Good memories: USAF Pilot Training Video

Just curious, but at what point will pilot training end up being on simulators only? If ever.

The use of unmanned drones will only likely be increasing, and the way air-to-air engagements have evolved, it's less and less likely there will be much dogfighting with manned aircraft.

CW

 

Mark- Only difference is there is no "you screw up, you die" hanging over you in a sim. You are always going to go home.

 

How long ago did you go through, and what was the sim syllabus like back then? I'll have to look how many sims the UPT syllabus has now. I want to say it was something like 36 in the T-6 phase, and 16 or 17 in the T-1 phase. I have not gone to an FTU yet (6 more flights left in UPT), but people say that follow on training is very sim-intensive, at least for airlift/tanker pilots. At the C-17 schoolhouse you only get 3 or 4 rides in the real plane.

Anyway, back to the original post.
That video is making the rounds here too. It's pretty cool and is representative of the T-6 training I went through at a normal (ie. not ENJJPT) UPT base. My T-38 buddies said the same thing about that side of the house. On the T-6 side I think they get more low levels at ENJPPT. I think they also do formation low levels in the T-6; something that we don't do in UPT till the T-1/T-38 phase.

Here's another cool formation video of some guys in Pensacola. Pcola is a nav training base for the AF, so they have T-6's there too. The T-6 is a great ship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNlEJhVJ_wI

 

Sweet Thanks for the ride.

 

Funny, with 2000+ hours in fighters (WSO), mostly F-111, but also F-4, F-15, and F-16, I never did get a ride in a jet trainer. T-29 to F-111D was quite a jump.

Great video and it looks like the T-6 would be a lot of fun to fly, especially since the air conditioning probably works pretty well.

 

That is correct, the curriculum has continued to shift more towards being sim based. That number of rides in the C-17 sounds about what I would expect. There are probably two rides that are mostly takeoff/landings in various configurations along with some EPs. Then a Tac ride and an NVG ride followed by a check. I'm guessing you don't get qualified in airdrop coming out of the schoolhouse as a basic C-17 guy?

The emphasis is really on producing a competent copilot who can takeoff, land, back up the AC in an emergency and not screw up on the radios too much.

 

The A-37 was a bad ass little airframe as well used in Vietnam for low and slow and FAC missions. This shot was later at Grissom AFB as a guard plane. Loved the T-37... always thought it would be a nice personal flyer.
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I don't think they do, but I don't know never really researched the 17 schoolhouse because I'm going on to a C-5, which probably hasn't done airdrop since they pushed an ICBM out of the back of one in the 70's (video is on youtube).

Regarding producing a competent copilot- I would say most people out of here will fit that description. Maybe some moreso than others, but there are a few that I have my doubts about. I'm sure its been that way for decades, but all the crusty old sim IP's say when they went through half the class (of like 60, compared to ~20 these days) washed out, so you wonder if guys are making it through these days that might not have back then.

I think we only had 14 instrument rides, and then a checkride. This may not sound like a lot, but we probably had 20 sims in that phase, and that sim training worked. We also had a bunch of pre-solo EP sims.

 

Yeah... I think the C-5 is out of the tac/airdrop business for a long time now.

As for how things were in the "old days" vs. now is a mixed bag. My impression is that mitary training across the board was a lot more intense in decades past. There are a variety of reasons for this but I also think its a mistake to buy into all the stuff that crusty old sim guys have to say. There are multiple aspects you have to keep in mind when dealing with them. They are often VERY good at the specific things they teach because that is all they have done for the last few decades. But they sometimes use that very high level of experience to intimidate people into believing they are some kind of supermen.

It's pretty tough to wash out of an FTU these days so there are some people who make it through who shouldn't have. I was only directly involved in one FEB in my time at the FTU and that person had a LOT of extra chances before I administered the final check ride to eliminate them from the training program. From what I have seen they usually get ID'ed as sacks of sh t once they get to their unit. In the last few months I have seen two people who were under performers at the FTU but made it through end up hitting a wall in the Air Force. One isn't gonna make captain and the other just sucked at flying and was FEBed and lost his wings.

I could go on a lot longer but it's tough to type on my phone

 

What's the deal with the "Euro NATO" thing? Are these guys American, Europeans, or both?

 

I was talking more about UPT. There are some guys that make you wonder how they got here and how they are still here. I'm convinced the only reason they are still here (aside from being helped by classmates) is because they are good dudes for the most part and generally have a good attitude.

 

Both. There are international students at all AF pilot training bases. They are from countries (NATO and otherwise) such as Italy, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Kenya, Singapore, and probably a few others I'm forgetting.

 

So these guys in the video are not Americans? Or are the Americans typically mixed in with foreign students?

 

Yeah... I guess there are washouts at that level. Attitude is huge and you will see it throughout your career and it goes both ways. Here is a prime example. When I went to a Stan/Eval job I was replacing two people. One was fairly mediocre in the plane but was good at paperwork and generally pleasant to be around. This persons FEF was not pretty but they had consistently shown effort and good attitude. The other is very sharp in the plane and decent with paperwork but basically a d0uchebag to try and work with. When they got their assignments guess who went to AMC Stan/Eval and guess who got shuffled around to a holding assignment? At least in today's Air Force being able to play well with others is huge and unlike the fighter community where there is a certain amount "ass hole" might be accepted it does not play well in mobility where there are CRM issues considerations.

Not sure how it is at the UPT level but at mine you can expect foreign pilots to be mixed into classes with the Americans. Off the top of my head I have flown with Afghans, Iraqis, Polish and Nigerian students who come through the FTU. Their syllabus may not include everything but they are fairly well integrated.

 

They are mixed in. There are international instructor pilots too. I do not know the international student ratio an ENJPPT, but I would imagine it is pretty high. Here, at a normal pilot training base, there are 3 international students out of 18 in my class. That seems to be a pretty typical ratio.

 

I know for a fact the French navy sends its students in the US for primary jet training. In france they do the selection based on single piston engine. then they are sent to for jet training as well as carrier landing training. Apparently the USN has a land airstrip that is a mirror image of an aircraft carrier deck so students can practice landing with the arresters (obviously this strip does not move so still a big step to the real thing).
Once they are qualified on the USN trainer jet (BAe Hawk but I am not sure) then they come back to France for Rafale (multirole fighter) or Super Etendard (attack, 50 year old aircraft, a bit embarrassing...) qualification.
As French navy only sends 3-4 students each cycle, I think they fly together with other nationalities. At the end of the day, inter-operability and common procedures is not a bad idea. A bit of competitive friendship also doesn't hurt....

 

We did about 4 weeks of sims in the H-60 course at Rucker. It was all instruments training.

 

Saw this on a runway at Pensacola. Flew a PAR which lined up exactly with the optical landing system (they call it a "meatball") on the side of the runway. They have cables too, which weren't up that day. I think managed to snap a pic of it from the jump seat. I'll look for it.

 

Fo those interested, a cool TV show about election f French navy fighter pilots.
Segment about US training is from about 30 min in this one. As they graduate from the same course as they US hosts, they also get US wings !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLukRteAsdc

It's in 4 parts. For those who understand French it's very informative. The last one has some cool Rafale navy version.
One of the best fighter pilot reality TV show I have ever seen. Must have sent thousands to apply for the course.

 

Also found this video made by some Columbus guys in '12. It shows some T-1 form. Low level formation it is not the type of flying you would expect to be doing in a business jet, but it sure is fun. Mix in some mountains like there are in West TX and its a real blast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt96oWKocrk