6KDogwhistle
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2014
- Messages
- 86
The OP has a legit question. I had the exact same question myself 20+ years ago. Having been an UPT IP, I’ll throw in my .02 but before I do, here’s something to remember. One of the most important things in life is to realize (as the saying goes) that life is about the journey, so enjoy the ride.
Ever since I was 8 years old, I’ve always wanted to be a pilot-more specifically…. an airline pilot. BTW, don’t let the USAFA or ROTC folks know that you want to be an airline pilot ;-) I was one of those dudes who would give both of my nuts to fly airplanes for a living, if you know what I mean. I studied hard in school and when I entered college, I enrolled in AFROTC. I worked my butt off in college pursuing a degree in Aerospace Engineering. To better my chances at getting a pilot slot, I got my private pilot’s license while working 30+ hours a week and going to college full time. I was one really driven individual! When the time came, I was one of the few cadets fortunate enough to obtain a pilot slot. At this point, I told myself that all I wanted to do now is to get a heavy out of UPT but I was no slacker either. In UPT (T-37/T-38: the old syllabus), I studied harder than I have ever studied in my life, chair flew until my butt was numb (and sometimes in my sleep!), and kept a good attitude. Fortunately, flying came very natural to me and I had a blast in pilot training. I could not believe that they paid me to do this while Uncle Sam spent millions of $$$ on me. I didn’t stress myself out like the rest of my classmates who wanted to be fighter pilots. On assignment night, I chose a transport of my choice (back then, we were able to choose our aircraft based on class standing). FYI, I could have chosen a fighter if I wanted to, as I had the top academic grades and top 10% flying scores in my class. BTW, I don’t mean to sound arrogant; I believe that I am extremely blessed through the grace of God!
Okay, enough of me and onto the OP’s question. Just as everything in life, we can only control so much. The Air Force allots a set amount of money per student. Needs of the Air Force also play a huge role in one’s success in UPT. The washout rate all depends on these variables, so timing is crucial just like many things in life. When I went to UPT, it was just after Desert Storm and pilot production was down to 25-33% of the norm; there were more students than IPs. When I was an UPT IP, we couldn’t pump out pilots fast enough. As far as what you can do to succeed in pilot training is what you’ve probably already heard and know. You control what you can meaning: study your butt off, come prepared for the sortie/mission, chair fly even in your sleep (very important), stay in shape, have a good attitude (can be a deal breaker), help others with all sincerity (don’t be a kiss ass), try to stay relaxed (SUPT is a very hectic and demanding environment), blow off steam/stress on weekends (not just drinking at the club but do something fun) and most of all pray-seriously! Also, $ and time permitting, get some extra flying before SUPT. I really believe that my PPL along with acrobatic flight lessons helped me tremendously, at least in T-37s. I’ve also seen ex commuter pilots with 1,500 hours wash out but that is very rare. Aside from this, the rest are what you are made of. Everyone is blessed with a God given skill set. Flying/psychomotor skills are no different. Some are just natural pilots, some are just okay pilots, and some just do not belong in a cockpit. For some the light comes on early, late for some, and never for others. The Air Force has a set amount of $$$ per student that they are willing to spend and if one can’t meet the standards at each phase, they will cut their losses and wash you out. Again, timing can play a major role. In my UPT class, they washed out a 1/3 of the guys (gal too) and 8 years later, it took an act of God to wash out a student because of the pilot shortage. As far the grading system, correct me if I'm wrong, but 80% is flying skills, 10% academics, and 10% flight cc rating. Each flying maneuver has a value (some maneuvers higher in value than others). There is no excuse for messing up in academics-an easy 10%. 10% flight cc rating can get tricky as it's very subjective. This is where your officership is supposed to come in but it's not always the case. My recommendation is not to stand out as an "assclown" or the class idiot! Just remember, this is where politics sets in so use your better judgment when you are around the flight cc and IPs in general.
If you have a lot of civilian hours, don’t brag and don’t get cocky! The Air Force flight training is extremely anal retentive and structured. Keep your ego in check and fly the way the Air Force wants you to fly. It is also the best flight training that you will receive. It’s no accident that we have achieved air superiority in every war/conflict ever since Adam & Eve came into existence. Learn it and breath it for the next 52 weeks and you will most likely succeed. I know that most of you want to fly fighters and I think that’s great. Most military pilot “wannabees” are not like me
Statistically speaking, chances of getting a fighter out of SUPT are pretty low. I don’t know what’s it like now, but when I was in a T-37 IP, about 20-30% went to the T-38 track and about 60% of them got fighters and the rest got bombers or UAVs (UAVs now have a whole different pipeline these days, as I understand). I know several classmates as well as students who were disappointed with their assignments. It’s understandable but trust me, it’s not the end of the world. I can honestly tell you that you will learn to love your aircraft, no matter what you fly. As others here have said, there are pros and cons to everything. Every weapons system has a purpose/mission. As a military pilot, you are in one of the most elite groups of people having the honor and the privilege to serve in the greatest military in the world! As I’ve said in the beginning, enjoy the journey and most definitely, enjoy the ride!
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