Best of luck Bo!
I passed ASC a few weeks ago, I'm waitlisted now for ROTP. My parents, well I know that the Military definitely isn't what they had envisioned for me, they don't say too much about it anymore, I've been trying to get in for a fair while now, and they have realized that I am dead set on that for a career (something that was re-enforced by my being in Trenton, and seeing what the life is really like). Over this time I have been educating them about, and demystifying the military (assisted greatly by information found right here!) so they understand it a little more. I think my grandfather summed up my entire family's attitude the best "You know, we're goddamned happy for you that you're doing what you want to do, but a person worries too". Over all I know they'll be happy and proud if I get in, hopefully that'll override, or at least ease the worry. As for a history in aviation, not in my family, I had one great-great uncle that was a German fighter ace in WWI (31 kills IIRC), but I never knew him, and he was on the wrong side anyway ;D. Aviation (especially military aviation) has always been a major interest of mine, but I decided to make it a career because of my involvement with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association. We operate at the request of the DND, and train with, and are evaluated by the military. I have also had the opportunity to be aircrew on military aircraft (hopefully if we can get a Buffalo up here in June I'll get to go again). This exposure to that environment made me decide that for sure the military is where I wanted to be.
A few tips for ASC:
cross-check cross-check cross-check! beat that into your head, It's in big bold letters in your blue-book for a reason! When you are correcting say your heading don't forget about the other instruments, its really easy to fixate on one instrument, then the others get away on you. This becomes especially important on the last simulator flight when you have a graphical display in front of you to distract you.
fly lightly, CAPSS is extremely sensitive, fly with your left hand resting on your knee, and fly with your finger tips only, use your right hand only to use the auxillary controls. During the flying phases do not allow your hand to leave your leg.
Be careful not to over-correct, make small corrections, and wait to see what the instruments do.
Ignore what your body is telling you, the simulators are full motion, and therefore screw with your inner-ear (just like in real life) follow only what the instruments say. If your body says you are turning, but your instruments say you are going straight, then you are going straight. This happens especially after levelling off from a 180 turn.
Grill the hell out of Capt. Touw and Capt. Turcotte (the ASC officers) they're great guys, and while they won't give you any special help they will defnitely give you some good insight and tips for flying CAPSS.
Enjoy Trenton, be sure to check out the museum, and the officers mess, there's some good BS to be found around there, and everyone is willing to share their advice and insights. I think that the time in Trenton is a really good window into military life, so be sure to explore around and learn all you can.
Most of all relax, if you're tense going into the simulator you will have a more difficult time than if you relax.
I found the simulator to be quite challenging, I haven't done that sort of "flying" since I did my Pilot's licence just over a year ago, I found that as long as I was concious of what my instructors taught me about instrument flying (pretty much the first three above) It went well, as soon as I lost that and became wrapped up in the flying it went south fast, and you have a terrible little man in your ear saying things like "climbing too fast!, check your altitude!" I turned him off on more than one occasion, he's really not that useful all you have to do is look at your instruments to see that you are not where you are supposed to be.
The nav testing is quite intense, it requires math to be done at high speeds, and chart-reading as well. I failed it, and I had a good chuckle about that considering I am an Air Navigator in civillian search and rescue and my crew and I even tied for first in a provincial competition last summer.
As for me, if some person gives up their spot, or has an "accident" (I have recieved more than one offer to have some legs broken >
) and I get in, then great, if not I've got an interview with Customs next weekend, and I'll do that until I finish my degree. My recruiting officer said that basically if I have a degree I'm in no problem, its just my marks are killing me for ROTP (78%).
Cheers and good luck!
Planes
ahhh, what can you do, eh?
