Air force training syllabus

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Bede
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Air force training syllabus

Post by Bede »

Does anyone have an Air Force training syllabus that they (or rather Allied Wings, or whatever they're called) use to get new pilots to the wings standard (~ CPL standard)? (I'm sure there's a proper name for this course, but I have no idea). I'd love to look at it if you can send it to me.

I'm just curious how the Air Force does their training to get guys to a high standard in such a short amount of time.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by North Shore »

I'm sure that 'Learn, or you're out' is a fairly strong motivator!
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by photofly »

Every flight is basically a test; if you can't demonstrate you've learned what you're supposed to learn - you get one extra chance - and then you're CT'd.

Civillian flight training would be just as efficient if you could bin anyone who needed a second lesson on slow flight, and 70% of the students overall by the end of the course.

The instructors are regular TC approved Flight Instructors; every now and then you see an ad for the position on here.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by AuxBatOn »

photofly wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:28 pm Every flight is basically a test; if you can't demonstrate you've learned what you're supposed to learn - you get one extra chance - and then you're CT'd.
Yes and no. You need to significantly detract from the expected standard to fail a training flight. You can demonstrate a level lower than expected on 2 or 3 graded items and still pass, albeit with a marginal grade for the flight. Demonstrate a level lower than expected on the next flight and that flight is a failure. Two marginals in a row and you need remedial training.

After two consecutive failed flights, you go on a progress review board (PRB) that decides whether you keep training or not.

Fail any graded items on a test and you generally get a re-fly after remedial training. Fail the same test twice and you go on a PRB.

There is also a maximum number of hours you can overfly from the course standard (20% in a phase, 10% overall so if the Clearhood phase is 20 hours and the whole course is 100 hours, you can fly an extra 4 hours in the clearhood phase and an extra 10 hours throughout the course.)
photofly wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:28 pm Civillian flight training would be just as efficient if you could bin anyone who needed a second lesson on slow flight, and 70% of the students overall by the end of the course.
The failure rate is lower than 70% on Basic Flying Training. More along the line of 20%. Selection plays a big role.
photofly wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:28 pm
The instructors are regular TC approved Flight Instructors; every now and then you see an ad for the position on here.
Not correct. While civilian instructors instruct in Primary Flying Training, it is mostly a selection course, meant to weed out people. It is only 20 hrs of training or so.

Training begins on Basic Flying Training where military instructors provide flight training with a Canadian Forces instructor category.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by photofly »

20% is the failure rate in Basic Flight Training which comes after 20 hours Primary Flight Training, but what is the overall failure rate including those first 20 hours? And what are the criteria for passing the first 20 hours?

I’m pretty sure if you could treat the first 20 hours of a regular PPL training as a “selection course” to weed out weaker or unsuitable students then the rest of the course could be very “efficient” in terms of hours and failure rate.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by tsgarp »

Bede wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:14 am Does anyone have an Air Force training syllabus that they (or rather Allied Wings, or whatever they're called) use to get new pilots to the wings standard (~ CPL standard)? (I'm sure there's a proper name for this course, but I have no idea). I'd love to look at it if you can send it to me.

I'm just curious how the Air Force does their training to get guys to a high standard in such a short amount of time.
The answer to that is a bit complicated. Pilot training is done in 3 Phases. Allied Wings does the first phase, Primary Flight Training (PFT). They use a syllabus (called a Training Plan) developed in collaboration with the RCAF and ultimately approved by the RCAF. One of the main purposes of PFT is selection; it measures a candidate’s ability to learn. While failure to meet the required learning curve will result in being cease trained, it’s not quite as severe as being failed out after just two failed flights. The beginning of the training plan looks a lot like TC PPL training; attitudes, movements, slow flight, stall, T/O & Landing. It is very much a case of teach to the test; while a TC PPL candidate will learn things like climbs and descents in slow flight and specialty T/Os and landings, PFT students learn only normal T/O & landing and a very strictly canned slow flight/stall sequence.

PFT students don’t learn any instrument, navigation or precautionary landings. They learn some very rudimentary aerobatics instead.

Allied Wings uses civilian instructors who have been trained using an RCAF training plan. The RCAF sets the final standard regarding the instructors AW employs.

Once students are done PFT they move on to Phase 2, usually at Moose Jaw. The Training Plan there includes more advanced aerobatics, navigation, formation and instruments. This training is delivered by a combination of contracted civilians (for simulator training and ground school) and RCAF instructors for In flight instruction. There is still a requirement to meet the learning curve, but students are given a few more chances to meet the standard (extra dual training) than in PFT. At the end of Phase 2 students are streamed to Jet, Multi or Helo. I’m not sure what the Jet training looks like these days (wether it’s a combination of Hawks or Harvards or strictly one or the other). Regardless of the airframe, it follows a similar paradigm to Phase 2 for Training Plan and instructors. Phase 3 for Multi and Helo happen in Portage; the RCAF writes the Training Plan (focus on crew concept and long range/high altitude flight). Civilian instructors are used for simulator training and ground school while in flight instruction is done by RCAF pilots.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by tsgarp »

photofly wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 4:01 pm 20% is the failure rate in Basic Flight Training which comes after 20 hours Primary Flight Training, but what is the overall failure rate including those first 20 hours? And what are the criteria for passing the first 20 hours?

I’m pretty sure if you could treat the first 20 hours of a regular PPL training as a “selection course” to weed out weaker or unsuitable students then the rest of the course could be very “efficient” in terms of hours and failure rate.
About 30% attrition from start of PFT to Wings Grad.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by Bede »

thanks for the info tsgarp and AuxBatOn.

Someone emailed me the training materials. Interesting stuff!
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by Gannet167 »

A few things have changed in the past few years. Notably, no longer are students put on a Progress Review Board after two consecutive failed flights. Rather than having to meet the minimum standard for every maneuver on every training mission, students have a 'block' of flights in which they have to meet the minimum levels by the end of block flight. This affords some flexibility to work on selected maneuvers on each specific flight, and delay training other maneuvers to later flights in the block. Under the block system, the flexibility has been more efficient. A student may need a lot of work to meet the minimum levels on a particular maneuver and be capable of meeting the standard on another maneuver with ease. Thus, over the course of the block, the training can be adjusted. There are no longer any limitations on hours flown in a phase or for the course total, it's more a limitation on number of missions.

Each specific training flight is less scripted as a result. This allows, for example, doing pattern work exclusively on one mission, and aerobatics work on another. In the old system, each flight had required sequences and they all had to be flown and always had to meet the min level, which resulted in a lot of cancelled and partially completed missions due to weather etc. as well as more ED missions, all of which used up limited aircraft resources.

If they don't meet the minimum standard for a maneuver on a particular flight, the no longer "fail" the flight nor immediately require an "extra dual" to repeat that flight. Rather they are graded marginal and progress to the next mission with hopes of achieving the minimum level. If I remember correctly, students cannot be graded marginal on two flights back to back, the second would be graded Unsatisfactory, and then trigger the infamous "ED". It used to be quite easy to trigger a visit from "Uncle ED", but with the block system, the student generally continues progressing through missions, maintaining the minimum levels (or 'fixing' a momentary below standard grade on a maneuver) but must achieve minimum levels at the 'end of block' flight. Pre-solo and all pre-test missions are always end of block. All maneuvers on all end of block flights and tests must meet the minimum levels.

The training can bring a student to a relatively high standard quickly because of the extensive screening that goes on long before students see an aircraft. A high degree of aptitude is tested for and, frankly to get through several years of recruiting BS, boot camp, second language, waiting for delays in the training system, etc. etc. a high degree of motivation. Most are university graduates, young, quite intelligent and hard working. A typical day normally is about 12 hours of continuous self study, prep, briefing, flying/sim, classroom, physical training, officer development, secondary duties etc. This is quite a different dynamic than dealing with paying customers who walk in off the street and fly periodically a few times a week.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by photofly »

How much solo time is involved in PFT? How many hours dual instruction is the target before a first solo flight?
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by Gannet167 »

PFT used to have 2 solos, I believe it was about 26 hrs. But currently I understand there are no solos in PFT, and it's about 12 hrs. It is really a selection course. When students get to BFT in Moose Jaw, they're treated as if they have zero flight time and start from scratch. Future plans for the training system have some proposals to eliminate PFT and just complete that pre selection on the Harvard or its replacement.

On BFT (phase 2) students get 3 VFR solos and a low level nav solo. Each about 1.2 air time.

If selected for jets, they complete their phase 3 ('wings' course) on the Harvard in CYMJ. Those selected for helos or multi engine complete their Ph 3 in CYPG on 206 & 412, or King Air. On Ph3 - Harvard there are 2 VFR solos, a low level nav solo, and 2 formation solos.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by TT1900 »

photofly wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:55 am How much solo time is involved in PFT? How many hours dual instruction is the target before a first solo flight?
I can’t speak to PFT as it’s changed several times since I did it. BFT (first course on the Hvd2) has the solo check as the 8th VFR flight. So generally after 10-14hrs, depending how much IFR training has simultaneously occurred.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by AuxBatOn »

Looking at my logbook, I did four solos on PFT, the first one on the 11th flight (after 14 hours dual). On BFT, I soloed on the 12th flight after 14.8 hours dual. I did 8 solos on BFT.

That was a long time ago now so things have changed (as it was said).

I would say the reasons for the high standards are:

1- Selection
2- Intensity
3- Motovation
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by tsgarp »

photofly wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:55 am How much solo time is involved in PFT? How many hours dual instruction is the target before a first solo flight?
As of 2017 it was one solo. About 0.3 hrs for two circuits. The whole course was 21 hrs in the actual aircraft and about 15 Sim.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by photofly »

36 hours training with only 0.3 solo isn't very impressive.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by AuxBatOn »

photofly wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 3:41 pm 36 hours training with only 0.3 solo isn't very impressive.
Why is solo a measure of success? It doesn’t mean someone isn’t safe for solo before then. There may not be a training requirement to allow someone to solo. As mentioned, PFT is a selection course. The idea is to assess the person. You can’t do that when that person is alone in the aircraft very easily.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by photofly »

So perhaps that’s a difference between civilian and military training that’s worth exploring. Civilian training puts a lot of store in getting students to go off and practice by themselves. Maybe that’s wrong, or ineffective, or at least inefficient.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by gtappl »

photofly wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:05 pm So perhaps that’s a difference between civilian and military training that’s worth exploring. Civilian training puts a lot of store in getting students to go off and practice by themselves. Maybe that’s wrong, or ineffective, or at least inefficient.
Not inefficient. Just a different goal. Most people get a PPL and fly solo. Basically all mil flying is 2 person.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by Gannet167 »

photofly wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 3:41 pm 36 hours training with only 0.3 solo isn't very impressive.
It isn't 36 hours. At best it's 20. I will try to find out but my understanding is PFT is now only 12 to 15. The course isn't meant to teach students to fly. It's mainly to select them and ensure they can progress through the training system. They then start from scratch on an 1,100 hp 7G turbo prop, and learn the basics from flight 1. Often this is a year or more after PFT so whatever flying skills they garnered on the Grob during PFT is at best marginally influential to progress on BFT. Most are essentially zero flight time students again. Even those who have 3000 hrs are treated as zero flight time (previous experience has little to no effect on success). After 8 VFR missions of about 1.2 each, they go solo on the Harvard and are flying circuits at 220 kts, all turns 2g, overhead brake final turns etc.
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Re: Air force training syllabus

Post by Gannet167 »

gtappl wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:23 pm
photofly wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 8:05 pm So perhaps that’s a difference between civilian and military training that’s worth exploring. Civilian training puts a lot of store in getting students to go off and practice by themselves. Maybe that’s wrong, or ineffective, or at least inefficient.
Not inefficient. Just a different goal. Most people get a PPL and fly solo. Basically all mil flying is 2 person.
The solo flights are confidence builders and to a small extent, allow a student to work on something without an instructor intervening - which can have limited value in allowing them to get better. But most of the flying is directed training, tailored to the student. Letting them practice by themselves has merit, but to a degree, and giving them more flying without an instructor to provide guidance likely wouldn't advance their proficiency much. Most PPL going solo to practice 'steep' turns and slow flight probably get better. Plus renting a plane and going flying to practice is enjoyable. RCAF pre-wings students aren't really working on their turns, it's more trying to nail the zero G roll in their cuban 8 etc - fairly technical and advanced maneuvers. In many cases, without an instructor to diagnose root cause analysis of their flying and provide specific guidance to fix things, the student wouldn't necessarily know what they were doing wrong and likely have no idea how to fix it.

The training is meant to be to single pilot standard. Every RCAF pilot is expected to be capable of single pilot ops and could be posted to CYMJ to be a Harvard instructor. Many will fly in multi crew cockpits and post wings never fly by themselves, but the foundational wings standard is single pilot. I wouldn't say 'basically all mil flying is 2 person.' 2CFFTS (largest flying unit in the RCAF), 401 Sqn, 409 Sqn, 410 Sqn, 419 Sqn, 425 Sqn, 431 Sqn, 433 Sqn, are all single pilot ops.
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