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IFS

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I just graduated from The Citadel in Dec. 02 and the Navy put me through IFS in Charleston. It doesn't have to be Pcola but the school must be approved by CNET.

Blake A. Chaney
 
Can anyone share some info about IFS ground school? Is it just one week and then it's mostly flying? I understand the first week is busy with lots of readings and class time. How much detail should one get into when studying? Is it a lot harder when you don't have an engineering background? How much does it affect one's overall success in IFS? Just wondering... thanks!

Sabine
 
I am at OCS right now (commissioning this Friday) and I came in under BDCP and am married. I, along with all of the other married SNA/SNFOs in my class were given the option to have their orders cut for primary early, so we could move our families here. Also, we were given DLA...if you don't know what DLA is, it is important to ask if you are eligible for it anytime you move or switch duty stations. The only catch is that your orders will be to Whiting, and if you don't want that you can roll the dice and choose the per diem route, which would give you a slightly higher than a snowballs' chance in hell of getting out of going to Whiting. Bottom line is that most married, in fact all that I have ever met, have gone to Whiting.
 
IFS ground school depends on where you go for IFS. I hear that the dudes at PNS and Eglin have one week of ground school that covers everything. At Destin we watch videos on our own schedule and we just have to finish stage exams (30-50 multiple choice questions) by a certain point in the syllabus. Its nothing that could be described as rigorous academics. You won't need an engineering background to fly the cessna, since 16yr olds can work towards their PPL.
 
Just for clarification on the PPL, I'm wrapping up mine after IFS while doing the CNET grad school gig before API. I did my IFS at Eglin in a 172 and am flying Traumahawks in P-cola for my license. Due to school policy and my switching a/c, they made me work up to another pattern solo in the Tomahawk, as well as relearning everything there that I did in the 172. So the "free" Navy time might not always be what it's cracked up to be. Although granted I soloed the Piper in half the time it took me to solo the 172, so it wasn't like I got nothing out of the deal.
 
Any recent numbers on NFO's? What percentage is being sent to IFS? How long from OCS to IFT to PRIMARY etc? I go to OCS in June. A co-worker of mine has a brother who graduated OCS a few monthes back and is still on hold waiting to start primary.
 
It has been said that you are given 60 days to complete IFS before API begins. The average time for completion was said to be about 30 days. What then are people doing with the 30 days remaining? Do they automatically head off to API (permitting vacancies) or do they have the other 30 days off until they are put in the mix for API?
 
They do NOT have the 30 days off. You have 60 days to complete. If you're done early, you are that much closer to starting API.
 
Okay, similar question then: The 60 days you have to do IFS is on your own time right? So during this time you can travel the allowed distance (ie 50 miles or so) and fill out a travel pass for more distant ones? Although I guess that time away would be part of the 10 days vacation gained after OCS (I think that's what someone said).
 
Yes, I believe you can. I also believe you can "set your own schedule". Hopefully some guys that have been through IFS/doing it now can help you out. You mean take leave? I don't think you can take ordinary leave until you have finished everything and are waiting to class-up.
 
I am in IFS right now, at PAC. Ground school is a total of like a week and a half, but it is really easy. You have sixty days to finish the program and it is sort of self paced. It all depends on the weather and your instructor. My instructor doesn't fly me on weekends and generally works me only on the days that are best suited for that day's particular flight. The days are short and enjoyable. Other istructors fly their students twice a day and on Sundays. You can travel on the days you are not flying, up to 350 miles if I am not mistaken, without taking leave. Example: I went to New Orleans for Mardi Gras without doing the leave thing.
 
Thanks thumper, that's exactly the sort of imformation I was looking for. It also lets me know that it is no necessarily completely up to the student how long it takes to finish IFS but also depends on how often the instructor is willing to fly you.
 
I have a question for anyone who has been through IFS at Pensacola airport. My husband is currently going through IFS and had his first flight today with his instructor. It didn't go as well as he'd hoped. He doesn't really care for his instructor and their personalities seem to clash a bit. His instructor kinda just threw him in there without never have been in the cockpit before and wanted him to takeoff when he was having problems just taxiing down the runway. My husband is very discouraged after today. Has anyone else had experience with the very demanding instructor at Pensacola Airport? I won't mention names :) Suggestions?
 
vaughncc said:
I have a question for anyone who has been through IFS at Pensacola airport. My husband is currently going through IFS and had his first flight today with his instructor. It didn't go as well as he'd hoped. He doesn't really care for his instructor and their personalities seem to clash a bit. His instructor kinda just threw him in there without never have been in the cockpit before and wanted him to takeoff when he was having problems just taxiing down the runway. My husband is very discouraged after today. Has anyone else had experience with the very demanding instructor at Pensacola Airport? I won't mention names :) Suggestions?
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I think your husband has the instructor I had-his initials are "S.S." He is also known as the Grinder. He is famous in the IFS office. Apparently he is the only instructor to have multiple DORs AND multiple students fail. The whole point of doing this to your husband is to mess with his head, to freak him out. Find out if we are talking about the same guy and maybe I can help you.

-Thumper

"I hope both sides lose."
 
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