military checkride

[coanda]

So what about checkrides in the military? What are some of the standards? Are autorotations shot to a certain spot....into a confined area? Are there night vision check flights? Its got to be different, maybe even harder? I'm sure they focus the ride off airport a lot more than us civilians. Anyone ever taken a military checkride?

 

i thought i would decorate this post with a military shot.

[Nuke]

In the AF you get multiple check rides. One is on basic aircraft handling and Emergency Procedures, the others concentrate on your special qualifications. ie....Tactical, low level, NVG and cargo sling etc...

 

Looks like the 53 in your posted pic is going to land with the gear up! That will not look good on a resume!!!

[coanda]

haha, yeah i saw that. thanks for the info, i was just wondering. I figured thats how they ran.

-c

[flyingseapig]

haha, yeah i saw that. thanks for the info, i was just wondering. I figured thats how they ran.

-c

 

In the Navy they have several checkrides including an annual NATOPS (Aircraft Standardization flight) probably much like a PIC proficiency flight, an annual intstrument checkride (FAR PT 135 requires an instrument check every 6 months), and a checkride for specialty or primary mission area such as Search and Rescue, etc. Our autos are usually done to a runway area and not to a spot, some squadrons prohibit practicing autorotations to the spot in their operating procedures for some reason. I think it would be good to practice autos to a spot to enhance ones pilotting skills. The NATOPS is based on aircraft knowledge and includes a open book, closed book, oral, and practical flight. It concentrates on systems, checklists, flight maneuvers and emergency procedures. Hope this helps.

[coanda]

thanks seapig(if i'm allowed to call you that)

heres a question, do you put in a "wish list" on what aircraft you want to fly or is wherever they need you. Also, do you start your flight program with fixed wing or jet guys or are you seperate from birth.

[Rob Lyman]

In the Navy everyone starts outtogether. Ater primary, you are selected for a pipline (jets, props, or helos). Props and helos stay together for intermediate and then separate for advanced. I understand there may be some slight differences now with regard to primary(Cessna 172 vs T-34C during parts of primary training).

 

Annual NATOPS usually includes an open and a closed book written test. Then a one hour simulator where EVERYTHING fails to test your knowledge of emergency procedures. Then the flight, which is mostly focused on flight skills. As SeaPig mentioned, there is also an annual instrument checkride. For aircraft commander there is a NATOPS check along with an oral board. Each squadron has their own specific prerequisites prior to qualifying for the aircraft commander board. They usually require at least one 6 month deployment and/or a minumum of flight hours.

 

There are also checkrides for Post Maintenance Check Flight (PMCF) Pilot. This one involved a complete post-phase check flight.

 

We also had a torpedo drop test conducted at AUTEC prior to deployment. I'm not sure if that is still done. That was rough duty flying down to Andros Island, Bahamas once a month to act as judge.

 

The training squadrons have checkrides for instructors before setting them lose.

[coanda]

thanks rob, very informative!!!

[flyingseapig]

thanks seapig(if i'm allowed to call you that)

heres a question, do you put in a "wish list" on what aircraft you want to fly or is wherever they need you. Also, do you start your flight program with fixed wing or jet guys or are you seperate from birth.

The selection process is based on the needs of the Navy first and primarily, then on your desires depending on how well you do in flight school. I know people who did great in flight school and wanted to fly helos but were sent to fly jets and guys who wnated jets who didn't do good enough in flight school to fly them so they were sent to helos or fixed wing multi-engine. After you get selected to fly helicopters in the Navy you then compete in helo flight school for what helo airframe to fly. But the Navy is pretty much going to a single helicopter airframe the H-60 which any monkey could fly. It is newer and doesn't take much pilotting skills like the older aircraft (H-3, H-46, etc). The flight control system is so computerized anyone off the street could hover in it.

[Rob Lyman]

...But the Navy is pretty much going to a single helicopter airframe the H-60 which any monkey could fly. It is newer and doesn't take much pilotting skills like the older aircraft (H-3, H-46, etc). The flight control system is so computerized anyone off the street could hover in it.

Having been an instructor at both HSL-40 and HSL-41, I can say that is an exaggeration that is not true. While it is more stable than the TH-57B, it is pretty comparable to the TH-57C, maybe a little more stable. With the SAS and pilot assist off it is pretty tough to fly. We had an O-4 smash one up practicing boost off at NRB. He wasn't a great stick, but also wasn't someone you would identify as be a weak pilot. Autorotations are the most difficult thing to do in a Seahawk. Boost off is right there next to autos in difficulty.

 

The current SH-60B, SH-60F and HH-60H share the SAS1, SAS2 and pilot assist with the UH-60 Blackhawk. The autopilot differs mostly in the addition of automatic approach to a hover which the UH-60 doesn't have. It's getting to be a stretch to say the avionics are new. Maybe in the new SH-60R, but nothing before that. It is a nice flying aircraft, but the SAS, boost and autopilot do fail. Especially since the electronics associated with the autopilot are in the nosebay, which is prone to leak in the rain. It also gets wet from condensation.

 

I do remember the tailwheel tire marks on the missile launcher behind our flight deck. They were put there by SH-3 Sea Kings and their pilots. Maybe there is a reason they made the Seahawk so easy to fly.