Matt-- How many WO1's do you guys have up there? I'm wondering because I'm going to either Drum or Germany and I'm trying to find out if the unit is crazy over strength or not. How do you like Drum? Thanks, Dave

The board's next week. I'll have my telescope out along with my star charts...Might even go to a tarot reader...Got my lucky rabbit's foot as well. Ya gotta love suspense. I live for this stuff!

lol
Good luck, man!

Thanks, I appreciate it.

I'm as ready as I'll ever be!

quote:

Originally posted by submariner737:
Matt-- How many WO1's do you guys have up there? I'm wondering because I'm going to either Drum or Germany and I'm trying to find out if the unit is crazy over strength or not. How do you like Drum? Thanks, Dave

Drum is nice during the summer, muddy during the spring, fall is short and cold, and winters are brutal. BUT is you can make it at Drum, you'll be alright anywhere else!

I am not up on WO1 pilot strength numbers. We have a lot of aircraft, and everyone seems to get their hours at 10th CAB.

Anyways, Drum has grown on me, but I would never want to live there permanently! The post has expanded and improved over the time I've been there. I live on post and I like it. I live a few minutes drive from the PX/Commissary and movie theater, so life is not too bad there. I'm currently deployed, so I'm missing the winter up there, but I'll walk into the next one when we redeploy...

There is a lot to do on post, and lots off-post if you're into outdoor sports. I'd recommend coming here, just so later on in your career you can say that you've been there!

Matt
SPC, US Army
15U

I just finished the hook course last night so if anyone has any questions feel free.

When did you start?
How was the Instrument portion?
How often were the aircraft down for maintenance?
Did you have any foreign students?

I'm sure I'll think of more.
BTW,
CONGRATS!

Thanks, I started the beginning of Sept. Instruments is a breeze in this aircraft, the phase is only 6 days with only 2 flying days, maintenance usually isn't the reason you won't fly (although you'll learn that civilian contracted maintenance is not very efficient.) You will be fighting for a/c against AQC, IPC, MTP, and other FSXXI classes and if you're the junior class you may not get a/c. No forign students in FSXXI, they went through AQC which is a different flight platoon. Good luck

If you are fighting for a/c, then how do you avoid delays in training? Or was the non-flying comment only about the IFR portion? ATRRS says the course is 16 weeks. Still true?

I wouldn't think that a/c would be an issue seeing how they aren't putting a ton more AD guys through.

Can't wait to get there.

Also, is chinookdr.com still a good site to get familiar with? Do you have any others?

You can't avoid the delays, I finished the course 8 days late, the class behind me was about 3 or 4 weeks into the course and had only flown 3 times because they couldn't get a/c.

The fight for a/c goes something like this: There are 31 47's on Knox, 6 are down due to maintenance leaving 25. Contractors says they can provide 10 a/c for the morining flight period. IPC needs 3, MTP needs 3, and AQC needs 1, leaving 3 a/c for FSXXI. Your class needs 7 a/c so you can see where the problem arises. It's even worse if there are 2 FSXXI classes on mornings because the senior class has priority.

16 weeks is about right, and yes, chinookdr is about the best website to use because it is run by the 47 academic instructors so it is always up to date.

That....SUCKS.

I would almost rather get 60 rated and then go to EAATS in PA to do the AQC Transition.

But, 8 days late isn't so bad. The way everyone was making it sound was that there was no wait for -47's (thank God), and that there weren't that many people in the classes except us Guard/reserve bums.

I was the only active duty guy in my class of 6 but they are still pumping AD people through for some reason. 47 rated W1's are over 400% manned in the units, the branch manager said that big army told him to keep putting AD in the course.

The delays aren't as bad as it sounds. The instructors do everything they can to get you up and flying. We were on mornings for the entire course (except for NVG's) because AQC and IPC fly afternoons, thus eliminating the struggle for a/c.

If you are "HOOK Happy,"there is plenty of opportunity to dance with the "FatLady" in the State of Texas. Right now the Grand Prarie unit is deployed to Iraq ( third time in theater). I flew with the unit from 1975 to 2002 and always got 110-185 hrs a year in training and missions. 4900 hrs in a,b,c,d models. Lots of other time in UH-1, OH6, H-13 with 2 RVN tours and DS/DS.

God we just into ILCA's, DASH, and the other associated AFCS stuff. Head is swimming a bit.

quote:

Originally posted by trafficmp:
God we just into ILCA's, DASH, and the other associated AFCS stuff. Head is swimming a bit.

I hear ya' on that, sir. At least you don't have to learn how to fix them! Working in the Flight Control Closet is a b|tch! Doing cotter-pins on the backside of any of those control links or bellcranks sucks-- especially if you have big hands/fingers!

Good Luck, Sir!

Matt
SPC, AV
US Army
OCS Selectee
Class 004-10

It gets easier to understand because the IP's will help filter through the stuff you need to know and what you don't. The flight control closet is one of the favorite places to ask questions when you do preflight, so if it's confusing now, don't worry it will come.

--Matt, congrats on your OCS selection

Well, here's hoping all that still rings true. Even with the confusion, I can't wait to get to flying this thing back home, in the soup, and make it work for me.

Matt, enjoy EN!!! Congratulations!

Submariner737 & trafficmp: Thanks for the congrats! I'm gonna miss being around the 'Hooks, but then again, blowing stuff up will probably be cool too. But I will always look fondly upon any 'Hook I see.

We're supposed to get the new F Model when we get back to Drum. I'm anxious to see the mods.

Matt
SPC, AV
US Army
OCS Selectee
Class 004-10

The difference is night and day. I stuck my nose in one on the flight line at rucker, thought I was sitting in a commercial jet, even had the new aircraft smell.

Two wheel taxi is a Mother-Effer,

I hate AFCS off.....