IFS, WHAT'S THE DEAL?

[aggieecp]

I haven't really posted in this forum much, just kind of lurked and chuckeled quite a bit; however, I finally have a legitimate question and figured I would ask about it.

Does anybosy have any information on IFS and how it works with checking in for API? THanks for your help.

 

[EA-6B1]

Would you SNA's say it helped to have IFS?

 

[nittany03]

Can't say whether it helps in Primary since I'm not there yet (bloody grad school has me 6 months in A-pool with 2 more to go), but if you haven't done IFS yet you'll do it in A-pool while waiting to class up. You've got three choices. Eglin AFB and Destin are about 50 miles away and Pensacola Airport is about 10 but the traffic sucks. There's a big long thread a while back discussing the merits of each; search around and you'll find it. Basically you have a 2/3 chance of a 1.5-hour drive and a 1/3 chance of a 25 minute drive. Hope that helps.

 

[Fly Navy]

More like a 95% chance of a 1.5 hour drive or a 5% chance of a 25 minute drive if you're an SNA. Pilots never end up in Pcola, at least during the fall they didn't.

 

[EA-6B1]

I'm the Marine type, and I've been told that I'll do IFS after my 2nd increment before I graduate college...

 

[nittany03]

Actually, my IFS class sent all NFOs to Pensacola , so there was a 0% chance.

 

[Fly Navy]

Yeah same here, I've heard of it happening though. The Navy needs to ditch Pensacola though, their rates are RIDICULOUS. I got my PPL after IFS through Destin, and I was hoping to check-out at Pensacola, until they raised their Piper Warrior II rate from $85 (too high) to $109 (way too high!!!).

 

[nittany03]

I'm almost done trying to get mine thru P-cola, but not in the Warrior. Their Tomahawk rates are cheaper. $70-odd for solo. Does hurt the wallet after a few weeks, though.

 

[FSUMIDN]

Did I hear right that all SNFOs are doing IFS in Pensacola now? I thought SNFOs weren't doing IFS yet.

 

[nittany03]

I'm an SNA not SNFO, but as I understand it some do and some don't. It depends on how deep A-pool is, and how much time they can afford to have you around before you class up.

 

[Fly Navy]

Yeah, Destin was preparing to recieve SNFOs, so who knows.

Nittany03: I don't wnat to pay $70 for the equivalent of a Cessna 152 though. However, GOOD LUCK! I haven't used mine much, mostly due to weather, but ****, it's great knowing I can fly civilian whenever I want basically.

 

[nittany03]

Right on the money Fly Navy. I loved the Traumahawk at first b/c the controls aren't as heavy as the 172 I flew in IFS, but I'm tired of getting thrown a hundred feet up every time I hit a bump. It's too light. My folks are coming down mid-March before I class up so I'm shooting to be licensed and checked out in the Archer so I can take 'em to Panama City or Mobile or just around wherever. Right now I'm sitting around waiting for these crapy 1500ft ceilings to go away so I can do my next XC.

 

[Fly Navy]

Ugh, yeah this winter weather hurts. Out of the 6 flights I've scheduled since I got my license (in December), I've flown 2. By the way, for some better prices, Ferguson field right near NASP and Milton right by NASWF both have normal prices. Ferguson has SCREWY traffic pattern, but it's close.

By the way, flying is a GREAT date if your woman has the stomach for it.

 

[krocdawg]

Yeah.. I dunno about the 527ft MSL pattern altitude right below the Class C of Sherman at Ferguson

 

[Fly Navy]

The pattern whigs you out at first, but then again, I'm used to 1000 AGL, not 500 AGL. What really screws with you is the 40 ft wide runway.