Wait for PFT/BFT

[hollywood13]

I was wondering if anyone new how long the wait is for BFT. I entered ROTP 2 years ago with a Diploma, and after this summer will have completed 2nd lang. training. With my degree being done this Dec., I was wondering if anyone knows how long the wait is for BFT. According to my message, I skip PFT due to my 1200 hours and Diploma in Aviation. I heard since I was finishing in Dec. , it would be around a 16 month wait!!!! is this true, and does anyone know anything?

thanks

 

[Bograt]

Contact 1 CAD (our career manager/handler) and ask him what is your Moose Jaw number. If it is around 80, then you can be expected to go early 2007 (ie Jan.)

Cheers,

 

[SupersonicMax]

I will graduate this May and I was told by the CM 14-18 months for BFT (as of March 06)

Max

 

[hollywood13]

hmmmmm dont mean to be a pain, but I have asked my CM a few times about my position for BFT, with no responce. I will start my OJT Jan. 5th, so if anyone has an idea that would be great. Thanks, and Happy New Year

 

[SupersonicMax]

You get your number after you finish your degree.  (or BOTC if you have a degree prior to getting in)

I moved from October 2007 to April 2007.

Contact Capt. Boisclair at 1 Cdn Air Div (not CAD eh!) he'll be glad to tell you.

Max

 

[pipstah]

Hollywood13 I can not give you a date for your course but I can surely tell you that soon there will be no more waiting list for Moose Jaw. The last course that just arrived have 20 students. We saw groups passing from 8-10 up to 20 in not even a year. At that pace I wonder if Portage will be able to keep up to supply students for BFT.

 

[maniac779]

Pip, I sent you a PM WRT this question but then realized it might make sense to post it for all to see...

I have been hearing that they have increased the tempo is MJ considerably, but my question is, how are they managing that? More airframes? Less foriegn students?

 

[SupersonicMax]

A few countries are bailing out of the program...  Second, they decreased the tempo a few years ago, when NFTC started, now they get it back up and running.  There is not more aircraft but as far as I understand, more people got jets recently, so more pipeline instructors.

Max

 

[pipstah]

You will see the Danes and Italian not renewing their contract. About the tempo, well FIS is full when last time I've checked so there is alot of instructors getting qualified. Something you might like to know, last course waited 2 weeks before christmass leave then went back from leave to be able to fly. It depends alot too in wich flight you are and it is always changing because when I arrived there Apache, Bandit were flying alot and Cobra were kinda behind... now it's Apache that is behind... It is only a cycle. It just that there's more people here getting trained so it will take longer and those 2 flights per day opportunities are really rare now compared to what it was before. About jets, yup there's more people getting jets because there was prior courses who did'nt ask for jet at all or not good enought for it. Last selection the course got 2 jets and it was the first choice of both of those guys. About the other course, 2 out of 3 got jet as first choice and the last one who got it was his second one... We got briefings from all community here and they answered alot of questions and about jets, they really need pilots to go on cf-18.  The fight for airframe seems to be now on multi-engine and there's alot of people asking for helo too. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an another pm. Cheers

 

[zorro]

This is kinda off topic with regards to the title of this thread.....however because of the knowledge you seem to hold pip., i don't know who better on these boards to ask this to....

I've heard through the grapevine that student pilots get to see a lot of North America - flying in and out of locations both in Canada and the USA. I was just wondering if this is true, and whether or not is applies to the BFT, or moreso to AFT phase of PLT training?

Thanks.

 

[Strike]

there was prior courses who did'nt ask for jet at all or not good enought for it.

pipstah,

You should know better than to make a statement like that...Most likely there were no jet slots being offered for that course.

 

[Crimmsy]

zorro:
There's a five day, fifteen hour cross country on Phase IIB, which is the advanced Harvard course for people heading to jets. This gives you time to make it to Montreal if you head east or out to the coast if you head west, possibly with a quick jaunt into the states along the way. I'm pretty sure the helo and multi courses have cross countries as well but I couldn't tell you what they entail. On BFT itself, you'll get intimately familiar with Swift Current, Regina, and Saskatoon but alas you won't see any of it, you'll be looking at the inside of a blind flying hood the whole time!

 

[pipstah]

Strike, I dont say I hold the truth but I based that one course that they almost all went to multis because of C-17 or helo. There was only one guy that asked jet has his first choice and he got his third choice wich was helo. People were saying he had difficulties during course.  Jets don't seem to attract alot of pilots who are getting trained. Multis seem to be the type that there's alot of fighting for even helo now guys that are asking that are not getting it due to lack of slots... I do know that there was an another course who havent got jets because there were simply no slots available. One thing is sure, you will have all your time to think about your selection guys, making plan and talking again and again about that    It is just something that we never know what can happen!

 

[benny88]

Timeline for ROTP

Can anyone who has been or is in ROTP Civvy U for pilot give me an idea on the pace of training? I understand Basic, 2nd Language, Etc. will take place during the summers, but will those take up all 4 summers of university? I was also under the impression that I wouldn't be allowed to touch a military aircraft until I held a degree but I've heard conflicting stories about starting Primary Flight in the summer as well. I would much appreciate any info. Thanks!

 

[SupersonicMax]

I did my PFT between 2nd and 3rd year... SO yes, you can touch a "military" (civilian owned aircraft btw) aircraft before you hold a degree.

Max

 

[benny88]

Civilian, true. But you know what I meant. Thanks a lot for the info I appreciate it. If it's not too personal, would you mind giving me a bit more information? So Basic is before 1st year, 2nd Language between 1st and 2nd, PFT before 3rd...what else?

Thanks again.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Basic before 1st, OJT in Bagotville after 1st, PFT after 2nd, OJT in Bagotville (again) after 3rd and after 4th, OJT in Winnipeg (Moose Jaw in April)

Max

 

[hollywood13]

Just got my BFT number (136). Apparently we are only training 90 pilots this year on BFT and giving 20 spots to Australians to train. As well this year there are only 10 PFT bypasses. My number would be lowered if some pilots failed PFT. I was curious to know how large / long the PFT classes are, and how many pass / fail.

Thanks

 

[SupersonicMax]

During my PFT, we were 24 people.  The course lenght depends on the weather a lot.  I did mine during the summer.  Started in June, finished mid July.  Out of 24, only 2 failed.

Max

 

[pipstah]

Done my pft we were 13 at beginning and we ended up with 11. The course was from end of july to end after the first week of september. It was really short because we had really nice weather wich is not the case right now in the Jaw.