Do United States cargo pilots (C-130, C17, C5 Galaxy, etc.) have to to go through G-Force training in order to become a pilot?
All undergraduate pilot trainees receive “classroom” g-force training, but they do NOT go through the centrifuge training that you see on YouTube videos, UNLESS they are assigned to a fighter aircraft. Even though I flew the T-38, which is the trainer version of the F-5 fighter, I never got to experience centrifuge training. You do get important classroom training about the effects of high G’s, and the importance of the g-suit and the proper technique for executing the “M-1 Maneuver,” (see http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/full... for some interesting background).Keep in mind that even with the above-mentioned protection, the human body cannot tolerate high G’s for longer than a few seconds without significant physiological effects (from tunnel vision to blackouts to loss of consciousness), if in a sitting position, as in an aircraft cockpit. G’s can be handled for a longer period if in a reclined position, such as in a spacecraft.The max I’ve experienced was 9G’s in a T-38, for about 10–12 seconds, with g-suit and while performing the M-1 maneuver. The older you get, the less G-tolerant your body becomes. That’s why flying a fighter is a young man’s job! :)Glenn Whicker, Former U-2 pilot
How long does it take to complete flight training and get CPL from IGRUA? I have heard that in recent days IGRUA is taking a lot of time due to more numbers of cadets. I have thought about Chimes Aviation as my alternative option. What should I do?
Though IGRUA will take some time but quality of training you will have at IGRUA will be different to other flying schools across India. You will get more chance to fly in and around controlled airspace’s as IGRUA’s airfield is located close to places like Lucknow, Kanpur. Chimes may be able to complete your training faster however you won’t get that kind exposure at chimes Aviation Academy however Chimes also has a good track record. Another option you would have had is NFTI Gondia but they have induction only through IndiGo cadet program pathway. And by the a’s per comments below someone mentioned IGRUA doesn’t give you job guarantee and you would waste time but neither other schools guarantee you job. In fact recently IndiGo did carry out campus selection from IGRUA as they have lot of requirement as a growing airline. You may also opt to go out and do the CPL from USA or Newzealand. However, process involved will be slightly different and right guidance is required or you may end up spending extra money and time. Best of luck. If you need any help let me know.RegardsShashank
What do US Marines think of the US Air Force?
The Air Force and Marine Corps have different missions. Airmen and Marines are as different as are the missions. What follows is not to disparage the Air Force. It merely answers the question.A few months before graduating high school I started talking to recruiters. I didn’t know a lot about the army or air force, I decided to at least consider what they had to offer. The contrast between the air force recruiter and my Marine recruiter (who had no problem with me talking to the other recruiters) was remarkable.The Air Force guy had a slight paunch, a few wrinkles in his uniform blouse and his gig line was not squared up. He sat listing to port and was medium enthusiastic. Sometimes he wasn’t sure about a thing.Sgt. Ber***** (USMC) was ram rod straight and his uniform was impeccable. He was precise in his demeanor and loved the Corps. He welcomed me to take a shot at joining his special brotherhood and was straight about everything. He took me a track to give me a basic physical test and offered to work out with me if wished to improve my scores, even though I had passed. If he was not certain about something he got the information from the senior recruiter right then and there.Most enlisted men in the U.S. Air Force do not have combat jobs. If one enlists in the Air Force it is not to fight, with a few notable exceptions. Para-rescue and Combat Control are two enlisted MOSs (or whatever they call jobs in the AF)that require serious stud status and they do fight. They each have their specialty, but the guys are as tough as anybody anywhere.Marines will have spent more time “snapping in” with their rifles than the total time an airmen will have spent on rifles on graduating basic training. Following basic every Marine with a non-combat MOS will attend Marine Combat Training (MCT) for specific ground combat tasks and annual qualifications, even if they are going to type the rest of their career. I don’t believe the Air Force has anything like MCT.Nothing against the Air Force. It just ain’t no comparison.I should mention that their pilots are good and they can hit what you ask them to. There have been many instances of them taking serious risks and delivering on tough shots when providing close air support to ground forces and when conducting rescue or casevac.
How long does it take for a helicopter to travel across the country?
You would compute the travel time for a helicopter the same way you would compute it for a fixed wing aircraft - it's all based on airspeed, and in terms of total time, the number of refueling stops required. The helicopter in the Oregon crash was an MH-60 Jayhawk that cruises at around 150 knots, so if you want to calculate a cross country trip of 3,000 nautical miles (just an example), the flight time without calculating wind would be 3000/150 or 20 hours. This is strictly flight time not allowing for refueling. I'm not familiar with the range of this aircraft so I don't know how many stops would be required for a 3,000 nm trip.
What training do you need to complete to become a Medevac Pilot?
The answer depends on whether you are referring to the job context in a civilian capacity (i.e.; Care Flight, et al), state/local gov't Search and Rescue, military or Coast Guard. The military context is best represented by Air Force CSAR (combat search & rescue) flying Sikorsky HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters. Similarly, the Coast Guard flies the MH-60T Jayhawk and the Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin.By far, the pilots flying the Air Force HH-60s for CSAR missions have the most demanding and rigorous training regimen. Navy SH-60 Seahawk pilots are SAR qualified, but not CSAR like the Air Force. The Coast Guard does not maintain its own helicopter flight training program; nor does it allow newly commissioned officers to learn to become a pilot. Coast Guard regulations require helicopter pilots to transfer from either the Air Force or Navy as an active duty, mission qualified SAR pilots. State & local helicopter units hire SAR pilots from the Air Force, Navy or USCG.The lowest level helicopter pilot flying sorties for the purpose of saving a human life is an air ambulance pilot. Air ambulances do not fly SAR missions, and prior SAR experience is not mandatory. There is no specific training class or certification program geared for teaching new air ambulance pilots. It might seem like I am saying it is easier to get a job as a civilian air ambulance pilot, than it is for a government-related job flying helicopters. Even though an air ambulance pilot does not require SAR experience, it still has some requirements that only a senior pilot is going to have, for example:• 2000 total flight hours with minimum of 1500 flight hours in category • 1000 hours PIC in category • 500 hours of rotor wing turbine time • 200 hours of cross-country flight time, at least 50 hours of which were at night • 100 hours unaided night as PIC • 50 hours total actual or hood instrument time in flight and in category (simulator time does not count) Best-of-luck! Steve Miller, Copyright (c) 2016
What do Vietnam Veterans think of when they hear the distinctive sound of a Huey helicopter?
For a long time when there was the sound of a helicopter overhead I couldn’t resist saying out loud (usually to my wife Sally): “I n c o m i n g……..pop smoke.” I knew it didn’t mean anything to anybody but me; I just liked saying it. I don’t say it aloud anymore, but I still think it. Come to think of it, these are probably the kind of eccentricities that made people think Vietnam vets are a little crazy.Although most people reading this will know, for those that don’t: “Pop smoke” just means throw a smoke grenade to mark the landing zone for an incoming helicopter and indicate the wind direction. The color of the smoke also had significance related to conditions on the ground. It’s the first thing someone would say when we heard a chopper on the way to our location.