Air Reserve Questions:

[foxtwo]

Oh. I see.
What do they mean by "how you preform in a 3D enviorment" at the ACS?
Would playing video games improve this area? Do you play video games Inch?

 

[aesop081]

I dont know if i can explain the 3D thing well but it means that you have to think about whats in front, left, right, behind, below and above you all at the same time.   While you are doing that ypu have to be able to keep track of time, speed and distance while staying aware of what you have done, what you need to do now, what you need to do next and what you need to do after that....and thats just to keep up!!   You also have to be able to keep in mind what the mission is, communicate with the outside world, coordinate in a crew environment, contend with ennemy action, weather and other factors such as the sate of your own systems. Its not easy, some people jusy cannot "think in 3D".

Inch may have a different opinion but i dont think video games do much for you...its just not the same environment.

 

[Inch]

Oh. I see.
What do they mean by "how you preform in a 3D enviorment" at the ACS?
Would playing video games improve this area? Do you play video games Inch?

My interpretation of it is if you're able to realize where you are in space. So for example, not only is the airport to your left, it's also below you and you need to get there. So you do a left hand descending turn to get there.

The thing with flying is that it's 3D, most people can drive, walk, run, bike, etc since that's all in 2D and we're so used to functioning like that. Flying adds the 3rd dimension, so now instead of turning, you're also descending or climbing and you've got to co-ordinate the two as well as your speed. Where people have trouble I think is moving in 3 dimensions at the same time. Flying would be dead easy if you could turn, then descend, but the truth of it is that's not very efficient.

Video games may help, but a lot depends on the person. I play video games, where that will help you is scanning around. So say you're playing a racing game, are you able to quickly scan around to see what place you're in and where you are relative to the map? I have a buddy that cannot take his eyes off what he's doing, if he looks at my screen or his postion for even a short time, he crashes. It's also good for your hand/eye co-ordination, being able to manipulate the controls to do what you want on screen without having to look down at the controller.

 

[Good2Golf]

Fox Two, what Inch and aesop081 are getting as is "spatial orientation" and "situational awareness" (or SA), like they said, having a feeling of what is around you.  They're right...it's kind of hard to describe, and I'm not sure that video games will help in that particular area (although there are others areas that I think vid games do help, more a bit later.)

My best example about testing the 3-D thing was during ACS.  During the tests, there was a booklet that had several questions that each had what looked like one of those "Chinese wooden locking puzzles", kind of like a square, mini-log house made of differently shaped pieces.  The question would show the front side of the block, and you had to pick from 3 or 4 choices as to what the back side should look like, given what the front side and the individual pieces looked like.  I might not be describing that test particularly well, and some might ask, "what the heck does that have to do with flying?" but rest assured, if it didn't apply to flying, I don't think it would be in there.  The 3D thing really is applicable and it's not just fast air/fighter guys trading altitude for speed and getting on the inside turn to their enemy, its applicable to anything that flies.

Re video games: there is no doubt that video games have some applicability to flying, both for development of eye-hand coordination and other skills/capabilities like peripheral vision, reaction to objects, etc...  There are also more aircraft with computerized, "avionics management systems" (AMS) and run in a menu-driven manner.  Watching my nephew bomb through X-Box menus and his GameBoy SP is sometimes humbling...  ;D


Re: one of your earlier questions regarding a degree...yes, except for only a few rare cases these days, pilots entering into the CF must have degrees.  There are two options, 1) apply to RMC under the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) or get your degree on your own and enter the CF under the Direct Entry Officer (DEO) plan.  What kind of degree?  Well, it can be any one of a number of degrees ranging from science and engineering to the arts.  Not to say that one is "better" than another, but if you think you would like to follow a more technical stream later in your flying career (test pilot, etc...) you would likely want to bias your education towards the sciences.

Cheers,
Duey

 

[foxtwo]

I love science too, with all the atoms and whatnot, I find it cool  8). There was a study back that said that the best fight pilots in the world used to play video games. I've been playing ever since Super Nintendo came out back when I was like 4. I think I do have excellent Hand-Eye coordination, and I bought this new fighter pilot game for the PS2 and I think my skills in a 3D envoirment are incredable. I tell you, especially with the new graphics that really make you feel like you are there, using a flight stick is now second nature to me. I can pilot with my eyes closed or conduct "instrument flights" lol. I also bet i have awsome Arial Marksmenship with moving targets and all.

 

[aesop081]

Just remember , it gets alot more complex than that but its a start !

 

[foxtwo]

Ha, I'm sure of it, but this is the "foundation". I'll build off of these skills. I still got time dont I  . LoL

 

[foxtwo]

Hey Inch, mdh, should I enrol in the Army Reserver as an Officer or NCO? (Keep in mind that I still want to become a Pilot)
Do NCO's have more fun than Officers? Or is that a myth?

 

[D-n-A]

foxtwo, you don't join up as a NCO, you have to work your way up to that. You can join as a NCM though. If you want to be a pilot, you gotta be an officer.

 

[George Wallace]

Hey Inch, mdh, should I enrol in the Army Reserver as an Officer or NCO? (Keep in mind that I still want to become a Pilot)
Do NCO's have more fun than Officers? Or is that a myth?

Are you blond?

 

[aesop081]

Are you blond?

Give the kid a break, he means well  ;D

 

[George Wallace]

I was going along with the "myth that they had more fun"    ;D

 

[mdh]

Do NCO's have more fun than Officers? Or is that a myth?

It's true that NCOs have more fun, but officers have the power to stop them from having it.  >

Foxtwo,

The information above is correct, you must be an officer (and hold a degree) to be a pilot but there are other critical jobs held by NCOs and NCMs in the Air Force (And indeed in the rest of the CF was well).  I believe that the analogy has been made here many a time that the difference between officers and NCO's is a bit like the difference between managers and employees in the private sector.  

Given your circumstances, you would probably start as an NCM (private) if you want to join the army reserve as early as possible, (which would rule out a commission anyway since at 17-18 you would be too young.)  

However, if you were to be accepted to RMC or ROTP at 17-18 you would be assigned the rank of Officer Cadet which would put you into the officer "stream" so to speak.

It's up to you of course to decide where you want to go - but if you're focused on pilot I would work hard to go ROTP or RMC - both of which are very competitive programs.  Try the army reserves for a couple of years and once you enter university you could apply for a commission or position yourself as a candidate for a commission from the ranks (CFR).

Most of the old army hands here would recommend a stint as an NCM since it provides valuable experience in terms of leadership perspective.  

The other pilot option is to apply as a so called Direct Entry Officer (DEO) which means you must be a university graduate with a full degree.

However, if things don't go in the direction you want always consider other air crew options such as Air Nav or NCO air crew positions such as flight engineer and Aesop (aesop081 can you help out there).   If knew a couple of guys who went the NCO route to get air crew and it seemed to work well for them.

There is one other important point I should add - and I think it may have been touched on - remember that the CF doesn't just want pilots - the CF wants pilots who want to be military officers.   It's an important distinction to make because some guys want to sign on simply to get their wings -- and then fly for an airline.     Once again I will defer to any other perspectives the pilots/air crew guys can add for you here.

Hope that helps.

PS George,

I used to be blond but decided at the age of 40 that hair was for girly men and that the Michael Chiklis look was way cooler - (trust me the chicks dig it.)  

cheers, mdh

 

[Inch]

Hey Inch, mdh, should I enrol in the Army Reserver as an Officer or NCO? (Keep in mind that I still want to become a Pilot)
Do NCO's have more fun than Officers? Or is that a myth?

I was an NCM in the Reserves and I'm a pilot now. So it won't hurt and you'll get to do some cool shit without any responsibility.

mdh, the NCM aircrew positions you mentioned are remuster only trades. You cannot join straight away into the Flight Engineer or AESOp trade. You must be an AVN tech for 6 years to be eligible to remuster to FE. AESOps can come from any trade, I'm not sure what the other prerequisites are so I'll leave that to the resident AESOp.

 

[aesop081]

To apply for remuster to AESOP you must be a QL5A qualified corporal in your current MOC and have 48 months continuous service. There are no other specific requirements for application but thats the easy part....getting past selection is another story as it is a small trade and doesn't take many applicants each year.

 

[foxtwo]

Lol, no unfortunately I am not blond, so I don't have an excuse for my stupid question.

Yeah but I do tend to ask questions often, just so I'm not sketchy on the subject and don't look like an ass if I'm wrong  8)

It's true that NCOs have more fun, but officers have the power to stop them from having it.  >

LOL that's hilarious... ;D

Yeah, I know what you mean about pilots ditching the CF for an airline, but I even though thats a long way from now, I don't think I would ever become an airline pilot- too boring for me. And with Canadian airlines these days, I would worry about not getting layed off

But excellent responses guys (excluding the one*)

Day by day, I learn more and more, someday passing on this knowledge to younger people. ^-^

 

[foxtwo]

If you wanna hear a cool tag story I wrote up, go to the Cadets section under Tag Stories.

 

[X-Rigger]

FoxTwo:

I commend your forward thinking.  Keep it up.  Here's a different spin for you.  I spent 11 years as an Air Reserve AVN tech, all the while going to university and subsequently working full time for a civvy company.  The training was very good, since all the courses are Regular Force courses, which is something the Army Reserve (what we now officially call the Militia) normally can't offer.  And Air Res units typically don't "parade" 1 night/wk and 1 weekend/month as the Army Res does - whenever I went to work I was maintaining aircraft alongside Regular Force personnel.  I would schedule my workdays so as to balance my civilian and military responsibilties as I saw fit, which was very helpful and I still maintained my AVN skills.

The new Reserve AVN techs coming to our unit had a 2-year B Class (temporary full time Reserve service) contract to enable them to get fully qualified (QL5).  So, this is something you'll have to consider as well.  If you can spare the 2 years, you'll get promoted to Corporal after 2 years and be making aprrox $3700/month.  That's just a snapshot, I could go on forever.  Check it out.  Perhaps becoming a AVN, AVS or ACS Tech in the meantime is right up your alley prior to becoming a pilot.  Why not learn the aircraft inside out first?

Any questions, just ask.

Cheers,

X-Rigger

 

[foxtwo]

Great Idea! A tech eh...

But the closest Wing I live near is Borden, and Trenton is a bit farther. Transportation will be an issue. I want to get a Chemisty degree at the RMC... If that makes a difference on my pathway. So how would that work if I wanted to become a pilot while getting that degree at the RMC?

 

[Inch]

Great Idea! A tech eh...

But the closest Wing I live near is Borden, and Trenton is a bit farther. Transportation will be an issue. I want to get a Chemisty degree at the RMC... If that makes a difference on my pathway. So how would that work if I wanted to become a pilot while getting that degree at the RMC?

You'll be paid while you go to RMC since you'll be enrolled as an OCdt, you won't be able to be a tech too.