An Auburn classmate of mine dropped out after his first UPT checkride. He wanted to be a test pilot and an astronaut, but busted his first check (like about 60% of the class at that time).
I don't know if it was ego, or just realizing he was in for a long, hard 52 weeks...but he decided to quit, even though he passed his re-check without any problems. I think realizing he wasn't going to be "#1" or that he was not a "natural" crushed him. A young wife that worried about his flying was likely part of the decision. Alas...as often happens...they divorced a few short years later. Many times guys often mentally imagine going to UPT and just tearing up the program--but they find out its tough and they are just "average" or even "below average", the motivation to keep driving on evaporates.
For those of you going to UPT...here is some free advice. Flying is fun, but training s*cks. Don't judge a day of an ops pilot based on a hard or bad day in UPT. UPT is to flying what fraternity hazing is to college life in a frat...an integral part of the process but in no way indicative of the big picture.
T-37s are loud and hot. IPs can be intimidating. The entire process of your first few months in UPT are not unlike being at boot camp. IF you don't feel like a bit of a boob on each sortie, then the IP hasn't thrown enough new stuff at you for you tro try to digest. However--if you can just SURVIVE to till Friday, another week will go by and it WILL get easier. Flying C-5s around the globe or raging in an F-15/F-16/A-10 is a very different enviroment than doing "stand ups" and EP sims. Its not any "easier" learning your new systems, but part of the UPT process is not only learning to fly, but learning to fly the AF way. It is one heck of a culture shock at times for some guys--but you can get through it. And...like many other significant life events...when you look back on it you'll appreciate it much more.
And once you are out in the ops world, flying in NO way resembles the UPT lifestyle at all.
As far as you journal writers--good on you for wanting to share your insights--but honestly--nobody who has been through the process gives a sh*t what you think about it, and those guys going through the process behind you are going to have to figure it out for themselves anyway. If you have the spare brain cells to keep your online journal up--good on you. I would suggest the extra energy would better be spent getting ready for your next flight or helping your classmates out. Have a cookout, go downtown and chase girls (or guys for you ladies), or go to the gym--but trying to put the whole process in perspective while you are going through it is likely just a distraction to your much needed efforts.
My experience was that guys who worried about what they would do/get at assignment night were often disappointed. Guys who worried about being in class NEXT Friday often ended up getting to fly what they dreamed of flying walking in.
As for Mr Irrelevants comments on the quality of the UPT grads...
Nobody expects a 200 hour UPT pilot to be anything but a basic pilot when he gets his wings. He/she will still have a tremendous amount of training in their follow on aircraft. The UPT grad won't be a anything but a co-pilot in a heavy aircraft for a couple years, or a wingman for about a year or two in a fighter. By the time he/she gets ready for an upgrade, they will likely have 300 or more fighter hours or 500 or more co pilot hours, so by then they will have considerably more experience. I won't even bite the old mil/civ issue, but having landed an F15 "by myself" many times in Europe with 200 ft ceilings, I'd say shooting approaches to minimums is hardly the most challenging phase of flying any fighter. If point A to point B is all we needed to train for, UPT could be over in 4-5 months. However, the formation and fluid maneuvering skills required for air combat are just as integral a part of UPT as are approaches, and the high-G and acro work that are part of the syllabi are sometimes some of the biggest shocks to students who've never done anything like that before. That's why I would recommend a few hours in a chipmunk or citabria prior to UPT--if only to convince yourself that you still like flying when you are upside down.
All this aside--its the best freakin' job in the world. Hope some of you young guys/gals give it your best.
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