RPA Pilot Training: UPT?

7

719Frontier

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2013
Messages
35
I put in for a rated slot and indicated a high preference for ABM and RPA. The training process for ABM is fairly straight forward, but I can't seem to find the training process for RPA pilots.

I've heard RPA selects go to UPT, but do they only stay for phases 1 and 2, and leave before phase 3? Phase 3 is when you receive your specialization from what I understand.

Any info you might have would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

*I'm expected to commission in 2015
 
RPA no longer goes to UPT. You go to San Antonio. I don't anything else about it, but that.
 
The only flying that is done is the RPA pipeline now is the 39 hours in the DA-22 at Pueblo, CO for IFS. After that it is all SIM time, mostly at Randolph AFB in San Antonio.

Time line is roughly:

2 Months - IFS at Pueblo, CO.

2.5 Months - RPA Instrument Qualification Course at Randolph - 49 hours SIM time and Instrument Check Ride

1 Month - RPA Fundamentals Course at Randolph - All Academics w/Labs. Plus 3 SIM Missions

2 Weeks - Joint Firepower Course at Nellis AFB

3 Months - FTU at either Holloman AFB or Creech AFB depending on airframe.

Stealth_81
 
Stealth,

Quick question....if they bust IFS is it the same thing for UPT/CSOs, in other words, basically they will go to a board and might be handed walking papers or sent into the non-rated world.

Just curios because from a UPT student perspective they have been sent to CSO or RPA. However, from RPA I would think non-rated is the only option.
 
Pima said:
Stealth,

Quick question....if they bust IFS is it the same thing for UPT/CSOs, in other words, basically they will go to a board and might be handed walking papers or sent into the non-rated world.

Just curios because from a UPT student perspective they have been sent to CSO or RPA. However, from RPA I would think non-rated is the only option.
Click to expand...

A cadet from my detachment busted IFS and went to a board and is now in PA. But given the current state of things, I would assume your chances for being handed walking papers is a good possibility.
 
719,

I would think your assumption of busting IFS as an RPA would also equate to a higher chance of walking papers.
 
Pima said:
Stealth,

Quick question....if they bust IFS is it the same thing for UPT/CSOs, in other words, basically they will go to a board and might be handed walking papers or sent into the non-rated world.

Just curios because from a UPT student perspective they have been sent to CSO or RPA. However, from RPA I would think non-rated is the only option.
Click to expand...

I couldn't even begin to guess what they would do. I think that 719Frontier has it right that given the current circumstances, it is a good possibility that they would be let go.

Son's GF is a '09 year group ERAU grad who didn't get through IFS due to medical reasons and she was given another AFSC (Weather). I have no idea how things would go today.

Stealth_81
 
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