T-6A Texan II, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Flight Line

Once you hit the flight line, things are really going to get busy. Twelve hour days are the norm not to include the studying that you're going to have to do when you get home. The program is designed to put you under a lot of stress and your IPs will be evaluating you on how well you handle this stress. Daily stand-ups, weekly emergency procedure quizzes (EPQ) combined with flying two or three times a day will take a toll on you.

There are four categories during Phase II: contact, instruments, formation, and navigation. There are also four checkrides: mid-phase, final contact, instrument, and formation. There is no navigation checkride since the purpose of that category is to expose you to low level flying. There will be a detailed section on checkrides that will be built in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Here is what a typical day on the flight-line would look like:

0600 - formal brief

0630-0700 - start briefing for 1st period flights/sims (briefings are 1 hr prior to take-off)

0700-0730 - step times to the plane

0730-0800 - first period takeoffs

0900-0930 - 1st period planes begin to land

0915-1015 - debrief of 1st period flights

1000-1030 - start briefing for 2nd period flights/sims

1100-1130 - second period takeoff

1230-1300 - second period flights begin to recover

1245-1345 - debrief second period flight

1330-1400 - begin briefing third period jets/sims

1430-1500 - 3rd period takeoff

1600-1630 - 3rd period flights begin to recover

1615-1715 - debrief

about 1800 - released by flight commander (note: while on formal release, students are not allowed to go home until every one is done with their scheduled events)

Again, the itinerary above is just an example. Some days may start as early as 0530 or as late as 0700. Whatever your show time may be, by regulations you will have a minimum of 12 hours off for your crew rest. Also by the same regulations, your days will never be longer than 12 hours. Once you're off formal release (this usually happens after everyone in your class solos), you will be able to leave the building if you don't have anything scheduled during a period. Don't expect the pace to slow down after formal release is lifted. In fact, it's only going to get busier since now you will be opted to fly instrument and formation sorties on top of the contact sortie. For example, if you're scheduled to fly a contact sortie and the weather doesn't cooperate, then the scheduler may switch it to an instrument sortie at the last minute. My point is that your responsibilities and what you're expected to know will increase as time goes on.