from Vance the first week of April, and it took me about 6 months to finish. That is including 6 weeks of academics, 2 weeks of Christmas leave, and probably 2 weeks canceled flights due to weather. So while at Vance you're really moving quickly through Phase II. However, the differences in AF and Navy training (primarily EP training) is totally opposite. I just started advanced helos, so I can't say whether or not that will hurt me in the program. However, I would recommend going out to Vance simply cause you get to fly the T-6. Talking to all my buddies, there is on comparison. The only time I pulled less than 5 G's on a flight was during instruments. During formation, I pulled at least 6 G's every flight while doing Extended Trail Exercises. So at this point, I would say going to Vance is a really good deal, cause of all the cool things you'll do that your buddies in Navy training won't. However, if you can pull waiting long enough to class up at Whiting with the T-6, that would probably be the way to go.

When is the Navy going to can the T-34 and switch to the T-6?

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

When is the Navy going to can the T-34 and switch to the T-6?

I heard that within 2 years all of the T-34's will be gone, Corpus being the last place to get the T-6's.

 

[wlawr005]

awesome...I graduate in 2011, so I gotta get rid of all my T-34 stuff next to the shitter and replace it with some T-6 stuff...doesn't VT-86 already have some 6's?

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

awesome...I graduate in 2011, so I gotta get rid of all my T-34 stuff next to the shitter and replace it with some T-6 stuff...doesn't VT-86 already have some 6's?

You don't graduate until 2011 and you're already studying T-34 stuff? Haha nice work.

 

[wlawr005]

You don't graduate until 2011 and you're already studying T-34 stuff? Haha nice work.

Nah...not studying. My wife gets mad if I read Maxim on the shitter, so this is my option

 

[scoolbubba]

at least put a maxim inside a natops. it's plenty big.

and what's wrong with maxim...the girls aren't even naked?!

 

[bunk22]

When is the Navy going to can the T-34 and switch to the T-6?

First two T-6B's arrive in two months (Aug) with a few more in the following months. All for FITU training. In Apr 2010, VT-3 will start training the first students on it. The goal was around 55, give or take, T-6B's by the end of 2010. Obviously VT-2 and 6 will follow once 3 is completely manned up.

 

[CommodoreMid]

awesome...I graduate in 2011, so I gotta get rid of all my T-34 stuff next to the shitter and replace it with some T-6 stuff...doesn't VT-86 already have some 6's?

All NFOs train in the T-6 in primary/intermediate (VT-4/10), but VT-86 doesn't use them because that's NFO advanced. There they use the T-39 and T-45.

 

[wlawr005]

All NFOs train in the T-6 in primary/intermediate (VT-4/10), but VT-86 doesn't use them because that's NFO advanced. There they use the T-39 and T-45.

gotcha...thanks. 4/10 are in Pensacola?

 

[jollygreen07]

-The best restaurant in Enid is a tie between Western Sizzlin and The Golden Coral. (There is actually one small place with a small menu that makes a good steak and has horse shoe pits, but the name escapes me)

Gary's Chicarros

Don't go if you are easily offended.

Also. Don't go to Vance. I'm in Advanced here and it's still uber ghey. I can't imagine coming here for primary after listening to the shenanigans that my present classmates had to endure. You'll love the T-34 (at least as much as a STUD can) and having a four day weekend every once and awhile is pretty awesome. You won't get those here.

Go to Whiting/Corpus, enjoy life (again, as much as a STUD can). The end.