Questions from prospective member

[Bashibazouk]

Hi,

I'm not sure how to search my way out of this quandary, so please forgive my new guy questions.

I'm a mid-forties engineer, with a commercial license, AMEL, ASEL, and slightly over 1,000 hours.  I fly regularly as a towpilot for my soaring club, I'm working on my glider rating, and I fly my company's light twin (a Diamond DA42).  I don't need cheap or free flying time, in other words...I fly 5-10 hours per month already, for which I don't pay.

I am thinking of joining the CAP for the following reasons:

1) To give my flying more purpose.  I'd like to fly for the benefit of someone else.  Orientation rides, counterdrug, SAR, etc. would meet this desire.
2) To learn new skills.  In particular, learning how to use DF and hyperspectral equipment would be interesting.  I recognize these are usually not used by the Mission Pilot.

Given this background, here are some questions.  I must admit to a bit of "CAP-ophobia" based on complaints from a former member.  I'm hoping he was just an exception and that you guys can confirm that hope.

a) I live in Northern Virginia.  My closest squadrons are the Fairfax Composite Squadron (NATCAP Wing) and the Prince William Composite Squadron (VA Wing.)  Which is best suited to my purposes?

b) How can I find out which units have airplanes?

c) How long does it take to get Form 5 qualified in a C172?  I mean calendar time, not hours.  I have several hundred hours in type, so while I'm sure I'll have to brush up to meet the Form 5 standards, I'm pretty familiar with the airplane.  I also have 50+ hours behind the G1000, albeit in a different airplane

d) How long (again, calendar time) does it take for a typical pilot to become a Mission Pilot?

e) How many hours per year does the average CAP pilot fly in CAP airplanes?  This should include proficiency flying, training, o-rides, transport missions, etc.

f) How many hours per year does the average CAP Mission Pilot fly on CAP missions?

g) How much truth is there to the CAP-ophobic rumor that it's all about who you know?  I've been told (again, by one possibly disgruntled member) that the Colonel's buddies get all the flying.

h) I'm familiar with other all-volunteer organizations, and understand that things don't always happen when I want them to happen.  Having said that, how much waiting is there to schedule a checkpilot, an instructor, a form signature, etc.?

Thanks in advance...I know this is a long post and a lot of questions, and I appreciate your time.

Martin

[williambyron]

HI
As a new member of cap,I can offer some insights to your questons.
I joined Cap for many of the same reasons that your looking for.The desire to contribute to my community and the opportunity to learn new skills.The ability to fly for little or no cost is actually a benefit from joining cap but not the only reason for joining.
To answer your questions.
Visit each squadron,talk to the members and see what your comfort level is.Every squadron is different and you will have to determine which makes you feel more comfortable and gives a enviroment that you feel you can be successful in.With your hours and experience a form 5 checkride is a rather simple procedure and actually can be done very quickly once you become a member and complete your level 1 requirements.(Ie:Cadet protection,Opsec,etc).Normally this process takes about a month or so to complete.As a rated pilot you would probable become a new member as a either 2 lt or 1lt.The miinimum hrs for a form 5(think bfr) are 1 hr and 3 landings with a cap check pilot along with a short test and plane checkout sheet .The minimum hrs for a Sar/Dr pilot are 175 hrs to start training and 200hrs to qualify along with training in NIMS(Federal disaster training coarses),search and rescue techniques,procedures and associated requirements(DR and hyperspectral are definently part of SAR and you wil have to know how to use them if your flying a Ga8).The Sar,Dr pilot designation will take a while longer due to training opportunites,your availability and ability.For other questions you would have to ask the members of the squadron you contemplate joining.A key point you recognized is that it is a volunteer organization and that yes sometimes things do take a little while longer to accomplish.That being said.if you want something to be done you have to be persistant.Need a check ride,training whatever talk to the operations dept head,chief pilot,other pilots.The opportunities are there but you have to go after them,no one will hand them to you on a platter.
One question you asked keeps comiing up all the time and that is only the Colonels buddies get to fly.Actually his only say is if someone is or isnt qualified based on the requirements from the operations procedures(60.1).You will hear a lot about that as you progress towards becoming a cap pilot.The flying part comes with again your determination and ability. You can go on the cap/gov website and there is a knowledge base you can look at that will offer some guidance and insight into cap.If it looks like a opportunity that you would like to take advantage of,go to a squadron meeting and see what we are all about. For me the hardest part was going to the 1st squadron meeting with not knowing anyone.You do have that feeling of a fish out of the water but that goes away very quickly.

Goodluck
Bill
2lt

[Bashibazouk]

Bill,

Thank you for the fast and helpful reply.

I should've mentioned in my original post that about 5 years ago, I attended 2 or 3 meetings of my then-first-choice squadron.  I will take your advice and do that again, since a lot can change in five years.

Regards,
Martin

[coolkites]

Yes as a cadet I can tell you that I got lucky and joined my closet squadron which turned out to be great(not that there aren't a lot of good squadrons out there). I would recommend you can the contact person for each squadron and ask them a few basic questions and find out when would be appropriate for you to show up. As far as the aircraft go most squadrons now have C182s as opposed to the C172s there are a few squadrons still using C172s though. To find out if they have an aircraft and how actively they use it be sure to ask the squadron commander how many hours they have flown in the last month or quarter or whatever. good luck and feel free to post any questions or anything here you need help with our members always ready to help.

[LtCol057]

Also be advised that not all units have aircraft assigned to them.  Some, like mine, have to share aircraft with other units on a rotating basis.  It'd be nice if each unit had a plane assigned to them, but it wouldn't be feasible.  Some planes would get plenty of hours flown and some wouldn't get any.  Check with the pilots in the units you're interested in. Some units may not even have any pilots or the ones they have, aren't current.  Basically, you get out of CAP what you put into it. 

[Bashibazouk]

Basically, you get out of CAP what you put into it.

Yessir, that's what I hoped.  What I'm trying to do is estimate what I have to put into to CAP in order to get what I want out of CAP.  It's when I read threads like this one that I get discouraged : http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=7759.0

Can any members of the VA or NATCAP wings (or better yet, the Fairfax or Prince William squadrons) tell me if this sort of thing is a problem there?  Or is it just an isolated issue that I should stop wringing my hands over?

Again, thanks to all who are contributing to help me build a picture of life as a CAP pilot.

[DG]

Basically, you get out of CAP what you put into it.

What I'm trying to do is estimate what I have to put into to CAP in order to get what I want out of CAP. 

"2 hours a week."

It's policy.

[jimmydeanno]

"2 hours a week."

If only it were that few!

[LtCol057]

2 hours a week?  I wanna transfer to that squadron.

I put in more time than that when I was just a member.  Double the time when I got on staff.  It tripled when I went to Wing staff.  Now I'm a squadron commander, it's like a full time job.  Still waiting for my paycheck. 

[coolkites]

I have a record of 48 hours in one week and boy what a week it was!
I am only a cadet not on staff and not a senior.

[Thrashed]

I have 13,000 hours and over 4,000 hours as instructor.  I've never been in a CAP aircraft and I've been trying.  I'm almost ready to give up. I hope you have better luck.

[Bashibazouk]

What are the obstacles you've encountered?

[Trung Si Ma]

My wing (not VAWG) does not seem to have any problems getting pilots that want to fly CAP aircraft checked out.  I'm not current in CAP aircraft, but could get a new CAPF 5 probably within the next week if I wanted one.  I don't have the time to fly as much as I want, and I'd rather fly my heavily modified 172, than one of the CAP birds.

Our aircraft are in great shape and kept that way by an aggressive DO and a caring, competent aircraft maintenance section. 

I'm the only pilot in our squadron right now and we have no CAP aircraft, but there are CAP aircraft available to us if we wanted one.  Even if one of the other squadron's had to ferry it over, they would.  Our observers never have a problem getting their required, or even desired rides.

I have not heard any pilot complain about the GOB factor under the current CC and DO, nor for the last three CC/DO combo's.

I've been in 7 wings (AK, CA, CO, KY, MI, NC, OK) as I moved around the country during my military career so I know it isn't always this way everywhere but I have to give credit to the folks making it work here.