Training the Best

I had originally intended that title as a reference to another test being done, but I guess that could have two meanings. We took Aero 2 this morning, which means three out of the six tests done!

Unfortunately API class 0610 is gaining and dropping members like it's cool. We lost two people last week and we're going to gain another two or three this week. If a student fails two tests they get "rolled", which means they are dropped back to the class behind them. It's such a regular occurrence that it's not even shocking when it happens anymore.

Aerodynamics two is supposed to be one of the two ass kicker tests, and I studied my ass of for it. I have never in my life studied this hard. I think I'm averaging about four hours of studying a night, with test nights increasing to six and seven hours. I was a really lazy college student, I barely did the reading and I hardly studied at all for tests. There were too many other cool things to do! There was also not the immediacy that test taking now has in API. Bomb a test in college; you can make it up with a better performance on the next test. Bomb a test in API you will re-take it the next morning at 0600. Fail it again and you get rolled. Fail just one more test and you are no longer a flight student. Pull out your boots; your ass is headed to IOC.

It's also important to mention that in the Marine Corps and Navy, 80 is the minimum passing score. Seems harsh, but as one of our instructors put it, "when your wing's on fire at 1500 feet, 80% of the emergency procedure won't save your ass." Tough line of work I've chosen, but one day it will all be worth it.

So I haven't had a break in days. When I got back from leave on the 2nd I got right to studying for Aero 1 on the 4th. Then I took weather on the 5th. I took a breather on the 6th and spend the 7th and 8th in my study dungeon. I don't see the light of day unless I am coming home from work (I go to work before the sun comes up) or I see it through my blinds. It's getting easier now though, engines is on Friday and navigation on Monday. Having a little more time to prepare to those two will make life a lot less stressful.

It was worth it all though; I got a 98 on Aero 2, much better than a lot of my peers. The two German students (we train a lot of friendly countries' pilots along with our own) have always kicked our asses in testing and today I tied one and beat the other (he got a 94). The Marine Corps average in the class has eclipsed the Navy average by one percentage point but we're still behind the ChAir Force.

We also did our swim strokes test today; 200 meters using the four survival strokes: breast, side, back, crawl (modified freestyle). After that we put on flight suits, boots, gloves, and the helmet to pull ourselves along a rope underwater 10m to an escape hatch. Once at the hatch, there are five levers you have to manipulate to finally get the hatch open and get out. Not a big deal, it was kinda fun. After that we put on the flight harness with survival gear and swam 75 meters. A pretty easy day really.

We get our flight suits, jackets, helmet, and other stuff on Thursday! Then we get to go to work every day in "the bag" as we like to call flight suits. It's gonna be a good day!

// posted by Josh @ 1/09/2006 01:56:00 PM