VT-31 or VT-35?

[LPO Beck]

Whoops, I totally missed this thread when searching for C-130s. As a Herc guy, will I be flying the T-44C out of 31 for sure?

All of the tilt rotor guys go to VT-35, and all of the Herc guys go VT-31.

As far as getting P-3 in Jax, I think that well has run dry. I overheard a student NFO at VP-30 saying the last two slots were given out at the last selection.

 

[LPO Beck]

So how do you like it there? Me and three other Rangers selected maritime today, we were told we're going to -35.

You will love VT-35. All of the instructors, including XO/CO, are super nice and really fun to fly with. You get treated like a JO, as long as you don't give them a reason not to. The overall atmosphere is very laid back, and the syllabus is less demanding than Primary in my opinion. I had a lot of fun and would go back as an instructor in a heart beat.

 

[statesman]

I overheard a student NFO at VP-30 saying the last two slots were given out at the last selection.

That the kind of solid, well informed information I would trust hook, line and sinker.

 

[LPO Beck]

That the kind of solid, well informed information I would trust hook, line and sinker.

Agreed... but I doubt he would just make that up out of thin air.

 

[wlawr005]

Agreed... but I doubt he would just make that up out of thin air.

You're right. I'm 100% sure he probably heard it from another student.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Though in all fairness we are almost totally out of the P-3 business here at Wing 11. Odds are by the time you winged and PCSed to Jax you would get here after the last P-3 squadron goes on deployment. By the time you finished CAT-I they'd be back home or close to it, and they're not going to send you to the Jax squadron only to transition at that point. My squadron was a bit of an exception as we had one pilot check in with only 3 months left of our P-3 deployment, but there were bigger issues there. Bottom line, from here on out if you want Jax you're going to have to go P-8s most likely. Conversely, if you get Hawaii, expect to move to Whidbey at some point.

 

[xj220]

That's crazy, I didn't think the transition was happening that fast. Then again, I don't know what day it is and my life is a blur now.

 

[CommodoreMid]

3 squadrons are complete with transition, 1 in transition now. 1 P-3 squadron on deployment now and will come back to transition and the last leaves soon.

 

[statesman]

Agreed... but I doubt he would just make that up out of thin air.

When getting any information from fellow students, I recommend also taking a little bit of this:

 

[rawhide 26]

VT-35. Besides the reasons listed above, VT-35 is running smoother right now. VT-31 guys are barely winging on time. They are flying right up to their winging date and working really hard right up to it. VT-35 is nice there is no delay from ground school and CPTS to fam flights like there is in 31. Most students finish in plenty of time or fly 2 to 3 times a week the last month prior to winging. It makes it a hell of a lot less stressful. Also the C-12 was awesome to fly. Assuming you have the option, call Stu at Stucon and give him a good reason you want 35 over 31.

 

[iFly14]

Alright so for those who are lurking the thread still here is the gouge from an OCT 13 winger from VT-31.

I loved 31 great instructors and a great front office who I believe really set the tone. All the civilian staff were great to deal with (1 exception). I finished about 2 weeks before the winging date and that is with hurricane Harvey putting about an 8 day gap in there. My 35 peers are still flying. The 35 maritime guys seemed to sit on their hands early in training and are paying for it now. The Osprey guys over there seemed to move quick. The Marine C-130 guys in my class are pushing to finish up the top off Tac form and low level stuff.

 

[xj220]

So 35 is still around? What are they flying?

 

[nukon]

So 35 is still around? What are they flying?

T-44s. During the transition they made up red hats that said "Make the T-44 Great Again"

In my experience, VT-31 finished a little sooner because they double-pumped guys on sims (as pilot and co-pilot, so 4 sims a day). Is faster training better training? It depends. Is finishing flight school faster better? Nope.

 

[xj220]

Ok, I thought they were going to do away with it but guess not. Is it still smaller than 31?

 

[iFly14]

I would say no? I don't have exact numbers but based on my class there were as many 35 guys as 31. Almost all Ospreys with 2 navy maritime.

Also I second the double pumps being brutal in the sims. I actually only got doubled up in the plane once and never in the sims. The lack of out and ins was a definite bummer.