My DS is a sophomore, has an AFROTC scholarship and hopes to get a rated slot next year. Prior to attending college he was about 2/3 of the way to getting his PPL. He has about 30 hrs and has taken his solo flight. He has received some advice (source unknown) that it would actually be detrimental to have his PPL if he gets a rated slot. The theory is that it is better to attend IFS, rather than go straight to UPT in case you didn't learn to fly the way the AF wants. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Private Pilot License
- Thread starter wardnasc
- Start date
IFS does not teach you to fly as well as a PPL. The main thing you may learn as an advantage in IFS is stand ups and how the SQ works. You don't really do much "flying" and it's all VFR. Many people may have different opinions but I'd fly as much as you could to include learning instruments. Just don't develop bad habits.
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Pima
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Get the PPL if you can afford to do it. The fact is he could still go to what is now officially called IFT if he wanted to attend. It is no longer Screening, but Training. How it works is they request a waiver to bypass IFT. It is basically a 100% guaranteed waiver.
Zero is correct...you don't really fly a lot at IFT. I believe it is 8 flights in total.
~ You want whatever is the mandatory flights and nothing more, because if you go up for more, it means you busted a flight. Hence, why PPL UPT students don't risk it.
~~ How you do at Pueblo (IFT) will be sent forward to UPT. They will know if you busted a flight.
What you do right off the bat, is testing the BOLD. Fail the BOLD and you have to take the test again. Fail it a 2nd time, and you are probably being handed walking papers.
~ They don't say WELCOME and tomorrow we will get you in an airplane.
Cadets get their PPL for 2 reasons.
1. It gives them a higher chance of getting a UPT slot, not only from the bonus points they get for flight hours, but also from the TBAS aspect, because TBAS stands for Test of Basic Aviation Skills.
~ The TBAS is only given to cadets applying for rated.
2. You get to ask to skip IFT.
~ Why risk busting a 3 week course and your future if you have a PPL? You wouldn't, especially when you realize that once at UPT, it is going to be academics and simulators for a while before you go up for your 1st flight. You'll quickly get the Stand Ups, it doesn't take long.
The plane that fly at IFT is different than what your DS will probably fly for his PPL(Cessna or Piper). They fly the DA20-C1. However, x winds are x winds and at UPT bases like Del Rio, x winds can be an issue.
I also agree with Zero, some are opposed to it because of the bad habits idea. The AF does it a certain way, and IPs will be looking for them to do it the AF way, not your PPL instructors way.
~ Easy fix....find an instructor for his PPL that was in the military.
I would also say to him, that at a certain point regarding hours they max out. Get his PPL, and than later on while he is waiting to go ADAF, which can be 6 months, keep him flying. If he goes casual after his EAD, keep him flying in the area that he is now stationed.
~ IE, many will get a report date, and than go casual for several months at the UPT base. Thus, let's say he reports Dec. 15th, but his UPT class starts 3/17. During those 3 months he could be working on the flight line, or baseops. Basically a duty schedule. Not the typical UPT student schedule...weekends he won't have to study, so it would be to his benefit to fly to get use to the weather patterns (ie xwinds)
Hope that helps.
OBTW, HQ AF has changed it to IFT because they felt too many were being washed out of IFS. Now they give more time for them to get up to par to a certain point, thus training. Before it was this the course syllabus, this is how much time we will give you to finish it...if you don't well...thus, Screening.
~ DS started with 28 at IFS in 13, 21 graduated from IFS. It was typical back then to see 20-25% not make it through. I believe now they want the numbers to be 15% or below, but since it has only converted to IFT recently, nobody knows what the impact will be at UPT. IOWS, will UPT wash out at a higher rate during the T 6 phase than it did when they used IFS?
For my DS's total tracking from IFS to winging it was:
28 students at IFS. 21 moved onto UPT
~ IFS class is made up of the 4 bases (ENJJPT, Vance, Columbus, and Del Rio...it is not just your base that goes to Pueblo at one time)
T-6 28 students again started, 21 moved onto T-38/T1 tracking 5 1/2 months later
28 started T-38/T1 tracking (7 wash backs...be it medical, or whatever entered at this time)
21 or 24 (can't remember) winged 7 months after tracking.
Zero is correct...you don't really fly a lot at IFT. I believe it is 8 flights in total.
~ You want whatever is the mandatory flights and nothing more, because if you go up for more, it means you busted a flight. Hence, why PPL UPT students don't risk it.
~~ How you do at Pueblo (IFT) will be sent forward to UPT. They will know if you busted a flight.
What you do right off the bat, is testing the BOLD. Fail the BOLD and you have to take the test again. Fail it a 2nd time, and you are probably being handed walking papers.
~ They don't say WELCOME and tomorrow we will get you in an airplane.
Cadets get their PPL for 2 reasons.
1. It gives them a higher chance of getting a UPT slot, not only from the bonus points they get for flight hours, but also from the TBAS aspect, because TBAS stands for Test of Basic Aviation Skills.
~ The TBAS is only given to cadets applying for rated.
2. You get to ask to skip IFT.
~ Why risk busting a 3 week course and your future if you have a PPL? You wouldn't, especially when you realize that once at UPT, it is going to be academics and simulators for a while before you go up for your 1st flight. You'll quickly get the Stand Ups, it doesn't take long.
The plane that fly at IFT is different than what your DS will probably fly for his PPL(Cessna or Piper). They fly the DA20-C1. However, x winds are x winds and at UPT bases like Del Rio, x winds can be an issue.
I also agree with Zero, some are opposed to it because of the bad habits idea. The AF does it a certain way, and IPs will be looking for them to do it the AF way, not your PPL instructors way.
~ Easy fix....find an instructor for his PPL that was in the military.
I would also say to him, that at a certain point regarding hours they max out. Get his PPL, and than later on while he is waiting to go ADAF, which can be 6 months, keep him flying. If he goes casual after his EAD, keep him flying in the area that he is now stationed.
~ IE, many will get a report date, and than go casual for several months at the UPT base. Thus, let's say he reports Dec. 15th, but his UPT class starts 3/17. During those 3 months he could be working on the flight line, or baseops. Basically a duty schedule. Not the typical UPT student schedule...weekends he won't have to study, so it would be to his benefit to fly to get use to the weather patterns (ie xwinds)
Hope that helps.
OBTW, HQ AF has changed it to IFT because they felt too many were being washed out of IFS. Now they give more time for them to get up to par to a certain point, thus training. Before it was this the course syllabus, this is how much time we will give you to finish it...if you don't well...thus, Screening.
~ DS started with 28 at IFS in 13, 21 graduated from IFS. It was typical back then to see 20-25% not make it through. I believe now they want the numbers to be 15% or below, but since it has only converted to IFT recently, nobody knows what the impact will be at UPT. IOWS, will UPT wash out at a higher rate during the T 6 phase than it did when they used IFS?
For my DS's total tracking from IFS to winging it was:
28 students at IFS. 21 moved onto UPT
~ IFS class is made up of the 4 bases (ENJJPT, Vance, Columbus, and Del Rio...it is not just your base that goes to Pueblo at one time)
T-6 28 students again started, 21 moved onto T-38/T1 tracking 5 1/2 months later
28 started T-38/T1 tracking (7 wash backs...be it medical, or whatever entered at this time)
21 or 24 (can't remember) winged 7 months after tracking.
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Thanks, PIMA. I've read a lot of your responses on this forum and was hoping you might pick up on my inquiry. I funded my DS flying lessons primarily to help him determine that it was something he wanted to do, and it is. Of course, he has some hurdles left (SFT, rated slot, graduate).