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RPA School at Holloman


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Without getting into specifics, what is the basic schedule like during the 4 month school at Holloman? Particularly looking for the average duty day/class length. Thanks.

I was there last year in August. It was really laid back overall. I think I had an event like every other day on average(first month every 3-4 days, and towards the end every day usually). Flights/sims were usually 4 hours(1hr brief, 2 hr flight, 1hr debrief). Make sure your SRO talkes to the class ahead of you for gouge, and you should be good to go for academics. A few hours(2-3) of studying every day was more than enough to do well. Plenty of extra time for gym/tan/lunch/nap action. We were free to come and go as we wanted as long as we showed up at brief time and/or for academics. The 2 SQ buildings your normally at and the gym are right next to lodging within walking distance. Our class played volleyball/basketball for like 2 hours every day, and alot of us chilled at the pool every day while casually studying. The internet in lodging sucks, and Walmart/Chile's/Applebees are the best places Alamogordo has to offer. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

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I'm here right now. Academic Scheule is busy at first but quickly falls off. Like Wraith said, get the gouge from the class ahead of you and your good to go. You are free to go as you please. Only real restriction was you have to be able to get back by car within 12 hours. I think some guys are stretching that one a little but so far no one seems to care. When you start "flying" it's pretty random. I've had weeks where I've had 5 events that week and I've had others where I've only been scheduled for one and it CANX'd. They are getting ready to start using v.3 of their syllabus so I don't have any real info on what is about to change. I know it's going to be geared as a basic course due to the 18X's instead ot the current TX course that it is right now. Internet in lodging has gotten better but it seems to very buidling to building. PM me if you have anything more specific.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Have any of y'all going through Holloman worked on your FAA instrument rating while out there? Some of the sim time here at RIQ counts (if the right flight school accepts it) so I was looking for recommendations on any worthy flight schools out there.

Also, my drop is this friday. We've all but given up hope for -9s since we've been told the next class won't start till fall and AFPC doesn't want us waiting around until then. So we've seen only basically preds only the last 2 drops. Any words from Holloman?

Edited by JRJELCID04
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Also, my drop is this friday. We've all but given up hope for -9s since we've been told the next class won't start till fall and AFPC doesn't want us waiting around until then. So we've seen only basically preds only the last 2 drops.

Guys fighting over which UAV they get. As of 1020 PDT, 30 Apr 12, I have seen it all! Now get finished so the rest of us can leave

Edited by chim richalds
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  • 1 year later...

Academics is about 1-2 weeks long and 8-4 is about right. After that if you have the first sortie of the day brief time is around 0430, last sortie of the day debrief will be over by 1900. Once academis is over there is no "formal release" so you can show up to the Sq early enough to print out mission materials and get ready for the brief. You will only have one flying event per day. You wont always be on the same line. Usually if you start the week off with an early/late flights you will stay early/late for the week, however I had one week where I was first TO on Monday and last land on Friday.

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Have any of y'all going through Holloman worked on your FAA instrument rating while out there? Some of the sim time here at RIQ counts (if the right flight school accepts it) so I was looking for recommendations on any worthy flight schools out there.

Also, my drop is this friday. We've all but given up hope for -9s since we've been told the next class won't start till fall and AFPC doesn't want us waiting around until then. So we've seen only basically preds only the last 2 drops. Any words from Holloman?

What do you need an instrument ticket for? Already trying to leave RPAs in RIQ?

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  • 3 months later...

Hey guys, I heard UPT guys can bring their families with them during training, but does that hold true for the new RPA career field guys in URT?

I have been told that I am exempt from IFS due to having a PPL; about to get an instrument add-on. So, I am going straight to IQC.

Do you know if I will be able to bring my family to either IQC@Randolf or to FTU@Holloman?

Edited by RabidSquirrel
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  • 2 weeks later...

RIQ/RFC is at Randolph, but I digress, semantics.

I don't know your personal situation, if you're coming from another AFSC or if you're brand new, so:

Brand new accession: You will PCS to Randolph, and be expected to find an apartment or house off base. You will receive BAH for the San Antonio area, so yes family is welcome.

Cross-training: You will be TDY to Randolph, so it is better to leave your family at your home station. You will be living in on-base lodging.

At Holloman, you are TDY en route, so your family is kind of in limbo. You can either leave them in San Antonio (or your previous home station), or take them with you, but they will have to live in a hotel-size room with you on base unless you have a cat or dog and can secure a pet-friendly TLF. This is not much better, but it has a full kitchen and a separate living room from the bedroom. It's a pretty terrible situation for possibly four to five months if you get MQ-9's. I've seen some people forgo lodging on base and find a fully-furnished apartment off base, but I'm not too knowledgeable about that stuff in Alamogordo.

There were plenty of people that sent their families ahead to their gaining base, but you run the risk of washing out of training at Holloman, and then being stuck with a home at a location you are no longer going to and having to go through the pains of convincing the military to repack your things after you've unloaded already. I strongly advise against sending family ahead. Though failing out seems like a remote chance, it's happened and can cause even more heartache and headache on top of having to get reclassed again.

Edited by Keydet
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