xhercdriver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2001
- Posts
- 80
Not much to add to this except to say that "attitude" can to some extent "override" your actual performance (both positively and negatively). In other words, if you really, really, really want to be a military pilot, and you demonstrate that you are a "team player" with the rest of your class, and have the bare minimum "skills," they will probably get you through the program somehow (voice of experience talking) 
Conversely, the best stick-and-rudder man in the class may find himself on the street if he is just looking out for number one trying to build time for an airline seat down the road.
One other thing: if they tell you to memorize something, they aren't kidding. And just to be safe, that doesn't mean memorize like in the civilian world, where they mean memorize what to do with your hands, but don't worry too much about what comes out of your mouth; it means memorize every period, quotation mark, dash, slash, and comma. They're probably going to expect you to know all the "numbers" associated with the plane as well. That's a kind of "baseline." They figure, if this guy can't be bothered to spend a few nights memorizing the ops limits "cold," then how do we know whether he'll spend the time to learn the stuff that actually IS difficult? Do not, under any circumstances, take the tests lightly. We had a guy fail the first three tests (84% was a fail, at least back then) and he never even got to set foot in the sim, let alone an airplane. Also, if someone in your class is doing poorly, it's up to the class to get him through. If you don't take care of your buds, the IPs WILL figure out some ways to make your lives miserable...
Basic rule: if you can't decide whether to study or drink beer, then you didn't study enough that week, and you should skip the beer until next time (and study better the next week so the decision will be easier), and if you can't decide whether or not you're having fun at UPT, you're probably doing OK. (If you're sure it's NOT fun, you're in the wrong place, and if you're sure it IS fun, then you probably should be in the Marines instead)
Conversely, the best stick-and-rudder man in the class may find himself on the street if he is just looking out for number one trying to build time for an airline seat down the road.One other thing: if they tell you to memorize something, they aren't kidding. And just to be safe, that doesn't mean memorize like in the civilian world, where they mean memorize what to do with your hands, but don't worry too much about what comes out of your mouth; it means memorize every period, quotation mark, dash, slash, and comma. They're probably going to expect you to know all the "numbers" associated with the plane as well. That's a kind of "baseline." They figure, if this guy can't be bothered to spend a few nights memorizing the ops limits "cold," then how do we know whether he'll spend the time to learn the stuff that actually IS difficult? Do not, under any circumstances, take the tests lightly. We had a guy fail the first three tests (84% was a fail, at least back then) and he never even got to set foot in the sim, let alone an airplane. Also, if someone in your class is doing poorly, it's up to the class to get him through. If you don't take care of your buds, the IPs WILL figure out some ways to make your lives miserable...
Basic rule: if you can't decide whether to study or drink beer, then you didn't study enough that week, and you should skip the beer until next time (and study better the next week so the decision will be easier), and if you can't decide whether or not you're having fun at UPT, you're probably doing OK. (If you're sure it's NOT fun, you're in the wrong place, and if you're sure it IS fun, then you probably should be in the Marines instead)
