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Phase III: Post Track Select |
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| Phase III is the "home stretch" of JSUPT and starts off much like phase II did. As a student, you will put the basic skills of how to learn to fly an aircraft to use all over again with your new airframe. You will face academics and simulators again at the beginning and after a month of that you will hit the flight line in your aircraft. From here everyone's mission become more specialized. T-1 students will focus on mission planning, air refueling and instruments. T-38 students will focuse on formation to prepare them for fighters and helicopter training will teach you to fly low-level, "map-of the Earth" flying. At ths end of this stage, all students will be instrument qualified and receive their assignments. Once again, you will be ranked against your classmates from the start of phase III and will get to choose your assignments in that order. It is truly the "needs of the Air Force" so not all aircraft will be available every time. | |
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The T1-A "Jayhawk". This twin-engine aircraft allows for long sortie duration and will simulate the handling characteristics of large and heavy aircraft. Students will go on to fly cargo and refueling aircraft with a few exceptions. Their syllabus involves a transition period, airrefueling/airdrop/formation, and naviation. |
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The T-38C "Talon II". This super-sonic aircraft is designed for the fighter/bomber track. It handles very similar to a twin engine fighter and is mounted with a HUD (Heads-Up Display) for advanced formaton maneuvering. Students who track 38's will go on to primarily fly fighters and bombers but can still track into any other platform as well. The syllabus flow has a transition period, a navigation/instrument category and finally formation where you will spend most of your time. There are 13 solo events to help you build confidence as a wingman and flight lead respectively. Flying the T-38 can be dangerous with the high approach speeds. Read this article from an incident that happened less than a year ago involving one of Columbus AFB's instructor pilots. This is interesting not only because he is from Mississippi but it highlights the dangerous aspect of the mission and aircraft. |
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The UH-1H Huey is the primary trainer for all Air Force helicopter pilots. This training is conducted at Fort Rucker in Alabama. There students will focus on nav, low-levels and NVG night ops. They will be sent after this to fly either the UH-1 operationally, the HH-60 Pavehawk or the CV-22 Osprey. To find out more about helicopter training, you might look into this site. |