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Undergraduate Pilot Training Incoming Student Information
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Click on the section you'd like to see - Big Picture - What is Pilot Training? - Preparation - What to study, what kind of physical fitness level should you be in prior to getting to UPT? - Moving In / Living Accommodations - Moving tips, where to live while at UPT... - Equipment - What kind of stuff do you need to bring? - Stress Management - What to expect, how to combat stress, Do's and Don'ts while at UPT - Reserve / Guard Students - Paperwork, pay issues, overall synopsis... - Website Links - Some great websites to look up prior to coming - FAQs - Some common email questions I get regarding UPT
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Big Picture: What is Pilot Training? Regardless of what anybody tells you now (including me), U.S. Air Force Pilot Training can be the best year of your life, the worst year of your life, both, or someplace in-between, depending on your individual experience. Obvious, right? It's true. For me it wasn't the worst year, or the best year as a whole, but I had some really awesome times there, and I had some really crappy times there. Just keep an open mind and try not to have any good or bad notions prior to getting here, so you can make up your own mind. UPT isn't just a course designed to teach you how to fly the T-1 or T-38. It's not designed to make you walk, talk, and look like a pilot. Nor is it designed just to teach you about military aviation. The program is a 52 week examination of your skill, knowledge, and stress-handling ability all combined. It is designed to see how well you can take in information, process it, and apply it in an often stressful environment. They also observe your leadership skills, teamwork, mental endurance, integrity, and habit patterns, to a lesser extent. You finish UPT with a wealth of knowledge on aviation, but you also leave with a very high tolerance for stress. You'll spend the first 6 weeks in academics, where you go to class for about 4-6 hours a day. Then you have plenty of time in the evenings to study the material. When I went through, if you read my journal, you'll realize that this phase was pretty laid back. We goofed around alot, and still had time to study for tests, memorize boldface, and get an overall idea of what to expect once we hit the flightline. Week 7 you meet your phase 2 flight commander. In phase 2, your class will be split up into two flights, of about 13 students each. Each flight usually has 6-8 assigned instructor pilots, or IPs, as well as several attached (guest) IPs from other squadrons or flights. You'll be assigned an IP, and will sit by his/her desk every morning. You'll have formal briefings everyday in phase 2, and the days are pretty long, typically from 6am to 6pm. After you're released for the day, you'll go home and eat, relax and then spend a few hours studying. Initially there aren't enough hours in the day to get it all in. Do your best. At about the 6 month point, your class will split up again into two sections, and you'll start academics all over again for your new jet. Most students will go to the T-1 squadron, 6 or 7 students will go to the T-38 side of the house, a couple will go to Corpus Christi to fly the King Air, and a couple will go to Fort Rucker for helicopter training. Guard/Reserve already know where they are going, but active duty students get to choose, and based on their flight ranking at the end of Phase 2, they quite often get their choice. Don't make up your mind early regarding fighters or heavies. When I went through, most people thought the T-38 program would consist of alot of hazing and tough times, but in reality you'll get that in both programs so it's just a question of what you want to fly most. I think the fighter track would have been alot of fun to go through, just to fly the T-38. T-1s are all business. The jet itself isn't hard to fly, but there are so many systems onboard it takes alot of brainpower to stay ahead. The program is very stressful, especially in the Navigation phase, where they through everything at you all at once. Your days will be 16-18 hours everyday except sat and sun. The flights are usually 3-4 hours long, and require 2 hours to brief, and 2 hours to debrief. Be prepared to have a very large workload in Phase 3. Towards the end, it does get easier, after your navigation checkride. The instructors usually become very friendly towards the students and you can start to have fun again. Success at UPT means graduating. Finishing first in the class is not typically someone's goal. You obviously want to finish well enough to get your choice assignment, but ultimately you just want to graduate and get your wings. To graduate, you need to successfully accomplish the following: - Academic Exams (maybe 13 total) Closed-book, computer based, multiple choice, exams over aircraft systems and procedures. - Emergency Procedure Quizzes (maybe 40 total) Closed book, multiple choice, paper tests, over information right out of the books (quite literally). Very specific questions. - Stand-ups (usually 10-15 times per student for the entire year) Formal (strict) oral examinations over situational emergencies. The student has to stand up at the front of the flightroom, at attention, to properly assess and handle a simulated emergency situation in an aircraft. Everything has to be 100% perfect or you get "sat down" and you're typically grounded for the day. - Formal Briefings (usually everyday in Phase 2, less frequent in Phase 3) The flight sits at attention around the flightroom, while one student briefs everyone on the day's events and weather. Instructors observe the briefing and critique the student. Everyone also gets asked random 'Shotgun Questions'. - Physical Fitness Test (FACT) Fitness test to rank students for potential fighter pilot track after Phase 2 - Air Force annual Physical Fitness Test Annual fitness test for Air Force, 1.5 mile run, Situps, Push-ups...
- 70-80 daily flights in Phase 2 Every flight is graded Unsatisfactory, Fair, Good or Excellent. Every maneuver is graded individually (around 50 items) on the same scale. 1 hour briefing, 1.5 hour flight, and a 1 to 2 hour debrief afterwards. Sometimes you fly twice a day. - Mid-Phase Checkride (Phase 2) First of many examination flights. An examiner flies with you to assess your flying ability. Many ways to bust a checkride, if you fail any one item or maneuver, you fail the entire ride. You can also bust for your pubs (books), ground operations preceding and following the flight, general knowledge, and the emergency examination the evaluator gives you afterwards. - Final Contact Checkride (Phase 2) An assessment of your ability to do aerobatics, takeoff's and landings, and in general a follow-on to the Mid-Phase. - Instrument Checkride (Phase 2) An assessment of your ability to fly solely on instruments with no outside reference. You must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of rules and regulations governing instrument flying also. - Formation Checkride (Phase 2) Assess how well you fly in formation with another T-37 or T-6. This is the final checkride in Phase 2, prior to transitioning to the T-1 or T-38.
- 80-90 daily flights in Phase 3 (T-38s only) Same scale as in Phase 2. Students sit quietly during the briefing, which is done by the IP. Student also can't talk during the debrief until it's over. - 50-60 daily flights in Phase 3 (T-1s only) 2 students perform all mission planning, and conduct the briefing 2 hours prior to scheduled takeoff. Typically a 3.5 hour flight, split two ways with the other student. The flight usually takes up 8-12 hours of your day. Mission planning usually takes 3 to 4 hours the night prior. - Transition Checkride (T-1s only) Initial evaluation on your ability to fly the T-1, basic approaches, takeoffs and landings and area work like stalls spins, slow-flight, and steep turns. - Navigation Checkride (T-1s only) Assess your ability to mission plan, fly full-procedure approaches, navigate a low-level route, and fly on the enroute structure. Consists of 2 flights, one low-level mission, and one navigation/instrument mission. Not fun. - Air Drop / Air Refueling Checkride (T-1s only) Asses your ability to fly formation with another T-1 on either a low-level route, or on a Air Refueling Track. Less of a threat than the other checkrides, but still alot of areas where you can hook. - Contact Checkride(T-38s only) Assess your ability to fly the T-38 in basic aerobatic maneuvers - Formation Checkride (T-38s only) Assess your ability to fly the T-38 in formation with other T-38s - Instrument / Navigation Checkride (T-38s only) Assess your ability to fly the T-38 on instruments - Low-Level Checkride (T-38s only) Assess your ability to fly the T-38 on a low-level military training route. |
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When you find out you've been accepted to Pilot Training, after the initial euphoria wears off, you'll soon become aware of the monumental task ahead. And if you're like me, you'll want to be as prepared as possible prior to showing up on Day 1. Unfortunately, there really isn't anything that will totally prepare you for what's about to happen. There's no book you can read, no checklist to follow...you just have to go through it like everyone else does. Plus, you will have alot of time in Phase 1 to accomplish everything you need prior to getting to the flightline (Phase 2) so don't think you have to know everything on day 1. There are some things you can do to give you a small head start on your training, however, so I'll talk about them here. Physical Fitness - First, you should take the time to assess your current physical fitness level, and establish a workout regimen. If you're interested in flying fighters, you'll need to do well on the FACT test. Everyone has to pass the test, though, so make sure you know the basic requirements. Curls, Bench press, Leg presses, Leg curls, Situps, and Pushups. Also, you will have to do PT while at pilot training, but it's not very structured, and there isn't much free time, so don't expect to get in shape while you're there. The better shape you're in when you get here will help you handle stress as well. Studying - What to study...There are a few things you can read, if you can get ahold of them that may help. First of all, get a copy of the Boldface/Ops limits sheet for the T-6 or T-37. This is something you'll need to know like the back of your hand. You'll need to be able to recite the boldface VERBATIM, and when asked, be able to recall all of the ops limits of your aircraft (there are alot of numbers). Second, after you get the boldface ops limits down, if you have alot of spare time, get a copy of the FAR/AIM and review the big ticket items in it. The Air Force still has to abide by most of the FAA rules, so don't brain dump that stuff. Third, after reviewing the FAR/AIM, you could find a copy of AFMAN 11-217 vol 1 and go through it. You wont be able to really grasp the stuff, because it's out of context, but if you can just know what kind of information is in it, you'll have a head start. Beyond that, there really isn't anything you can do to prepare yourself, other than talking to people, and getting their advice. Reading other people's websites allowed me to get a small insight into UPT, so I'd recommend that. Otherwise enjoy your freedom while it lasts, the year is very long...
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Getting to your UPT base may be a source of frustration for some people as well. For me it consisted of a 24 hour road trip that took almost a week. I pulled a U-haul trailer with my Grand Cherokee from Cincinnati to Del Rio Texas, which is about 1500 miles one way. The Air Force gave me 4 days due to the distance, and depending on how far you live from the base you're going to it may be more or less. The first thing to consider is where are you going to live. On base or off base, and if on base, whether it's in the dorms or in a duplex (most bases have that option). If you are coming right out of college, and don't really have alot of stuff the dorms are the easiest and recommended solution. If you have a house full of stuff to move, consider putting it in storage (which the AF will reimburse you for) and move into the dorms. If you are going to move into a house or apartment at your UPT base, give yourself plenty of time to get settled in. Here are some options: 1. Have the movers pack and move your stuff to the gaining base. Advantages - You don't have to worry about the whole moving headache, and it gets there on time (usually) after you get there. Also the AF pays for the cost of the move, and you wont lose money on the deal. The paperwork is alot easier as well. I'd recommend this option. Disadvantages - Sometimes it's difficult to get the movers to work on your schedule. On some rare occasions the movers will damage some of your stuff.
2. DITY or Do IT Yourself move. You rent a trailer or U-haul, pack, load, and transport your own goods. Advantages - You'll make money on the move. By doing it yourself, you are in effect saving the Air Force money, so they give you sort of an incentive bonus. Depending on the weight and the distance, you can usually pocket a few hundred to a thousand bucks, and still be less than the overall cost of having the movers do it. Also, you control where and when the stuff gets there. Disadvantages - Pain in the butt! Unless you have some friends who will help you move into the place you're going, it can be bad on the old back. Also, there is alot more paperwork associated with the DITY move, and you need to keep track of everything you spend. Also, there are limitations on how you can load your trailer, and what you can claim as weight. If you've never done one, make sure you ask alot of questions.
3. Partial DITY move. Not really sure what this consists of because I've never looked into it. May be what you want, so check with your TMO office.
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There aren't a lot of things you'll need at UPT that the Air Force won't provide you with. Before you get there, however, if you already have some of the essential items, the equipment issue process moves alot smoother. I've broken these items down into a couple groups.
Flight Gear:
Flightsuits - They provide you with four flightsuits when you arrive, but my unit gave me some prior to leaving, which was very helpful. If you can, bring at least 2, with velcro already sewn on. They'll give you all the patches you need while at UPT.
Helmet - If you're a Reserve/Guard student, see if your unit will provide you with a helmet. If not don't worry, they'll fit you with one when you get here.
Headset - Mainly for Reserve/Guard students going on to fly heavies. You wont need it for awhile, and they do provide you with one in Phase 3, but it's nice to have your own so you don't have to wear a used one.
Flight Bag - Everyone in T-1s buys a bag to carry books, headsets, food, pubs... You can find the bag on www.mypilotstore.com. I bought one similar to product number #1638, around 100 bucks.
Kneeboard - Everyone needs a kneeboard, and the one they provide you with just isn't enough for most students, so everyone buys one of these kneeboards, from www.Flyboys.com. Some bases have kneeboards like this for sale at the Clothing Sales store. I'd recommend buying this one, with rings and clipboard, prior to getting there so you have it when needed.
Study Material:
Binders - Bring a couple large 3 ring binders. As big as you can find, 5" should work. Also bring some smaller 2" binders. Organization really helps once you've been issued all of your courseware, Tech Orders, and Pubs.
Books - If you have a current FAR/AIM bring it. I referenced mine all the time. Also if you have any Jeppesen textbooks, like Private, Instrument or Commercial rating books bring those. Sometimes it was easier for me to look up questions I had in Jeppesen than in the AF pubs. Every additional resource you have will help.
Writing Materials - Bring plenty of highlighters, pens, and pencils. Also bring spiral bound notebooks for taking notes. If you can find a small one, like a 3"x5" get one of those, so you can carry it with you and take down notes whenever.
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Something you'll have to get used to in a hurry is the pace at which things progress in Phase 2, and later in Phase 3. You'll be given 437 things to do, and only have time to do 18 of them. You'll probably be told some unpleasant things while in the jet, and on the ground after you've flown. The IPs are very good at pointing out where you messed up, and they don't hold back. Tact isn't a requirement to be an instructor either, so it can be unsettling to some students when the IP starts going off. Stress and frustration are the immediate results, and as the weeks go by, they can build up to unhealthy levels if you don't combat it. Letting it go unchecked will only make it worse. Your performance will decrease, your attitude will decline, and your experience at UPT will not be fun. One of the best ways to counter the effects of stress is physical activity. Going to the gym and lifting, going to the running track, playing racketball, riding your bike...are all great ways to get your mind off of the flightline. Just that hour of physical exertion really helped clear my mind and help me focus on the next day. Another thing you'll need is someone to talk to. Talking about your experiences to your wife, girlfriend, father, mother, sister, brother...someone, anyone, is essential. You need to be able to confide in someone to help alleviate some of the stress. The environment at UPT is a 'shut up and listen' policy. Whatever the IP says is correct; even those times when he or she is clearly incorrect, you have to say "yes sir" and accept it. Until you get your wings, you don't measure up to a hill of beans to those guys. Even though you are an officer in the United States Air Force, a leader by definition, you are treated like high school students. The IPs generally aren't out to get you (some exceptions) but they have a job to do, and showing you respect isn't part of the job description. That's just something you'll have to accept. There will be nights you can't sleep because you're so frustrated about something that happened, or something that's going to happen tomorrow. There will be days when your mind just shuts down because you've taken all the criticism you can take. There will be days when you feel like nothing you do is right. Everyone goes through it, don't think you're the Lone Ranger. The best advice I can give is to say, "OK, today sucked, but tomorrow is going to be a better day". You have to psyche yourself up for the day, and motivate yourself. Having a positive attitude really helped me get through phase 2. I forced myself to stay positive about things and it helped. Another great way to battle stress is through your friends, your fellow UPT students. Our class got together once a week at HQ, the house of one of the captains in our class. We had a blast just talking and laughing about things we'd screwed up the past week. And we drank alot of beer. Not everyone drank at UPT, but I'd say 95% of the people did, and it helped. Usually we'd only 'push it up' friday or saturday night, not both. You definitely don't have to drink, but alot of people did. Just think of UPT as climbing a mountain. If you look at the program as a whole it will seem an impossible journey, but if you take it one phase at a time, one checkride at a time, or one daily flight at a time it won't be such a daunting task.
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For the lucky few who get a Reserve or Guard slot, pilot training can be a bit easier to handle. For starters, you already know what aircraft you're going to afterwards. This takes you out of the competition amongst active duty pilots trying to get their first choice of assignment. You wont have the added stress of possibly getting stuck with a less that optimal assignment (location or airframe). You can just worry about graduating, because that's all you have to do. For those Reserve/Guard students going on to a fighter unit after UPT, you do have to finish in the top 50% of your class during phase 2, in order to be accepted into the T-38 squadron. It's usually not an issue, though, as long as you're close to the middle, the flight commander should give you the benefit of the doubt. The Reserve/Guard students also have a slight advantage over the active duty folks, because they usually have the support of their home unit. Any problems with pay, travel, or administration can usually be facilitated by making a phone call back home and saying "I'm having some problems with..." and it's usually fixed pretty fast. If you want to take leave while at UPT, a reservist has to send the leave request back home, where it's taken care of. The UPT base has to approve it, but the paperwork goes back home because that's who pays you, and takes account of your leave. Active duty folks have to use LeaveWeb, a program on the Air Force website that handles all leave credit. There usually isn't alot of opportunity to take leave, but when you get it, you want to be sure you know what to do. For your graduation, your unit will typically send a representative down and sometimes will send an aircraft to the UPT base for static display. Make sure you know who's coming, in order to have the appropriate arrangements made for them to stay, and any protocol requirements are met.
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Some great pilot training websites:
www.pilotusaf.com Jeff Suhr - Vance AFB OK
http://www.brooks.af.mil/web/fec/master.html - Flight Screening at Brooks
MilPilot - Awesome T-37 / T-1 site with tons of Gouge
T-1 Driver - Another great T-1 site for Gouge, weather, planning etc...
PCSM (Pilot Candidate Selection Method) - How they rank pilot training applicants (except AFA)
PanelView Simulator - Download
A Good AFOQT Site - Information for the Officer's Qualification Test
www.papertrainer.com - A popular website to get highly detailed cockpit posters
www.flyboys.com - Some good stuff at retail prices. I bought my flight bag from here
www.gimail.af.mil - Get your Gi-Mail email account for free
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Q: Can I take leave while I'm at UPT? A: Yes, if the commander approves it, you can submit leave paperwork and take leave. Don't expect to take alot of leave, but it is possible.
Q: How many hours a day do you work? A: In Phase 1, you'll work 4 to 8 hours a day, actually in the classroom. In Phase 2 you'll be on the flightline for 12 hours a day, then you'll spend at least an hour or two after work studying and getting ready for the next day's events. In phase 3 you'll be on the flightline for about 12 hours a day at first, followed by a few hours a night planning for the next mission. Towards the end you'll spend less time on the flightline.
Q: What is the attrition rate at UPT? A: The percentage of people who make it through the program varies from class to class. Also, there are various ways the Air Force tries to accommodate those individuals who for whatever reason didn't progress at the same rate as others. You can get washed out, washed back, or SIE (drop out). The numbers for our class were not good. Class 05-04 started with 27 students January '04, but when we graduated in '05, there were only 9 members of the original 05-04 class. That's an unusually high number of people either washed back or washed out. Normally a class loses 3 or 4 students, most washing back into the next class. In our case we were smitten by bad weather early on, which put alot of people behind, and the program isn't designed for people to be able to catch up if they get behind.
Q: Where are the UPT bases? A: Right now, there are 4 main UPT bases for Air Force Pilots. Laughlin AFB in Del Rio Texas; Vance AFB in Enid OK; Columbus AFB in Mississippi; and Moody AFB in Valdosta GA. There is also a base to train Euro-Nato pilot selectees, at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls TX. There are several other bases where training goes on, but I think those are the only places to go to start UPT. After Phase 2, some students go to other bases like Corpus Christi TX, to learn to fly C-130s. Also, you can get assigned to Pensacola in some cases, but I'm not sure who goes there.
Q: Can I have visitors while at pilot training? A: During the week, you usually wont have time to host guests in your dorm room or house, but it isn't prohibited. Alot of people had friends come down from time to time over the weekend.
Q: What should I study prior to getting to UPT? A: Study the FAR/AIM, the Boldface/Ops Limits for the T-6 or T-37, and if you have time get a copy of AFMAN 11-217vol1.
Feel free to email me with any other questions you have, so I can post them here. robschneider@reservepilot.com
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© Copyright 2005 by Rob Schneider. All rights reserved. |
