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Day in the life of a Coastie pilot
- Thread starter PropStop
- Start date
I do think it is interesting how the silver wings magically turn to gold but I would rather talk about more important matters. What is the four week class at the CG academy like for new DCA's? How much do you have to spend for Coastie uniforms? How long is the flight training in Mobile for helo's? Is it true that 0-2's will usually pick up 0-3 in a year and a half or so? How hard is it to get, say San Diego or Hawaii for a duty station? Are the ground jobs similar to the USMC/USN ie maint officers, DOSS, Ops, etc? 
Good questions, let me see if I can't give you good answers.
The four week DCO course actually pretty lame. It is/has changed I believe to where a DCA does not go the whole time but I may be mistaken. Either way, it is a few weeks of learning the CG organization, laws that govern us, and getting all of your mandatory training out of the way, i.e. sexual harrassment, civil rights etc. When I went they wanted everyone to do PT together but the class before us did not. Since there is only one or two classes a year, it isn't their primary focus, and since you are already an officer when you show up they can't treat you like they do the OCS candidates and the academy cadets so they are often at a loss on what should be done.
Expect to spend around $700-$800 if you have no uniforms at all when you show up but that cost includes about three sets of pants, shirts, dress blue jacket, ODU uniform, and a set of whites and tailoring.
Flight training at Mobile in the transition course is about 6-7 weeks depending on airframe.
If you come in as an O-2, I think you pick up O-3 at the two year mark.
Getting the station you want on your first tour is a lot of luck and it of course depends on your airframe. After that, you have a good chance of getting to go where you want. But the chances of going to the two you asked about are just as good as anywhere else.
Ground jobs (collateral jobs) are similar to other services but ours are usually on a bit of a larger scale. You could simply be the unit scheduler or as you progress you could be the facilities engineer for an entire CG group ensuring facilities maintenance is done at multiple locations. I was the base security officer for one of the CG's largest stations as a very junior O-2. It all depends on where you get stationed and what they need.
Hope that answered your questions. Good luck if you do apply.
The four week DCO course actually pretty lame. It is/has changed I believe to where a DCA does not go the whole time but I may be mistaken. Either way, it is a few weeks of learning the CG organization, laws that govern us, and getting all of your mandatory training out of the way, i.e. sexual harrassment, civil rights etc. When I went they wanted everyone to do PT together but the class before us did not. Since there is only one or two classes a year, it isn't their primary focus, and since you are already an officer when you show up they can't treat you like they do the OCS candidates and the academy cadets so they are often at a loss on what should be done.
Expect to spend around $700-$800 if you have no uniforms at all when you show up but that cost includes about three sets of pants, shirts, dress blue jacket, ODU uniform, and a set of whites and tailoring.
Flight training at Mobile in the transition course is about 6-7 weeks depending on airframe.
If you come in as an O-2, I think you pick up O-3 at the two year mark.
Getting the station you want on your first tour is a lot of luck and it of course depends on your airframe. After that, you have a good chance of getting to go where you want. But the chances of going to the two you asked about are just as good as anywhere else.
Ground jobs (collateral jobs) are similar to other services but ours are usually on a bit of a larger scale. You could simply be the unit scheduler or as you progress you could be the facilities engineer for an entire CG group ensuring facilities maintenance is done at multiple locations. I was the base security officer for one of the CG's largest stations as a very junior O-2. It all depends on where you get stationed and what they need.
Hope that answered your questions. Good luck if you do apply.
Thanks for the good gouge! On the last DCA board I see that sixteen people made the cut(and six alternates); how many people usually apply? What is the syllabus like for the transition training? I have never flown an H-60 or H-65, only the TH-57, AH-1W, and occaionallly the UH-1N, that is why I'm asking about the syllabus. I have about three years to give the USMC so I just wanted to see what else is out there. Thanks again for the info.
I'm not sure about the total number of people that applied but I do know that the numbers have increased since Stop Loss was lifted. There is another forum, called APTAP, that has a lot of discussion about the DCA program and the last DCA board. Several of the guys that were selected on this board regularly contribute on APTAP. You may want to visit the site. They may be able to answer your question. Here's the link:gunfighter77 said:
The Transition Course is 6 weeks in length and is conducted in Mobile, AL at the CG's Aviation Training Center. I'm one of the HH-65 IPs so what follows is HH-65 specific but the HH-60 course is pretty much the same.gunfighter77 said:
Ground school is both lecture-based and computer-based. The majority of ground school lessons are taught on the computer.
The flight portion is taught using 1) aircraft, 2) full motion visual simulator, and 3) RCPT (Reconfigurable Cockpit Procedures Trainer - kind of like the game Flight Sim except you have flight controls, instrument panel, etc.). You'll leave the course with approximately 25 aircraft hours, 10 simulator hours, and as many RCPT hours as you want.
The course is broken down into 4 different phases (sardaddy's collateral makes him responsible for the makeup of the course and may be able to provide additional gouge):
- Day Land - This phase consists of traffic pattern work (normal approaches, single engine work, tail rotors, autos, etc.) along with instrument approaches.
- Night Land - The same as the Day Land phase except at night. We use NVGs extensively at night so this is also incorporated in this phase.
- Day Water - This phase consists of search pattern work, instrument approaches to the water (we shoot them to 50' AWL), boat hoists, and rescue swimmer work.
- Night Water - Same as Day Water but much darker! We do half of the night water work w/o NVGs and the other half w/ NVGs.
- Stan Check - all the Day Land maneuvers
- Instrument Check
- NVG Check
Most of the students we teach have the same background as yourself. The HH-65 has an impressive Flight Director/AFCS system (you can fly a fully coupled ILS to a stable 50' hover without ever touching the flight controls). Most students find the hardest part of the course is learning how to properly use the FD system along with programming the onboard computers. The rotor system turns clockwise, so your pedal inputs are reversed (from American-made helos) but you get used to this quickly.gunfighter77 said:
Hope this helps
I was under the impression the Jayhawk training was done up in Elizabeth City, but it sounds like that's not the case. How does that work? I don't remember seeing Jayhawks at Mobile when I've flown in there, but I guess I must have missed them.
The transition training for the HH-65, HH-60, and HU-25 are all conducted in Mobile. The CG's Aircraft Repair & Supply Center is located in Elizabeth City for all our platforms to include the HC-130. This is where all our major overhaul work is done. An Air Station, with HH-60s and HC-130s, is also colocated at Elizabeth City and this may be what you heard about.gatordev said:
http://aptap.forumco.com/
Is a great site but I will say it is very Army centric hence the name of the site. Back to the wings of silver turning magically to gold, how does that work for soldiers and airman that transition. Great info again.
Is a great site but I will say it is very Army centric hence the name of the site. Back to the wings of silver turning magically to gold, how does that work for soldiers and airman that transition. Great info again.
"sardaddy's collateral makes him responsible for the makeup of the course and may be able to provide additional gouge"
Not much more gouge to give. Just realize that the course, especially now, is designed to teach someone to fly the aircraft and use the flight director just enough to be able to provide a copilot capable enough to help work a mission when they leave the course.
The course contains the items USCGaviator noted and those operations are separated into three basic sections.
1. Basic airwork. We get you used to the aircraft plain and simple. Through day and night pattern work, and instrument work using basic instrument procedures so you get used to the new configuration.
2. FDS operations. Instrument work using the flight director, and overwater flights utilizing the flight director for search patterns and approaches to the water.
3. Operational. You learn to integrate the Flight director even more in an operational environment, and conduct operational procedures like hoisting and rescue swimmer work day and night.
Each phase is a stepping stone to the next so you are not too overwhelmed at the beginning.
Just to let those of you who are either starting out in aviation or those starting over in the Coast Guard as a DCA, realize that there are specific weaknesses that we see as folks come through.
New pilots right out of flight school seem to pick up the new EPs and limitations pretty quickly. They can also fly instrument approaches pretty well. However, when it comes to the actual flying portion they struggle. Heck they have 150 hours so we don't expect Chuck Yeager anyway. It is about 50/50 whether they can use the flight director well or not. Some jump right in while others struggle so much at flying a new airframe that adding the flight director makes their heads explode.
DCAs can usually fly the heck out of the helicopter after only a flight or two, but depending on the service and which airframe they flew, they usually struggle at the instrument portion at first. Many have not flown an ILS or VOR since flight school due to their aircraft configuration. Many DCAs have a hard time with EPs and limitations as well.
Personally I think the reasons for that are two fold. First they haven't been in the study mode since flight school and they don't use their free time in the course as well as they should. Second, They have all of those EPs from their other airframe still bouncing around their heads and they confuse them.
Either way, the IPs at Mobile will work with you to get you to learn what you need to learn. The training environment is far different from any other aviation training environment you have seen in your military career.
Not much more gouge to give. Just realize that the course, especially now, is designed to teach someone to fly the aircraft and use the flight director just enough to be able to provide a copilot capable enough to help work a mission when they leave the course.
The course contains the items USCGaviator noted and those operations are separated into three basic sections.
1. Basic airwork. We get you used to the aircraft plain and simple. Through day and night pattern work, and instrument work using basic instrument procedures so you get used to the new configuration.
2. FDS operations. Instrument work using the flight director, and overwater flights utilizing the flight director for search patterns and approaches to the water.
3. Operational. You learn to integrate the Flight director even more in an operational environment, and conduct operational procedures like hoisting and rescue swimmer work day and night.
Each phase is a stepping stone to the next so you are not too overwhelmed at the beginning.
Just to let those of you who are either starting out in aviation or those starting over in the Coast Guard as a DCA, realize that there are specific weaknesses that we see as folks come through.
New pilots right out of flight school seem to pick up the new EPs and limitations pretty quickly. They can also fly instrument approaches pretty well. However, when it comes to the actual flying portion they struggle. Heck they have 150 hours so we don't expect Chuck Yeager anyway. It is about 50/50 whether they can use the flight director well or not. Some jump right in while others struggle so much at flying a new airframe that adding the flight director makes their heads explode.
DCAs can usually fly the heck out of the helicopter after only a flight or two, but depending on the service and which airframe they flew, they usually struggle at the instrument portion at first. Many have not flown an ILS or VOR since flight school due to their aircraft configuration. Many DCAs have a hard time with EPs and limitations as well.
Personally I think the reasons for that are two fold. First they haven't been in the study mode since flight school and they don't use their free time in the course as well as they should. Second, They have all of those EPs from their other airframe still bouncing around their heads and they confuse them.
Either way, the IPs at Mobile will work with you to get you to learn what you need to learn. The training environment is far different from any other aviation training environment you have seen in your military career.
"Back to the wings of silver turning magically to gold, how does that work for soldiers and airman that transition."
Those wings are not quite so magic. Aircrew wings are given to an aircrewman when he becomes qualified as a basic aircrewman. Even Coast Guardsman right out of their "A" school don't get to wear the wings. They must complete an OJT flight syllabus at their units before becoming qualified to wear the wings. Depending on the unit and the individual, it won't take that long for them to earn their wings.
As far as other wings go, i.e. airborne, air assault, etc. They don't make the cut and are not authorized for wear. Unless you completed the course while you were in the Coast Guard. So a prior service Airborne Ranger with 1000 jumps can't wear the wings but a Coastie who got a lucky boondoggle can. Silly rule but none the less still a rule.
Those wings are not quite so magic. Aircrew wings are given to an aircrewman when he becomes qualified as a basic aircrewman. Even Coast Guardsman right out of their "A" school don't get to wear the wings. They must complete an OJT flight syllabus at their units before becoming qualified to wear the wings. Depending on the unit and the individual, it won't take that long for them to earn their wings.
As far as other wings go, i.e. airborne, air assault, etc. They don't make the cut and are not authorized for wear. Unless you completed the course while you were in the Coast Guard. So a prior service Airborne Ranger with 1000 jumps can't wear the wings but a Coastie who got a lucky boondoggle can. Silly rule but none the less still a rule.
sardaddy: I think when he says "soldiers and airman" he means ex-Army and ex-Air Force pilots.gunfighter77 said:
If so, it's pretty straightforward. Here's how it works: When an ex-Army or ex-Air Force pilot completes his aircraft transition course he is authorized to wear the "Wings of Gold." This usually occurs within a few months of entering the CG.
I was asking about soldiers and airman pilots transitioning, thanks again. Does the CG have the same Aviation Career Incentive Pay as the USMC/USN? I'm not in it for the money, I just love flying but I just bought a house in San Diego last year and need to know if I will have to sell it if I were to transition. Are there any bonuses for aviators who decide to re-up after the initial 5 year obligation?
He did.sardaddy said:
You know me better than that...ain't gonna happen.sardaddy said:
All kidding aside, I think between my response and Keith's pontification about air assaults, boondogles, and Airborne Ranger Coasties we've covered every possible "wing" issue for Gunfighter.
Yes, pay scale, benefits and Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP) are the same as the DoD services. Also, your operational flight time carries over to the CG. For example, if you had 8.5 years in the cockpit for ACIP in the USMC then on day 1 in the CG you start at the 8.5 mark.gunfighter77 said:
No bonuses. Back in the mid-90's we were losing FW pilots to the airlines at a higher than normal rate so they offered a bonus to the FW guys for a short period of time. That's the only time I've seen it.