NAS Pensacola information

[Guest uniballvisionmicro]

I second Hip Pocket. The place is the shiznit. Try the gyro.

[war007afa]

Nah....just take the fam to the "original" McGuires (pick me up some of their micro while you're there! I know where you live lol!)

[Guest lovelacm]

Thanks for the help, folks.

Just back from NAS Pensacola and the fine folks at the Aerospace Phys unit...

AF Guys Lookin' to get in on a USN Altitude Chamber Refresher - Forget it.. ain't gonna happen no more. Apparently, whilest I was in class this mornin', they found out that they're not supposed to help us bubbas out like that. They didn't screw me over and ask me to leave, but I finished up the training and pulled chocks on the double-quick!

Oh well.. learned about the ejection seat in the Super Hornet, the T-45, and the T-2... and had some excellent physiology lectures... didn't put me to sleep like they did last time.

Cheers!

Linda

[Guest HercDouche]

Anybody know of any guys getting T1s to NAS Pensacola? Any ideas when Whiting is getting T-6s?

[BONE WSO]

T-1 pilots at NAS Pensacola are civilian contractors, not sure about the T-6's at Whiting but you could always fly T-6s at Pensacola

[Baseops.Net]

There are T-6s at P-Cola for the Nav students. AF Pilots do fly these planes, although there are not that many slots.

NAS Whiting still has the T-34 Turbo Mentor - and AF Pilots also fly as IPs here in several of the Joint squadrons.

[MD]

Originally posted by WSO _LT:

T-1 pilots at NAS Pensacola are civilian contractors, not sure about the T-6's at Whiting but you could always fly T-6s at Pensacola

The T-39s are contractor operated, but I thought the T-1s were a Det of the T-1 squadron from Laughlin.

[DeHavilland]

Love the P-cola area and was wondering just what flight instructing jobs (military) there are there and what type airframe are used and who the contractors are. Any hiring minimums too.

Thanks

[FireMission]

T-1s at P-cola all have Randolph tail markings and are flown by retired guys now working as contractors. They fly them single pilot - nav student sits right seat and instructor nav in the jumpseat

[Combat Platypus]

Are there any reserve instructor jobs around P-cola?

[BONE WSO]

There were quite a few reservists teaching nav training at NAS Pensacola.

Also supposedly the T-1's and T-39's are going away and should be replaced by C-21's in 2009.

[Techsan]

Originally posted by WSO _LT:

Also supposedly the T-1's and T-39's are going away and should be replaced by C-21's in 2009.

I don't know why they would want to replace the T-1 (made in the 90s) with the C-21 (made 1984). There is more room in the T-1 anyways.

[BONE WSO]

They are replacing the T-39(30-40 years old) with the C-21. The T-1 is supposed to get phased out of the syllabus, not necessarily replaced. I worked in skeds for 6 months at Pensacola and this was the preliminary plan that the AF was working on so take it for what its worth.

[ 25. November 2006, 00:16: Message edited by: WSO _LT ]

[john]

Ok. Well I'll preface this by stating I am a ROTC cadet still currently without a slot, but will find out in March and am not too concerned with my chances. I want to know the truth about going to UPT at Pensacola. A lot of the things I have heard are bits a pieces from people that haven't actually gone there for training. I know about muster and I understand that it would probably take almost twice as long as AF UPT. But...

I hear that there it is a lot more slack and the Navy feels that you have already earned something rather the AF idea that you still have a lot to prove as a stud. True? Also, is there any validity to the story that it is easier to get a 38 out of there? But that 'cola 38 studs don't do as well in phase 3 or what ever its called. I realize the location is cool, but what are the real advantages to going there?

Thanks, John.

[Wing Sweep]

It's not more slack or already having earned something. They just expect you to study on your own time (i.e. act like the officer that you are). I'd say about 1/4 to 1/3 of guys get 38s out there. Just depends on timing, much like at an AF UPT base. It's true that P'cola studs are behind the power curve in 38s, for a little while. After the contact phase, it's an even playing field. Advantages are being exposed to joint training, being treated like an adult, no 12 hour days (I can count my 12 hour days in one hand while I was there), and appreciation for air conditioning at AF bases. If you want more specifics than this, PM me.

[ 21. December 2006, 18:05: Message edited by: g2s ]

[HerkDerka]

In general, the differences don't really matter.

In Navy training, they expect you to act like an officer and study. If you don't, it's your ass. However, they also give you a master curriculum guide that tells exactly what you need to study before each flight (and they call us spoonfed). It makes the GK session easier and also give you a little direction in your studying. With that said, Navy training is slower paced, takeoff times don't mean a thing, and they are taught less in primary than AF studs. One time at Corpus I was talking with a Navy stud about getting back into the instrument phase. I asked how much training he had in primary and his reply was "Oh, I flew a TACAN AND a PAR!" They make up for it in intermediate phase though. Their formation phase is a joke.

On the the other hand, AF training dishes out a bunch of suck. But it can be helpful since the fire hose is set a little higher in AF training. You have a set graduation date and you have to learn all of your shit in that amount of time.

Navy bases suck facility-wise but have better locations. Vice versa for the AF.

Don't get into the "better or worse chance of T-38s at Whiting" thing. It's a waste of brain power. If you do go to Whiting, don't worry about hacking it when you go to Vance to finish up. Any slowness adapting to the AFisms will disappear within a week or two.

In the end it doesn't really matter. You're learning to fly.

HD

[ 21. December 2006, 22:26: Message edited by: HerkDerka ]

[mmkk111]

Ditto to all of the above. It's a fun time. I don't think I ever did a pubs check the entire 10 months I was there. That's the Navy though.... just go fly and have the jet back for the next guy in line.

The formation phase did suck compared to the AF, but I feel the instrument phase was better. It doesn’t really matter in the end. When you get to T-1’s, 38’s, etc, it’ll all balance out at some point.

[ 21. December 2006, 19:27: Message edited by: mmkk111 ]

[mmkk111]

You just don't get as many rides. The Navy looks at training differently. They do basic stuff for everybody, and if you make it to jets, than they'll teach you the other stuff. Don't forget, the majority of their pilots are helo bubba’s. Talking to my AF buds that flew tweets/T-6's, it just sounded like the AF phase was better than the Navy's form rides. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a blast, just not as much time was dedicated to it.

[Guest jcam753]

I went through with the AF and, for what it's worth, was glad that I did. We had guys that joined us from Whiting, and after hearing their stories I was appreciative of the af. It's true that it doesn't matter as far as the rest of training. The top and bottom of our 38 class were from there and there were good guys and bad guys in the t-1 class as well. It just took them longer. Tweets were tough, but I really appreciate it...that was good flying. Good luck.

[Guest Pan130]

The Navy also lets you advance through the program quicker if you are above average. At least in the T-44/TC-12 phase. I dropped about 1/4 the required lessons during that phase to finish with a class ahead of me. They treat you like an adult instead of a child that the AF does. Yes, I experienced both.

[ellsworb]

I skipped all but 3 instrument phase rides. Our VT required a flight with the skipper or XO to do it, but from then on it was smooth sailin.

Those that talk shit abou the Navy training are USUALLY the ones that have NEVER been. I say to them, "Talk all the crap you want, it was the best year of my life".

Come on. On the beach 4 days a week. The AF can take Vance and shove it.

[POKESC17]

I know of two guys at primary that skipped ahead. One was a former regional airline pilot and the other one had 1000+ hours/instructor rating and all that jazz. Like Ellsworb said, they had to have a ride with the skipper or XO but neither one had a problem with the program.

[Guest MeowMix]

Phlash, yes events can be pro-rated in order for you to get winged on time. The events can be flown for you as a winged stud and you can do other flying as well if you are not opted, FCF flights or whatever you want.

My roomate in UPT opted to stay on the couch after winging and did nothing, I came in and flew everything that moved on base.

I did AF pri and Navy secondary, it was a good deal. Keep your mind and options open, god has a plan, go with it.

[BQZip01]

Anyone have a basic idea as to how the syllabus is going to flow down in P-cola?

[08Dawg]

Last rumint I had was that it was still being revised. They've pushed back the start of the first class because of that, or so I've been told.