Hi WAFs, I’m Victoria and my husband and I are stationed at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. And my name’s Sofía. My husband and I are at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas. We’re here to tell you everything you need to know about T-1 student Life in Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). Not sure what UPT is? Take a look at the Pilot Training intro post Alexis did to get a general idea before reading our deep dive into T-1 life!
This final phase of UPT is known as Phase 3 (for us, that means T-1’s) and we are excited to share all of the things we’ve learned along this wild ride!
Just about the time things had settled and started feeling familiar from T-6s it was all over and it was time to start T-1s and something new. The hours we had gotten used to in T-6’s are now changing, and a new set of expectations and squadron rules brought changes too. We’ve had more frequent and detailed conversations about planes and the different lifestyles each of the airframes would provide, as well as new conversations as a couple learning how to deal with different and evolving stressors and expectations. Keep in mind, there is usually a break prior to the start of T-1s. As long as all their T-6 flights are done, then there will be a lull before Phase 3 begins. This is the perfect opportunity to take leave, so take advantage of it!
Phase 3 has also proved to be a light at the end of the tunnel, with every day inching closer to UPT ending and the exciting reality that soon he will be assigned his plane and a career path!
Now down to the nitty gritty…
T-1 training consists of four training blocks and is the last and final phase of UPT training *hallelujah*!
FIRST BLOCK – ACADEMICS
During academics, your UPT student will learn lots of systems which can be overwhelming as your student is now transitioning from a plane with one engine to two, but their day will be similar to what they experienced during academics before. Towards the end of academics, they may be able to request a flying partner for the remainder of training. They will study together, brief together, and fly together. This varies between bases, however, as their co-pilot may be matched dependent on the schedule.
SECOND BLOCK – TRANSITION
The flights and maneuvers learned during this block are similar to what your pilot learned during T-6 transition, but they are now learning how to do these things in a different airframe and with a crew. Your spouses day-to-day will likely go one of two ways. One day your spouse could go to an hour long meeting and be home the rest of the day. Other times, your spouse has to report to the flight room at 0430 every single day that week (goodbye to sleeping in). It’s all dependent on how many planes are available, and whether or not the flights are backed up. They often don’t receive their schedule until the night before, so expect the unexpected when it comes to planning out your week! The transition block consists of lots of early mornings and 12 hour days. Realize that your pilot in training is now spending 2 – 2.5 hours briefing before their sortie, 3 hours in the air flying, and 1-2 hours debriefing depending on their instructor; and depending which UPT base you are at and the way the schedule plays out they will likely then go from debriefing to prepping for the next day to start it all over again.
THIRD BLOCK – NAVIGATION
Navigation is when your UPT student learns how to fly between airports and “hop” around the country in a big plane. The days will continue to be long and your student may go on what they call “out and back” flights – this means that they will be gone most of the day as they are planning to fly somewhere further away than what is typically done during a “local” flight. UPT students like to call these flights “out and snacks” as there is usually a lot of consideration as to where the plane will be stopping for lunch that day! This is also the block of training when your student will go on a cross country trip. This is very similar to what occured in T-6 training and they are gone the same amount of time (leaving Friday and returning home Sunday) but now their airframe is capable of going further than they could go in the T-6.
FOURTH BLOCK – AIR MOBILITY FUNDAMENTALS (AMF)
This is where your UPT student will get a glimpse and a few flights practicing maneuvers they will have to perform in the “big Air Force” as pilots. During AMF, the students practice formation, air refueling, and air drop procedures. While air refueling and air drop are not true capabilities of the T-1 airframe, these flights give your students a glimpse and a beginning understanding of maneuvers they will soon be learning in their operational aircraft. This also tends to be the least stressful block of the syllabus. Typically, after a students navigation check ride things start to quiet down a little as drop and graduation are quickly approaching and students start to enjoy and have fun flying a little bit more.
What’s the big picture of Phase 3? You can count on weekends free of training with the exception of a cross-country flight. This, of course, is subject to change (as are so many things in the Air Force) if a Saturday flight is needed to push people through and keep classes on schedule. The entirety of Phase 3 lasts an average of about 5 months. Your student may finish around drop, although it’s not uncommon to have a few rides between drop and graduation.
A lot of times Phase 3 of UPT comes with higher stress levels, this is the last phase of training and what happens during phase 3 counts towards what your student will be assigned on drop night. However, phase 3 also brings a new level of excitement – this is the last push before drop and graduation and soon there won’t be anymore wondering about “what they will fly”! The days are long, but the weeks and months quickly fly by. Soon you start wondering how you will say goodbye to all of your UPT friends that you are starting to watch move away with their assignments. Make the most of your training base in these final months, and prepare for whatever adventures await you!
MEET SOFIA
