I'm a little hazy about the entire IFS program. I think its about the one thing my OSO and I haven't discussed yet. Something I intend to remedy when I go to see my OSO in three weeks. I'm applying for the OCC 187 class with an air contract and from what I understand the fall OCC guys class up for TBS in mid Jan/Feb. How long does it take to complete IFS and does it have to be completed before I can class up for TBS?
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Ifs
- Thread starter Arc Angel
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Fall OCC guys usually class up with Bravo I think. I know the winter OCC guys class up with Charlie. I was PLC combined and went through Alpha at TBS so I don't know to much about the OCC side. Anyway, when I went through TBS everybody was doing IFS after TBS before API. I think it was taking about two months to complete. That was in 2003, I don't know if it's different now or not.
Okay so it doesn't matter when we do IFS, just so long as we do it before API then? Correct me if I'm wrong, but is the whole point of IFS to help those 2nd Lieutenants who aren't sure if they really want to fly to make up their minds before the Marine Corps pays for their flight training or what? I mean the IP's at Pensecola are going to teach us how to fly the Navy/Marine Corp's way anyway.
The purpose of IFS as explained to me is to weed out those who are afraid of heights, terminally airsick, grossly untalented, or unmotivated before the Navy/Marine Corps spends a bunch of money on them (i.e. more than 25hrs in a civilian plane, which the gov't DOES still pay for). T-34s are more expensive to fly than C172s. As for the TBS thing, I'm Navy so I'll defer that to the Marines here.
Arc Angel said:
FIP was more geared toward what you're thinking. Someone else will have to chime in and let us know if they still do that or not. If you've not started TBS yet, go down to your local FBO and see about a "Discovery" flight, they were like $20 when I went a few years back.
If you have prior flight time you can't do IFS, there would be no point in doing it. I'm sure you could still do it if you only have a few hours, or less than 25, I guess. With 25 hours though, you probably won't be able to do it. I didn't do IFS because I had prior time so I don't really know all of the particulars about the program.
Is it possible to complete IFS before OCS? I love to fly and there’s no way in hell I’m giving up my air contract. I just want to get this out of the way now if that’s at all possible. I don’t want to chance sitting around in Pensacola completing IFS when I could be classing up for API instead. Has any one else out there done something like this? Right now I could only afford to do something like that if the Marines are footing the bill for the flight hours, but hey, I’ll sign over the next 8 to 10 years of my life over to the Corps this second if I can do something like this now and get it out of the way.
I did the FIP program, along with JBoomer. Talk to your OSO about it, I'm not even sure if the program still exists. The only difference betweent the FIP and IFS is you can do FIP at home before you commission as long as you complete OCS first. Not sure if OCC'ers are even elligible.
Let us know what your OSO has to say.
Let us know what your OSO has to say.
boomersooner
Primary- Vance AFB
Hey, I am in IFS right now, and You do have to do it after OCS (at least for the Navy, don't know about the Marine Corps but would be willing to bet its the same) and before you can class up for API. You cannot do it if you have a private pilot certificate or any solo or cross country solo time, I believe. The Navy/Marine Corps will spend the @$3,500 on you to see if you can hack it in the air because per student API costs around $16K and Primary costs over $140K. In short, a $3,500 insurance policy that acts as both a learning tool and screening program is better than just dropping well over 100K. By the way, these figures were quoted to us at the welcome to IFS brief. IFS is either a really awesome time for those of us who don't have any previous experience and end up really enjoying it, but I have heard of some people who go up and do stalls for the first time and just freak out and end up DOR-ing or getting PRBed because the CFI screens them out for being unsafe or unteachable. That sucks for them, but it is good in the end because who wants SNAs in training that would rather not be there? I know that I am very thankful for my SNA spot and I know that a lot of people out there would just absolutely do just about anything to be in our shoes.
Thanks for the input guys, I'll definately get back to you E5B on whether or not us OCC'ers can do FIP. This is all an effort to steam line the path between TBS and those gold wings we all want so very much. On the other hand, if I gotta to do it the long way, well then, that's what I gotta do.
FIP does still exist. I completed it this past semester before I graduated and received my commission. You must graduate from PLC before you are eligible for FIP, from what I understand. Whether that means 1 six-week program or both, I don't know (I was a 10-weeker, PLC-Combined). If you complete FIP, you won't have to go up to TBS early for IFS, unless you want to, from what I was told.
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