USAF Funded G1000 Proficiency Flying

[sdcapmx]

How many wings have some sort of G1000 proficiency flying for mission pilots? ]

I am finding that we are having some mission pilots that have been given a CAPF 5 in the G1000 but for whatever reason they have not had a G1000 AC at their location and now it is time for their annual CAPF 5 and they would like some proficiency flying prior to their CAPF 5 with a CFI.  Another factor is that we just now got some more of our USAF funds and have had to cancel some SAREXs the past few months which also limited their opportunity to fly the G1000. 

In the interest of safety I feel that if they fly the AC Proficiency Profile found in the Stan Eval section of the NHQ website they should be allowed USAF funding to do this but I seem to be hitting a roadblock from my USAF State Director.

In my opinion it is a safety issue.  The more stick time we can get our mission pilots the better and believe it or not some will not spend thousands of their own dollars to remain proficient in the G1000.

[DG]

How many wings have some sort of G1000 proficiency flying for mission pilots? ]

I am finding that we are having some mission pilots that have been given a CAPF 5 in the G1000 but for whatever reason they have not had a G1000 AC at their location and now it is time for their annual CAPF 5 and they would like some proficiency flying prior to their CAPF 5 with a CFI.  Another factor is that we just now got some more of our USAF funds and have had to cancel some SAREXs the past few months which also limited their opportunity to fly the G1000. 

In the interest of safety I feel that if they fly the AC Proficiency Profile found in the Stan Eval section of the NHQ website they should be allowed USAF funding to do this but I seem to be hitting a roadblock from my USAF State Director.

In my opinion it is a safety issue.  The more stick time we can get our mission pilots the better and believe it or not some will not spend thousands of their own dollars to remain proficient in the G1000.

What about cadet O flights?  CAP.  AFROTC.  JRROTC.

Maintenance transport flights?

C-17 proficiency flights?  It is not a matter of "thousands of dollars," and especially if you go with a partner(s) and share costs.  Florida does this a lot for mission training.  Especially now since their 121.5 ELT search missions are way down.

If with all of this available, and they are still not staying proficient, it would appear to have been a bad decision to have them checked out in the G1000 in the first place, either because they are not "qualified and current," or because there is no a/c for them to fly. 

[Mustang]

In the interest of safety I feel that if they fly the AC Proficiency Profile found in the Stan Eval section of the NHQ website they should be allowed USAF funding to do this but I seem to be hitting a roadblock from my USAF State Director.

CAP-USAF has taken the stance that proficiency flying is not a prudent use of federal funds and has all but banned using training funds for PCT Profile #7.

Setting aside the obvious irony in that taxpayer-funded proficiency flying is pretty much the only sort of flying CAP-USAF does, their point that training money should be used for TRAINING--that is, mission-oriented flying--does make sense.  I've personally seen training dollars spent on a couple of old-timers taking their wives for a two-hour sightseeing flight (the wives have CAP memberships solely for this purpose) that would've been better spent getting new crewmembers trained or brushing up on search methods.  Additionally, all the other PCT profiles contain a pure proficiency element, requiring at least three landings at the end of the sortie.  If you're instrument rated, there's nothing that says you can't fly a full instrument approach with each of the three.

To ban Profile #7 outright is a poor idea IMHO; after all, one may not perform intentional stalls with anyone in the back seat (this used to be the case, not sure if it still is).  But CAP-USAF's position seems to be that maintaining basic flying proficiency is the pilot's responsibility, maintaining mission-specific flying proficiency is theirs. 

And you know what, I can live with that.  As DG pointed out, there are other opportunities for basic proficiency flying...heck, that's all Cadet O-rides are, for the most part, ya just gotta teach while you do it.

[sdcapmx]

How is flying cadet O Flts in a C172 going to help with G1000 proficiency.  As I believe I stated, there is not a G1000 AC at the squadron I am having proficiency issues at.

[davidsinn]

How is flying cadet O Flts in a C172 going to help with G1000 proficiency.  As I believe I stated, there is not a G1000 AC at the squadron I am having proficiency issues at.

If there is no airplane for them to fly why stay current? If it's that big of a deal have them go get the G1000 and bring it to you for orides.

[DG]

How is flying cadet O Flts in a C172 going to help with G1000 proficiency.  As I believe I stated, there is not a G1000 AC at the squadron I am having proficiency issues at.

No.  No.  No.

You're missing the point.

You want funded flying so as to stay current in the NAVIII?

Use the NAVIII for Cadet Orientation Flights.  CAP.  USAF ROTC, JRROTC.

[heliodoc]

How are Cadet O flights considered as proficiency in the G1000 when one has to split their time in and out of the cockpit.

Sure, one can use the G1000 as an orientation flight platform and quite possibly under the FITS program using the scenario based, but again this is quite and expensive O ride ship when there are folks still waiting to even the most minute training from the G1000 gods.

But in the former Wing I was in...they had a BETTER training plan than the Wing I am in now with the equivalent numbers of G1000.

Right now in this Wing..just in the recent past, somehow a handful of CFI's who got their G1000 on the open FBO market were not even recognized after a 40 hour program, to become G1000  instructors and they were already CFI's albeit,I did  not know their CAP currency (Form 5)at the time  ...How does CAP JUSTIFY that little gem , HUH?

I think know where sdcapmx is headed with this...

The G1000 is a little more complex and SOME of the instructors that went to Independence KS have not even put a syllabus with ANY coherency here....spell and READ NO EFFECTIVE PROGRAM


SOOOO WHAT really needs to happen is:  CAP needs a STANDARDIZED method and syllabus for A flight instead of C17 for everything ... I personally know what it looks like with a 2K investment from my own pocket while watching GOB's getting all the funded flying in the G1000 sometime being the only aircraft available at times... Now I know it is my fault not getting out there in line and getting the funded flying.

So IMHO there needs to be FUNDED CAP flying for G1000 proficiency above and beyond O rides.  If CAP gets glass in its so called refurbed 172's, then there will be a need for proficiency flying and then that WILL become an issue.  Then there will be a funded training hubaloo, guaroooonteeeed!!

[N Harmon]

Can someone explain to this non-pilot why a simulator would not be suitable for maintaining proficiency with advanced avionics?

[Short Field]

The simulator does not teach you to keep your head out of the cockpit.  I have been told this is one of the biggest issues with new G1000 pilots. 

[heliodoc]

^^^

Hence the need for professionals to teach this learnin curve and quite possibly leave cadet O rides to the C172's

I sure can telll everyone here that after approx 35 hours I can still have a time lookin out the window and then lookin in to push the right buttons

I will still standby my assertion .......the only aircraft available for cadet O rides is a C182 NAV III?  Use it...certainly not my choice for a O ride ship

But this is CAPTalk   

[davidsinn]

^^^

Hence the need for professionals to teach this learnin curve and quite possibly leave cadet O rides to the C172's

I sure can telll everyone here that after approx 35 hours I can still have a time lookin out the window and then lookin in to push the right buttons

I will still standby my assertion .......the only aircraft available for cadet O rides is a C182 NAV III?  Use it...certainly not my choice for a O ride ship

But this is CAPTalk   

My cadets love the G1000. I think it's the OH SHINEY! factor.

[heliodoc]

You are  right, Dave

Plus all those buttons and MFD and PFD screens makin it look like their home computer!!

Any of those cadet get anything out of the flight, other than maybe the O shiney factor?

He He be honest Dave, did some of the cadets show an interest in flyin'

C'mon , Dave, fess up!

[lordmonar]

Let's be clear.

Initial training in the G1000 is paid for by the USAF IIRC.  We are talking about recurrence/proficiency training.

I think for the purpose of staying current with the system the simulator could work out.  It allows you to be in the cockpit with your head down fiddling with the switches.....so when you do fly your O-ride the following week you don't have to hunt for that stupid cursor button.

Yes time in the air is important....but sims do allow you to learn/relearn the cock pit before you actually fly.

Either way......AFAM or CAM funds for proficiency flying is a slipper slope.  The basic questions are....is there money in the budget for it, how much, and how do we divide it out.

One of things your squadron operations officer should be doing is scheduling your pilots for the SAREX's, O-rides, Transport missions, etc in such a way to make sure everyone who has been initially qualified in the G1000 to get some air time to keep current.

If you can't commit to the time where CAP/USAF is paying for the flight....then you may just have to suck it up and pay out of your pocket.

Of course if you bring an Observer and Scanner with you, you can share the costs.

[sdcapmx]

Thanks for the input.  I found out today that I can get a funded AFAM flight approved by CAP USAF if I justify it.  The AFAM was for a specific pilot for a specific day for a specified amount of time with a specified flight profile which is profile #7 .  CAP USAF doesn't want to open up a month long mission for proficiency flying but at least my LR will look at it on a case by case basis.


As for O Flts with the G1000, if it is your only choice do it but otherwise use the more cost effective 172.  The cadets will not get the video game syndrome in the steam gauge AC.

I feel a flight simulator would be an awesome tool to keep sharp on the G1000.  Our local squadron is looking hard a purchasing one.

Just because a squadron doesn't have a particular AC at a particular time doesn't mean the pilots there shouldn't maintain proficiency in other AC within the wing.  Come a real mission they may need to fly other platforms within the wing.

[Thrashed]

Buy the PC trainer for G1000 Nav III from Garmin for only $25:

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=31987

[sdcapmx]

We have numerous copies of it and use it often..

[WT]

You can get lots of proficiency flying doing cadet O-flights in the G-1000.  What an O-flight is about is getting the cadets excited about the benefits of flying.  When I fly cadets, they get lots of stick time, so they come away thinking they FLEW the airplane.  The G-1000 is excellent, since it is O-shiney, as a previous contributor put it, but they ALSO get to fly the airplane.  I get proficiency, as I am really doing the flying most of the time, and the takeoffs and landings.  Sure, we DO need funded proficiency flying, but that isn't always gonna happen, so get out there and put some smiles on cadet's faces!

[flyguy06]

How is flying cadet O Flts in a C172 going to help with G1000 proficiency.  As I believe I stated, there is not a G1000 AC at the squadron I am having proficiency issues at.

Cant you go to a location where there is a G1000 aircraft? People get too bogged down on Squadron Aircraft, Squadrons do not own aircraft. I know CAP squadrons that meet in the basement of a church and they actively fly at the nearest airport where there is a plane. There is no G1000 plane near my squadron. i have to drive 30 moles to get to the nearest one. But for the price of it, its worth it.

[sdcapmx]

The closest squadron to the member is about 150 miles.  We don't have the luxury in the great Midwest to always have AC close by.

As for flying cadets in the G1000, we do it if there is a G1000 at the squadron but by using that AC we lose out on a number of flights due to the added fuel cost.  If we get three cadets on each O Ride we can touch 30 more cadets by flying the 172 vs the 182 with our current budget.

[flyguy06]

The closest squadron to the member is about 150 miles.  We don't have the luxury in the great Midwest to always have AC close by.

Sorry, didn't know that.