spectre56

Sure, it's Airfield Ops...I don't know a whole lot about it, but it seems like i'll basically be in charge of the airfield and all that entails: ATC, maintenance of the field (lights, etc), services to transient A/C, baseops, etc. This is what i've gleaned from the reading i've done so far; I could be way off. Hopefully i'm somewhat close to what it actually is.

Thanks for all your support while I went through this whole ordeal called UPT. It's an awesome feeling to have support behind you and people rooting for you, especially when you don't even know them! You're dead on about the family friendly aspect and still being around planes...not to mention much less stressful (I assume). From what little i've read about Airfield Ops, it sounds pretty neat. Thanks again for your support and i'll keep ya updated on the new career path!

Well, the man has decided that it would be best if I not continue in pilot training. My new assignment, however, will be airfield operations which, from what i've read, doesn't sound too bad. It sucks that I won't be able to be a military pilot anymore, but I did try my hardest and gave it my best shot, and it just wasn't in the cards for me. I thank everyone who has been reading this and supporting me along the way. I'll still be around on Baseops about as much as I normally am, but probably won't continue this blog anymore...unless yall are interested in the Airfield Ops field. Actually, now that I mention it, I just might blog about that! That school is supposed to be 2 years long, training with the Guard. Sounds pretty cool since I can't be a pilot. I'm keeping a positive attitude about everything and am certain that everything will work out for the best. Oh, big congratulations goes out to Riddller on graduation from UPT! Doesn't seem all that long ago that he started his blog at IFS and now he's done. Congratulations! Feel free to leave messages on here or PM me if you want. Take care!

No, nav and ABM aren't available because my academic average is below 93, which is what they want to go to those. I was thinking that same thing. I even asked if it was possible to try out pilot training in Pensacola...which they quickly said no (what I expected).

Just letting everyone know that i'm still waiting on the word from the man. I've had to make up a dream sheet just in case he says no, and I know I would enjoy just about anything that I put down: there just wasn't all that much that I qualified for (no tech degree or anything like that). Have a great LONG weekend and maybe i'll have news on tuesday or wednesday.

I'll throw in my 2 cents here... You can absolutely work and do ROTC at the same time! I worked full time, was married and had a kid while I was in ROTC. Our ROTC schedule dictated that I work weekends with 2 nonconsecutive days off during the week (helps to have a boss named Mr. Perot). It's tough, but as long as you can manage your time wisely and not overload yourself, you'll do just fine. You also might want to mention the fact that you have to work to your commander. Hopefully he/she will be understanding of your situation and keep that in mind when you don't go to every recruiting event or every other little thing within the det.

I'm doing ok...more bored than anything else. I wish they could just decide and be on with it. Haven't heard anything yet; we'll see!

Yeah, I had done some of that...limited success. The best thing i've found is just to get the material over and over and over again, via reading, being quizzed by the bros, etc. Thanks for the encouragement.

It'll be about 9 more business days. The whole thing takes 10 and that started yesterday. Thanks again for your support...it really means a lot to me.

So, the waiting continues. Just wanted to let everyone know that i'm doing ok, just waiting on the word. Have a great weekend!

Thanks! It's pretty much out of my hands. Since it's for academics, it's pretty cut and dry as far as they are concerned. I'm hoping to catch the wing commander on a good day!

So the commander's review process begins and I am what they refer to as a "free agent". I'm not actively in pilot training, but i'm not out yet either, so I just hang out everyday like the guys on casual, but I have to stay up at work all day to study and stuff like that. Not too bad, I guess. I'm staying positive and hoping for the best.

Thanks yall. I really appreciate it...that's about all I can do is hope for the best now.

Well, took the instruments 2 test this morning and, due to carelessness (bad math, marking the wrong answer, etc) I hooked it. That sends me to commander's review. So i'll be in limbo while the wing commander decides my fate. I'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best. All I really know right now is that i've done my best.

I know that's right. So far i've been flying about once a week which doesn't build good habit patterns and really keeps me on the back side of the power curve. Thanks again for all the encouragement!

Congratulations!

Well, my flight last friday didn't go as well as it could have, and I got a fair on it. Oh well, I know what to work on. Besides that, I had a study day today with an hour of extra instruction thrown in there with one of the sim IPs. I've got the instruments 2 test tomorrow morning. I'm pretty confident about it, but I know there's going to be a couple obscure questions thrown in there that will attempt to trip me up. I'll let ya know how it goes. Have a good night!

So I flew this morning and it didn't go great, but I don't think it was all THAT bad. I haven't checked the grade, but the IP said I was going to get a fair or a unsat. Not good. I think I would learn stuff a lot better with a different IP...granted, I don't know as much as I should know, but don't get all pissed off and cuss when I do stuff wrong. Nuff said. It's friday and the super bowl is on sunday!! I have a weekend full of studying for instruments 2 test and the EPQ that the rest of the flight took this past week. They just got done with the test so i'll have to hit them up for some tips. Have a great weekend!

So, there I was, sitting around the table, studying when one of our guys calls the flight room and says that he's sick in quarters (or whatever the AF calls it). Well, our scheduler and flight commander are scrambling around trying to fill the slot (see where this is going?) and they come up with me. Fantastic! Fortunately I had about 30 minutes to get my data card ready so that was sweet. I get to the brief and I had forgotten to put winds, fuels, and weather on the card. That didn't go over so well; but that was pretty indicative of the whole flight. Not to mention my IP was cussing at me and generally pissed the whole flight. I only got a couple maneuvers accomplished in the area, then came back to do some pattern work. It was a no grade overall (an 86 ride), but I think he wanted to hook me! Oh well...lesson learned: getting in the books more: got it. I also had an instruments review today. Since i'm so far behind the rest of the class in academics, i'm doing these reviews on my own. Everyone else is taking the test on friday, I think, but i'll be taking it sometime next week. I'm really going to have to study hard for this one...it's pretty confusing right now. Fortunately, the guys/gal in my flight are smart and more than willing to help out. Enough writing, gonna go to bed soon.

Ha, yeah, sorry about the wait! Thanks for the encouragement, it really helps!

Ok, sorry i've been absent for the last few days...my head's been elsewhere. Had my 88 ground eval on thursday: didn't pass. Had 89 ground eval yesterday: passed. I have been having my doubts about this lately, but thanks to some dedicated family and friends and at least one reader on here, i'm back in the game. I get in a funk sometimes (like everyone else in pilot training at some point, I would suspect) and it takes a lot of poking and prodding to get me out of it. But my attitude is much better now, and i've got a renewed energy for this struggle called UPT. Thanks for everyone's support! Had an EP sim this afternoon. It was very evident that I hadn't been in the books as much as I should. I got a good on it, but I know which parts I really need to focus on (all of it!). Oh yeah, got to do part of the standup today...sweet Didn't do great, but didn't get sat down, so that was pretty cool. Another day!

Had a great 3 day weekend, but it didn't last nearly long enough...no kiddin, huh?! Came back and flew tuesday morning. The flight went fairly decent; ya know, for my 4th flight. I was supposed to have an EP sim in the afternoon, but I was having some personal issues, so that got cancelled. Took the next EPQ this morning, and unfortunately, it was more of the same. I busted it, again. I take solace in the fact that about half our flight didn't pass it, but it still sucks. So that's my 5th EPQ bust which sends me to a ground progress check (PC). That is supposed to go tomorrow...we'll see. I'm seriously considering calling it a day and chalking this up to experience. I've wanted to fly since I can remember, but I'm obviously not doing well, and it's not getting any better. I'm studying my ass off, but i'm just not cutting the mustard. Maybe I can solicit some advice from those of you reading this: should I drag this out to the very end or know when I am beat and stop the madness? I'd love some advice from some of you.

So today was our flight commander's last day as a UPT IP. He had his fini flight, which was pretty cool...those of us not doing anything in the flight room went out to say hey. His family and some friends and some of the other IPs went out there...pretty neat! He's going to a much better place than Del Rio: he's going to England! He is a great guy and will be missed. Safe travels to you and your family, sir! One of the guys' birthday was today (or yesterday) so we had some pizza before we had our instruments review this evening. Knocked that out and went home for a 3 day weekend; sweet!

Again, not a whole lot to talk about. Did a whole lot of studying and that's about it. Seriously, that's it.

Retook the EPQ last night and passed! So I flew today, and I felt I did much better. I probably didn't actually do any better, but I thought I did and that's what counts! Anyway, I was having an "A" day all day, so i'm hoping that flows into tomorrow and friday. Not flying tomorrow (as of now) so i'll be studying all day. Oh yeah, some U-2 guys came down to give a brief on their capabilities. I hear it was pretty neat. I have a sneaking suspicion one of those guys was HuggyU2. I didn't go, so I really don't know. I will say their black T-38s with the red markings look pretty sweet!