IFS locations

[illinijoe05]

Im comissioning in May and we currently have no facilities in the champaign, IL area to do IFS at. Where are other midwestern NROTC units (or any unit) sending there SNAs for IFS. Im trying to avoid doing it in P-cola. Also, Does anyone know of any airfields near chicago that are IFS certified.

 

[litreofcola]

There is more than likely a school in chicago that is certified to do IFS. I am pretty sure that the only requirement is that the Flight School is operated under Part 141. Also try and find a school that operates at a controlled tower so that you can get used to talking on the radio.

I did IFS in pensacola at Pensacola Regional (PNS), They have a good Flight School there and it is not that bad, the only problem is that you might not get to go to PNS if you decide to do it in pensacola, because they spread out the IFS students between PNS, Miracle Strip(Destin) and Eglin Airforce Base. The Latter two locations have quite a commute.

 

[flynsail]

https://www.ifs.cnet.navy.mil/ifscode/help/default.cfm

Hope this link will help you out some.

 

[bluesmobile]

Palwaukee (Wheeling) and Du Page (West Chicago) are a couple good Chicago-area spots that I'm pretty sure are Part 141. Plus both are fairly close to O'Hare (especially Palwaukee which is 5 mi north of it) so you'll get plenty of experience dealing in busy airspaces. I probably would've tried for one of those if I was ROTC.

GO ILLINI! BEAT WISKY!

 

[sludge31]

Might as well wait and do IFS in P'cola...It tends to break up the monotony of a 4-6 month wait for API.

 

[gregsivers]

Why not do it in Pcola? It sure as hell does break up the monotony, and when you're doing it thats all you have to do. Phone mustering everyday was awesome. Its a paid vacation if you do it in Pcola. I did it at PNS and had a great time.

 

[VarmintShooter]

The guys I knew who did it in P'cola completed the program in around 2-3 weeks of double-pumping joy (right?).

When I did it as a ROTC stash I took a relaxing 3-4 months ... of phone muster ... at home ... with an instructor who wasn't ex-military ... lots of WX cancellations ... it rocked.

Just a thought.

You guys should try to do it in Pensacola so that the places you stash in the meantime can get more useful work out of you.

 

[gregsivers]

I had several WX cancellations too, and my instructor was a 20 year old female college student. Had trouble keeping my mind on flying and it took me 53 days of the 60 alloted to finish.

 

[VarmintShooter]

it took me 53 days of the 60 alloted to finish

Yeah, I went over the allotted time because of WX. Still, didn't have to report to work even on the WX days.

Only ever did one flight a day too.

 

[Penguin]

Of the three Pensacola area locations, I believe Eglin is the only one that will routinely double pump you. The only time I ever had two flights in one day at Pensacola Aviation was the day I flew my checkride, then my solo. One other thought: many of my friends who did IFS in their last Semester of college wished the experience were more recent when they got to API. It's not all the same, but if your IFS program has a strong ground school, like Pensacola Aviation did, much of what you learn will be directly applicable to API academics.

 

[ocjams]

I'm in my last semester before graduation and my LT here said that it's basically a requirement to complete IFS before commissioning. I would think that I will have plenty of time to do IFS before I check into Pensacola. Are there books included in IFS training that we get to keep? Maybe that would be a handy dandy thang to have for studying during my stash time.

 

[gregsivers]

Pensacola Aviation has an excellent ground school which made some of the aero and the WX in API easier. You get to keep all the stuff they give you in IFS. Its a standard private pilot kit from Jeppesen, at least it is at Pensacola Aviation. If you do it in Pcola and still have stash time afterwards you can get your PPL for $2000 or so if you really want to.

 

[WannaBEaP3gal]

I'm in my last semester before graduation and my LT here said that it's basically a requirement to complete IFS before commissioning. I would think that I will have plenty of time to do IFS before I check into Pensacola. Are there books included in IFS training that we get to keep? Maybe that would be a handy dandy thang to have for studying during my stash time.

Complete IFS before commissioning is a requirement? I don't think so, in fact, I only know one person who did it before commissioning. Everyone who just graduated with me is doing IFS right now. You're gonna want to wait til after commissioning so you will have something to do instead of becoming an office staff slave to the unit. More than likely you will be stashed long enough to complete it, and if not, you'll just do it @ Pensacola.

 

[Acoustix99]

Eh, don't waste the extra 2 grand if you feel like getting your PPL (just my opinion, for those of you who are SNA's) - Once you get your wings, you can just get a military equivilancy for free, unless you think you're going to want to spend your time during primary and advanced flying on the weekends. I kind of doubt you will want to do anything to do with flying on the weekends though.

 

[ocjams]

I've always wondered what sort of equivalency can we get for each pipeline. Like, if you've completed the E-2 pipeline, have your wings, and are new to the fleet, what is that equivalent to on the civilian side???multiengine??? aside from that example, what about the CODs or P-3's or even EA-6B's? I'm sure i could find it on here if i searched through threads for hours...but I just figured I'd ask.

Icewoman, looks like you're heading down to Pensacola next month. Can you send me a postcard from down there? I miss the real Navy!