First day at Colorado Springs, USAF Academy
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
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If it's the same video, they've got a pretty impressive glider fleet and utilisation ....whether the social aspect can rival or surpass that of the GSA is probably an entirely different matter however.
A quick trawl shows some still shots of cadets in "fearless glider pilot " pose...but that's marketing for you.
However, the same video also says, twelve flights to solo....now, even with aero tow, that's a bit quick...and notably, not a winch in sight, but, even more intriguing, according to the video, was, that, after one Semester, you could become an instructor....for mere mortals, this takes a few years of hours building / badge gaining, and.....experience.
A quick trawl shows some still shots of cadets in "fearless glider pilot " pose...but that's marketing for you.
However, the same video also says, twelve flights to solo....now, even with aero tow, that's a bit quick...and notably, not a winch in sight, but, even more intriguing, according to the video, was, that, after one Semester, you could become an instructor....for mere mortals, this takes a few years of hours building / badge gaining, and.....experience.
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Gentleman Aviator
Some of the US Armed Forces activities do seem rather alien to Brits...
Chum of mine on an USAF exchange was greeted by wifey most nights on return home after work with a large cold G&T.
Think he got interviewed as a potential/likely alcoholic!
RE the screaming upper class man. Didn't do Mil Col but we did have a Cadet Captain program during my initial Naval officer training. He was a supreme jerk. It gave me great satisfaction 20 years later to hand him my bags at the airport. He was there to pick me up for a unit tour and act as my ADC.
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Salute!
Sure glad to see all the views here from many that have not spent a day or two at USAFA during basic cadet training or a month later, or two years later. Such enlightened views, and from how may Cranwell grads? Hmmm...
Let's face it, the colonies have done their own thing since 1776. I do not like several things I see there at USAFA, as a grad and career officer. But USAF has always been the premier politically correct service, for good or for ill.
I have flown with and had instructors from RAF, and all top notch. Then worked with many of them during my career along with other NATO flying folks. So let the pols be pols, and they come and go. Every generation of two we get a Churchhill or Reagan or Thatcher. Thank God.
Gums opines...
Sure glad to see all the views here from many that have not spent a day or two at USAFA during basic cadet training or a month later, or two years later. Such enlightened views, and from how may Cranwell grads? Hmmm...
Let's face it, the colonies have done their own thing since 1776. I do not like several things I see there at USAFA, as a grad and career officer. But USAF has always been the premier politically correct service, for good or for ill.
I have flown with and had instructors from RAF, and all top notch. Then worked with many of them during my career along with other NATO flying folks. So let the pols be pols, and they come and go. Every generation of two we get a Churchhill or Reagan or Thatcher. Thank God.
Gums opines...
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Ah that was a decade ago, when the exchange program was stopped after 55 years sadly according to the article, said exchange officer reckoned it would not be a permi thing and the post would start up again.
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Disp...l%2C%20England.
cheers
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Disp...l%2C%20England.
cheers
Thread Starter
cheers
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If it's the same video, they've got a pretty impressive glider fleet and utilisation ....whether the social aspect can rival or surpass that of the GSA is probably an entirely different matter however.
A quick trawl shows some still shots of cadets in "fearless glider pilot " pose...but that's marketing for you.
However, the same video also says, twelve flights to solo....now, even with aero tow, that's a bit quick...and notably, not a winch in sight, but, even more intriguing, according to the video, was, that, after one Semester, you could become an instructor....for mere mortals, this takes a few years of hours building / badge gaining, and.....experience.
A quick trawl shows some still shots of cadets in "fearless glider pilot " pose...but that's marketing for you.
However, the same video also says, twelve flights to solo....now, even with aero tow, that's a bit quick...and notably, not a winch in sight, but, even more intriguing, according to the video, was, that, after one Semester, you could become an instructor....for mere mortals, this takes a few years of hours building / badge gaining, and.....experience.
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Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
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That’s because it is a “glider training” program not a “soaring training” program. Considering all of the studes have been high graded out of the applicant pool and the end state is to be able to handle a tow to altitude then glide for a normal landing, 12 flights to solo seems quite reasonable to me.
However, they are being deprived of the delights of X-country / field landings / thermals / ridge soaring and, the best of them all..wave flying. Oddly enough, the RAFGSA incorporates all these into the training and development of glider pilots.
But, it was thoughtful of you to mention the selection procedure. You see, once upon a time, and the demise has been justifiably well covered on here, the UK had an excellent organisation doing exactly the same thing....called the ATC ( ok, no aerotows, just winch launching, so it took a bit longer) and no selection boards / interviews etc, you just turned up when a place was allocated at your local Gliding School, got briefed and strapped in, resulting in many being launched, solo, into the sky age 16 ish....many of whom subsequently went on to not only fly professionally, but to become career involved in aviation and flying for pleasure.
I have no idea why my 3 launches at Burtonwood , especially the second, have never received their rightful place in the annals of aviation history !
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But, it was thoughtful of you to mention the selection procedure. You see, once upon a time, and the demise has been justifiably well covered on here, the UK had an excellent organisation doing exactly the same thing....called the ATC ( ok, no aerotows, just winch launching, so it took a bit longer) and no selection boards / interviews etc, you just turned up when a place was allocated at your local Gliding School, got briefed and strapped in, resulting in many being launched, solo, into the sky age 16 ish....many of whom subsequently went on to not only fly professionally, but to become career involved in aviation and flying for pleasure.
Nowadays time aloft from even a winch launch is over 10 min and I presume the USAFA 'students' have already had some flying experience before doing their 12 launches.
Thread Starter
Just watching this Aeronautica Militare Italiana video on gliding at their academy
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Just found this FREE Book on Amazon's Kindle listing. May be of some slight interest in the context of this Thread. BTW, haven't read any of it yet!
Salute!
The "glider" program at USAFA is a great way to thin out folks that will have trouble later in the training programs and such. Also, the program allows progression to true "sailplane' aviation. One fellow I checked out had been between 25,000 and 30,000 feet riding the mountain wave there at Pike Peak.
I helped at least two "glider pilot" grads check out in the A-37 and A-7D after they completed UPT and were good enuf to get a fighter assignment. One became a shuttle commander, The experience in sailplanes is a super education that pays off later in fixed wing fast jets as well as freight folks. Energy management, lift-over-drag, stall warning, and much more develop the skills to survive a long aviation career.
Gums sends...
The "glider" program at USAFA is a great way to thin out folks that will have trouble later in the training programs and such. Also, the program allows progression to true "sailplane' aviation. One fellow I checked out had been between 25,000 and 30,000 feet riding the mountain wave there at Pike Peak.
I helped at least two "glider pilot" grads check out in the A-37 and A-7D after they completed UPT and were good enuf to get a fighter assignment. One became a shuttle commander, The experience in sailplanes is a super education that pays off later in fixed wing fast jets as well as freight folks. Energy management, lift-over-drag, stall warning, and much more develop the skills to survive a long aviation career.
Gums sends...
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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This inspired me to dig out my Air Cadets (CCF) Gliding course from 1961 at RAF Hawkinge
20 Winch Launches for 1hr airborne
4 Launches for Test Flights, 11 min airborne.
3 Launches for 17 min Solo.
I was a certified Glider Pilot with a BGSA 'B' Licence after 1 1/2 hours in the air at age 16!
20 Winch Launches for 1hr airborne
4 Launches for Test Flights, 11 min airborne.
3 Launches for 17 min Solo.
I was a certified Glider Pilot with a BGSA 'B' Licence after 1 1/2 hours in the air at age 16!
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