Well, I had my last flight in flight school today and now comes the wait to find out my aircraft/location and finally wing 13 Jan. I thought I’d throw together my thoughts on each phase of training in hopes in answering questions that I once had.
API class 0338 03 July 03 – 15 Aug 03
I couldn’t wait to start API for two reasons: 1. It wasn’t TBS, and 2. It was the beginning of my aviation career. Once I got a hold the pubs I read them cover to cover just to get familiar with them. Then classes start. It was my first time working with Navy (other than corpsman), USAF and USCG. I ended up making some really good buds throughout API and having a great time. The studying was intense because I was fairly intimidated due to the fact that I never really established a good study habit. For studying I would read the lessons prior to class, then review them afterwards. This may seem like an over kill to some but it worked for me. As a matter of fact, I feel that I over studied to the point of confusing myself on easy stuff. I always seemed to miss a 100 because of getting the easiest question wrong. Of course it doesn’t help that the API tests are written to specifically confuse folks. The first four weeks is the testing phase of API that includes the following tests: Aero, Weather, Aero II, Engines, Nav and FRR. We only lost one Marine during API because he failed two tests, then ended up rolling from another class because he failed another test. He was super close to being attrited but they let him through and now he is at Meridian. The first four weeks also include the swimming package, which is usually conducted in the mornings. For those of you worried about the swimming part, if you can get through the Marine Corps First Class Qual then you’ll have no problems. Finishing week four was a good feeling for a few reasons: tests were over, you get to wear your flight suit for the first time vice Chucks, and you’re that much closer to flying. The last 2 weeks was a blast and the days were usually short and included land/water survival, dunkers, and parasailing.
PRIMARY class 0350 12 Sept 03 – 15 Apr 04 VT-28
Off to Corpus Christi. StuCon had me waiting for a little less than 2 weeks. I used this time to get my pubs and start memorizing the fourty-something EP’s (which I thought was the hardest part of flight school) as a matter of fact, I wish I had used those last two weeks of API where we were just sitting around and NOT studying to start studying for the EP’s. Don’t make the mistake I did, learn all the Notes, Warnings and Cautions while you are learning your EP’s. Also, make single-sided copies of your checklist and put them in sleeves, attaching the last one to your knee board so you can flip through them pretty quick. Most guys just left the checklists in their “blue brains” and clipped that to their knee board, but I thought that was pretty bulky to fly with, so I’d just keep an extra copy of the checklist on my knee board and keep the blue brains in one of my pant pockets. I was very fortunate to have a really good onwing and for those of you that were in 28 and even in 27 know of Capt Waltrip (who is out now but joining the Navy reserves as a Lt to keep flying there in Corpus). Fams aren’t supposed to be fun, but this guy made it a blast. PA’s were OK, but I thought they were over rated. Forms was probably my favorite time in Primary next to my cross country. RI’s was tough at first being totally new to me but I got the hang of it pretty quick. For some reason, the Corpus guys, in particular the VT-28 guys generally have a better time in primary than the Whiting guys did. Talking to some of my buds that went to Whiting for Primary, they were absolutely miserable but they generally have a higher NSS than Corpus guys but not by much. Two of my good buds DOR’d (both VT-2) and that shocked the hell out of me. Not to get into a pissing contest or anything and I have no basis for comparison, but I thought VT-28 had some outstanding IP’s who made learning fun. I felt little pressure in Primary because I was one of those freaks that wanted helos from the beginning. My goal was to finish with a 50NSS (2 points under the jet minimum). And I missed it by .5 of a point. Off to helo land.
ADVANCED HELOs Class 0508 (changed many times due to the multiple hurricanes.
07 May 04 – today HT-8
Right away the helo squadrons seemed lots more laid back. EP’s aren’t too bad, and Notes Warnings and Cautions are half as bad as 34s. You are told what needs to be done, then left alone to do it. Unlike Primary/API where they hold your hand the whole time. Like most of you guys that have dreamed of jets since you were a kid, I have dreamed of helos since I was a kid. Always had a fascination with them. Anyway, flying them was friggin awesome. It took a few flights to get the aircraft under control but I found that the radio calls and instrument scan seemed to develop on it’s own (later in BI’s I found out I had a pretty poor instrument scan) Fams were fun and Tactics were really fun: confined area landings (CAL’s) external loads, high speed approaches. Now it’s time to switch to the Charlie model helo which has dual instruments, stab system, GPS, VOR/TACAN, NDB and ILS capable. BI’s were boring but had its purpose – developing an instrument scan. RI flights weren’t too bad but the briefs were a kick in the pants. This is where you start working towards your instrument rating, so you have to dig into the OPNAV, NATOPS and FAR/AIM. It was a huge weight off my shoulders when I finished RI’s with a solo cross country to Tallahassee. Now comes the fun flights, low level navs which is sorta like TBS land nav but in the air. You’ll be nav’ing and the IP will be flying. Ship quals were fun but there is nothing to it, there isn’t a heavy emphasis on it like there is in the jet world…still fun though. We then have a SAR (search and rescue) flight then finish with forms. Forms were again my favorite part of Advanced. I loved helo land, everything about it, I know most of you are dreaming of jets, but if things don’t work out and you “get stuck” with helos, I’m here to tell you it’s fun, and you’ll have a good time.
I thought Primary dragged on, but Advanced went by with a flash, even with all the down time due to the multible hurricanes. Among the airwarriors on here, I’ll be winging with: TowBubba, Vic, and a few others. There may not be anything useful in the above post, just my thoughts on flight school.
Good luck
API class 0338 03 July 03 – 15 Aug 03
I couldn’t wait to start API for two reasons: 1. It wasn’t TBS, and 2. It was the beginning of my aviation career. Once I got a hold the pubs I read them cover to cover just to get familiar with them. Then classes start. It was my first time working with Navy (other than corpsman), USAF and USCG. I ended up making some really good buds throughout API and having a great time. The studying was intense because I was fairly intimidated due to the fact that I never really established a good study habit. For studying I would read the lessons prior to class, then review them afterwards. This may seem like an over kill to some but it worked for me. As a matter of fact, I feel that I over studied to the point of confusing myself on easy stuff. I always seemed to miss a 100 because of getting the easiest question wrong. Of course it doesn’t help that the API tests are written to specifically confuse folks. The first four weeks is the testing phase of API that includes the following tests: Aero, Weather, Aero II, Engines, Nav and FRR. We only lost one Marine during API because he failed two tests, then ended up rolling from another class because he failed another test. He was super close to being attrited but they let him through and now he is at Meridian. The first four weeks also include the swimming package, which is usually conducted in the mornings. For those of you worried about the swimming part, if you can get through the Marine Corps First Class Qual then you’ll have no problems. Finishing week four was a good feeling for a few reasons: tests were over, you get to wear your flight suit for the first time vice Chucks, and you’re that much closer to flying. The last 2 weeks was a blast and the days were usually short and included land/water survival, dunkers, and parasailing.
PRIMARY class 0350 12 Sept 03 – 15 Apr 04 VT-28
Off to Corpus Christi. StuCon had me waiting for a little less than 2 weeks. I used this time to get my pubs and start memorizing the fourty-something EP’s (which I thought was the hardest part of flight school) as a matter of fact, I wish I had used those last two weeks of API where we were just sitting around and NOT studying to start studying for the EP’s. Don’t make the mistake I did, learn all the Notes, Warnings and Cautions while you are learning your EP’s. Also, make single-sided copies of your checklist and put them in sleeves, attaching the last one to your knee board so you can flip through them pretty quick. Most guys just left the checklists in their “blue brains” and clipped that to their knee board, but I thought that was pretty bulky to fly with, so I’d just keep an extra copy of the checklist on my knee board and keep the blue brains in one of my pant pockets. I was very fortunate to have a really good onwing and for those of you that were in 28 and even in 27 know of Capt Waltrip (who is out now but joining the Navy reserves as a Lt to keep flying there in Corpus). Fams aren’t supposed to be fun, but this guy made it a blast. PA’s were OK, but I thought they were over rated. Forms was probably my favorite time in Primary next to my cross country. RI’s was tough at first being totally new to me but I got the hang of it pretty quick. For some reason, the Corpus guys, in particular the VT-28 guys generally have a better time in primary than the Whiting guys did. Talking to some of my buds that went to Whiting for Primary, they were absolutely miserable but they generally have a higher NSS than Corpus guys but not by much. Two of my good buds DOR’d (both VT-2) and that shocked the hell out of me. Not to get into a pissing contest or anything and I have no basis for comparison, but I thought VT-28 had some outstanding IP’s who made learning fun. I felt little pressure in Primary because I was one of those freaks that wanted helos from the beginning. My goal was to finish with a 50NSS (2 points under the jet minimum). And I missed it by .5 of a point. Off to helo land.
ADVANCED HELOs Class 0508 (changed many times due to the multiple hurricanes.
07 May 04 – today HT-8
Right away the helo squadrons seemed lots more laid back. EP’s aren’t too bad, and Notes Warnings and Cautions are half as bad as 34s. You are told what needs to be done, then left alone to do it. Unlike Primary/API where they hold your hand the whole time. Like most of you guys that have dreamed of jets since you were a kid, I have dreamed of helos since I was a kid. Always had a fascination with them. Anyway, flying them was friggin awesome. It took a few flights to get the aircraft under control but I found that the radio calls and instrument scan seemed to develop on it’s own (later in BI’s I found out I had a pretty poor instrument scan) Fams were fun and Tactics were really fun: confined area landings (CAL’s) external loads, high speed approaches. Now it’s time to switch to the Charlie model helo which has dual instruments, stab system, GPS, VOR/TACAN, NDB and ILS capable. BI’s were boring but had its purpose – developing an instrument scan. RI flights weren’t too bad but the briefs were a kick in the pants. This is where you start working towards your instrument rating, so you have to dig into the OPNAV, NATOPS and FAR/AIM. It was a huge weight off my shoulders when I finished RI’s with a solo cross country to Tallahassee. Now comes the fun flights, low level navs which is sorta like TBS land nav but in the air. You’ll be nav’ing and the IP will be flying. Ship quals were fun but there is nothing to it, there isn’t a heavy emphasis on it like there is in the jet world…still fun though. We then have a SAR (search and rescue) flight then finish with forms. Forms were again my favorite part of Advanced. I loved helo land, everything about it, I know most of you are dreaming of jets, but if things don’t work out and you “get stuck” with helos, I’m here to tell you it’s fun, and you’ll have a good time.
I thought Primary dragged on, but Advanced went by with a flash, even with all the down time due to the multible hurricanes. Among the airwarriors on here, I’ll be winging with: TowBubba, Vic, and a few others. There may not be anything useful in the above post, just my thoughts on flight school.
Good luck
