At thanksgiving break for J Alex and Robyn,both are well into Undergraduate Flight Training. It takes about a year and 200 hours of flying. Most of flight training consists of the study and memorization of procedural details. VP (Justin Van Patten) came over for thanksgiving dinner and brought his study cards. He's about to start training and his quiet mumbling while we watched the 4 1/2 hr, 3 overtime loss of #1 LSU to Arkansas was his memorizing some basic aircraft parameters and procedures.
J Alex is now in the unit on formation flying. The unit begins with a large number of hand signals such as how give a radio failure signal for receiver failure. The initial pumping up and down hand signal indicates some system failure then 1 finger is hydraulic, 2 is electrical 3 is fuel, 4 is oxygen, and 5 is engine. Clenched fist means multiple failures. Much communication between pilots uses hand signals to maintain radio discipline.
The formation unit teaches them procedures for take-off, landing, joining, and flying in 3 different formations. Fingertip means flying with 10 feet of separation of wing tips. The advanced unit teaches them "lost wingman" procedures—how and when to execute lost wingman from turns, approaches, and so on. The pilots must maintain strict visual contacts or transmit "Texan 2 is blind" and execute lost wingman procedures.
The simulators are fascinating. J Alex went through all the system checks and start procedures in the instrument flight simulator for the T-6. The have procedures for checking everything including the system test panel and lamps that monitor other systems. There are two other simulators, one with a front screen and the other with a surround screen.
The language of the Air Force is, of course, technical with use of many acronyms. OBOGS is the on board oxygen generation system. The T-6 generates its own oxygen so this system is carefully monitored even in flight between planes using hand signals.
The cockpit itself requires 40 checklist procedures,then there are 9 steps to start the turbine, 40 steps before taxi, then procedures in the air during take-off and during landing.
J Alex had a flight scheduled but they aborted flying due to weather. We saw nothing but J Alex getting ready to leave.
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