Hey guys, I'm writing a piece to post up here on "UPT Keys to Success" in order to help dudes headed off to pilot training and would appreciate some feedback on it.  It's a work in progress, so please let me know any good advice you guys can think of in addition to what's on here already.  Right now the topics are in no particular order, and I'm trying to figure out a logical order to place them.  Thanks for all the help!!!

15 Keys for Pilot Training Success

 

Don’t accept slop.  This is the best piece of advice I was ever given in pilot training.  Strive for perfection.  If you’re off heading by 3 degrees, fix it.  If you’re off airspeed by 2 knots, fix it.  If you’re not on the fingertip line, fix it.  The canopies get raised and lowered at the same time, every time.  Don’t key the mike unless you know EXACTLY what you’re going to say, and remember that the most important things are sounding cool on the radio and looking good coming up initial.  To controllers, other pilots, and even the kid who hangs out by the FBO all day with his scanner, you represent the Air Force.  Act professionally and represent the USAF well.

 

Every daily ride is a checkride, and every checkride is just another daily ride.  The worst thing you can do to yourself on a checkride is psych yourself out by stacking on the pressure.  Checkrides suck, yes, but they are a measurement of how you fly, and trying to be on your best behavior for the check pilot isn’t going to improve your grade.  The risk is just too great to flip-flop between “daily ride mode” and “checkride mode.”  A checkride is the last time you want to do anything different or try anything new, so pretend it’s just another daily ride and your IP is being quiet.  On the other side of the equation, treat every daily ride like a checkride because you have to maximize the limited time you get in the jet.  There just aren’t enough daily rides to blow one off.

 

Have fun.  Never forget that you are doing something that you’ve wanted to do your whole life and you’re very fortunate that the USAF gave you the opportunity to fly jets.  If it’s a cloudy day, you’ll be one of the few people in town that saw the sun that day.  How cool is it to fly formation with one of your bro’s?  If you’re not having fun, you’re doing something wrong, and if you’re having a great time things will seem effortless and you’ll fly great.  Make sure at least once each flight you take a second to look around, enjoy the sight, and be thankful you’re getting paid to fly.  If you’re having a crappy day, tell yourself a joke, make a funny face, stick out your tongue, whatever, just get the stick out of your butt and enjoy yourself.  Learning, although frustrating at times, is a lot more fun than once you’re proficient.  Life is too short to not have fun.

 

Be prepared for every flight.  Check the syllabus to know exactly what you’re doing each flight.  Know what the flight manual says about each maneuver in your profile.  Talk to guys about your IP’s pet peeves, “gotchas” on maneuvers, etc.  Know how much airspace is required and entry/exit parameters for each maneuver.  Make notes on your IAPs and put some type of page marker in your approach book so you don’t have to thumb through trying to find the right approach.  “Chairfly,” or mentally rehearse each flight with as much realism as possible in order to find areas of uncertainty to clarify before the flight, to practice flows and pacing, and to figure out how to “build your nest.”  How do I want my pubs arranged?  What are my maneuver options if I’m in the top of the area and low on airspeed?  What about the bottom of the area and high on airspeed?  Which maneuvers are easily strung together?  When’s a good time to get ATIS and the WHOLDS check done?

 

Keep accurate notes on all flights and compile “lessons learned” documents.  Get a notebook and take notes in each debrief.  Write down IP techniques, mistakes made, lessons learned, ideas and items of emphasis for next flight.  I kept a word document for each block of training, organized in outline format based on the logical phases of each sortie (i.e. ground ops, taxi, takeoff, area work, arrival, pattern, etc) and every night would add my “lessons learned” notes to it.  This gave me an organized and complete review on how to fly each sortie.  Before each time I chairflew, I read through the document to keep the techniques and procedures fresh in my mind.  I highly recommend this technique to maximize the learning process.

 

Talk to your IPs and Classmates.  You’ll learn more in one hour at the bar than at 100 debriefs.  Don’t be afraid to talk to your IPs outside of briefs/debriefs.  Their job is to teach you, and most IPs enjoy teaching and have no problem answering questions.  Each IP has a different background, different experiences, different philosophies, and different techniques.  You’ll be amazed at how much you’ll learn if you just ask.  Also, talk to your classmates about flights.  Share experiences and lessons learned.  If you make a big mistake, fess up so that your bro’s won’t make the same one.  If a certain technique works really well for you, make sure everyone else knows about it so they can try it, too.  Ask your classmates for tips and techniques, and study as a group.  “Cooperate and graduate.”

 

Take care of your body.  Get enough sleep, eat right, and hydrate.  If you neglect yourself, your performance will suffer and you won’t even realize why.  Every time you strap on the jet you have to bring your A-Game, so why start yourself at a disadvantage?

 

When you study, think of everything in relation to how this knowledge will help you in the air.  When you’re studying, try to realize a situation where you’ll need that knowledge and then how you’re going to apply it in that situation.  I couldn’t care less if you know how many rivets are on the airplane or the average temperature of the air in the combustion chamber of the engine.  You better know what components you’ll lose if you have a system failure, or how much useable fuel you have left if fuel gets trapped in a wing tank.  It’s not just enough to tell me the holding entry procedures; you have to be able to recognize which procedure applies and correctly apply it.

 

Be precise. When given a range for a flight parameter (altitude block, airspeed range for holding, etc) pick a solid number, get there, and stay there.  It’s a lot easier to be precise and fly a good jet if you give yourself a parameter to stick to.

 

If you’re not doing anything, you’re doing something wrong.  There’s always something to do in an airplane, whether it’s an ops check, approach plate review/briefing, setting up navaids, checking your timing, checking the fuel in relation to planned, etc.  If you have a lull at the moment, think ahead and try to get tasks out of the way so you have fewer things to do during future critical phases of flight.

 

Embrace the “Control and Performance” concept of flying.  The Air Force way of flying is setting a control, analyzing the performance of the jet, and then making adjustments accordingly.  Know pitch picture and RPM/EGT/Fuel Flow settings for each phase of flight and let that be your starting point.  Don’t just aimlessly change control settings- that makes you reactive instead of proactive.  For example, for cruise at medium altitudes, suppose you know that 1° nose high and 90% RPM is your level flight, constant airspeed reference.  When it’s time to cruise at a medium altitude, initially set 90% RPM and 1° nose high.  Watch what happens.  If you’re climbing and your airspeed is slowing, adjust your pitch to ½° nose high.  Let’s say that stops your climb, but now your airspeed is still slightly decreasing.  So now push up the power to 92% RPM and see what happens.  If that stops your airspeed loss, then that’s the pitch/power setting reference for this sortie.  Now correct your initial altitude/airspeed deviation and then set ½° nose high and 92% RPM to maintain level flight.  Every time you return to this attitude after a maneuver, go back to these control settings.  This whole philosophy of flying is predicated on knowing pitch and power settings for each maneuver, so you have to pay attention and know your airplane to use it.  Use known pitch and power settings as starting points instead of aimlessly fighting the jet trying to figure out something that works.  To fix an error, first stop the deviation, fix the deviation, and then reset where you want to be.  That’s the Air Force way, and it works. 

 

Learn to analyze rates of motion.  Being a pilot is all about analyzing rates of motion, whether it is the motion of the jet itself, the rate of deceleration/acceleration, climb/descent, etc.  It’s about recognizing how fast you’re accelerating/decelerating and subtracting/adding power at the proper time and rate to catch a desired airspeed.  It’s about controlling your VVI down to the MDA and beginning your level-off at the right time.  It’s about knowing when to steepen or shallow out your turn from the perch to final.  It’s about knowing when to lag (or even quarter-plane) during a rejoin.  These decisions come by analyzing rates of motion.  You have to be able to recognize at what rate parameters are changing and determine in your mind when and at what rate to move the controls to get your desired performance parameters.

 

Never stop flying the jet.  Do not give up on centerline during a landing; do not give up on trying to stay in the area when you’re near a border; do what you need to do to get the job done.  Fly the jet; don’t rely on your IP to take the jet and fix your mess (don’t worry he’ll take the jet if he wants to).  Doing something is better than doing nothing, and if you at least attempt something then it shows your IP that you at least had SA on what was happening.  If you’re in the air and scare or frustrate yourself to the verge of tears, you’re still going to have to suck it up and bring the jet back home safely.  Learn to put mistakes in the back of your mind, move on, and concentrate on the next maneuver.  You can’t go back in time and change what happened, but you have complete control on what’s happening at the present moment and what’s going to happen in the future.  Don’t let a bad decision/maneuver ruin the rest of your flight.  Once you’re safely in the debrief you can beat yourself up as much as you want- NEVER do it in the airplane.

 

Be smooth, patient, and relaxed.  You’ll fly a much better jet if you don’t tense up and try to jerk the jet around.  It’s a lot harder to react to all the different aerodynamic changes on the jet when you snap into a turn and pull than when you smoothly roll, set your lift vector, and add backstick pressure as required.  “Don’t spill the coffee” is a phrase commonly used by IPs.  Anyone can jerk an airplane around; the best pilots fly the jet with the flow and grace of a Kung Fu master.  They smoothly put the jet where they want it by anticipating events before they happen and by using just the right amount of lead and control inputs.  Instead of creating PIOs, great pilots make one corrective input and have the patience to let the correction work.

 

You’re not as good as you think you are.  The best (and oldest) aviators are the most humble.  Just keep this in mind when you’re trying to salvage a quickly deteriorating situation, pressing an area border, or flying EXACTLY at MDA for 3 DME on a checkride when the MIF is +100’ -0’.

 

 

Absolutely priceless advice for aviators--student or otherwise. Attitude is arguably the most important indicator of success in the flying world and if you can take Striver's words to heart and live them at UPT you'll demonstrate the right attitude. Fantastic insight.

The two elements that really resonated with me are your discussion of checkrides and daily rides being the same. It's tough but if you can get that mindset down it will pay big time. The other, writing stuff down and using that to chairfly. Be your biggest critic on the ground and write down your trend items and concentrate on them and add them to your chairflying. Great way to help yourself improve.

Outstanding advice.

Shack on the keys. Words to live by.

The only thing I'd offer up is the ability to prioritize your time. UPT is a firehose which begs the question, "what do I need to swallow and what can I spit?" Pause. No, I won't type it. Moving on, most guys start off as the typical good students they've been all their lives and want to master everything. It ain't going to happen. The half of knowledge is to know where to find knowledge. In UPT, the half of knowledge is to know which knowledge is worth knowing now. Figure out what is important and is going to help you with getting your wings. What will help you get your wings is being able to fly the jet without doing anything dumb, different, or dangerous. The other stuff you'll be introduced to isn't worth a dive off the deep end. The night before a checkride is probably not the time to go into depth on how CB clouds are formed. It just isn't that important. This relates to USAFAStriver's point on applying knowledge in the jet. If you can't measure it, fix it, or apply it, then don't worry about it. Separate the trivia and concentrate on what matters. Always remember the big picture.

Thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming. I had a CRM class today, and that coupled with T6Driver's comments make me want to add "Learn to Prioritize" to my list. In the air we have "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate" (and as trite as that saying is, how many of us have failed to do so at one point or another?) and on the ground we have to learn the proper and improper way to use gouge and divide tasks among bro's. Knowing how to prioritize tasks when things get crazy is why we get paid the big bucks- thanks for pointing out that I forgot to include it.

I'm neither an experienced aviator or an IP (just a lowly UPT stud), but have been using the first 3 points (among others, but think that these two are huge) for some time.

The other thing that has helped me so far in the program: If it happened 2 seconds ago, it's already happened and there's not much use in worrying about it. When I screw something up, I try to fix it (assuming I'm doing something similar to that again -- another leaf in a cloverleaf, cuban 8, a pattern, etc...), but otherwise forget about it until the debrief. There's no reason to get yourself down and screw stuff up that you haven't even done yet because you're still thinking about something on the departure.

In Phase II I hooked a checkride about 1/4 of the way into the ride, but ignored it until the debrief. Ended up getting only a few downgrades on something that could've been a lot worse if I would've zoned in on my first mistake.

I have yet to hit UPT, and don't know if this follows there as is does in the civilian world. But I've taken about 5 checkrides in the civilian world and in addition to all of the things you mentioned another big one for us was knowing your examiner. There were certain examiners that hit things really hard and tended to not notice other things ... Flying right and knowing how to please an examiner is a big deal in the civilian world - again - don't know if that follows in UPT... just my two cents. :-D

Learn to Take Criticism: A lot of students have a hard time with criticism and/or failure. IF you let it get to you, it affects your flying. Learn to develop a thick skin and let it roll off your back

Read your pubs and learn the word "Standard" If you know what's in your pubs it will free up brain bytes immensely. This is huge if you are flying around at .7-.9 mach like in the T-38. All the procedures, standards and parameters/profiles that you fly should be able to be regurgitated word for word on the ground. Learn your pubs in the following order: Standards, Local Operating Procedures, Aircraft Operating Manuals (11-249/11-250), Aircraft Specific Systems (-1), 11-217..........

Chairfly the Contingencies Chairflying is an important part of UPT.  However, learn to do it right.  Don't chairfly a sortie that goes perfectly.  Have a friend throw something at you while you are chairflying.  Like:  you are pressing an area border, you're off altitude, off airspeed, what you would do to correct a mistake, radio calls, traffic, ep's etc

Don't let it snowball If you make a mistake, and you will, let it go!  If you f@#k something up your IP wil notice, debrief it and your will learn from it.  If you dwell on your mistake, it will make the rest of the sortie go down the toilet.  You might end up busting a sortie for a zillion mistakes that were the result of the snowball effect or make a minor mistake and have a great ride because you let it go.  This is especially important on checkrides!

 

Good Luck

Doesn't the T-38 fly around at .6-.9 Mach?

Thanks for a great response. Noose, have you solo'd anyone out yet? How'd that feel?

Some more thoughts for success in UPT:

• Don't quibble - Realize that you may land and your IP may debrief one of your maneuvers and assign you a grade that you don't agree with.  You may even have the MIF memorized and may think it's obvious you deserve a better grade.  Keep this opinion to yourself.  You may be right but it's not worth bringing it up.  That one grade will have very little to do with how you rank at the end but your reputation as "that guy" will have a real effect where it matters.  Realize IPs fly with a ton of students and may make mistakes or maybe they have a bigger picture in mind you're not aware of.  Right, wrong, or otherwise simply take the grade, learn how to do it better, and press on.
• Do not show up to fly unprepared -  This is the truth.  There is no quicker way to enrage your IP than by showing up to fly having not gone over the flight profile and learned the procedures and numbers.  You may be fuzzy and that's fine but if it becomes apparent you didn't even crack the books to prepare you'll get a Zero Time Hook and be sat down.  IPs aren't going to waste their time or the taxpayer's gas flying you around when you're not prepared to learn to the max extent possible.  If you haven't studied the flight on the ground you won't be ready to learn what you need to by seeing it in the air.
• Know your place - measures are taken in UPT to make the environment as comfortable as possible for students to allow them to learn.  That's why it is so PC and why students are given a bill of "rights."  Realize the big picture (which will become readily apparent once you're winged and go into the real Air Force) which is you are an officer in the military and when your organization or ranking officer or commander says jump - you jump.  Don't let the illusion created in UPT to help you learn fool you into the idea that you have retained your civilian right to do what you want.  Know your place.

The good news and perhaps the reason these points haven't been mentioned yet is that very few studs are oblivious to these facts.  Dudes are motivated and ready to work to get their wings.  But if you're that one out there (perhaps with a bunch of ratings already) that is tempted to think otherwise - don't.

On the don't quibble thought... (agree 100%)

If an IP asks about some blood on a previous grade sheet, "What's the deal with {maneuver}?" Don't say something like "Ah, so-and-so-IP thought I did this, but it really didn't happen that way, etc"

Even if that _was_ the case, the correct response is "Sir, I fucked up and did {such-and-such} wrong". In the end, quibbling about a single (or a few) below MIF grades isn't going to change your status to top stick. Suck it up and press.

Hello all. The name is Juevos (crusty C-130 navigator). I am a former C-130 Instructor and Evaluator, as well as a Nav School Instructor. Currently on the AMC staff. I last looked at this site a year ago, and I am happy to see the progress Team WantsCheck has made. After reading a few of your postings I've decided to chime in.

First, I agree (about not quibbling) few things will flush your reputation faster than being labeled as someone not able to take criticism. A common thread among the best rated guys I know is that they are able to take in the constructive comments given by peers, instructors, etc and use those comments to become a more effective operator. An IP's criticism is not a personal shot. It is intended to help you achieve your goal.

Now, when it comes to "knowing your place", I believe that T6Driver has the correct message but I disagree on the "commander say jump--you jump" remark. An officer must be careful not to follow blindly. The worst thing you can become is an officer and a pilot that jumps before thinking. Remember that today you are a student (or prospective student) but tomorrow you will be the IP and others will follow your lead. T6Driver is right, you are in the military and that "gay" little handbook can give you a false since of reality. But since we have brought that to your attention I am sure you won't F... that up. Your goal, that I alluded to earlier, should not be to only get your wings. If you want to fly you can do that as a civilian. Your goal is to become a military aviator. So, study hard. Study officership and aviation. Make it a point to critically observe the actions of others. Learn from their successes and failures.

Thread bump. Outstanding advice for those of you lucky enough to now need it...