303kk

Some things do not change. My UPT experience was 43 years ago. I instructed in the T-38 following UPT, was a FAC in Vietnam, and flew the F-100 in a Guard unit. What "Adlerdriver" is telling you is on target WRT to attitude, study habits, and "Chair Flying"--it's how I got through UPT. The game is the same--Cooperate and Graduate. These principles also worked very well throughout thirty years with Northwest Airlines.

As an IP, I sometimes had a student plan and fly a "round-robin" flight at 600 knots ground speed. This was an excellent prod for those doing well with the standard syllabus but who were inclined to relax as a result. It is just as easy to get in a 480 knot rut as any other. The jump from 120 to 480 won't be the only challenge you face. Use what you know already, but don't rely on it to get you through.

USMCFLYR

I found the prior experience to help in some respects like not being AWED at being airborne the first time. I had never flown a turboprop before but on that FAM-1 when those wheels lifted off I still felt excited but controlled excitement! Also - I was comfortable talking on the radios (thanks to an instrument rating and A LOT of VFR flight following while learning to fly). Basic aircraft control was as hard and in the simulator on the very first Basic Instrument flight when you are holding an altitude and airspeed and making 30 angle of banks turns the instructor opened up the sim, asked if I had an instrument rating already, I said "yes" and we moved on to BI-2.
I helped my class during instrument ground school and we had study nights over pizza and beer.
Quickly though you are in areas which I doubt many have experience. Many civilian pilots don't have much experience with aerobatics or formation flying (and I don't mean within a 1/2 mile) or precision landings (the beginnings of flying the ball)

USMCFLYR

Kasserine06

I agree that the large jump in speed can cause an experienced civilian pilot to get behind the aircraft, but when that does happen, they should have less to do to catch up. They won’t be thinking about flying techniques they learned a few weeks ago. The structure of the flight should seem familiar even if the pace isn’t. After sometime, they should be able to recalibrate their clocks, because the military isn’t the only place where a pilot goes from 100 kts to 300 kts. My uncle was never a military pilot, but when he had around 1000 hours, be began to fly a friend’s L-39, and he said it took some getting used to, but it was not impossible.

I will hopefully be going to UPT within the year and I have thought a lot about if my civilian time will help me, and I think it will. I think the people with prior time who washout don’t never think that they could have trouble in flight training, so they never contemplate the challenges they will face when they step out of a small prop and into a small turbo prop or jet. I know it will be difficult and I will leave my previous attitude about flying at the door and accept a completely different style. Hopefully that will work. Plus, increasing the rate on my flight sim may help too.

Kasserine06

When I started looking into the AF again, I did just what you said to see if I even had a chance of making it. I took an aerobatics course and ended up liking it so much that I wanted to take more, but the school closed doors after I finished 12 hours. Also, it helped having an instructor familiar with military aerobatics who showed me the difference between competition aerobatics and military. Why don't you fighter pilots want to make a symmetrical loop when dodging Migs and SAMs ? Formation flying was a little more difficult, because there aren't too many pilots who would do it or that I would want to do it with, but I found one and we did about 6 hours.

I’m not saying that I am an expert in formation flying or aerobatics, but now when I go into the T-6 it won’t be my first time upside down or so close to another aircraft that can see the other pilots sweat. I think USMCFLYR said it best, if you come in with time, you won’t be AS overcome with adrenaline and things like radio communication and instrument scans stay the same regardless of the plane you are in.

Cioran

A lot of us academy guys who killed ourselves in academia over 4 years never really spent a lot of braincells on flying until we went to UPT; we weren't all soaring IPs or on the flying team. Then we ran into the super-prepped CFI-types--usually the soaring IPS and flying team types were sent off to Euro Nato to battle between themselves for supremecy. maybe things are the same? They (the CFIs, former airline pilots, etc) usually did pretty well but like everything else it equals out after a while. don't waste your time and money being so focused on one thing, you may regret it later. I'm actually considering leaving flying behind at this point and finishing up a PhD.

I don't blame you for hedging your bets, but personally I'm glad I've got something else but flying in mind at this point, and put in the groundwork in that allowed a move to something else(i.e. some academic work at the BS and MA level). good luck.

Kingbird87

The most important thing is to get hired, otherwise all the rest never gets put in play. At my old unit, I'm retired from the ANG, there is no way in to a UPT slot without already being in the unit. You need to enlist, drill in your position for about 1-2 years and then you are considered for a UPT slot. Thankfully, I never had to do that but it has been the case for years. I would first find a unit that will be flying airplanes, and not UAV's, find a place nearby that you can earn a living and hopefully like the place somewhat, and then visit the Operations Squadron DO for an interview. It is a pretty daunting task, but most give up before they even try. Stick to them like glue, and find a mentor. It will happen for you. Best of Luck!

USMCFLYR

No - just going faster is certainly NOT the hardest part of switching gears. I mean those VLJs have people going from new piston pilot to small jet pilot in now time it seems!

One big difference in the type of training that we are talking about is above and beyond the takeoff from Point A and land at Point B (besides the challenges one can face from the portion of flight). Our students solo in the Hornet after 4 flights, probably 6 hours, after 2 familiarization flights (including a little aerobatics) and 2 instrument round robins (standard instrument stuff obviously); then they spend the next 8-12 months learning how to EMPLOY it.

Listen, study hard, accept the military's way of doing things, apply your own airsense when appropriate, HAVE FUN, and learn all you can about your aircraft and its' mission. If you do all of that - you are going to have a BLAST!

USMCFLYR

Btw - I'm taking my own advice very soon, just in reverse order

UPTme

That's not how it is anymore. Most units are taking guys from off the street. I'd bet over 90% of ANG/AFRC pilots were not prior E in the unit that hired them. I know that well over half the ANG/AFRC guys I know had no prior service at all.

Sputnik

I flew Tweets for a few years, including a period when IFT was shut down--so we were getting a lot of folks who'd never touched the controls of an aircraft. And the usual guys with tons of hours here and there. So here's my perspective--I've never seen prior time hurt anyone (other than folks walking in bragging about their ratings, "my technique," etc).

Up to the first check ride, there was a huge range of ability in the students. That's where the guys with prior time had a clear advantage. After midphase though, the differences cleared out. I had classes where the number 1 guy/girl was a zero timer and the last place guy had hundreds of hours.

So my point there, while I haven't seen prior time hurt anyone, I also don't think it helped anyone much either.

I wouldn't spend that much time/money on flying. If you just enjoy it, great, but don't expend those resources thinking it's going to help you much in UPT.

In your case, seems like you had some good concerns about UPT, and you spent the time/money investigating those phases of flight, gave you a good feeling, and some confidence. So that's money well spent. Don't know I'd keep doing it though.

liftr92

I'll go with sputnik - after about 6 - 8 weeks its all pretty even.