Active Duty pilot joining CAP

[Avi8tor]

I'll be finishing active duty pilot training in about 6 months and was thinking about joining CAP. Saw CAP a lot when I worked at my local airport and have quite a bit of civilian time in Cessnas already. Really wanted to do it as a SAR pilot and flying cadets. Was curious what typical time commitments are. If it is even possible as an AD pilot(time commitment wise). Also a typical timeframe to get fully mission pilot qualified.

[Duke Dillio]

The typical CAP member attends the two-to-three hour long meeting each week and attends other squadron/group/wing events as they come up.  I'm not sure what your time limits are with regards to active duty.  As for becoming a mission pilot, it will vary depending on the wing that you are in.  Some can get you through rather quickly but I have heard that in some places it could take over a year to become MP qualified.  Where exactly are you located (which state)?

[Avi8tor]

Where I'll be stationed could be anywhere. We aren't allowed to fly civilian aircraft during training and training is pretty time consuming. Just wanted to get an idea of what to expect if I do join in 6 months. I have read most everything on the CAP website but it doesn't seem to draw out exactly what is required to get mission qualified.

[Duke Dillio]

If you have some time to read, do a google search for CAPR 60-1 and CAPR 60-3.  Those two regulations will probably answer all of your questions.  I am not a pilot so I can't really speak to all of the requirements but I believe you have to work your way up from Mission Scanner to Observer and then to Pilot.  There is also a Transport Pilot qualification that you can probably hit up.

[Ground_pounder82]

I would have to say it depends on where you are going to be stationed.  I have been on active duty for 8 years now, and hate the "depends" answer but really it is the only one that works.  I was in your shoes about 4 years ago in OK, and was in a composite squadron that happend to meet at Base Ops on base. Unfortunalty they did not have a active flight program, so I had to sell myself to other units that did.  It was a bit of a nightmere but enjoyed flying with the people I did.  For your circumstance, you will have a follow on ftu based on your track, then you will have another commitment to get CMR in your new operational unit.  I personally waited until I was CMR and and had a good idea of the ops tempo before I jumped into CAP.  With all the GA time you have you will meet the PIC requirements for TMP and MP probably with no problem, just getting those exercie rides to get signed off can be a nightmere.  But...with sequestration, 20% reduction in Air Force wide flying hours may provide you with ample time to do some CAP flying.  I aplogize for the ramble, if you want specifics feel free to PM me. 

Cheers,
-Brewster

[ProdigalJim]

Where I'll be stationed could be anywhere. We aren't allowed to fly civilian aircraft during training and training is pretty time consuming. Just wanted to get an idea of what to expect if I do join in 6 months. I have read most everything on the CAP website but it doesn't seem to draw out exactly what is required to get mission qualified.

To add a little color to the "it depends" answer, the steps required are consistent, but the availability of resources (aircraft, qualified instructors/evaluators, exercise and/or actual mission opportunities) varies greatly with geography. Not all 1,600+ squadrons are alike!

Generally speaking, to become a Search and Rescue/Disaster Relief (SAR/DR) Mission Pilot, you'll need a combination of experience, knowledge you can demonstrate to an evaluator, training in specific CAP tasks and then several missions on which you'll fly as a graded "trainee."

You have to be over 18, you have to pass a very general online mission-orientation briefing called General Emergency Services (GES), and you need to become qualified at the first level of aircrew rating, which is Mission Scanner. Becoming a scanner involves demonstrating proficiency in tasks you already know -- reading a sectional, explaining navigation, etc. -- plus a few other things like techniques for visual search, familiarization with CAP search types and patterns and how to complete the documentation required during airborne operations.

You also need to have 175 hours of PIC time to get started, and get signed off as a Transport Mission Pilot, as well as getting checked off for VFR Pilot. (Again, given your existing training, this part will probably be mostly a paperwork exercise.)

Next, you'll need to learn how to do some CAP-specific things, and you'll have to demonstrate the ability to do those things satisfactorily to an official evaluator (not every instructor is blessed as an evaluator to sign you off). These tasks include things like using a Probabilty of Detection table, techniques for coordinating your air search with CAP ground teams, describing how ELT searches are conducted and the techniques we use to locate ELTs, safety stuff, Mission Pilot duties and responsibilities, and so forth. There are also some online FEMA classes on Incident Command System principles.

You'll learn how to plan and fly a route search, a parallel track search, a creeping line search and a point-based search, as well as demonstrate how to use the direction-finding equipment in the aircraft and how to work the CAP radios. All that completed, you then have to fly at least two missions as a trainee with a qualified evaluator. By the time you're ready to get signed off on the whole SAR/DR Mission Pilot rating, you'll need to have 200 hours of PIC time.

Here in VA Wing, we have an annual Mission Aircrew School that lets you knock out those quals in two three-day weekends; CAP also runs a National Emergency Services Academy in Indiana during the summer, in which you can knock out an MP rating in a week, assuming you've met all the prerequisites. Apart from these types of options, however, you'd have to accomplish all of the above ad hoc, using a mentor in your squadron and an aircraft assigned to your squadron or a nearby unit. This is where the "depends" comes in.

Realistically, if you can't go to a formal school, such as the ones I described, you're probably looking at six months to get it all done in an ad hoc way (that includes waiting around for the next SAREX or other exercise to get your qualification sorties in and recorded).

Many of my fellow CAPTalkers here no doubt have different experiences. But this is a pretty good guesstimate, without knowing where you are or what your situation is.

[PHall]

First thing you need to do is get your FAA pilot licence in order. The local FSDO can help you with this.

[Avi8tor]

Great info guys! Thanks! Already have my FAA Commercial(single & multi) and instrument. Pilot time is around 375 total, 335 PIC, 150 X-Country(over 50 miles). Not including my current military time.

[bosshawk]

Looks like you are in good shape to join CAP and get started in the Mission Pilot program.  Depending on the wing that you join, you most likely will need to get through all the entry stuff like Level One and Safety and other mostly admin things.  If you join a squadron that has an airplane, they can fill you in on what they require to become a CAP pilot(in addition to the things enumerated in 60-1).  You will likely be required to become a Scanner, but I know of nothing that says you need to be an Observer before starting the MP program.  With your experience and military time, you likely can get through the MP program in a couple of months.

Before I quit, I was a Scanner, MIssion Pilot Standard, Mission Pilot Check Pilot, CD pilot and held a Command Pilot rating.  I flew for CAP for slightly less than 18 years.

[zooompilot]

I'll be finishing active duty pilot training in about 6 months and was thinking about joining CAP. Saw CAP a lot when I worked at my local airport and have quite a bit of civilian time in Cessnas already. Really wanted to do it as a SAR pilot and flying cadets. Was curious what typical time commitments are. If it is even possible as an AD pilot(time commitment wise). Also a typical timeframe to get fully mission pilot qualified.

Once you join CAP, if you have your PPL then you are qualified to take your Form 5 which is the first step to being allowed to fly CAP aircraft.  The Form 5 is your check ride and is no worse than the one given to you by the FAA examiner when you got your ticket (or recent flight review).

Assuming you have 100 hours PIC (50 X-country) then you're good to go to become a Transport Mission Pilot.  If you have 175 hours PIC (50 X-country) you can become a full fledged SAR Mission Pilot.   You will also have to take the Scanner qualification course to be a Mission pilot.  At NESA we spend two weeks qualifying CAP pilots and you can even get your Form 5 checkride if you get there early enough.  We have many pilots going from Form 5 on day one, Scanner course during week 1 and leaving as Mission Pilots at the end of week 2.

Time commitment as a CAP member is generally flexible.  Squadrons meet once a week for 2 - 3 hours as previously stated.  Squadron commanders have their standards for meeting frequency.  Mine is 70%.  Some commanders are more flexible for pilots since they are sorely needed and no one wants to piss them off most of the time...other commanders are more hard core and want you there as much as you can. 

Either way, I'm sure you'd be a valuable resource to CAP, thank you for your service, hope to see you in a CAP uniform soon!

[Private Investigator]

Where I'll be stationed could be anywhere. We aren't allowed to fly civilian aircraft during training and training is pretty time consuming. Just wanted to get an idea of what to expect if I do join in 6 months. I have read most everything on the CAP website but it doesn't seem to draw out exactly what is required to get mission qualified.

To add a little color to the "it depends" answer, the steps required are consistent, but the availability of resources (aircraft, qualified instructors/evaluators, exercise and/or actual mission opportunities) varies greatly with geography. Not all 1,600+ squadrons are alike!

What I would add is every 'Flying Squadron' is different too. Some try to be involved in every mission and others just want to fly Cadets on a sunny Saturday. Then others are somewhere in between and then we have 'unofficial flying clubs' which is a whole different rant.