Thanks guys. 88 ride tomorrow.


As flying for SF, they require guys with a bit more experience than none. Same as with U-2. Those jobs are not available for folks straight out of UPT. Frankly, I'm not sure what I'd like to fly. I don't want to sit there on autopilot most of flying. Pointy nose would be nice, but extremely hard to get...

A-10

If you want a SF job after a while, I'd reckon you would be off to a good start if you display a good sense of thinking outside the box, while still flying safely. Safety, safety, safety, that's what aviation is all about. Still, being able to understand where rules in some cases can be rather too rigorous and binding shows you can handle unusual situations

I knew that the SF Guys want a tad more experience than fresh from School, but my point was that picking "less sexy" toys today could be the entry into cool toys tomorrow.

If you can't get a pointy nose and you don't want to fly instruments for hours, then picking a helo would be the clear alternative and put you on that path. Advantage being that average mission duration is also much lower, which usually means more comfort in between. And it's also a very valuable skill in civilian life, unlike turning airline pilots after retirement which is what most everyone else does.

A-10 would also be a pick with high chance of actually getting to shoot in anger.

It's clear that everyone and his uncle wants onto fighters, but sitting in a F-15C on a CAP somewhere over the Desert for four hours or more, with no real fighting going on - might not be as glorious as it seems. The demands on the body are much higher, consequently requiring a much stricter lifestyle and training regime (for example our EF-Pilots are not allowed to eat fresh bread - could cause problems). Not sure how the USAF handles their medical requirements, but I've seen a few Forces where it's much more relaxed for the Cargo and Helo guys.

I've also found that - a cliche, but somewhat true - Fighter Jocks are usually amongst the most competitive people on the planet. The atmosphere in a C-130 or Helo Squadron is a lot different (I would say: easier going) from a Fast Jet outfit, as far as people go.

When it rains, it....

Sorry, but only UPT grads will understand following...

My 88 went fine, except for two things. When recovering, I received vectors with heading and altitude. As I set heading to EFIS and turned, I slowly started descending and attempted to query ATC for altitude. Unfortunately, before I could reply to ATC with numbers, someone stepped on me and started to talk over me. As I waited for clear space on UHF to clarify my altitude, IP took jet from me. I descended by 300+ feet from my assigned altitude. Hook number one.

Then in pattern, I was past initial watching dude go from high key to low key. He was about to call low key and I heard RSU call "over numbers, break <step>". I was past 3,000 feet thinking they cleared me to break but as I started, they said "roll out". As I started rolling out, IP took jet. Hook number two. RSU said "over the numbers, break departure end". Throw SA as a hook and that's three unsats.

Monday I have 87 and probably next day 89. Extremely sad to see my dream being flashed down toilet...but I need to recover and quickly get my mental status under control.

I requested to do RSU tour to just monitor pattern and build SA. Also, now I'm going to quickly write down ATC directions before complying with them.

Also, if I'm not sure that I'm cleared to break - it will be "break point - straight through"

Unbelievable....unbefrakenlievable!

Sorry to hear that.

A tour in the RSU is a good idea, as you can listen to the radios, listen to the controller, and watch all the traffic at the same time. It can really help to improve your SA.

Most folks that wash out of UPT do not do so because they can't fly the jet. Most wash out because they can't properly prioritize all the competing noise going on in the headset with the everpresent requirement to fly the jet.

Sim,

First, like you said yourself, get your head back in the game. I would do that RSU tour, and then either Saturday or Sunday, study and chairfly...preferably chairfly. Use the other day of the weekend to forget about UPT for a day. Yes, I'm being serious.

What happened in the first part was what's called channelized attention. Focusing on a deviation to the detriment of flying the aircraft. Remember your priorities...aviate, navigate, communicate. Always in that order...and if you have any doubt...keep the crosscheck going first.

The second part in the RSU is understandable...if you have ANY doubt as to being a conflict in the pattern, don't break. Worse thing that happens is that you go around the container again. Verses if you break when you weren't supposed to...

Finally, keep a good attitude. As an instructor I will most always give the student the benefit of the doubt in a grey situation if I see he's working hard to learn and improve. Realize, even on your 89 ride, the IP isn't looking to wash you out...there's a lot of paperwork associated with that, and most real pilots hate paperwork. He just wants to make sure you have the potential to finish the program.

Things look a bit tough right now. Chairfly, study, then take a day off before your 87 on Monday.

Good luck!

FC

Best of luck, and don't give up.

Good luck Sim! FastCargo offers some good advice there.

Sim, sorry to hear you had a bad flight. Let me tell you that I had two less than good ones in a row a couple weeks ago. I felt really down about it. What I did was relax and chair fly some. Shook off that bad cloud and then went on with good flying. It was just a blip that I had to work through and put behind me.

People who haven't flown won't understand how much is going on all the time while you are flying and how comm can get garbled, choppy and stepped-on. Then while you are distracted trying to sort out one thing the plane starts on a flying program of it's own. Next thing you know you are a couple hundred feet down or 15 degrees off heading.

You'll get by it. Don't dwell on it. Just relax and chair fly a perfect flight. Then do it in the plane.

Sim, you're going to be fine. All the best in your quest.