Civil Air Patrol (CAP)

[Guest afrotccadet]

As I was waiting to take my first flight today (which went really well!), I noticed a couple of AFROTC cadets meeting with CAP officers and taking a flight.

Does CAP offer free flight lessons to AFROTC cadets? I would be very interested in this since I am a bit financially strapped right now.

I would appreciate anybody's advice especially anybody with previous CAP experience.

Thanks.

[Buddy Spike]

Originally posted by AFROTC cadet:

As I was waiting to take my first flight today (which went really well!), I noticed a couple of AFROTC cadets meeting with CAP officers and taking a flight.

Does CAP offer free flight lessons to AFROTC cadets? I would be very interested in this since I am a bit financially strapped right now.

I would appreciate anybody's advice especially anybody with previous CAP experience.

Thanks.

No. The CAP offers only "rides" for cadets to participate in.

The CAP aircraft can't be used for primary training. Once you have your PPL, it can be used for all other training - and it's all free (just pay the ridiculously low rental cost).

[iFlyTexans]

In AFROTC, we were allowed to join CAP and pay $15 for 8 hours of flight time. 4 in the front seat and 4 in the back. The flights were orientations, so we did not actully get lessons. The CAP pilot took off and landed, but we were able to do the rest. It was fun! You can't log the time unless the CAP pilot is a CFI, but that is not too likely. Good luck flying!

[Guest Sven]

Actually in CAP only primary flight training is only prohibited for senior members; unless they get approval by wing I believe.

For cadets they would have to find a CAP Instructor Pilot that is willing to give flight lessons for free.

In my home squadorn here in Naples 2 cadets just won 3 hours of flight instruction in our aircraft because they did an oustanding job during our last fundraiser.

It can be done if you find a willing CAP IP.

Sven

[Chicken]

Anyone have any experience with CAP? I am trying to figure out how to do some civilian flying for free or close to it and have come down to getting a CFI and joining CAP. What exactly does cap do? Would CAP take the fun out of the flying? Everything I have heard about CAP in the past years has pointed to .. I hate paying $90/hr right now to go fart around in a DA20 in the mountains. One local squadron has a 182 with a G1000, but I don't imagine I could take it to Tahoe for the day for local "training"..again I have no idea.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Chicken

[HoHum]

Well, if you would have searched for "Renegade Band of Degenerate Homosexuals" you might have avoided this post altogether.

Apply Here

No, in all seriousness, you could be stuck flying ROTC kids around for "orientation rides".

Edited March 6, 2007 by The_Ginger

[Chicken]

Well I was wondering if there was fun flying to be had. And if it would outweigh the . Their site says they do counterdrug now. Wonder how far that is stretched. Again wondering if a lot of their "training" is like the "training" we did in the herk along the NC coast, asheville, niagra, etc, or what. A ROTC cadet would be fine.. better than AES flying in the back telling you the honey bucket is on fire.

[Champ Kind]

Their site says they do counterdrug now.

That's all you need..... to be flying a cadet around in a 172, fielding questions about how the attitude indicator works while simultalenously going defensive against Junior Junior shooting at you because you flew over his meth lab.

[Fozzy Bear]

Most units are supposed to be getting a 182 with the G1000, fyi. As far as the flying, some units WANT you to take it out for the day, or weekend, to work on your proficiency. The counterdrug stuff is supposed to be pretty cool (never done it); you also do disaster relief, SAR, exercises with the alphabet soup, etc. It's all free and helps build time, the downside is pretty massive though. It's a huge pain in the ass to become a mission pilot, which you have to be before you can check out the plane. Also, you'll get calls in the middle of night to go track down an ELT. In an aviation town like Wichita, that can get old REAL fast. Flying students around is f***ing fun - you're not and instructor, it's just an orientation ride - you can do whatever. The only way to get thru the gayness with some expediency is if you're a CFI with lots of PIC time.

Every unit is different, sometimes vastly so.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Fozzy Bear

[Boxhead]

I'll let ya know in a few weeks....I am participating in my first CAP event on the 10th...the sq here (in Vegas) seems pretty nice, most of the guys are retired military, pilots from just about every airframe and branch of service...think a more active version of the VFW...they are still flying, having fun, drinking beer and yet still get retirement checks...

The counterdrug thing here is rare from what I have been told...mostly just SAR exercises and then finding the odd hiker on a fairly regular basis. The flying is free some of the time, and cheap (about $40-50/hr, wet...I will get back with ya on the restrictions...) plus, a bunch of the members own their own planes....from what I hear you just pay the gas and off ya go...again, depends onthe sq and your ability to make friends, I suppose.

Anyway, PM me in a few weeks if you are still interested

[LJDRVR]

That's all you need..... to be flying a cadet around in a 172, fielding questions about how the attitude indicator works while simultalenously going defensive against Junior Junior shooting at you because you flew over his meth lab.

CLASSIC!!

To the original poster, go ahead and get involved, the flying is nice and cheap. I'm considering joining up again to help control my GA flying cost. (Can't afford too much $100 dollar an hour 172 on probationary pay.)

One word of warning though, if you wear anything other than the polo shirt with slacks, the god of aviation karma will reign down something along the lines of throwing a connecting rod in return for your uber ness.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

I used to be in the cadet program back when I was in high school. I got out partly due to going off to college and partly due to burnout with poor leadership and douchebaggery among the senior members.

I'm thinking of getting back in as a senior member, but am not sure if I should. My biggest reason for wanting to get back in is a desire to provide mentorship for current cadets. I hated how the senior members were when I was a cadet and I'd like to provide a positive influence for current cadets. On top of that, I'm also interested in getting into CAP flying, if not for the SAR aspect of it, at least for the training and proficiency aspect of it.

The problem is I'm deployed anywhere from 4 to 6 months out of the year in addition to my normal home station work time commitments. The listed meeting time for the local CAP squadron is compatible with my normal home station work schedule though.

So my question to current CAP members-- is it worth it? Would it be feasible for me to join CAP and be able to get out of it what I'm looking to get out of the experience?

[osulax05]

I couldn't pass on an opportunity to bring this gem back.

https://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=848&hl=

CAP = Renegade Band of Degenerate Homosexuals

[Right Seat Driver]

Where is CAP Soft Sandy at? A gleaming example of the excellence that the Smembers exude.

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

I couldn't pass on an opportunity to bring this gem back.

https://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=848&hl=

CAP = Renegade Band of Degenerate Homosexuals

lulz.... gotta watch out for those homo 135 pilots from TYS

[busdriver]

dude, the simple answer is yes you should. If you have an interest (and it seems you do) to have a positive influence in the lives of young kids in our world you should absolutely engage.

[FlyAF]

I don't know where the hell to put this, so here it goes.

CAP Virtual Fighter Weapons School:

[BFM this]

I made it one minute. That's it.

[waltopfor]

I went through as a cadet from about 7th grade up until I turned 18. I then made the switch to the senior member program, which I havent been too involved with due to college UPT etc. That said I think it is a good program. You have a chance to mentor the next generation, I was amazed by the stories, and knowlege of the leadership in my squadron (mostly vietnam vets) hearing these stories at a younger age definatly pushed me more towards the military. I worked in a ground team squadron so my CAP flying experience is only a couple of cadet orientation flights back in the day. Im glad Im a member and will become more active again now that Im done with the FTU. As far as it being the AF Aux believe it, yearly ORM training, MEO, and other queep all brought to you in an exiting computer lesson, so dont be too suprised. Overall Its been a good experience and helped me get where I am now, and I dont mind having the ability to expose the next generation to aerospace and the military.

[Guest burner]

I was in Cadet pgm in HS. I got fly in the Sqn CC's Skyhawk, which was great experience. During AFROTC, I flew as Sr Member (SM) in the S FL area, which was okay. Another AF friend flew CAP in TX, where he flew a few searches, and surveyed some LL training routes out of Dyess. When I was at ACSC, I flew as a SM with a composite Sqn, and there was mandatory background check to work with Cadets. I think my pal in TX (USAF ret) put it best when he said, "if we go down while flying GA birds, at least we have CAP looking for us". To me, it seemed as regimented as the USAF aero club pgm.

[Guest ndirishpilot]

I was in Cadet pgm in HS. I got fly in the Sqn CC's Skyhawk, which was great experience. During AFROTC, I flew as Sr Member (SM) in the S FL area, which was okay. Another AF friend flew CAP in TX, where he flew a few searches, and surveyed some LL training routes out of Dyess. When I was at ACSC, I flew as a SM with a composite Sqn, and there was mandatory background check to work with Cadets. I think my pal in TX (USAF ret) put it best when he said, "if we go down while flying GA birds, at least we have CAP looking for us". To me, it seemed as regimented as the USAF aero club pgm.

I owe a lot to CAP as that's how I was able to learn to fly, and fly instruments, so I've tried to give back by getting my MP/DR and help out where I can. I've benefited from some very experienced guys (my instructor flew everything from the Century Series up to the F-15 and F-16 and was a base commander before retiring, and another guy I flew a mission with flew A-10's in the Guard and flies 747's to Asia now), but like any volunteer organization, you just never know who you're going to get. There is a high level of incompetence in the high levels of my wing, to the extent that I'm thinking I'll transfer to a different state. Since National started pushing the WMIRS deal, the amount of paperwork required for even the shortest flights is oppressive.

Some of the people I run into in CAP really seal the deal on 406 MHz ELT's for me.

[matmacwc]

Some of the people I run into in CAP really seal the deal on 406 MHz ELT's for me.

Wait....what?

[Guest ndirishpilot]

Wait....what?

If you have a 406 MHz ELT with GPS encoding, AFRCC gets your coordinates and thus eliminates the need for CAP to find you. Which, based on my interactions with some other aircrew members, is a good thing.

[Guest burner]

I liked flying with some CAP folks. I always considered I would do more of it post-AF, since it should always be around.