It's not all unicorns and rainbows

Today's sim wasn't quite as good as the others have been. I just got flustered and couldn't quite recover. I missed a few callouts and radio calls, and that led to a few more screwups and less than stellar flying. After the area work and arrival, he set me up for a couple straight-in's, but I didn't exactly nail them. After a while the IP just started holding my hand for every maneuver, and he could tell that I hadn't flown much, which really bugged me. But hey, what should I expect? Good days and less than stellar days. I know what to study. And it's the weekend, so it's impossible to be upset.

Sims 2 Deluxe

Today was so long, I can't remember what I did. It's blending together. Rough time this morning in Aerodynamics class. This dude is dry. On top of that it's dry material. I mean who wants to wake up and stare at mass flow equations and figure out all the relationships in the equation for lift and drag? Whew! After another CAI I ate lunch, grabbed my gear, and briefed up my second sim. It went pretty well. We were in one of the sims without a screen, so the flying was rough, but it was still fun. My IP was a strike eagle guy (F-15E) who went to the Academy back in '87. All these guys are pretty cool. I'm beginning to see the wealth of experience they have here. Getting ready to sim again tomorrow. This ride includes the departure, arrival, and the radio calls to go along with everything.

Pushed

Took the Fundamentals of Flying test this morning and aced it. This time the test was a little more standard. I pressed, finishing the next 2 CBTs in time to deposit the H Flt funds for the patch, get a haircut, write up the check for the patch and eat lunch before returning to pick up my helmet and G-suit. But just as I walked it, I noticed some of the guys standing at the desk talking to the scheduler. Turns out, a bunch of us got our sims pushed to tomorrow. Oh well, I was done early, so I did a 5k, ran some errands, and made some Chicken Adobo. Not a bad day. I'm in no rush to be busy.

HAHAHA! Just called the scheduling number to get tomorrow's schedule. It's usually someone talking in at auctioneer speed telling you what you're doing the next day, but this time the guy answered. It threw me off guard.

Scheduler: "Scheduling...?"
Me: (waiting for message to continue playing)
Scheduler: "....Hello?...."
Me: "Oh hey, ..."
(click)
Me: "I thought this was the... oh well."

Radio Calls, Oh Radio Calls

Today's sim went well. I knew most of the challenge and response and the call-outs, and my instructor could tell I'd been running through the checklists. (My neighbor and I chairflew the checklists last night.) We did the 45 min brief, went over to the sim, I strapped in (g-suit and all) went through the checklists, taxi and takeoff, and then hydraulic failure and emergency gear extension, and a straight-in landing. (Wearing a helmet and mask for an hour and a half really let's you know if it fits well. Never thought I could get so sweaty in a low-stress sim.) I struggled with the radio calls the whole time, but I that was a tough thing at IFS for me, so it's to be expected. We haven't really studied them much yet, but that's what I need to spend my time on. He gave me a few good intros to good mneumonics and checklist flows, so I'll try to learn that stuff soon. I picked up a kneeboard finally too. I've been just carrying around my checklists and IFG in my binder. Same thing tomorrow along with starting aerodynamics. Gotta keep chairflyin'.

The afternoon Flying Fundamentals review was a pretty brutal 2.0 hours of staring at blue screens, but we got through it.

Flying Fundamentals

Today after another easy test (let me know if you want to actually know how it went down, funny story) we were finally finished with T-6A systems. On to Flying Fundamentals. We're now learning some techniques for actual aviation, keeping a pitch picture based on cockpit references to the horizon, when to roll out of a turn or level off from a descent/climb, acronyms for in-flight checks, etc. Tomorrow is our first graded sim. It's just running through all the most frequent checklists: before exterior inspection, cockpit preflight, engine start, before taxi check, taxi checklist, overspeed governor, blah blah blah, lineup check, after T/O, climb check, ops check, a couple EPs, descent check, blah blah. I'm writing this as I chairfly in preparation. It's also a chance to demonstrate knowledge/practice the callouts and the challenge and response portions of what we need to know. This is still gonna be in one of the small screen sims. I'm looking forward to using the gigantic wrap-around sims.

Our dollar rides got moved back about a week, because of the weather delays. Lookin' at Mar 8 now.

Had some rosemary potatoes tonight...tasty.

Second Sim and Boldface and Ops Limits Test

Today was a late start, so I ran at the park with my neighbor. We did about 4 mi in and out of the mesquite trees and swampy trails. Fun start to the day. I did some finance work (I'm the finance guy for the flight) and then went to my sim around noon. We got more switchflipping time and got to land a couple times just for fun. We had our final systems review and took a boldface and ops limits test. I think everyone passed actually. Red Lobster tonight with some of the dudes.

Martin-Baker

Today was loooong. After all these half days we finally had a full day, started at 0800 and finished at 1830. CBTs and review sessions all day. (Canopy ops, engine, and environmental control systems.)

The instructor uses the review sessions to talk about EPs and abnormal procedures, and today he pretty much said Martin-Baker was the key to all our troubles. Martin-Baker makes the ejection seat. The take away for the day was, "If something comes along that you can't deal with, or have doubt about, let Martin-Baker take you safely to the ground." Awesome AND hilarious.

After what we thought was the final class, we tacked on another procedures class so we don't have to do it tomorrow. Had Greek food again at the Hibiscus with a couple dudes. Second sim tomorrow...should be fun. Wrapped the day with a Sonic milkshake.

First Test and Intro to the Flight Room

This morning opened with our Systems 1 test. Easy. No other way to say it. Really, no big deal. We took it on the testing computers in the CAI lab. After logging in with some brief trepidation, we promptly answered all 47 softball multiple choice questions in under 40 minutes. Some people were done in 20. The most anyone missed was 3, and 18 of us got 100s. After that, we started the Systems 2 CBTs and then had a review session after lunch.

We took another practice boldface and ops limits test, then G Flt got briefed by our Flt Comm on expectations. Seems like a cool guy. He's Dutch. This NATO stuff is sweet! It was good to finally get to the flight room. Like someone else said today, "Feels like we're finally getting somewhere."

Exterior Preflight Check and Ops Procedures CAIs

This morning our usual bluesuiter gave us the Systems 1 review. I stayed awake, victory. Nah... honestly, it was good review. That GPS and Nav stuff is complicated. Need to get my fingers on the buttons to really know it. After that we braved the frigid wind chill to get the rundown on preflight exterior inspection, which doesn't seem too tough. Seems like crew chiefs take care of a lot of the stuff we had to worry about at IFS - fuel check, chalks, tie downs, etc. After a buffalo chicken samwich, we did 3 CAIs on the preflight, inflight, and postflight checklists.

Study time for the test tomorrow.

First Sim

So, the sim we were scheduled for yesterday didn't happen, because of the snow day. When we came to class this morning the instructor told us class was canceled, because the sim was a prereq.

We showed up at 1100 for the rescheduled sim, and the instructor started asking the two of us some questions about the electrical systems and the engine. This first sim, was just a cockpit familiarization exercise, but we were really at a loss for the correct answers. After about the fifth failed question and the instructor beginning to lose his patience, we expressed our dismay at not knowing the information, but explained how we hadn't yet taken the electrical systems class or the engine class. He seemed a bit surprised, but continued with the demonstration. The two of us switched places, and I got in the cockpit. The instructor went to check on something and I just flipped switches. When he got back he had a new syllabus, and proceeded to inform us that he'd been using the PIT syllabus! PIT is the instructor pilot training program. For the rest of the sim we got the questions right.

Snow Day

A couple of CAIs this morning, followed by a notice that the rest of the day was canceled due to the 3 inches of snow and on the ground. I'll never begrudge a snow day, even if it IS during pilot training.

More systems

Today was easy. It's not even 1400 and I'm done for the day. We did 3 CAIs today, Hydraulics 2, and T-6 Instruments 1 and 2. There was a 2 hour review as well, but that was easy enough to sit through. I feel like I'm really learning stuff about this plane.

Blues, Preflights, Running, and a Videochat

Our first day of academics in blues.

We started off with an intro to T-6 Systems. One of the blue suit instructors (contractor) gave us a Powerpoint listing all the various systems of the T-6, hydraulics, oil, the engine, environmental control, etc. Then they took us outside to get an up-close look at the aircraft. It felt like I was actually getting ready to do something. A thought I had: They're not just taking me on a walkaround as a complimentary tour. They're showing me, because I'm going to fly it. More CAIs followed.

Ate lunch at the Hibiscus.
More CAIs.
Went for a 5k run in my Fivefingers.
Skyped w/ Dave and Jarrod. Just like the old times. They're ready to graduate yesterday.

Our class patch was approved (as seen on right).

FACTs, CAIs, NNTs, and Aviation Psych

Probably the last easy day for a while. We started out with a long lecture on aviation psychology from Dr. Pittner, who seems to be the kind of relaxed, calm personality you would want to run a Stress Management Program. He helps people get over airsickness too. Hopefully none of us require his services anytime soon.

Our second NNT (No Notice Test, that's not a real acronym, I just made it up) after that. Surprise! You have the survival test in 20 minutes, you should study for it. No big deal, we all passed.

Right before lunch we took the FACT, the Fighter Aircrew Conditioning Test, and all of us passed that too. I think everyone got outstanding (>200 out of possible 225). Most of us elected for 201s. It wasn't too tough. Just 5 different exercises on weight machines and 3 body weight exercises to make sure you're in shape enough to pull a few Gs.

After a long lunch, we met in the sim building to knock out the first couple intro CAIs (computer aided instruction). Easy enough, even though I was the last one, because the first computer I logged into was broke.

Tomorrow should be fun. We'll be in blues starting T-6 systems.

Survival Lecture, More PLFs, and Doin' Time as DDs

Today we woke up early for some PT with the Aerospace Phys dudes and dudettes. I guess we joined them on wk 5 of their program which means max reps, so I was pretty tired after the workout - much better than I was expecting.

We continued with a few survival lectures later on, lunch, and then more PLF's outside, this time from the suspended harnesses.

In the evening we had our delayed welcome social, complete with brief introductions, appetizers, and witty one-liners. Wrapped it up later with DD duty for class 10-03. We sat around waiting for drunk people to ask us to drive them home, but I realized I'm doing this thing with some really cool guys. It's gonna be fun.

Altitude Chamber and Aerospace Phys Test

G Flight took chamber ride this afternoon. I took forever to put my mask back on, but I still don't feel like I have good hypoxia symptoms. I felt a little hot, and a little lightheaded, but no nausea or grayout or tingling or anything really concrete.

We took the Aerospace Phys test today. Everyone passed. I missed a few, but hopefully the rest of these tests are just as easy.