Does anyone know which things to focus on for the read aheads before getting to Coast in San Marcos? I’m guessing anything for the ‘SOP’ and local area. What about aircraft specific? Assuming getting your schedule would dictate what was priority. (MEL or time building)

 

If you are an experienced pilot who made it through your Aircraft Commander board... you don't need to front-end load anything for Coast.

Bring a headset, an iPad mini with ForeFlight, and a kneeboard to attach said iPad to your leg. There, your prep is done.

It's VFR flights in an easy environment. Some of the Army guys had a steeper learning curve when we based out of San Diego... especially if they were from a non-instrument-rated helo, but that was just because SD has a ton of complicated Bravo airspace.

San Marcos is a VFR field out on it's own by some cow pastures.

What ratings do you already have from your MilComp exam? If you only need the Multi-Engine Comm add-on like most Navy guys, then you'll be doing a bunch of Cessna time before you see the Seminole anyway. It's easy.

 

I knocked out my PPL and Instrument before I got out last year. So I’ll have to build hours. I’ve heard Coast sometimes front loads the MEL, I’m hoping that’s not the case. I’ve been brushing up on the civilian FW VFR and scratching IFR rules.

 

You'll be fine. Honestly, 95% of the studying is accomplished via group-discussion and gouge passing. So, not exactly something you can front-load now anyway.

Some guys forge their own path, but your world will be logarithmicly easier if you make friends, study as a group, and ask guys what they saw on their checkrides.

 

Good morning, I'm curious how long Envoy takes to email you back upon completion of application. I am sure it's faster for fixed wing pilots. Thanks.

 

Call your RTP contact and let him know when the application is in. They need to go in and manually pull the file to a different stack.... should just be a day or three after that they call and schedule you an interview.

 

Two of my RTP referrals applied over two weeks ago and no email back yet. I emailed the recruiters but evidently they're backed up immensely.

 

I would caution folks about the program. If you need the whole thing plan on a very very long time the estimates they give are never even close. I know guys with half a year and still working instruments. If your part of shorter deal and they say 6 weeks I'd call it 10 at least. The guys that run the show are just worried about getting the next draw from Envoy. There is no tracking on your timeframe and frankly nobody cares. You'll find yourself maybe doing 1 or two flights a week with your instruct more sometimes. The time building phase goes fairly well. I think last I heard 30 plus guys just waiting for check rides .
Things to think about ....

Do this part 61 and if you shop around you can get some great rates. There's one company doing week multi classes for 6 grand . If you can wrap stuff up for 12-15 grand do it and goto any regional airline without the two year commitment and keep working your current job and caring for your family . (If your employed) if not coast makes total sense. If Coast just put better leadership in place that tracked timelines and made sure they had the resources before they start new guys, it would be great. I really don't know any guys with any super praise this program in its current state . Some say it's so/so and there just rolling with the punches, but plan on being a permanent resident of California or Texas. Dont make any plans even close to your timeframe.

The training at coast is no better just with a constant threat that you need to be this good for envoy. I have heard San Diego is your better bet? But do not think your expirience will be any different because it won't.

 

What I tell all my Navy bubbas who contact me about the program:
Go get your MultiEngine qual at a $2000 one-week program as advertised at a lot of small schools on the internet. Then, just show up to coast needing time building. Time build is fast enough, and free... the hold up is any instruction. The fees you pay to take a crash-course 8-hour ME qual will be offset by you showing up to Envoy and starting to get a paycheck 4 or 6 weeks earlier.

Coast is only worth using for time-building. Any quals or training is just comically mismanaged.

 

I completely agree with you.

It's really a shame because it could be done ina way to get good results. if they had somebody tracking individuals progress and putting in effort towards making these individuals successful. They act like they're the first flight school to have these programs and get people done within a timeframe. There's many schools that Ido this very successfully and they just chose the wrong people to run the outfit. By jamming as many people in the program as they can , they're just robbing Peter to pay Paul. I bet there satisfaction rate is less than 20% . I've heard a lot of people say when they get the envoy they're going to try and get involved helping the program work better for their fellow soldier (some ex).