43 NSS needed to get into Primary

[Kycntryboy]

^^+1 Everyone does stupid shit...ROTC=OCS=USNA=dumbass a-poolers.

I like to refer to all these things as "Ensign-dents" in A-pool. Retarded people will find a way to show their ass eventually, hopefully not to late to where it's in a aircraft. If you can't handle freetime and money, you can't handle $20 million dollar plus aircraft.

 

[Jim123]

Something else that I have seen is that TRACOM and RAG skippers would rather keep a "C" student that busts his ass over a cocky A+ student that slimes through the program.

More often than not IPs will recommend, to said skippers, retain a hard working "C" student. ("D" not so much; after all, the minimum is there for a reason.)

 

[torpedo0126]

Something else that I have seen is that TRACOM and RAG skippers would rather keep a "C" student that busts his ass over a cocky A+ student that slimes through the program.

More often than not IPs will recommend, to said skippers, retain a hard working "C" student. ("D" not so much; after all, the minimum is there for a reason.)

I can personally attest to this. I've been struggling in helos...the stick skills have not been clicking very well. It was a Friday two flights before my "safe for solo" checkride and all we did was normal approaches...I was pretty sure I had UNSATed because the card called for plenty more maneuvers and I was just barely getting the normals to CTS. Once we got low on gas, instead of taking me home, my onwing took me to another outlying field, gassed up, came back and did everything else required. He completed me on the flight and then incompleted me on the next flight for a total of 5hrs of flight time. I couldn't believe it...it was awesome that he didn't get frustrated and give up on me.

So far it seems like if your me and hold little natural, innate ability to be a pilot, there is a lot more latitude during the flight IF you showed up prepared for the discuss items and knowing the required maneuvers.

(BTW if anyone has tips for instrument flying the in TH-57 and/or trimming I would love a PM)

 

[Van]

Here's the thing about "not testing well" - one day you'll be tested in the aircraft because weather will go to shit, you'll be low on gas, with limited options on how to get your bird safely back on deck. Or you'll be tested by going downtown on a mission with ordnance in the face of a known threat.

Regardless of how you're tested, if/when you fail you do so because you couldn't handle the situation. The consequences are just ratcheted higher and higher the further along in this business you go.

So I have little patience for "not testing well" and "checkride-itis." You either got it or you don't.

^This!!!

Besides, if you suck at tests and "need" gouge to pass API you will fail (at least academically) later on down the road. You either know the material and perform or you don't. API is not hard, that's why the class averages are in the 90's (even before the NSS hike). Know your stuff and you'll be fine.

Oh, and if you still feel that you need gouge, request T-34's for Primary.

 

[SynixMan]

Turns out I actually knew the guy. One of the last people I would've suspected. Sad stuff...

 

[Pags]

Here's the thing about "not testing well" - one day you'll be tested in the aircraft because weather will go to shit, you'll be low on gas, with limited options on how to get your bird safely back on deck. Or you'll be tested by going downtown on a mission with ordnance in the face of a known threat.

Regardless of how you're tested, if/when you fail you do so because you couldn't handle the situation. The consequences are just ratcheted higher and higher the further along in this business you go.

So I have little patience for "not testing well" and "checkride-itis." You either got it or you don't.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[NavyAv8]

Haha. I feel like the C average dude in API. All I can say about the new tests is read the pubs. Studying this stuff is necessary and all one has to do to make grades.

+1 If you want to do well, run the show start to finish and treat every flight like a checkride/test. Then the checkride is no big deal because you just execute what you have been doing for every flight. Never understood those who stressed to the point of vomitting over tests and checkrides.

As far as these new tests go...I failed FRR and still rolled out above a 50 on the api curve. Its straight up memorization and I would be willing to bet that even after rewritting the tests I could produce 2 yr old useful gouge to get through it. This is getting blown way out of proportion.

Something else that I have seen is that TRACOM and RAG skippers would rather keep a "C" student that busts his ass over a cocky A+ student that slimes through the program.

 

[NavyAv8]

Turns out I actually knew the guy. One of the last people I would've suspected. Sad stuff...

Tell me about it man! I actually studied weather with him and I knew him at OCS. He seemed so squared away. I can't say that I am angry with him for the mess that he caused, but I do think that his punishment will be justified.

 

[Picaroon]

Something else that I have seen is that TRACOM and RAG skippers would rather keep a "C" student that busts his ass over a cocky A+ student that slimes through the program.

It seems to me that a "C" student needs to bust his ass while if you're pulling "A+"s, well, why would you work harder if you are an A+ student with the current amount of work you're putting in?

I just don't fully understand what this is meant to imply.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I just don't fully understand what this is meant to imply.

Attitude. "Sliming Through" encompasses more than just the work he's putting in. Does he help his classmates? Does he not study for his brief and let his flying skills save him (I flew with a guy in the fleet that this was CLEARLY the case)? Etc, etc, etc...

 

[torpedo0126]

It seems to me that a "C" student needs to bust his ass while if you're pulling "A+"s, well, why would you work harder if you are an A+ student with the current amount of work you're putting in?

I just don't fully understand what this is meant to imply.

Attitude. "Sliming Through" encompasses more than just the work he's putting in. Does he help his classmates? Does he not study for his brief and let his flying skills save him (I flew with a guy in the fleet that this was CLEARLY the case)? Etc, etc, etc...

As a side note, the Air Force has something worked into their grading system to counter this which I thought was kinda cool. Its called "Flight Commanders Ranking." 30% of your grade is what the flight commander (flight leader) thinks of you. Basically, he gets together with the other IPs in your flight and they hash out, hey is this guy a good officer, does he help out his classmates, have a can-do attitude etc etc etc. It keeps the guys who are awesome in the cockpit but s!!t bags on the ground from getting ranked above the guys who give 100% all the time.

I am sure there are cons to the system, but from a merit stand point, I thought it was a good idea.

 

[Swanee]

As a side note, the Air Force has something worked into their grading system to counter this which I thought was kinda cool. Its called "Flight Commanders Ranking." 30% of your grade is what the flight commander (flight leader) thinks of you. Basically, he gets together with the other IPs in your flight and they hash out, hey is this guy a good officer, does he help out his classmates, have a can-do attitude etc etc etc. It keeps the guys who are awesome in the cockpit but s!!t bags on the ground from getting ranked above the guys who give 100% all the time.

I am sure there are cons to the system, but from a merit stand point, I thought it was a good idea.

They do this at TBS, it's called your Leadership Grade. Basically the SPC give who he thinks his #1 guy a 100 and who he thinks his bottom guy is a 70%. It's pure bullshit. I'd rather see a douche bag get jets (edit: or rather finish in the top of his class) than a guy who has a wife and a couple of kids get tanked on the grading or attrited because he is there to learn how to fly and do his best while taking care of his family (which most likely means he is going to kids baseball games, or having dinner with family and not at your house helping you study). I saw a dude almost get dropped from our Company because his wife had a baby while we were at TBS. (The nerve!) He was told that he wasn't dedicated enough to his training or the Marine Corps when he took his paternity leave...

 

[mmx1]

Meh. Considering how often I interacted with my flight leaders in flight school I don't think their impression would have counted for much. Then again, we didn't have to be at "work" regular hours, either.

You can't really judge a guy's work ethic unless you give him more responsibility than studying and showing up for a brief.

 

[VulcanRider]

Study the ELOs and the test questions in the back of the chapters and you'll be fine. If you can explain why the answers are the answers then you're golden. Obviously some people don't have to study as much as others. If you understand that stuff quickly, then help the others out. The tests will suck for the first couple of classes that do them, but compile your knowledge and create the gouge for the classes behind you. If you just assume that someone else is passing on the knowledge and you hold on to it THAT is what makes you a douche.

I agree with everything that has been said above. API was a breeze compared to the FRS. If you can't handle the pace of API, it's not gonna happen here. However, I have seen several people who have struggled but still done well for themselves in flight school because they have evolved somewhat to meet the demands. In the end it is your drive and attitude that will get you through. But if you can't learn the material and depend on the gouge, then you aren't going to make it. Gouge is a supplement not a replacement for good studying.

 

[OSUbeaver]

Tell me about it man! I actually studied weather with him and I knew him at OCS. He seemed so squared away. I can't say that I am angry with him for the mess that he caused, but I do think that his punishment will be justified.

Safe to say you are definitely in the minority on this one, don't really understand why you wouldn't be mad but alright. I didn't enjoy being locked down until 1500 Monday, didn't enjoy sitting in the auditorium for several hours the next day, didn't enjoy taking the survey (biggest waste of paper in history), didn't enjoy taking a brand new Navigation test and a brand new FR & R test either. I'm sure the dudes that had just taken the Aero test didn't enjoy their scores getting thrown out and I'm sure the staff and instructors didn't enjoy dealing with all the BS and rewriting all the tests. One Ensign looks just like another; this certainly didn't do the officer corps' reputation any favors. If this incident doesn't upset you maybe its time you sit down and consider why it doesn't.