Preparing for UPT

[Opie]

I just recieved my slot a few weeks ago for UPT and am anxiously excited to get myself prepared for it. i got my PPL when i was in high school and since then have used my license to more or less buzz around and enjoy myself. This summer i've got some money set aside and want to start flying in a much more disciplined manner to start gearing my mind for UPT... ie serious attention to detail and things of that nature.

For example i'm planning on doing heavy 'mission' planning, restudying PPL material, a lot of practice with EPs, and spending time practicing manuevers with narrow altitude limits, etc. in other words doing what i should have been doing anyway.

do you guys recommend anything that i should really focus on? My attention to detail is something i would really like to improve.

thanks a lot for your insight...

[Flare]

I'd spend some money/time on doing some instrument flying. The other stuff...... I wouldn't really worry about. We'll teach you all we want you to know when you get here!

[mmkk111]

I wouldn't get to crazy with your preparation. You'll soon find out that the way you fly in the civilian world and the way the military does it are two different evils (sts). Just work on your basic airwork, get comfortable on the radios, and try not to learn any bad habits ! They are going to teach you everything you need to know, so don't sweat it too much! Conrats on your slot, have fun and fly safe...

Mark

[Guest thtflyer]

Good advice already. As far as re-studying your PPL stuff, knowing your aero, weather and airspace stuff will help with acedemics. I didn't have my instrument rating prior to UPT but the guys that did said that some of the stuff is different (RMI) so I don't know if it's worth it to spend big bucks working torward your civilian instrument rating, but a little couldn't hurt. Also, I wouldn't worry too much about "practicing maneuvers with narrow altitude limits" as flying a jet is nothing like flying a civilian trainer, although good hands will help you with basic AC control.

Personally, I'd just enjoy my civilian flying by taking my friends/family around and relaxing because the flying atmosphere at UPT is totally different. For my class, there hasn't been much difference (performance wise) between the guys with 25 hours in a cessna and the CFII guys with 2000 hours so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on civilian flying getting you ahead.

[Guest CBStud]

Pretty much what's been said is good advice. Don't worry about being extremely precise with your flying just to practice for UPT. Like others have said, its totally different. Just flying around, working out of weird situations and being airborne will help you out to a point. Hey, the whole point of UPT is to learn to fly, not to evalute you on what you can do already. Also, don't bother with your instrument ticket. There was a dude in my tweet class that already had his instrument and I was not only flying better instruments but also teaching him some stuff. I wouldn't really bother. They'll teach you everything you need to know when you get here. Save the prop flying for just bumming around. That's what me and a few buds do just to get out of the intense and focused flying you'll do.

[HerkDerka]

My advice is to slow down and not do as much flying as you are planning. When you get to UPT, you're gonna learn how to fly in a completely different manner. Just enjoy the last time you have before the firehose.

I love it when guys get slots and start prepraring for UPT three years in advance.

PD

[Guest KC10IPTravis]

I'd have to piggy back on all the rest...enjoy your "time" right now... The only real thing you can do is find a quiet room with about 20 people you don't know....stand in the middle and very distinctly say out loud... "Sir(or mam)..I'm going to analyze the situation...take the appropriate actions..and land as soon as conditions permit..."

[JS]

Yeah, take everything people say here with a grain of salt. Most people don't study much before UPT, but I did. I feel like it helped a ton by easing off the pressure (especially the first few weeks). To be honest, I never really noticed the whole "firehose" thing because I felt like I studied my nuts off before UPT and during down times in academics. I also studied the Dash one a lot before UPT. I finished my instrument rating before getting to UPT and it definitely gets you a leg up on instruments, but may not be worth the total investment. The tweet instruments are definitely different, but a basic instrument cross-check and good instrument habits should carry over to UPT if you did well with instruments (assuming you got your instrument rating) with the FAA.

One more note, you may want to buy the T-37 add-on for Microsoft flight simulator to familiarize yourself with the gauges and speed of the tweet. I did this and found it to be very helpful. I have heard numerous IP's recommend this game (I don't think they are getting kickbacks either) to studs in order to help them chairfly real time. You can find the simulator at www.t37sim.com. Good luck.

[Tex]

A question for all of the IPs and UPT guys out there. I have got my PPL and a little over 150 hours VFR with a few multi hours dispersed through out from flying down in TX. But the reality is that other than my BFR I haven't sat through formal training in nearly 4 years. I remember all of the things that come with sitting and burning holes flying VFR and GPS X-country, but items like weather and X-country planning have slipped. The powers that be are shipping me straight out to CAFB for class. How much of this knowledge are we expected to know and how much is retaught after IFT? Thanks for the help.

[ 05. April 2004, 15:09: Message edited by: Tex ]

[Flare]

Originally posted by Tex:

...but items like weather and X-country planning have slipped. The powers that be are shipping me straight out to CAFB for class. How much of this knowledge are we expected to know and how much is retaught after IFT?

As long as you remember the basic addage "push the stick forward, houses get bigger; pull the stick back, houses get smaller" they will teach you EVERYTHING else you need to know at least once. IF you have alot of free time, as previously mentioned elsewhere, I'd learn the boldface and ops limits...other than that, I'd just enjoy my free time because in a few months you won't remember what free time is.

And BTW, the above addage really isn't even true when you get to UPT.... it's more like "trim the jet (or turboprop for you T-6/T-44/C-130 types ) for level flight, then add power to make houses get smaller or reduce power to make houses get bigger..."

[ 04. April 2004, 18:10: Message edited by: ENJJPT stud ]

[Guest Shep]

Enjoy your free time. They'll drill everything into your head that you need to know over the next year or two. One bit of advice: Don't tell your IP's that you have civilian time. One, they may expect more out of you. Two, military flying and civilian flying are two totally different ballgames, so you'll have to unlearn some of your previous knowledge.

[HerkDerka]

I agree:

The type of flying you're going to learn in the AF is COMPLETELY different from any type of flying you've learned before. Don't worry about the past, just focus on what you're being taught in the present.

PD

[Guest AliBFlyGirl]

I got my PPL four years ago right before I graduated High School. I have maybe flown 2 hours since then and I start UPT Nov 4. I'm quite RUSTY....actually I have probably forgotten 90%. But what I hear is that they teach everything they want you to know. I'll probably get current in the month I have for summer, just to get familiarized again. But, my advice, like a couple others, is to relax, take care of your college studies, have FUN and just be mentally and physically prepared for the rough year of pilot training. You'll be all set. (Of course it is easier for me to say now because my class start date doesn't start til Nov 4)

[Stiffler]

I almost studied alot before UPT, and I am in week 4 here, academics, and have already learned everything I studied for months before;) Dont learn the boldface on the Gouge websites too, they just changed it all!

Adam

[JS]

"Dont learn the boldface on the Gouge websites too, they just changed it all!"

LEARN THE BOLDFACE FROM ANY PLACE YOU CAN GET IT! Sure, they added two sets of parenthesis in the latest dash-1, but the core of them is the same. Learn as much about systems, ops limits, and boldface as you can find (from gouge websites) before hitting the flightline.

[Guest pcampbell]

I would like to know if I need the gouge to get through UPT. It seems that so far, all of my classmates are more concerned about who's got the best poop instead of what the Dash 1 reads. Here's an example: do I really need day 1-5 flashcards? How else can I get the knowledge needed for the first week of the flightline without getting the gouge?

[WHAP]

You need the gouge, but study things like the checklists for groundops, takeoff, in flight checks, landing. know the local area procedures and the departures to the MOAs, know radio calls, know the local challenge and response verbiage that applies to the above checklists.

I dont know what day 1-5 flashcards are, so i cant help you there. But the above stuff is what i wish i had studied prior to hitting the flightline. oh yeah, read the dash one 2-3 times.

[BFM this]

Rback,

Live by the gouge, die by the gouge. The gouge is what you use after you've done your readings to reinforce what you've read. It includes notes, flashcards and study aids. The icing on the cake is when you take a critical eye to the gouge and verify it's accuracy. If you do this, you'll find some erroneous and dated material, and in the process you'll become the expert in the material that you need to be to not only succeed, but succeed well.

If you don't, you'll get the rote memorization of facts and figures, which, if taken out of context, will show up in the table top briefings, check rides, and shotgun stand ups and leave you looking like you have a very poor grasp of the material.

[Guest rumblefish_2]

I know it sounds stupid, but most of what the IPs go off of is gouge. They have all that stuff and will even show it to you. Just don't bring yours into the flight room. They'll read the exact same questions on those flash cards and the standups will come off of those sheets you get at kinkos. You cannot survive by gouge alone, so read your Dash-1, AFI, and chapter 8, 3-1, etc, but expect the gouge to be quite familiar in some of your instructor's questions...this is all Sheppard specific, which I see is where you are going to pilot training...

[Guest AirGuardian]

Gouge is as they say "Technique" only... Procedure is your text book! You may rattle off some prescribed answer from gouge related material, but when the IP asks you to show him/her where you found it - You had better open your DASH -1 or related AFI since you DID read it right! Gouge is sometimes a great thing as a study tool, but make sure its the correct stuff. Gouge sometimes actually exceeds the amount of reading and interpretation you had to do in the first place by reading the actual reg... Just a note. Pick your gouge, know your DASH-1 - or at least be able to find the answer quickly...

[ 04. September 2004, 22:50: Message edited by: AirGuardian ]

[Guest Patriot 328]

OK is this DASH-1 available online for us not there yet?

[HerkDerka]

You'll be issued a Dash One at UPT. Don't worry about it yet.

HD

[HerkDerka]

I completely agree. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Don't waste your time before UPT. You haven't had this type of training before so you won't be able to retain anything you study. There will be plenty of study time when you start. For now, start looking and the Boldface and Ops limits. That's all you need.

HD

[Guest hockeymv]

HD is totally right. Boldface and Ops Limits were all I heard to know before I got there too. If you are SH on those two, you will have a leg up already. It will be just one less thing you have to worry about when the fire hose starts.

Best of luck in CBM! It's tough, but very rewarding!

[Guest NoseArtGal]

Wow. I am really going to be in the minority here. I think studying before you go is in your best interest. Certainly, as others point out here, it's not a necessity (at least for most people). But I personally think grabbing the Dash One and getting really familiar with it (especially the emergency procedures and ops limits) is a good thing. I'd stick with the -1 only though and not get wrapped into any of the other stuff too much. If you have questions on the -1 you can probably post them here and others in UPT might be able to help since old guys like myself won't remember...