T-6B Advanced (JAPT)

[Swanee]

This may be an incorrect assumption, but don't FAIPs do the full T-38 or T-1 syllabus before going back as a T-6 IP? I.e. they're not pulling dudes out of the pipeline right after finishing T-6's and making them IPs (which it seems like the Navy syllabus would do).

Your assumption is correct. You have to earn your wings first in the AF system before you go FAIP.

 

[Brett327]

The MCG says they'll do the FITU as a follow on. In the T-45, you do an abbreviated FITU syllabus as a SERGRAD, it wouldn't surprise me if they institute a similar waiver for the T-6 SERGRADs.

This may be an incorrect assumption, but don't FAIPs do the full T-38 or T-1 syllabus before going back as a T-6 IP? I.e. they're not pulling dudes out of the pipeline right after finishing T-6's and making them IPs (which it seems like the Navy syllabus would do).



I am unfortunately one of those guys in LAR (as is my Skipper). It sounds like the fleet is trying to push the burden off to the FRSes as much as possible. Who would have thought that a bunch of guys would suddenly be scrambling to stay in Lemoore...

Yeah, when I saw the email from AB I was like, “so this is what it has come to?” Hopefully in your case, the relatively small number of F-35 folks will keep you within community lifelines.

 

[gparks1989]

It sounds like the fleet is trying to push the burden off to the FRSes as much as possible. Who would have thought that a bunch of guys would suddenly be scrambling to stay in Lemoore...

Aren’t the FRSes undermanned too? This seems like a remarkably shortsighted decision that just moves around the bottleneck, but desperate times and all of that.

 

[ChuckMK23]

please explain - is this after Primary and Intermediate T-6B? I think this is a win-win. AF has had huge success with FAIp and many AF types have found a full and sarisfying career to O4/O5 career as a flight instructor/IP.

Someone who earns a master-craft as a Primary IP is incredibly valuable - and will serve continuity of expertise/knowledge. When you think about it, in the civillian airline world career path, the first professional job an aspiring airline pilot has is as a CFI, learning to teach commercial/instrument curriculum while learning to monitor another pilot and act as PIC - this approach produces results.

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

Aren’t the FRSes undermanned too? This seems like a remarkably shortsighted decision that just moves around the bottleneck, but desperate times and all of that.

I'm sure some on here will have a better idea of manning in the NAE, but I know PERS has been playing with people's orders lengths both for first sea and first shore in order to create enough time prior to MSR to get them a Super JO tour. I would imagine this is being done to plug what they see as a short term gap in the VTJs/FRSes and then a longer term gap in the fleet.

please explain - is this after Primary and Intermediate T-6B? I think this is a win-win. AF has had huge success with FAIp and many AF types have found a full and sarisfying career to O4/O5 career as a flight instructor/IP.

Someone who earns a master-craft as a Primary IP is incredibly valuable - and will serve continuity of expertise/knowledge. When you think about it, in the civillian airline world career path, the first professional job an aspiring airline pilot has is as a CFI, learning to teach commercial/instrument curriculum while learning to monitor another pilot and act as PIC - this approach produces results.

I think the difference is that the Navy plan (as the MCG is written) would be making T-6 IPs with only ~100ish hours of first pilot time in military aircraft, period. Whereas FAIPs at least go through T-38 or T-1 training before going back as T-6 IPs. Maybe this program is meant for guys with significant prior civilian or NFO time, but as a guy that did well in the T-6 syllabus, I will tell you that I would have been nowhere near ready to safely to fly with a dude just starting out in the pipeline, let alone instruct him/her in a constructive manner.

 

[jointhelocalizer]

I'm sure some on here will have a better idea of manning in the NAE, but I know PERS has been playing with people's orders lengths both for first sea and first shore in order to create enough time prior to MSR to get them a Super JO tour. I would imagine this is being done to plug what they see as a short term gap in the VTJs/FRSes and then a longer term gap in the fleet.



I think the difference is that the Navy plan (as the MCG is written) would be making T-6 IPs with only ~100ish hours of first pilot time in military aircraft, period. Whereas FAIPs at least go through T-38 or T-1 training before going back as T-6 IPs. Maybe this program is meant for guys with significant prior civilian or NFO time, but as a guy that did well in the T-6 syllabus, I will tell you that I would have been nowhere near ready to safely to fly with a dude just starting out in the pipeline, let alone instruct him/her in a constructive manner.

I wonder if there will be a sortie restriction on SERGRADs. I wouldn't be surprised if they are restricted to flights like RIs and VNAV. Maybe get into Contacts later on in their tour, but like you said, I wouldn't feel prepared at all walking to the plane with a C4101 student. On the other hand, I'd feel more confident with a student who was in I4200 or I4300. They get the FMS, the iPad, and this isn't their first time shooting approaches or operating in the IFR side of the NAS.

 

[SynixMan]

I wonder if there will be a sortie restriction on SERGRADs. I wouldn't be surprised if they are restricted to flights like RIs and VNAV. Maybe get into Contacts later on in their tour, but like you said, I wouldn't feel prepared at all walking to the plane with a C4101 student. On the other hand, I'd feel more confident with a student who was in I4200 or I4300. They get the FMS, the iPad, and this isn't their first time shooting approaches or operating in the IFR side of the NAS.

This is my thought as well. The Global SA required to instruct Contacts/Forms was much more than shooting a couple of instrument approaches in VFR conditions with God Mode (iPad/Foreflight/ADSB) turned on. If I didn't dislike Corpus/PCola so much I might even consider some long orders back to instruct now that I've got a seniority number. As is stands, don't think that'll fly with CINCHOMELANT

 

[insanebikerboy]

I wonder if there will be a sortie restriction on SERGRADs. I wouldn't be surprised if they are restricted to flights like RIs and VNAV. Maybe get into Contacts later on in their tour, but like you said, I wouldn't feel prepared at all walking to the plane with a C4101 student. On the other hand, I'd feel more confident with a student who was in I4200 or I4300. They get the FMS, the iPad, and this isn't their first time shooting approaches or operating in the IFR side of the NAS.

I’ll defer to recent VT IPs but my on-wing in primary (circa 2006) told me that’s how they did it for the new LT IPs. I doubt they’d let SERGRADs have a brand new onwing.

 

[Swanee]

I’ll defer to recent VT IPs but my on-wing in primary (circa 2006) told me that’s how they did it for the new LT IPs. I doubt they’d let SERGRADs have a brand new onwing.

VTJ SERGRADs used to take us around on our BI flights. Those were the first ones we had in the airplane.

And my onwing in jets was a SERGRAD. He was also the class leader and in charge of the gedunk. Dude was busy. He was also a cheerleader and gymnast at the naval academy.


But there's a HUGE difference between a primary complete stud and a winged pilot.

 

[Gatordev]

I’ll defer to recent VT IPs but my on-wing in primary (circa 2006) told me that’s how they did it for the new LT IPs. I doubt they’d let SERGRADs have a brand new onwing.

It would depend on the squadron. During that timeframe, VT-2 would start their guys out in RIs. VT-6 would start their guys out in off-wing Fams.
No one knew what VT-3 did, other than join course rules in Area 2 about half mile in front of whoever else was already established.

 

[zippy]

VTJ SERGRADs used to take us around on our BI flights. Those were the first ones we had in the airplane.

And my onwing in jets was a SERGRAD. He was also the class leader and in charge of the gedunk. Dude was busy. He was also a cheerleader and gymnast at the naval academy.


But there's a HUGE difference between a primary complete stud and a winged pilot.

Primary complete leading primary students? Yikes. Seen that model at work in the civilian world. The product sucks.