Hitting the Flight Line...

I haven't been very good about keeping this blog updated.  I try harder in the future...

Anyway, Phase 1 wrapped up on Friday with the weather test.  Phase 2 starts tomorrow, and that's when we start flying real planes.  Its going to be a big change from Phase 1.  Our class has been split up and assigned to Flights; B Flight and E flight.  Since my name starts with a letter in the second half of the alphabet, I was assigned to E Flight (Elvis Flight).  On Friday we met with our new flight commander and instructor pilots in what will become our new flight room.  This flight commander welcome was starkly different to the one at OTS, as it was not a show to make us feel like we did everything wrong.  Instead, I get the impression that at UPT you are treated as adults until you prove otherwise... for the most part.  We will be on a relatively short leash, and start off on formal release.  This means things will be a little more structured than Phase 1.  The days will be fairly long, and we will be required to stay in the flight rooms until we are formally released (probably 12 hours later- the AF limits duty days of pilots to 12 hours) by our flight commander.  The good news is the flight rooms seem to be fairly comfortable, with amenities such as a coffee maker and a popcorn machine (which must have fresh popcorn in it when the instructor pilots and students return from flights). If nothing else, it will afford us with plenty of time to study, especially since my phone doesn't get service in it.

I'll wait until I actually experience that, and will share more when I get around to posting again.

Like I said, we hit the flightline tomorrow.  I get to fly tomorrow for real.  Up until now we have only flown in simulators (See pictures below).  I've been told your brain works four times slower in a plane than it does on the ground, and I have experienced that in the sim. Lets hope it doesn't get any worse in a real plane.  The good news is your first flight, called a "dollar ride," is a free ride.  You can't hook (fail) it.

Below is the T-6 Texan II, the type of plane that is flown in Phase 2.  They are relatively new planes, entering service to replace the T-37 Tweet in the mid 2000's.  They have 1,100 hp turboprop engines, top out at 360 mph, are capable of -3.5 to +7.0 g's, and are very maneuverable.

Below is an OFT.  I forget what that stands for, but its the type of simulator that we use which has full visuals, almost 360 degrees.  It really gives you the sensation of flying.

This is me inside the OFT. You can tell it's the OFT because my visor is not down.

Finally, the picture below shows us in our flight room on a Sunday.  We are having what is called a "pattern party."  The carpet has a traffic pattern on it, and we are practicing "flying" it, complete with radio calls and traffic conflicts.  The military overhead traffic pattern is very different from a civilian one in that is designed to accommodate lots of planes going fast (in our case, 12 jets going 200 knots (230 mph).