UPT stress

[Guest T-Dawg]

Since a lot of you have "been there done that" I could use some advice or words of encouragement on UPT. I've only been going for a few months now and it's a lot different than what I expected. I thought I could handle stress, and flying planes, but this is a whole different ball of wax.

Basically, I suck flying and I'm probably the worst in academics. However, I'm not ever going to give up and I'll take it one day at a time. Just wanted to know if anyone else could relate to what I'm going through and if you had any ideas on what I could do in order not to get so down on myself.

[Champ Kind]

To me, a lot of UPT was the "bro system". Hopefully you haven't used your stress as a reason to alienate yourself from your class.

My simple advice: try to fall back on your bros. Have some brews, go out to dinner, do some grilling, go to the lake, do some road trips on the weekend, whatever.... Get your mind off of the UPT thing at least for a little bit. Establish that relationship, then maybe you'll be able to talk to them about what's going on with you and they might be able to help a brother out. I (and most others) probably could have finished UPT "on my own", but it would have been miserable.

The catch is, once you overcome your problems, make sure you are open to help others when the time comes. It's all about karma.

Ok... Group hug over.

[Techsan]

I can relate sucking @ Slack-a-demics, luckily I didn't have too much problem with the flying portion. Some guys at UPT can get away with coming home after a 12-hour day and studying for 3 hours. I, on the other hand, couldn't stand doing that. Like Phlash said, take time to relax and get your mind off of the daily grind. It will certainly help combat the stress of pilot training. Good luck and keep up the good attitude.

[Hacker]

First off, DO NOT GIVE UP!

Next, separate in your mind for a little while that flying and fun are even similar activities. Part of what you're learning there at UPT is how to deal with this stress mixed in with aviation.

It is designed to teach you how to compartamentalize your studies. How to concentrate on the closest, hottest target. How to look at 500 pages of study material and figure out what parts to read and which parts are chaff.

As has been said, GO TO A BUDDY and get some assistance with studying. "Stump the dummy" is about the best learning tool I can think of...sit around with a brew and have a buddy open the MQF or the -1 or 11-217 or whatever you're studying and ask questions. So what if you get none right the first time through...eventually you'll get it, and he'll get sharper by asking the questions, too. Have him help you chair-fly your next sortie in the syllabus. If you're further ahead in the syllabus than him, help him chair fly a sortie -- you'll sharpen your skills by having to teach it to someone else.

Back to my original point...DON'T GIVE UP!!! UPT is a marathon and not a sprint. Keep the end goal -- wings -- in mind at all times, and be patient.

[163 FS]

Some dudes have it, some dudes will have it in a little bit, some dudes will never get it.

As far as making it through pilot training, I can tell you first hand that:

-If you have good attitude

-If you help out your bros, not alienating yourself, etc..

-If you try your damndest to know everthing about what is on your profile card

-If you have a good attitude

Then, your IPs will go to bat for you. They will work with you that extra 15-30 minutes making sure you understand the concepts.

Don't give up!!! Take it one event at a time. That Stump the Buddy thing that Hacker was talking about is an amazing way to study.

Talk to your IPs. If you have questions about how to do something (I'm getting drug in, I'm getting slow over the top, etc.) The good IPs will explain how to fix it and when your name comes up in the Flt CC office, the IPs are going to say, "Well, he's not very good, but he works so damn hard, I like him, lets try to keep him around."

Not that that works all the time, but you'd be amazed how far attitude and hard work will take you in UPT and (I can't speak to it, but) the rest of your career.

[Vetter]

#1. Get drunk on the weekends. If you aren't like that, go to a church social or something like that.

#2. Never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut. I've passed up on this a few times (like now probably) and IPs do recognize it. That said, if you have a question, ask a buddy, then ask an IP.

#3. Realize that your only job in life right now is to fly jets as best you can. You can only give 100% and is there a better thing than giving 100% in the jet? I think not! I have never been satisfied with my performance and that tells me that I expect more out of myself than those around me expect out of me. That said also, realize that you really do have the second coolest job in the world (behind porn star, so to speak).

#4. Get laid. There is NOTHING like flying on a clean set of pipes. They say that all pilots talk about about women when they are flying and flying when they are with women. If you don't have to think about women when flying, think how much better you'll do. Then you'll get good and go back to thinking about women while you fly.

[ 02. July 2006, 20:26: Message edited by: Vetter ]

[Scooter14]

The only thing I'll add is that it gets better.

A lot better.

DON'T GIVE UP!

[zrooster99]

If you're at KDLF PM me, and I'll see if I can help. I'm 4 weeks from drop, Nav Check (T-1) complete, and willing to help.

[Guest ShortThrow]

do em kid. You've been selected to be there for a reason.

[Guest T-Dawg]

Thanks everyone for the strong words of encouragement. I'll try and relax a little and not get so wrapped up in it.

[Guest canucope]

Everyone has given some great advice. My 2 cents is this, believe in yourself and you'll get through it. My wife gave birth to my fourth child in the middle of tweets. I went through my first check ride and 88 ride a couple of days before she delivered. Luckily they kept the 89 ride until after she delivered. I know what it's like to have stress in UPT. Thankfully my IP's saw that I was putting 100% into what I was doing and could understand my source of frustration and stress. Because of that they worked with me when I needed it.

You made it this far, trust yourself enough to know that you'll make it all the way

[Guest DangerousLT]

Do you live on or off base? The first half of tweets I lived off base and sucked ass. The second half I lived on base and was shit hot. A wise Lt Col I flew with talked me into making the move. If you are off base and having issues, I'd reccomend moving to the dorms. Your flight commander can help you break a lease, if that's the issue.

Oh, and just to add... after all the bullshit, it feels pretty damn good to get winged.

[Rocker]

Know your limitations, but never be self-depricating. Don't tell yourself that you suck; don't even joke about it - there are enough people around to do that for you and it will only create a loser attitude. Instead, tell yourself you can be better and take all the above advice to make it happen.

[nrodgsxr]

However much you suck.. there's probably someone else that sucked much more and made it through b/c they didn't give up. Just find a buddy who's doing well and get help.

[HerkDerka]

Suck it up.

HD

[war007afa]

1) Remember that there's nothing that you can do to a Tweet that hasn't been done to it before at least once in its lifetime.

2) If you can't learn it by 0200, it can't be learned and probably isn't worth the trouble.

Good luck.

[Scooter14]

Originally posted by war007afa:

2) If you can't learn it by 0200, it can't be learned and probably isn't worth the trouble.

Good luck.

I'd change the time to 2100 and roll with that.

That reminds me...

I had a brief period of trouble sleeping at UPT, and the advice I got was to close the books about 30-45 minutes before bed and veg out. When you are studying, the mind is active, storing information, analyzing info, etc. If you study until let's say 2230, close the book, brush your teeth and get into bed, the mind is still busy. Couple this with normal pre-checkride (or pre-test/flight whatever) nervousness, and your mind will just keep going over scenario after scenario and it will be difficult to relax.

So, my routine in Tweets was this:

Monday afternoon...

Leave the flightroom 1700ish, go workout for 30-45 minutes. Maybe go with a bro and hit each other with stump the dummy questions or NOTES WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS while you lift/run/ride the bikes. Get home around 1815. Eat. Catch up with the wife/kids. Go study around 1915. Study until about 2115. CLOSE THE BOOKS. Turn on the TV. Watch something stupid for 30 minutes and zone out. Get into bed by NLT 2200.

Repeat 3 more times for Tues, Wed, Thurs nights.

Friday...

Leave the flightroom. Proceed to the club in gaggle formation. Meet wife and Captain Morgan there. Tell stories about how you tried to adjust your oxygen mask and pulled the hose off of the front. Watch the single guys leave to chase tail at Scooters. Laugh at the thoughts of what they will bring home. Cringe at the thoughts of them getting into trouble and having to hear your flight commander chew their ass on Monday. Get home at 0000. Pay babysitter. Drink a big glass of water and take two aspirin. Pass out.

[Guest rtstolwo]

Quit and on your way out request that your slot be given to me. ;) J/K

But seriously, perhaps a good way to ease your mind a bit is to think that there are folks like me out there who are infinately jealous of your hardships.

Good luck Boston and maybe, with some luck on my part, we'll serve together one day.

[ 03. July 2006, 23:35: Message edited by: rtstolwo ]

[Whitman]

Boston,

First off, keep up the good attitude. Check out this thread. There is some golden advice in this about success at UPT

https://www.dynamictruth.com/ubb/ultimatebb...001674/p/1.html

Best of luck

[Guest ohiopilot]

Working with THIS kind of camaraderie is why I want to fly in the military.

Great thread.

all around...

[Guest Rainman A-10]

Go to bed early and get up early to study.

You will remember five times more of what you study if you go to bed early, wake up early, take a shower, make some coffee, get dressed for work and then start studying at 0430 rather than staying up until 0230 studying the same crap.

This works.

[Guest copenhagen]

Originally posted by Rainman A-10:

Go to bed early and get up early to study.

You will remember five times more of what you study if you go to bed early, wake up early, take a shower, make some coffee, get dressed for work and then start studying at 0430 rather than staying up until 0230 studying the same crap.

This works.

"2"

[Guest priorE]

Also,

Relax. It only has to be as stressful as you make it. In T-1's I'm really relaxed and I'm doing quite well ... and I'm enjoying it, too. I think I could have relaxed a little more in Tweets and that would have made life a little easier.

As far as studying - it's not how much you study, it's what you study. I've found that going through the gouge makes me get into the actual books (and it usually will have page numbers) to verify answers or whatever and I end up studying what I need to know instead of reading for countless hours.

Hope that helps a little.

[Scooter14]

Originally posted by tonestud:

I've found that going through the gouge makes me get into the actual books (and it usually will have page numbers) to verify answers or whatever and I end up studying what I need to know instead of reading for countless hours.

The best way to study is to formulate questions. Endless reading off 11-whatever will numb your brain and may even cause you to wish to do harm to yourself.

Like gouge out your eyeballs

or hit yourself in the nuts with a ball peen hammer

[Guest KoolKat]

Originally posted by Scooter:

...may even cause you to wish to do harm to yourself.

...or hit yourself in the nuts with a ball peen hammer

This was EXACTLY how japanese porn was described to me by one of the Huey pilots here...

BENDY