Phase 2 in Moose Jaw. Do any OJT's have questions?

[brian_k]

Hybrid, my advice would be to choose your OJT posting based on location, not airframes. You are going to be there for 2 years and its not like you will be flying the airplanes on OJT. I went to Shearwater and had a great time. As far as getting out and see different airframes, you can always try and organize a few TD trips to different base to see how it's run.

 

[Strike]

If you want exposure to lots of airframes then try and pick a place that has them.  Trenton, Greenwood and Comox all have more than one airframe and aren't too far from another base that has at least one other type of aircraft.  They may be in the middle of nowhere, but you'll end up saving money from not going out every weekend and can use that spare time to get some of your professional development stuff done like OPMEs and AFOD, BSERE, Sea Survival, etc.  Trust me, once your training gets going after PFT and you get posted to an operational unit you won't have as much free time to get those out of the way without affecting your time available to fly.

Also, if you're into outdoor activities at all, all of these locations are well placed to suit.

 

[HYBRID]

Thanks guys I really appreciate your feedback.  I have been doing some digging myself and talking with a couple other OJT pilots who I was on course with and they are strongly recommending Winnipeg as my first choice so I am leaning maybe there first then Kingston or Trenton.  I am torn with the second choice because Trenton has a variety of airframes although Kingston has helo's which is my first passion and also a bigger city, then maybe even Petawawa as my last choice.
 
Thoughts?

 

[Strike]

Kingston doesn't have helos co-located with the unit so be careful there.  Mind you, if you can get a spot working in the tasking cell you won't be disappointed.  You'll get the advantage of learning stuff that others in the flying units won't, especially with respect to daily operations and long term planning.  The people in the office are pretty great as well.

If you're looking to fly, go for Trenton over Winnipeg.  They have helos  (two types?), hercs, airbuses AND the C17.  Winnipeg has...hercs and Dash-8s. 

 

[The_Mauler]

I`m headed to Moosejaw in December;  what would be my best bet for housing?  Can you have pets in the PMQ`s ?  (These are all questions that my old lady demands answers for... yeesh)

 

[Zoomie]

Get on the PMQ list within 30 days of arriving - need a posting message for that.

Pets are permitted in the Q's.

If you have the means, you can also live on the economy and buy a house.

 

[The_Mauler]

Would you say its cheaper to live in the PMQ`s or in, say, a civvy appartment?

 

[brian_k]

It's probably cheaper to live in the PMQ's. The only problem is that there is a big waiting list. Put your name on the list as soon as you get a message then you at least have options. Some guys rent in town and it's not too expensive, it just depends on whats available. When is your course?

 

[biggs]

Any idea how common it is for someone who wants to do Ph II in Moose Jaw to get stuck doing it in Portage instead?

I intend to really try for Moose Jaw, for the same reasons others on here have already expressed, but I'm curious how often that happens.

 

[brian_k]

Any idea how common it is for someone who wants to do Ph II in Moose Jaw to get stuck doing it in Portage instead?

Not sure, they only were in the trial phase of Extended when I went through Portage. If you want more PFT info, PM me and I can get you in touch with someone that just finished there.

 

[Zoomie]

Phase 2 Portage is still very much voluntary.  If you want to go to Moose Jaw - you will join the long line up.  If you only want to fly Helos/Multis and want to get out flying, ask for Ph2 grob.

 

[brian_k]

Phase 2 Portage is still very much voluntary

I'm pretty sure it isn't on a volunteering basis. I think they are selecting people for MJ or Portage now. I know at least a few are very annoyed by this.

 

[benny88]

I'm pretty sure it isn't on a volunteering basis. I think they are selecting people for MJ or Portage now. I know at least a few are very annoyed by this.

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's the case. I know people who have been told they're doing PFT extended, whether they like it or not.

 

[Zoomie]

It's not called PFT extended - it is Phase 2 (Grob). 

Every student that I have talked to on that course wanted to be there and had no intention of ever wanting to go to MJ.  It is still very much a requested course.

 

[brian_k]

Every student that I have talked to on that course wanted to be there and had no intention of ever wanting to go to MJ.  It is still very much a requested course

How long ago were they there because I just spoke with a friend currently at portage and he confirmed that it is no longer on a volunteer basis.

 

[Loachman]

Kingston doesn't have helos co-located with the unit so be careful there.  Mind you, if you can get a spot working in the tasking cell you won't be disappointed.... The people in the office are pretty great as well.

Bit of a necropost, but Strike is bang on.

One of them is me.

 

[trampbike]

So brian_k, it's been almost a year since you started this thread. Have you finished BFT? Where are you headed now? What would you say were the most challenging aspects of the training? What was the schedule like?

 

[F_Guts]

So brian_k, it's been almost a year since you started this thread. Have you finished BFT? Where are you headed now? What would you say were the most challenging aspects of the training? What was the schedule like?

I'll fill in a few blanks on this one, since he's probably pretty busy. He finished up BFT sometime in the summer and is now down in Texas doing the USAF T-38 Talon training (and obviously got selected fighters). The schedule in Moose Jaw is up and down, there are periods of intense workloads when you're preparing for a whole lot of new things at the same time (early IF and Clearhood go together, the Nav phase is really heavy on workload too), but there are plateaus where there's nothing new coming at you for a while and all there really is to do is stay up on emergencies and other procedural things.

Everyone seems to have their own struggles at Moose Jaw, I don't think anyone really completely cruises through it. I'd be surprised if anyone disagreed that the most challenging part overall is staying focused and working hard throughout. It's a long course with nearly 100 missions. Whether you're exceeding the standards regularly or not, parts of the course will drag on you, and focus is huge. Keep pushing, lean on your buddies and those ahead of you for help and info, and don't let bad flights wear on you.

 

[trampbike]

Thank you.

Was he sent on the T-38 because he did not fit on the Hawk or is this now something that is done to reduce the waiting periods between the different phases of training?

 

[Zoomie]

Was he sent on the T-38 because he did not fit on the Hawk

If you don`t fit in the Hawk - you don`t get to be a fighter pilot. 

Sending Canadians down to fly the Talon is not a new concept - it`s just another cost effective method of churn out more meat for the grinder.