More about logging time at UPT

[Draginass]

xrjpilot -
Go ahead and keep you mil time in your logbook. In the remarks section, make notes of significant items such as IFEs, low vis landings, etc. These will be good memory joggers for furture airline interview stories/experiences. However, SAVE the flying time review summaries (as a minimum). Check them for general agreement with you logbook when you get them. When you leave the USAF, they'll give you your flight records folder and a detailed summary of your total military flying time. When you go for an airline interview, that flying time summary is golden. Your interviewer will have no doubts about the validity of it (and it can be/may be checked with a phone call). Some dishonest pilot fake civil time and interviewers know it, but mil 781s have solid believability.

This stuff sounds complicated and tedious, but it's not. Waiting till you're retired with 20 years of flying to reconstruct IS.

The following website used to have some good advice on how to log military time IAW the FAA. I haven't checked it recently, however. "Doc" seems to know what he's talking about however.

http://www.propilot.com/doc/bbs/

 

[SentryIP]

Flight Time Is Flight Time

xrjpilot,

I haven't done very much civilian flying, but I've kept all my 20+ years of flight time in one logbook. It's worked out well and easier for someone (interviewer) to view your flying career chronologically. Best wishes.

 

[xhercdriver]

The only thing I have to add to this is to be somewhat "conservative" in your logging of time, and perhaps start looking even now at the way the different airlines expect you to assign that time on their applications. It may be "technically correct" that your T-38 solo time is "turbine PIC," but you don't really want to be in the position of having to argue that point at your interview.

Better to be able to say, "Here's 25 hours of solo time in jets at UPT," and have that recorded separately from the other PIC jet time you've got, rather than just saying "I've got 1503 hours" of PIC jet, and then having them ferret out that some of it was before you even had your wings. The airline rules and the FAA rules for what "counts" are two different things.

Some of the airlines will let you record student time on the app, but others don't want any time prior to the time you became a "licensed" pilot (or got your military wings). Also, you're going to go through a number of schools where you might be able "technically" to log PIC or SIC, but if you're in fact getting checked out in the airplane and an instructor is actually signing for the jet, it really ain't your PIC time, as far as the airline is concerned. So keep track of the time spent in "student status" when you change airplanes, because chances are one of the interviewers knows the military system and may expect you to be able to tell him how many of your hours were "upgrade time." A lot better if you're not pointing at the PIC column when you answer that one

Unless you fly fighters, chances are you'll meet all the mininums for all the majors when you're first eligible to leave the service. Categorize your time so that there is no doubt what your actual status was on each flight. That will make it a lot easier to tally up after 10 years, and a lot easier to explain. And do NOT forget to track all your actual and simulated instrument and night time. AF pilots are notorious for forgetting to log this on the 781, and the AFORMS folks usually won't catch it.

 

[rcb]

PIC AMEL: Yes Type, probably not

If you have an AMEL, you can log it as PIC, IMHO. I don't think there is a 'type' for the Tweet, since it's military only. Other than the 'experimental' licensed ones. The FAR FAQ I have mentioned here before makes specific mention of an S-3 Viking in this regard. There is no civilian type for it, so an NFO with an AMEL can log PIC 'sole manipulator' at least.

PIC of record, I guess not but PIC as far as the FAA is concerned, I don't see why not.

The big thing to get out of this, is that a type rating is not required if there is no type rating to be had, such as an S-3 Viking. Not all military planes are type rating-less of course, the E-3 is a B720 I think. I'd have to look in my logbook.

 

[xrjpilot]

FAA visit to UPT

I've been told that the FAA comes in and does paperwork for the UPT grads for Comm. MEL centerline thrust. True/ Not true, You former IPs would know.

Here's my question. Right now I am eligible to get my ATP. I have all the required time, but not the money to get it. Will the FAA sign off on my ATP after I graduate from UPT, assuming I've passed the written?

Thanks