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Newbie question about NFO's
- Thread starter juslaxn
- Start date
A little general, but...
I'll bite. I winged fairly recently, though, so I'll restrict myself to answering your first question and get back to you on the second...
For me, the most difficult part of my road to the 1320 (NFO designation) was OCS. It's challenging and demanding, and designed to grind you down and put the fear of God, your chain of command, and Marine Corps Drill Instructors into you (I still get a little bit of pucker whenever I see a Gunny). That being said, you or anyone else can get through it if you start off with a minimal level of competency, considerably more humility (you will struggle with some things and you'd better get used to it), and a large amount of mental toughness. OCS will either break you or put an edge on you that will carry you through API and flight school (even if that edge gets a bit dull as you wait in A-pool for eight months). From there, it's mostly a matter of doing what you're told (studying in groups really does help, even if one sometimes gets off topic) and being willing to put in the hours necessary to study and plan flights, because that's what you'll be doing later as well. Since it's not really a matter of stick-and-rudder skills for NFOs, as opposed to pilots, what it comes down to is maintaining your desire and motivation to succeed--which can be difficult at times. But many have made it through to wings, and that was certainly one of the proudest moments of my life.
I'll bite. I winged fairly recently, though, so I'll restrict myself to answering your first question and get back to you on the second...
For me, the most difficult part of my road to the 1320 (NFO designation) was OCS. It's challenging and demanding, and designed to grind you down and put the fear of God, your chain of command, and Marine Corps Drill Instructors into you (I still get a little bit of pucker whenever I see a Gunny). That being said, you or anyone else can get through it if you start off with a minimal level of competency, considerably more humility (you will struggle with some things and you'd better get used to it), and a large amount of mental toughness. OCS will either break you or put an edge on you that will carry you through API and flight school (even if that edge gets a bit dull as you wait in A-pool for eight months). From there, it's mostly a matter of doing what you're told (studying in groups really does help, even if one sometimes gets off topic) and being willing to put in the hours necessary to study and plan flights, because that's what you'll be doing later as well. Since it's not really a matter of stick-and-rudder skills for NFOs, as opposed to pilots, what it comes down to is maintaining your desire and motivation to succeed--which can be difficult at times. But many have made it through to wings, and that was certainly one of the proudest moments of my life.
Agreed. Time managment is the key to getting through flight school. Get your work done early.
The other major hump I had to get over was NFO-math... being able to do math in your head, and not gnats-assing the numbers. Round to a 5 or a 0, get on with life. Accept the fact that in the cockpit, 5+3=10 (or 5 if your dealing with fuel).
The other thing that got me was low low levels, but that ties back into gnats assing the numbers. When I stopped trying to be as exact on the numbers and started trusting my estimations, low levels got easier and better.
For me I found the most challenging stuff to learn was in advanced (for me this was not VT-86). I had to learn so many different tactics it made my head spin. The type of aircraft you end up flying will ultimately determine what that information is. NFOs are just huge nerds.
And for E-2 NFOs, confidence with radios is extremely important (I'm really just adding to previous comms comments).
And for E-2 NFOs, confidence with radios is extremely important (I'm really just adding to previous comms comments).
Congrats! Go to the User CP and request to join The NFO user group. That way we can get wings under your name.
Yes, we can be.
Trusting your pilot to pull out when he's 90 nose low 450 kts accelerating on the back side of a loop following a hard pull during ACM.
Trust. Without a stick (and sometimes no ejection handle) its all about the trust.
Trust. Without a stick (and sometimes no ejection handle) its all about the trust.
nice... you guys have definitly given some great insight to what it takes... I have my private pilots license and know how difficult it was to become comfortable on the radios, but now it's a cake walk... not sure how civilian flying compares, but I understand the difficulty.
anyone else!
anyone else!
What schnugg said. I also see you are into general aviation now. I had lots of civ pilot time and it was sometimes hard to go back to the basics. You have to do it their way. That means reading what amounts to a damned script to the pilot and ATC when you know it won't be like that in the real world. You flight plan their way even though you may never do it that way again. That was tough for me sometimes. But trust and confidence in the pilot, and your ability to keep him honest, that is big.
Multitasking
For E-2C kiddies the biggest thing is multitasking. We have alot of radios (we listen to multiple ones at a a time), keeping our eyes on the data links for the warfare commanders, the radar scopes, making sure all the supporting equipment is working, and filling out paperwork. It can get overwhelming really quick. Some people are just good at it, other need to work on it.
For E-2C kiddies the biggest thing is multitasking. We have alot of radios (we listen to multiple ones at a a time), keeping our eyes on the data links for the warfare commanders, the radar scopes, making sure all the supporting equipment is working, and filling out paperwork. It can get overwhelming really quick. Some people are just good at it, other need to work on it.