New API Class up policy

[picklesuit]

Along with the "new" class up policy, other gouge has put out, specifically about age requirements.

Apparently there is an instruction on age requirements that some are interpreting as upper limits for winging. The gouge being thrown around is that we "cannot have passed 29th birthday for single anchor STUDs and 31st birthday for double anchor STUDs".

Those who fall into this category (myself included) are very familiar with the age requirements for STA-21 and OCS commissioning (which we've already met: thus bars on collar), but this is the first time I've heard of an upper age limit for winging which would contradict the commissioning limits in some cases.

So, to all ye "aged" students and all salty Aviators: Is there a CNTRA instruction, or any other instruction for that matter that discusses upper age limits for winging?

Because of this age discussion, it sounds like we older ENS's will be classing up for API sooner rather than later to avoid potential age problems...... That is if there is an instruction that states an upper age limit for winging......

I turned 29 10 days before I winged...no problems with that...and there were older dudes than me...I think it is "commission by" not "wing by"...

 

[Sinatra]

I turned 29 10 days before I winged...no problems with that...and there were older dudes than me...I think it is "commission by" not "wing by"...

That is what I've always thought too. I know 2 guys that winged after their 32nd birthday, but still we are being told to standby for further guidance. I'm just curious what instruction this is that may be misinterpreted.

I'll be 29 in June, and if this misinterpreting just gets me classed up quicker, so be it. But, if somebody has found an official instruction that states "winged by" I'd really like to read it.

 

[Python]

The commissioning date versus time on board won't shorten anything in the grand scheme, its just going to change some people around. So some people will go faster and others will wait.

HOWEVER, what will speed things up is their decision to increase the pilot slots up to 21-30.

Your going to wait at least 1.5 months when you get down here, so don't waste $6000+ on trying to get flight time so you don't have to take IFS. IFS will give you something to do and eat up some of that time.

If you want to really speed things up, volunteer for Vance. You can pick your class-up date. My friend loves being in APool and is thinking of volunteering for Vance and asking to class up in September.

Well I'm definitely skippng IFS that's why I brought it up. I figures that would throw a monkey wrench into this whole thing. My guess is that may decrease that 1.5 month wait. I was just curious.

 

[KCOTT]

Jesus, who cares how long you are in a-pool. At the longest it's only six months of your life. Your "work" consists of driving to base and signing your name. Ten minutes at the most. And this new policy pretty much only affects May grads of last year, so newcomers I wouldn't worry about it. Tomorrow, let's make a thread about PT with aircrew to keep this a-pool train rollin' on the internet.

 

[armada1651]

Well I'm definitely skippng IFS that's why I brought it up. I figures that would throw a monkey wrench into this whole thing. My guess is that may decrease that 1.5 month wait. I was just curious.

I skipped IFS and will have been waiting about 5 months to class up for API. It will affect you but there's no way to guess exactly how, and it's not worth the effort anyway. Just enjoy the time off while you have it, you'll class up when you class up.

 

[burningfeathers]

I'm a FO who skipped IFS and I've been waiting around four 4 months now. Classmates of mine who got here just a little before me have all classed up (both FO and Pilot) so I don't think skipping IFS has helped me at all.

 

[torpedo0126]

Well I'm definitely skippng IFS that's why I brought it up. I figures that would throw a monkey wrench into this whole thing. My guess is that may decrease that 1.5 month wait. I was just curious.

The only way skipping IFS would decrease your wait time is if there was a wait for API less than then month and half average to complete IFS. Like everyone else has been posting, you class up based on commissioning date and then time on board. Its not going to decrease that wait one bit.

In fact, IFS is a great way to occupy your time. You get to fly and you don't have to muster.

 

[MIDNJAC]

The only way skipping IFS would decrease your wait time is if there was a wait for API less than then month and half average to complete IFS. Like everyone else has been posting, you class up based on commissioning date and then time on board. Its not going to decrease that wait one bit.

In fact, IFS is a great way to occupy your time. You get to fly and you don't have to muster.

Maybe things have drastically changed, but when I checked in I spent exactly two weeks in the pool before classing up, and that was entirely because I did not need to do IFS. My other friends who commissioned 8 months before me were just finishing API when I started.

 

[BACONATOR]

Maybe things have drastically changed, but when I checked in I spent exactly two weeks in the pool before classing up, and that was entirely because I did not need to do IFS. My other friends who commissioned 8 months before me were just finishing API when I started.

Ditto. After I commissioned, I had 23 days of leave approved after OCS. BECAUSE I did not require IFS, I got a phone call from the flight management LT saying "BE BACK NEXT THURSDAY! YOU'RE CLASSING UP". So much for post-OCS deprogramming leave....

 

[statesman]

The issue doesn't seem to be with IFS incomplete O-1s. It is almost entirely that there are several folks who are IFS complete waiting to get into API.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Gotcha, so you are saying that guys who are finished with IFS and back in the pool are classing up more slowly than guys who haven't done IFS yet? That doesn't exactly make sense how that would be happening. When I was there, once you finished IFS you were back in the pool, and back at the end of the line alongside all the other no-IFS guys and Marines, Coasties and AF studs. The original comment I was responding to was about whether or not skipping IFS saves you time in the pool......which it does.

 

[ProwlerPilot]

Holy crap! I know you are all hard charging Ensigns who just want to "get to the fight" and all that. But SERIOUSLY, enjoy the pool. It is GREAT! Go to Maguires and Babez and Seville and Flounders and live it up. I can guarantee you in 3 years you will be on the cat for your fourth night flight in 4 days with a stack of E-3 evals on your desk and a level 3 check flight the next day saying, "if only I could have a diesel fuel on the beach right now!"

The fleet will still be there when you show up. Get your money's worth now because the Navy definetly will later!

 

[statesman]

What I was getting at is, that I'm not entirely sure it makes a difference one way or another. I cant see have skipping IFS would make things longer, but from the sound of it you would just spend more time in A Pool as opposed to taking a 4 - 6 week break to go fly.

 

[MIDNJAC]

What I was getting at is, that I'm not entirely sure it makes a difference one way or another. I cant see have skipping IFS would make things longer, but from the sound of it you would just spend more time in A Pool as opposed to taking a 4 - 6 week break to go fly.

If you don't need IFS when you check in, you are ready to class up for API as soon as they are ready for you. If you do need IFS, you have to wait to class for that, actually DO IFS (which can take a while from what I saw), and then you have to come back to the pool and wait again to get into API. They don't keep the no-IFS guys in the pool just so they can class up when the other dudes who needed IFS are done and ready. The guys who checked into 633 on the same day as me who still needed to do IFS are seriously only about to start primary right now. If you are saying that there is a new system that keeps everyone even based on check-in date, regardless of readiness to class for API, then disregard my comments.

 

[armada1651]

If you are saying that there is a new system that keeps everyone even based on check-in date, regardless of readiness to class for API, then disregard my comments.

I think what we're trying to say is the system isn't that simple. I know of at least one person in my API class who checked in about the same time as me (a couple days earlier, I think) and did IFS and at least one person who checked in some time later and didn't do IFS.

There's a lot more variables than we're aware of, understand, or can accurately calculate the effects of. So yes, skipping IFS may well get you into API faster...or it may not. But for the love of God, who cares? It doesn't matter, the Navy's not gonna forget about anyone.