Airforce fixedwing transition course ???

[Tweetybird]

Troll,

Welcome aboard. Unfortunately, the Dash-1 is currently a controlled item. If it wasn't, I'd send you one. If I find out otherwise I'll let you know.

Once complete with my course (if you attend the T-37 portion), folks go to either the T-1 or T-38, depending on their squadron's aircraft. Those courses are different from mine. Your bud's info is still correct. During those programs you are fully integrated into the student environment. However, by nature of the T-1 or T-38 course, it's already more of an adult program than the normal T-37 course. Since you'll be integrated, you'll pretty much do everything the students do. However, your flight Commander will have the option to Proficiency Advance you (that means delete some of the sorties) if you are doing really well.

What does all this mean? There is not a single Point of Contact in the T-1 or T-38 world like there is in my program. You'll simply be assigned to one of many flights when you get there.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions just ask! I'll do whatever I can to help. Good luck! The T-38 is a blast!

 

[HueyPilot]

FWQ

I'm glad to hear that Vance has what sounds like an outstanding FWQ course. I was a prior-service Army warrant who flew Hueys for nearly 4 years, and unfortunately the AD AF decided they wanted me to attend SUPT in its entirety. It seemed to me that most of the FWQ guys (and gals) were either Guard/Reserve types who's unit got them a slot, or AF helo dudes who wanted to fly FW (or former Army helo guys who did the interservice transfer). Unfortunately, since I was an Army Guard type, I had to apply for OTS and UPT just like everyone else...they FWQ slots weren't open to me.

Anyways, UPT was overall a good experience. I know I vented a few posts back, but that post didn't really represent the overall situation. Most of the FAIPs were really good folks, and actually appreciated my prior military flying experience. However, like anything in life, there were a handful of rotten eggs that spoiled the party, and made their objections to me wearing a set of military aviator wings known. That and they had the attitude that being a military helicopter pilot wasn't a "real" pilot, so therefore, in their minds, I was wearing a set of wings from a Crackerjack box. And they treated me like any other 22-year old 2LT with zero flying experience.

No, I didn't lash out at them....having been in the military at that point for over 8 years, I knew better. But I did have to bite my tongue quite a bit, and it was annoying at best to have to fly with them. Not to rag on the fighter guys, but all of the offending FAIPs were fighter follow-ons who had gone through the 38 program, and their attitude of "every daily ride is like a checkride" soured me on the T-38 track.

When I got to Laughlin, I was leaning towards Herks or bombers, but I had an open mind towards fighters....after having a 300 hour FAIP with 3 years of military experience treat me like a 10 year old kid, it really pushed me towards the T-1/T-44 side. I'm very glad in a way....I'm flying C-21s now with a tactical airlift follow-on, and hopefully I'll be flying Combat Talon IIs in the future, which is really what I wanted in the first place.

UPT wasn't that hard for me, mostly because I guess I had "been there, done that" and knew the "flite skool" game, and had an idea of the standards they hold you to. But at Laughlin, the FWQ guys were thrown into regular UPT flights, except they were exempt from EPQs and stand-ups. But even those guys had two and three times the amount of experience than their FAIP instructors, they were occasionally treated like none of that experience and "aviator wisdom" counted for anything.

One guy I know quit because he thought he was going to a gentleman's course, and he wasn't going to have to deal with the "freshman flunk-out" course that undergraduate training really is. I tried to talk him out of it, but he'd rather fly helos with dignity than have someone nearly half his age and less than a third of his flying experience make him feel like an idiot for no other reason except he was a student.

Anyways, kudos for a REAL FWQ course. Hey, it's a darn qual course, NOT an initial training course.

 

[Tweetybird]

Huey Pilot,

I hear where you're coming from. It's too bad you had that experience at DLF. There are a bunch of good folks down there, but I know what you mean. My FWQ course includes zero haze. I have made quite a few changes and have gotten good feedback so far. In fact, the FWQ pilots themselves have given me good ideas for improvements. Well, mostly good ideas. I'm not sure I'm ready for an "ALL SOLO" syllabus

Have fun in your flying career. It sounds like a good one.

 

[Jolly Roger]

Sounds like Tweet is a welcome addition to the program; we need more folks like him in aviation in general.

As a Navy type I have no experience with AF programs, but as an advanced jet IP in the T-45 I have seen numerous helo to jet trannys over the years. Most were smooth, occasionally some were not. I always made it a point to treat a guy with the respect his experience deserved, and did my best to tailor the instruction as painlessly as possible.

It is no secret that in aviation we continually find ourselves in the position of student. Just when we think we sit at the top of a food chain, we move to the next. I can only shake my head when I see folks abuse a positional advantage.

Good luck, Walmart, and have fun in the "next chapter"!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I recently flew into Del Rio, TX, and talked to an Army FWQ guy at Laughlin AFB who is going Air Guard. He is in FWQ, but Vance was full so, apparently, the overflow is going to Del Rio. He said they didn't exactly know what to do with him, but it was better than the whole UPT course.

Good luck!

Cliff
GRB