2nd real test

So I might have lied on here the other day, our 2nd test was Monday (not Tuesday). I missed 2 for a 95% which I think is about the class average again. It was actually fun studying and learning the material we just covered (fuel systems, the engine, environmental systems, the ejection seat, electrical systems). It is a ton of information to process in less than a week but it fascinates me and I find myself going a lot deeper than I need to because it is so interesting and it might be useful to know how this thing works if it is going to keep me 25,000 ft in the air.

We turned right around and started learning new material right away. This test (Friday) will be physics focused; equations, laws, and definitions. We’ll see how that goes. Time seems to drag through the day, but once it hits 6 I blink and its already 10:45, I’m going to have to step up the self-discipline a little to keep from getting behind, but the schedule is still pretty relaxed.

UPT is pretty strange, but it is much more straight forward than I expected. Coming in we weren't expected to know anything for the BoldFace (emergency procedures you must be able to preform in your sleep) even then we didn't need to know what they meant, just be able to rattle them off. They gave us an hour by hour, 6 week schedule on day one telling us what lessons will be covered which days. Each block of lessons gives an overview of what material you are about to cover and how you will learn it (usually 85% computer aided instruction CAI, 5% instructor review, 10% simulator) The test questions are multiple choice and come straight from the test. Everything is outlined ahead of time and the expectations are laid out well. I think people end up adding to the pressure worrying about what is just around the corner, but if you just take a deep breath and take it day by day, its not to bad. There again, we haven’t even started flying yet and all of this will probably change along with the loss of a relaxed schedule when we start phase II and hit the flight line.