So I got to fly back to BMG(Bloomington air port) yesterday evening, and it wasn't my first flight in a CAP bird, but it was the first time I was front seat since I was a cadet in like 2000. So I am hooked, hooked isn't even the word for it. I still love ground operations, and I will continue to do ground ops, but I really want to get into flight ops too... Anyways, I am going to hit both Scanner and Observer pretty much at the same time, I have a great instructor in my home squadron.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips on the finer points of the harder tasks. Any help would be awesome!
Well I just finished preparing a "cheat sheet" on how to create and use CAP search Patterns on the Ipad. Let me know if you want a copy.
Would it work on the iPhone? I'm insufficiently funded for an iPad...
If you have Foreflight Mobile on your IPhone, yes it would work. Not being familiar with the iphone I wonder about screen size though.
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Download the Mission Aircrew Reference Text (MART) Vol I & II dated April 2010. Also, download the Operational Mission Inflight Guide dated April 2010. These references will provide the bulk of the knowledge needed for Scanner/Observer/Mission Pilot. Vanguard sells a task guide, but frankly don't waste your money. Although I have not looked for it I am pretty sure the Task Guide (which could be thought of as a "poor man's PTS for CAP" is also available online.
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I am at the office right now. When I get to the house this evening I will email you a copy of the cheat sheet.
Thank you.
Quote from: Cliff_Chambliss on April 30, 2012, 02:49:42 PM
Download the Mission Aircrew Reference Text (MART) Vol I & II dated April 2010. Also, download the Operational Mission Inflight Guide dated April 2010. These references will provide the bulk of the knowledge needed for Scanner/Observer/Mission Pilot. Vanguard sells a task guide, but frankly don't waste your money. Although I have not looked for it I am pretty sure the Task Guide (which could be thought of as a "poor man's PTS for CAP" is also available online.
Actually I just google'd the 'aircrew and flightline task guide dtaed April 2005' and it is online. It is the same edition Vanguard sells. However the online guide is full size and not the half size booklet sold by Vanguard. Easier to read and big enough to write notes and hints in.
Number one requirement: don't barf on the pilot or the instrument panel. Most other things are OK.
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on April 30, 2012, 12:35:07 PM
So I got to fly back to BMG(Bloomington air port) yesterday evening, and it wasn't my first flight in a CAP bird, but it was the first time I was front seat since I was a cadet in like 2000. So I am hooked, hooked isn't even the word for it. I still love ground operations, and I will continue to do ground ops, but I really want to get into flight ops too... Anyways, I am going to hit both Scanner and Observer pretty much at the same time, I have a great instructor in my home squadron.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips on the finer points of the harder tasks. Any help would be awesome!
Who was your pilot?
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on April 30, 2012, 12:35:07 PMI was wondering if anyone had any tips on the finer points of the harder tasks. Any help would be awesome!
Especially on the observer stuff, nothing will replace time in the cockpit with your hands on the equipment tuning radios, adjusting the GPS and setting search grids, etc. Some of your practice you can accomplish with the aircraft in the hangar, so if you can get instruction time with an airframe on the ground you'll have a better learning curve than doing just classroom/book work and then only getting hands-on time while you're on the occasional training sortie.
More than just CAP mission-specific stuff: Absorbing and understanding basic private pilot-type material will also make your job easier, I've found. As an aircrew member you can be an asset to the pilot if you can help with pre-flight inspection and preparations, know how to call the FSS for a brief, know how to tune in and jot down and understand the METARs, understand what's going on in the cockpit and on the instrument panels, understand conversations with ATC, know what you're looking at when you look at an aeronautical chart and approach plate, etc. You won't get all of that from the CAP task guides, but there are resources out there to pick this stuff up or ask pilot friends to teach you what you don't know -- they don't need to be CFI's if you're just trying to become more familiar and not planning on using this instruction towards a license.
Procure and bring your own gear. You can't always guarantee that you're going to show up for a training or actual mission and the airframe is going to have extra headsets and stuff for the whole aircrew. Invest in your own headset -- it doesn't need to be expensive. Sportys carries a reasonable line of headsets that will do the job. And then you're also not wearing a dirty, old, passed-around one on your face. And just like being on a ground team, there's the minimum gear required and then there's gear that, while not required will enhance your ability to do the job efficiently or better or easier, etc. For example, a kneeboard isn't expensive but will go great lengths to helping you keep your charts, mission paperwork, writing utensils, and crap organized in the cockpit. A red-lens headlamp is also outstanding. Even if you're not doing night flying, you might end up back at the airport before sunset but find yourself fueling, doing post-mission briefs and paperwork, and other stuff after dark. There's a whole thread on CAPTalk dedicated to scanner/observer gear and I posted my flight bag setup as an observer on there -- you can pull it up on a search.
Be aware that the skills are perishable. The more you use them hands-on, the better you'll get and the more you'll be able to maintain your skills. If you're only getting in the cockpit once every few months, it's going to be rougher on you to learn and maintain all the skills involved in being a really solid aircrew member.
Good luck!
Capt. Sinn, my pilot was Capt Doig, from my squadron. She is an awesome teacher, when we were flying she had me run through all the checklists. Had me messing with the computers and it was really great instruction. I have to say though that I don't remember a lot of it.
Could you send me a link to a good place to find the knee board and such Pylon?
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on May 01, 2012, 02:22:23 AM
Could you send me a link to a good place to find the knee board and such Pylon?
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=8526.msg153334#msg153334 (http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=8526.msg153334#msg153334)
Kneeboards: http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/category/974 (http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/category/974)
I use a VFR Trifold. You can never have enough handy places to stash things.
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on May 01, 2012, 02:22:23 AM
Capt. Sinn, my pilot was Capt Doig, from my squadron. She is an awesome teacher, when we were flying she had me run through all the checklists. Had me messing with the computers and it was really great instruction. I have to say though that I don't remember a lot of it.
Could you send me a link to a good place to find the knee board and such Pylon?
I like Margret. She's got a quirky sense of humor. If you ever get a chance to fly with Creed and Shipps, you should do it. They make an awesome team. I flew scanner on a media flight with them in the Airvan. That was a fun sortie, especially since it was over my home area so I could point out landmarks to the local media.
I'm addicted too. I fly at every opportunity I get. I just wish I had to funds to get my PPL. The advice you are getting above is perfect. There is no alternative for just sitting in the seat and pushing all the buttons and making it work.
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on April 30, 2012, 12:35:07 PM
So I am hooked, hooked isn't even the word for it. I still love ground operations, and I will continue to do ground ops, but I really want to get into flight ops too...
Ditto!
The G1000 is a perishable skill. Get the online program and practice it on occasion. It has a lot of really cool features that I find most observers don't use because it intimidates them.
It has a SAR template and you can tell it the coordinates that you want to fly the spacing and length of the tracks and it plots out all your waypoints. Worked as a observer in our last SAREX and our task was changed after we already planned briefed and took off. In flight found our starting point entered it on the G1000 and it figured out all the other 20 waypoints instantly took less than 3 minutes total. But it takes practice.
Also make sure that you try to fly in different aircraft both G1000 and Round Dial, and the different direction finder equipment. It makes a difference. have fun with it.
Quote from: manfredvonrichthofen on April 30, 2012, 12:35:07 PM
So I got to fly back to BMG(Bloomington air port) yesterday evening, and it wasn't my first flight in a CAP bird, but it was the first time I was front seat since I was a cadet in like 2000. So I am hooked, hooked isn't even the word for it. I still love ground operations, and I will continue to do ground ops, but I really want to get into flight ops too... Anyways, I am going to hit both Scanner and Observer pretty much at the same time, I have a great instructor in my home squadron.
I was wondering if anyone had any tips on the finer points of the harder tasks. Any help would be awesome!
Since you're a local, I'd strongly recommend you take the week/2weeks and go over to NESA-MAS. It's a great way for you to get the intensive classroom instruction, and a lot more than the minimum 2 sorties.