GhostPilot
Member
Hi all! I haven't been to this site in a while since getting my wings, but I wanted to come here to share a little of my Naval Flight School experience. Hopefully this helps others who may may be going through some downs in flight school. Some quick background, I am an Aircraft Commander and thoroughly have been enjoying every second of flying in the fleet. I'm not going to go in depth on how to succeed (there are plenty other gouge posts), but I will highlight my failures. Also, I went to flight school right before NIFE was introduced and when pink sheets were given out for the swim phase. So here we go:
APIT: Not much to talk about this phase, just be active!
Swim Phase: I consider myself a fairly decent swimmer. I easily passed every test this week except when it came to the last day... treading with the helmet. I had no issues swimming 75yds with gear and helmet on, but when it came to the dead man float with gear and helmet I struggled. After our whole class finished with the last swim test, the swim instructors had me perform the tread and float with helmet/gear while my whole class watched from the bleachers. I went into the pool, tried the deadman float with helmet again and I just could not get my head up....I just sank...I failed. Felt like a public humiliation. And so, on this last day of swim I was sent to flight management where I received my first pink sheet. I was blindsided! I get sent to remedial hold swim... 2x a day from 0700-0800 and 1130-1230. And so, I get held back from my initial class and go right into the hold swim. First day I go into hold swim, they have me jump right in the pool with gear for the tread and float..I couldn't do it. Mind you this whole week they have you swimming in flight suit while other remedials are getting tested for where they lacked...the swimming portion was so relaxing. On my second attempt, I did the tread and float with gear (2min tread and 7 min float) but the instructor said my face wasn't in the water long enough. I finally got it on my third attempt and this time it was 2 min tread and 9 min float, I was so stoked. Mentally I got in my own head, the tread and water with helmet was almost my 13th reason why (and I wasn't in flight phase yet!) but glad I was able to keep going. I got put back in a new swim class where they only had me do the mile swim in flight suit...and easy PASS!
IFS: I got a 100% in all my tests. Then I go to flight phase flying a cessna with a civilian instructor. No issues at all leading up to my check. On my checkride day I will honestly say I had a bad flight day... I failed. Navy gives me another pinksheet. So now I'm sitting here with 2 pinksheets and thinking WTF I'm not even in API yet. Now I have to go stand in front of a Board. Medical doctor in the Board asks "Is there anything going on in your family life?" I say no, I am single and truly care about my career blah blah blah, I back my case up and they retain me.
API: Just study your ass off. I really focused and grinded because I did not want to fail (especially after those 2 previous imaginary pinksheets). I ended up ranking 3rd in my class, super stoked.
Primary: Completed with no issues. Solid NSS Score. Aero Solo was my favorite!
Advanced: No issues until Review Stage...I had another bad flying day where I failed my first Review Stage Flight, poor power management and I deserved that fail. I give it a second go around with a different instructor where I did better but failed again due to a stupid mistake I made coming in for the initial approach fix back home...That sucked. Now I'm up against my second (first actual Board because the previous was silly) but I was able to defend myself and get retained. I ended up passing the rest of my review stage flights with ease and got those golden wings.
If it wasn't for these failures, I wouldn't be the Pilot/Aviator I am today. Be humble, treat any failure as a way to better yourself, make yourself a better pilot. I hope that this helps. Enjoy Florida/Corpus Christi while you can (because you get busier in the fleet). I had a lot of fun and made lots of lifelong friends.Thank you all for your service and Salud!
APIT: Not much to talk about this phase, just be active!
Swim Phase: I consider myself a fairly decent swimmer. I easily passed every test this week except when it came to the last day... treading with the helmet. I had no issues swimming 75yds with gear and helmet on, but when it came to the dead man float with gear and helmet I struggled. After our whole class finished with the last swim test, the swim instructors had me perform the tread and float with helmet/gear while my whole class watched from the bleachers. I went into the pool, tried the deadman float with helmet again and I just could not get my head up....I just sank...I failed. Felt like a public humiliation. And so, on this last day of swim I was sent to flight management where I received my first pink sheet. I was blindsided! I get sent to remedial hold swim... 2x a day from 0700-0800 and 1130-1230. And so, I get held back from my initial class and go right into the hold swim. First day I go into hold swim, they have me jump right in the pool with gear for the tread and float..I couldn't do it. Mind you this whole week they have you swimming in flight suit while other remedials are getting tested for where they lacked...the swimming portion was so relaxing. On my second attempt, I did the tread and float with gear (2min tread and 7 min float) but the instructor said my face wasn't in the water long enough. I finally got it on my third attempt and this time it was 2 min tread and 9 min float, I was so stoked. Mentally I got in my own head, the tread and water with helmet was almost my 13th reason why (and I wasn't in flight phase yet!) but glad I was able to keep going. I got put back in a new swim class where they only had me do the mile swim in flight suit...and easy PASS!
IFS: I got a 100% in all my tests. Then I go to flight phase flying a cessna with a civilian instructor. No issues at all leading up to my check. On my checkride day I will honestly say I had a bad flight day... I failed. Navy gives me another pinksheet. So now I'm sitting here with 2 pinksheets and thinking WTF I'm not even in API yet. Now I have to go stand in front of a Board. Medical doctor in the Board asks "Is there anything going on in your family life?" I say no, I am single and truly care about my career blah blah blah, I back my case up and they retain me.
API: Just study your ass off. I really focused and grinded because I did not want to fail (especially after those 2 previous imaginary pinksheets). I ended up ranking 3rd in my class, super stoked.
Primary: Completed with no issues. Solid NSS Score. Aero Solo was my favorite!
Advanced: No issues until Review Stage...I had another bad flying day where I failed my first Review Stage Flight, poor power management and I deserved that fail. I give it a second go around with a different instructor where I did better but failed again due to a stupid mistake I made coming in for the initial approach fix back home...That sucked. Now I'm up against my second (first actual Board because the previous was silly) but I was able to defend myself and get retained. I ended up passing the rest of my review stage flights with ease and got those golden wings.
If it wasn't for these failures, I wouldn't be the Pilot/Aviator I am today. Be humble, treat any failure as a way to better yourself, make yourself a better pilot. I hope that this helps. Enjoy Florida/Corpus Christi while you can (because you get busier in the fleet). I had a lot of fun and made lots of lifelong friends.Thank you all for your service and Salud!