finally getting my OTS log updated

[Vandal]

hey guys...just starting week 4 here at OTS...not too hard, just a pain in the butt. I have internet now (sort of) so I will try and update my page more often.

http://home.earthlink.net/~aschlech/afjournal.html

 

[Anaconda]

is having a laptop a requirement at OTS or just optional?

 

[Vandal]

Officially, it's optional. But you are toast without at least a desktop. Laptops are nice because you can take them around, but a desktop is perfectly suitable. Just be sure to have a computer.

 

[airgator]

Vandal-
I was told that OTS dorms are going to be getting 2 PC's per room and on a big network. Can you ask around and see if this is true and if so when. I'm not off till Nov. Thanks.

By the way your journal is great. I've been reading this other guys UPT journal that is about as in depth as you can get but unfortunately he SIE'd last week.

http://www.jaimezx.com/supt/journal-index.html

 

[Vandal]

**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** what the hell is with all these SIE's from journal guys? I promise it won't happen here. They can kick me out but I will go screaming and kicking.

As for the computers, in 2 months or so there should be 2.4ghz flat screen monitor computer, 2 per room, on the network. they announced that last week. Don't think I will stick around for them though

 

[HueyPilot]

SIE

I read that guy's journal. And after reading it, I felt his decision to SIE was the wrong decision. I spotted several examples throughout his website where it seemed he really did enjoy flying. But it was also obvious he did not enjoy SUPT. I don't know many who could honestly say they enjoyed being a SUPT student. There were times when it was fun, but there were as many if not more times when it was just alot of darn work and you got butterflies before you flew.

If you LOVE to FLY, then do not SIE. If you just don't like the SUPT environment, tough it out because it's only temporary.

I think his journal shows the dangers of only wanting to fly a particular type of aircraft or having preconceptions of what "successful" is in the eyes of SUPT. Those people who entered UPT having a very narrow view of what they would fly (ie those who say they only want fighters, etc) tend to do two things: they either excel really well and achieve their goal; or they don't do as well, see their goal slipping away, and quit or crumble and wash out.

Our class only lost one female student to an SIE. She got married, and that was her official reason for quitting. But we all knew her pretty well, and it seemed to me that she quit because she couldn't handle the fact that she wasn't going to live up to her own expectations. In other words, for all this time she had wanted to be one of the "elite" female fighter pilots, go to test pilot school, become an astronaut, etc. When she got to UPT, she discovered she was an average student, and was very likely headed to the T-1. Nothing to be ashamed of, but she took it hard and just quit.

Other people I heard of quitting (in other classes) did so, in my opinion, because they got depressed by all the unsats and fair rides, and felt they just couldn't compete. In my class, we had several folks who had more red on their gradesheets than a stop sign. But they made it through (saw it through) and graduated. Two are flying C-130s, one is flying UH-1s, and another flies AWACS. But I'd rather fly an AWACS than sit in an office wearing blues managing some pilot's personnel records.

A few key points to keep in mind to avoid getting to the point where you consider SIE'ing:

1. Don't focus on the whole program...keep trucking day by day. Focus intently on the next day's flight or assignment. Focus lightly on the next week (to help prepare you). Beyond that, don't worry about it...deal with it when it arrives.

2. You are probably doing better than you think you are. Just because you got a "U" on your last daily ride...don't worry. I was a Distinguished Grad from my UPT class and hooked a couple daily rides and even a checkride...it happens. Even if you're not DG, you can still find yourself in a position to get a great assignment. Also remember this: The worst guy to graduate from your class is still a rated pilot.

3. If you spend too much of your time obsessing about whether or not you'll get the track of your dreams, you'll probably choke under pressure and your worst fears will come true. Let go of your obsession to fly Vipers or C-17s or whatever. Accept the fact that you will fly whatever the USAF assigns you to fly. In the end, you'll have less stress and you may very well do better and get your preferred airframe.

4. If you DON'T get the track you wanted, don't get a bad attitude. Fly well, study and make yourself the best T-1/T-38/T-44/UH-1 student there is. You'll thank yourself in the end for doing so, and have more latitude in choosing an assignment YOU want.

5. Believe it or not, the Instructor Pilots are there to HELP you. Give them 100% of your effort, and they'll give you 100% of their help to aid you through the program. It's a good feeling for an IP if he can take a below-average student and turn him around and make him a great pilot by the time he's finished with the program.

6. Everyone will have low points in UPT. Some do very well in the contact phase of T-37s, but then struggle in instruments. Others do well in instruments but get bogged down in formation. And still others may do well in each phase, but have a string of rides that were bad. I had a couple strings like that. After my final contact ride (that I busted), I flew like crap for a few rides. Then I got over it. Again in T-1s, I flew a couple formation low-levels like crap...but you refocus and continue.

As one guy on the ufly.com board said, some people who SIE did so because they were disappointed with the reality of what it is to be a military pilot versus their preconceptions. That's true...but I feel that since all UPT students go through IFT, they have an idea of what it's like to be a pilot. And maybe their idea of what it was like to be a fighter pilot has changed, but THERE IS A FLYING JOB FOR THEM THAT THEY WILL BE SATISFIED WITH...if they make it through UPT and don't quit.

 

[contrail777]

HueyPilot,

Awesome post! That is some very good advice. I will remember this come Oct.

 

[airgator]

Contrail you haven't got your orders yet have you?

 

[Ragansundowner]

Reading Huey's response was excellent, but it left a question in my mind. To apply for Test Pilot School does one have to go through the T-38 track. Are there any heavy drivers that can apply for TPS and then test heavies and eventually get into the astronaut program. I'm just curious because I would love to fly Test and Eval, but want to know if I'll still have the option if I track T-1s or T-44s.

Thanks,

R.S.

 

[HueyPilot]

TPS and NASA

Question: Can you be a test pilot and/or astronaut and fly heavies?

Answer: Yes.

In fact, one of the astronauts aboard the ill-fated Columbia was a former -135 pilot. Test Pilot School (TPS) requires a technical degree (engineer degree highly favorable) and I think a Master's Degree is either required or also highly favorable. When they select TPS candidates, they pick both fighter qualified pilots and "multi-engine" candidates. The multi-engine guys can come from either the airlift/tanker communities or the bomber communities.

There are a few test squadrons at Edwards. A couple are devoted to fighters and fighter-like aircraft. The others test large aircraft like the C-5, B-52, etc. They may not necessarily test an airframe...for example, there's a C-5 at Edwards right now being put through the paces with the new avionics suite. Their job is to determine how the new avionics will interact with the mission. When they get around to re-engining the C-5, they'll test it at Edwards as well.

As for astronaut, you can either get selected as a "pilot" or as a "mission specialist". Either job would be pretty **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** cool. And to be competitive, you need to be a TPS grad, have at least a M.S. degree and a spotless record. As for fighter/heavy, it doesn't matter much. I will say that it seems most of the pilot selectees were former fighter pilots, while the heavy pilots tended to land mission specialist jobs.