Aircrew training.

[flyingstacker]

Hi all,

I've recently passed OASC for WSOp. I start Cranwell in a few months (already serving).

I'd like to get a head start on the Training. Can any serving Aircrew give me a few pointers? I want to try and learn as much as possible before I get there.

Thankyou

flyingstacker

[L J R]

1. Drink Beer
2. Chase Women



...at least that is what I did in my aircrew training all those years ago.

Presume all is still the same today. - or has the PC world caught up to Aircrew Training??

[The Old Fat One]

Flying Stacker

Drink beer & chase women....and

Get fit
Go buy a small book on English Grammar (loads of good, simple ones on the market)
Ditto a set of indelible pens and a non-paper based notebook (an aircrew pocket folder does the job)
Get all your uniform exchanged for new stuff.
Develop a couple of subjects to talk about (including yourself)
Get fit

Enjoy it.

[Runaway Gun]

Also:

Try in vain to log into JPA
When you do, get your luxuries like pay and leave sorted
Hunt down who's responsible for that mess.

[Lightning Mate]

Er, chase women then drink beer is a better sequence.

Seriously, read up on basic radar theory. Pulse length and pulse recurrence frequency versus ranges etc. Then doppler stuff and track-while-scan systems. There is a lot out there.:ok:

LM

[shawtarce]

Get fit.

The first phase of training is quite (very) physical, so the fitter you are, the more capacity you will have to solve the associated mental challenges.

I'm not sure what the latest guidelines are, but I was advised to aim for a level of fitness that would enable me to run 3 miles in 21 minutes before starting the course, and that helped me a lot.

Cranwell take a range of students, from civie (post Halton) to experienced ex servicemen and women, so getting a head start is not actually necessary. You're abilities to learn new skills, and your attitude towards the training are the most important things (in my opinion).

The more technical elements of WSOp training are taught during the generic phase, and once again, they assume that the students have no prior knowledge of the subjects taught.

Seriously, read up on basic radar theory. Pulse length and pulse recurrence frequency versus ranges etc. Then doppler stuff and track-while-scan systems. There is a lot out there

That kind of advice would be very helpful for if you were streamed towards the sensor role, but would do you no good if you were streamed rotary crewman.

Hope that helps.
IF you need any thing else specific, PM me, and I'll get back to you with answers if I can.

"Sorry lightning mate, I don't mean to diss you on that"

[minigundiplomat]

That kind of advice would be very helpful for if you were streamed towards the sensor role, but would do you no good if you were streamed rotary crewman.



That is good advice from Shawtarce. Look at where the manning gaps are at the moment. Loadmasters (or whatever we are called today) are very short, especially rotary, whereas the Nimrod future is far from certain at present, given the drive for cuts.

Don't waste your time studying radar theory. There is a strong possibility you will never need it, and if you do, you can worry about it then.

Worry about being able to put one foot in front of the other, and keep going for as long as possible.

[Tankertrashnav]

Don't waste your time studying radar theory. There is a strong possibility you will never need it



I agree. 39 years after going through Lindholme I can still remember that the magnetron/klystron frequencies on the H2S radar were 9375/9330 mhz respectively, giving a beat frequency of 45 Mhz.

I think I can safely say that at no time was this information ever of the slightest use to me, and I have waited in vain for it to come up in a pub quiz.

I wish I had drunk more beer and chased more women though.

[L J R]

...so I take it that advice Number One at post #2 is good advice then...


Klystron, Radar Theory, etc......WTF....?


...and yes, I too am a Graduate of an aerosystems cse...

[Motleycallsign]

MGD you only need to be a short rotary Loadmaster (WSOp C'man) to operate on Griffen other helo's in service have reasonable headroom!!!

[flyingstacker]

Thankyou everyone for all your advice!

I'm working on the fitness - my last bleep test was 12.3 so i think i'm on course for that!

As a married (straight) woman I don't think i'll be doing much chasing women, but thanks for the tip! lol!

I've got plenty to get on with now - thanks again!

[Tankertrashnav]

Whoops Flyingstacker - funny how most of us (self included) assumed you were a chap - with more and more female aircrew around we should know better. I suppose I could say delete 'women' and insert 'men', but that would be a very mischievous suggestion! Good luck anyway

[airborne_artist]

As a married (straight) woman I don't think i'll be doing much chasing women, but thanks for the tip! lol!

Once on the course you'll be in demand as an agony aunt, then... so take some tissues :}

[Wader2]

I agree. 39 years after going through Lindholme I can still remember that the magnetron/klystron frequencies on the H2S radar were 9375/9330 mhz respectively, giving a beat frequency of 45 Mhz.

I think I can safely say that at no time was this information ever of the slightest use to me, and I have waited in vain for it to come up in a pub quiz.

I wish I had drunk more beer and chased more women though.

Oh, we drank the beer and chased the women and every lesson started with the airspeed servo in the top left corner.

Did you do the 12-month course squeezed into 4 months? Remember the beacon mode and frequency?

[thedonnmeister]

Talking about headroom, I'm 6ft 3 will I be able to stand up in a Chinook?

[airborne_artist]

Talking about headroom, I'm 6ft 3 will I be able to stand up in a Chinook?Yes, but take off your 5" heels first.

Oh, sorry - thought you were the married lady applicant..:}

yes, 6'3" is OK in the Wokka

[minigundiplomat]

MGD you only need to be a short rotary Loadmaster (WSOp C'man) to operate on Griffen other helo's in service have reasonable headroom!!!


Being 6'3 and having several thousand hours on the CH47, I'm fairly aware of that - but thanks none the less.

[thedonnmeister]

Well thats ok then! My dream is to be sent to 18B/27 Sqn and then onto 7 or the Display Team. I just hope I get streamed RW!!

[Red Line Entry]

Tankertrashnav,

Were we still using H2S in 1970? That was the Lancaster's ground mapping radar wasn't it?