Cadet Mission Observers

Started by flyguy06, November 17, 2005, 06:39:10 PM

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flyguy06

I have been out of the ES business for a while although I plan to go back to it eventually. A long time ago, you could be a Mission Scaner or Observer if you were at least 18 years old. SO,that meant that cadets over 18 could get this rating. I never really saw to many but they are thre. Is this still the case? Are there any cadet scaners or observers? I think its a great idea. It gets them heavily involved in air missions

Mac

Yes cadets 18 and over can still be scanners and observers.
Derk MacPherson, Lt Col, CAP
Vice Commander
Alaska Wing, PCR-AK-001

Pylon

Sure can!  Cadets over 18 can be CAP pilots, too!  There's a few restrictions, but the 18+ requirement for various mission ratings is blind to whether you're an 18+ SM or an 18+ cadet.
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

John Bryan

As for cadet pilots.....I remember a story in CAP News a couple years ago about a 19 or 20 year old cadet who was a CFI with hundreds of hours and she was a CAP Check Pilot and gave CAPF 5 check rides to senior members.  I want to say she was from the east coast but I do not remember the details.

Pylon

Quote from: John Bryan on November 24, 2005, 11:12:15 PM
As for cadet pilots.....I remember a story in CAP News a couple years ago about a 19 or 20 year old cadet who was a CFI with hundreds of hours and she was a CAP Check Pilot and gave CAPF 5 check rides to senior members.  I want to say she was from the east coast but I do not remember the details.

Hmm... must have been pretty amsuing for the SM Pilots taking check rides from a cadet.  :)   Very cool.




One of our senior-ranking cadets in our Group is currently working on his Mission Observer rating and has all of the knowledge and familiarization training and some of the missions for Scanner & Observer checked-off.  When he completes the training, he'll be the first mission rated CAP aircrew cadet that I've known personally.  You just don't see it too much, sadly.
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

Chris Jacobs

as soon as i turn 18 i plan on getting all the possible air crew rattings that i can.  i also hope to have my privet pilots license this summer so i could see my self as a mission pilot very soon.
C/1st Lt Chris Jacobs
Columbia Comp. Squadron

Pace

Not trying to burst your bubble here, but you may want to look at the requirements for being a mission pilot.  Once you get your private pilot certificate (FAA doesn't issue licenses), you can do all you tests/paperwork and do a Form 5 checkride to be a CAP pilot, but (SAR/DR) mission pilot is very different:
175/200 PIC (depending on if you're looking at the paper or electronic SQTR)
50 cross country hours
+a load of SAR/DR related training

Transport mission pilot used to be an easier rating to get, but I don't see it anymore.  Wonder what happened there.
Lt Col, CAP

groundpounder

Quote from: Chris Jacobs on November 25, 2005, 03:49:47 AM
as soon as i turn 18 i plan on getting all the possible air crew rattings that i can.  i also hope to have my privet pilots license this summer so i could see my self as a mission pilot very soon.

My advice would be for you to become an Observer as soon as you can. Start to work with the radios and the GPS so you have all of that down before you start the training. You can sit in the plane with a pilot (on the ground) and learn these skills before you are 18.

Once you are able to start air crew training, you will need to get the scanner rating first. Then train with an experienced MP as an Observer. This will give you a lot of experience that a new private pilot would not otherwise have the opportunity to get.

Then go out and build your hours. The cross country hours do not need to be 50+ miles away like they do for a new rating. Just to another airport, so make every trip a trip to another airport so you can build X country hours while you are building PIC hours.

Good luck, but don't push it until you are ready. Being a MP is a great responsibility that should not be taken lightly.

Viper

Quote from: Chris Jacobs on November 25, 2005, 03:49:47 AM
as soon as i turn 18 i plan on getting all the possible air crew rattings that i can.  i also hope to have my privet pilots license this summer so i could see my self as a mission pilot very soon.

Same here!!

Another question:  Do you have to be over 18 to START Mission Scanner Training?  By start, I mean take the training, but not the two Missions.

Pylon

Quote from: Viper on March 04, 2006, 04:31:18 PM
Quote from: Chris Jacobs on November 25, 2005, 03:49:47 AM
as soon as i turn 18 i plan on getting all the possible air crew rattings that i can.  i also hope to have my privet pilots license this summer so i could see my self as a mission pilot very soon.

Same here!!

Another question:  Do you have to be over 18 to START Mission Scanner Training?  By start, I mean take the training, but not the two Missions.

Here's the deal:

You can start learning everything you can about being a Mission Scanner and Mission Observer as early as you want.  And if you want to be an observer, this would be the best idea.  The earlier you start, the earlier you can qualify.

However, before you're 18, you don't technically meet the pre-requisites for the SQTR, therefore you can't get signed off on any of the tasks before you're 18.  This doesn't mean that you can't learn how to do each task, however.  Learn as many of the tasks and duties of the scanner/observer as you are able to.  Then, when you turn 18, you'll already have some of the knowledge under your belt so that you can quickly get things signed off that you've already learnt soon after your 18th birthday.

You'll still of course need your four missions (two to earn scanner rating, two more to earn observer wings), but I can tell you now that you'll need more time than that sitting with the GPS, working on in-flight procedures and equipment, and learning the ropes hands-on before you're fully proficient with being an observer.  (No mission pilot likes the observer who just sits along for the ride and has to be shown how things work -- unless of course, they're in training).

Good luck!   ;)
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP