USAF Post-pilot training, training

[flogged]

Back to Vinman's question...

6-9 months is probably a realistic average from graduation to mission ready (for a heavy guy, can't speak to a fighter timeline). Training pipelines can get clogged for a number of reasons, but normally the process is fairly straight forward (though I have heard Little Rock C-130 school can take a while). After completing the Intl qual schoolhouse (qualified in the airplane) and survival and getting settled in at your new unit/home, you'll still have several air and ground training events/requirements before you are 'mission ready' (aka worldwide deployable).

For me, and I was typical:

Grad UPT - Sept
Start Altus 135 tng - Nov
Grad Altus tng - Feb
Reported to unit/inprocessed - Feb
TDY to Survival School - Mar
Back to unit for addl mission qual tng - April-May
First 60 day OSW deployment - Jun

Once you get to the line in T-1s you'll have a whole flight of IPs that can answer all your questions and get you up to speed on how the AF does things. But my bottom line advice -- focus on tomorrow and next week and enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[414Flyer]

As far as I know, the T-3s are still there.

The ex-WW2 hangar towards the south end of the field burned down in 2001, along with about 15 planes

Tornado destroyed the really big one just to the north of that one two months later, along with whatever planes survived that first fire and were parked outside.

 

[Vinman]

Flogged, thanks a bunch. Great information. I'm not trying to get too caught up in the "day after tomorrow," but still have to get an idea and plan ahead so I don't get caught with my pants down. That, and my wife has been bugging me about it. That information is what I had kind of heard, but had also heard other stuff so needed a little more confirmation. Thanks again.

 

[keydet96]

KC-135 CIQ (Co-pilot Initial Qual) is about 3 Months. 2 Months of Academics and Sims with Flight Safety and 4-5 weeks on the flightline depending on WX/Scheduling.
RCs and AWACS/JSTARS train at their ops bases, so I don't know their specifics.
The T-1 guys at Vance will give you a good briefing on all of the MWS training and specifics when you're getting close to assignment night.
For now, have fun in the T-1. It's a great airplane.

 

[BroyF15]

Albie-

I hear ya. We just started getting feedback about poor instrument skills at IFF. That kind of blew us away initially. Then we realized that these guys are showing up at IFF three to four months after graduation. When they're flying their dedicated "GAP" rides, they're usually formation sorties. We need to put them under the bag somewhere close to them leaving for IFF.

Albie & Talondrivier - you're both spot on. I've been flying IFF missions for the last 7 years straight. The on-going complaint during that time from the RTU's has always been instruments. We don't get nearly as concerned about BFM or bombing skills since the mighty Talon will never fly like a 4th gen fighter. But, instruments is instruments is instruments. We spend far more time on that area now then ever (both in the air and in the sim). The current feedback from Tyndall is to make the last sortie an instrument ride.

For all you guys that are not as gray/bald/wrinkled/experienced I think you get the drift. Even as fun and as glorious as flying a figther can be, you're not much of a hero if you crash on ILS final (been to enough funerals).

 

[FastCargo]

As an instructor...

...that's one thing I've always stressed to guys. It doesn't matter what kind of aircraft you fly (obviously with specific exceptions), in what kind of capacity you fly them in (mil, civil, gov), if you can't fly instruments, it WILL come back to bite you. I personally always challenge myself for my own CT (Roswell widowmaker, practice single engine no-gyro PAR off the standby,etc). A good crosscheck can always pay dividends, even in other phases of flight.

Enough preaching, I gotta prep for my check!

Fly Safe,
FastCargo