Odds of Cadet getting pilot slot with no flight experience?

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cgchris99

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My son has his nomination but has not been accepted yet. He is interested in a pilot spot but Aeronautical Engineering is why he is going.

Since he doesn't have any flying experience, does hurt him that much?

Thanks for any advice
 
cgchris99 said:
My son has his nomination but has not been accepted yet. He is interested in a pilot spot but Aeronautical Engineering is why he is going.

Since he doesn't have any flying experience, does hurt him that much?

Thanks for any advice
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No it does not. People say that if you go to the Academy and you are PQ, then you will fly as long as you do well in IFS.
 
IFS is Initial Flight Screening. It is a required course that the graduates with pilot slots go to sometime between graduation and their UPT start. The course is operated by Doss Aviation with Diamond DA-20 aircraft in Pueblo, CO.

As far as needing flight experience, no, it isn't required. My son entered with no flight experience. He has flown gliders, and has soloed in the Powered Flight program while at the Academy.

Stealth_81
 
My nephew is an F-16 pilot. Never flew a day in his life until the AF paid for flying lessons while on casual status before UPT at Sheppard started.
 
My (somewhat) educated guess is

The flight experience of the vast majority of cadets entering the Academy is restricted to A, B or C status on a Southwest flight. Granted some applicants have had flying lessons or have a license, but the majority do not.
 
Stealth_81 said:
IFS is Initial Flight Screening. It is a required course that the graduates with pilot slots go to sometime between graduation and their UPT start. The course is operated by Doss Aviation with Diamond DA-20 aircraft in Pueblo, CO.

As far as needing flight experience, no, it isn't required. My son entered with no flight experience. He has flown gliders, and has soloed in the Powered Flight program while at the Academy.

Stealth_81
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I wonder if you have to/get to take it even if you already have your private pilot's license and/or went through powered flight program at the AFA or were on one of their flight teams.
 
luckymacy said:
I wonder if you have to/get to take it even if you already have your private pilot's license and/or went through powered flight program at the AFA or were on one of their flight teams.
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99% sure you would still go to IFS.
 
luckymacy said:
I wonder if you have to/get to take it even if you already have your private pilot's license and/or went through powered flight program at the AFA or were on one of their flight teams.
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Yes, you still have to. And, why wouldn't you want to spend a few weeks of your casual status time flying around the Colorado mountains on the Air Force's dime?

Stealth_81
 
That's great news, I was worried about that.

We are still waiting for acceptance. The waiting is the killer.
 
You think waiting for acceptance is the killer? hahaha

Wait until you see what it is like waiting for that first letter during Beast. That is the real killer
 
People going to Pilot, Nav, or RPA training attend IFS.
You do not need to get any flying experience before IFS, but I do recommend taking advantage of the Academy's programs. Those who did not take soaring or powered flight had a lot more difficulty with IFS. The power curve at IFS is fairly steep.

If you want to, taking private lessons doesn't hurt either. My IFS class had one guy who had 2400hours already. I completed IFS about 1/3rd faster than everyone else.
 
bandit said:
You think waiting for acceptance is the killer? hahaha

Wait until you see what it is like waiting for that first letter during Beast. That is the real killer
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OK, I give up, what letter would that be? :confused:
 
a letter from home. waiting to hear from family and friends after your journey has begun
 
eagle36 said:
a letter from home. waiting to hear from family and friends after your journey has begun
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LOL, gotcha. I remember getting a phone call from my best friend in HS right after he finished up with the Jack's Valley stuff many moons ago. I was playing soccer in college and chasing girls and made a point to let him know I was still a lot smarter than him which is why I was having fun in a mega target rich environment and he was sore and tired.

What I'd want to know is, has the food gotten any better? My old memory says the food at USAFA was the 'worst' of the 3 SAs on a consistent basis. Heard later in the 90s that switched to WP. USNA has always consistently had the best food. So, how's the food these days? That's probably what I'd write in that letter you were waiting for. When do you get email access any where? I thought it wasn't that far after you arrived. :rolleyes:
 
You will be allowed to email after after 2nd BCT, right before Acceptance. Food not restaurant quality, of course (or home quality for that matter) but from my two years here Brig. Gen. Clarke has made improvements. Day to day quality has gotten better and there's a lot more special dinners.
 
In 2006, the food was not very good, but it has become better since then.
 
the food has been improving since summer '06, and has made vast strides. that being said, eating the same general menu for 4 years gets old. i enjoyed the food more at USNA, but every squid i know who came here preferred our food. I think its just enjoying what's different and "the grass is always greener" mentality. overall they're all 3 pretty good now though.
 
Eagle, I think I have been cooking the same basic menu for 25 years!

:wink:
 
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