I have now completed the first phase of flight school (light golf clap). It is considered not a big deal to complete this but I'm sure happy about it. Mostly because I'm tired of driving two hours one direction for a one and a half hour flight that is almost never on schedule. Either way I now have 24.4 hours of flight time in a Cessna 172/U.
The final for the phase was a 1.7 hour cross country flight from Bay Minette AL to Waynesboro MS to Wilcox AL then back to Bay Minette. It took me two hours ha ha. Curious why?
I flew to my third airport (Wilcox) and was departing to my final destination (Bay Minette) when I realized the big river that runs to the bay was not on my left like it was supposed to be. Rather, I was right over it! I pulled out my map, triangulated my position and sure enough I was about 20 miles North East of my intended position, but I had just taken off and was a mile from what I thought was Wilcox. Which obviously led me to my next thought. "Where in the name of God did I just land and take off from?" Turns out I landed at Jackson AL. Basically what happened was I misunderstood some tips I got from the instructors. There are big smoke stacks very visible at Jackson AL. They said "find the stacks if you get lost." Because I had flown to the stacks before and knew there was a runway there, I thought they meant "fly to the stacks if you get lost." So once I saw the stacks I stopped navigating and flew to them.
That's about it, there's a little military gouge for ya'll below.
It just dawned on me some of you might not be military inclined. In fact I'm guessing even if you are you don't what how flight school is organized so I'll put it real down and dirty. If I refer to it in later posts you can refer back to this one.
Ok down and dirty, there are 5 "phases." Pilots and NFOs (Naval Flight Officers) are trained exactly the same for the first 3 phases (IFS, API, Primary). Each phase is a different command which means I get a new set of superiors and possibly a new base.
1.)IFS (Introductory Flight Screening) - approx one month
2.)API (Aviation Pre-flight Indoctrination) - approx 1.5 months
3.)Primary - approx 4 months
4.)Advanced - approx 6 months
5.)FRS (Fleet Replacement Squadron) - approx 2 months
1.)Civilian contracted flight school. Class room work, then flying. Only phase off base with civilian instructors.
2.)All class work.
3.)Class work and flying alternating until all basic aspects taught. After this phase narrowing of selecting begins. You go to advanced for either information/communications support, maritime (patrol aircraft), jets (air combat and strike).
4.)Class work and flying alternating until all advanced aspects taught. Get your wings after this phase. Go to SERE school(Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) after this phase.
5.)Flying until you are ready to replace an aviator in the fleet. Are assigned duty station after this phase.
