4Oct00 TD-22

     Well the fun stuff has supposedly started. Today was the only fun day so far. Monday we had land survival which taught us what to eat and how we can use our equipment once we hit the ground. All I really learned was "eat what the monkey eats.....then eat the monkey." They also showed us some snakes and bug we should run from but of course I learned with my first safety brief, those water moccasins are coming for me either way. After that rather dragged out briefing, I walked over to the API building checking for water moccasins all the way of course, and had the check out/selection brief which was a nice reminder that we are almost done. In this brief we got a handout that laid out the steps to check out of API and into our future training wings. I am to check into Whiting the Monday after I graduate API and I start ground school the day after. The rumors I'm getting so far is that we do systems the first week, cockpit procedure trainers the second and course rules and weather the third, then start flying about 3 times a week. The navs and NFOs stay here and do, I hear, 6 weeks of ground before they start flying.
     Anyway, yesterday we had a very long and boring day of physiological briefings. We learned about visual effects, altitude effects, stress and drugs, and G-LOC. We started at 0700 and were done by around 1430. Nothing too exciting. Today however was the fun part. We went to the same building and first learned how to connect our O2 masks, the first group then our gear and went into the chamber. You can take a look at the outside, the inside and another pic I took while watching the replay video (I'm the one playing with the shapes ball thing on the lower right). Watching the replay was awesome and we were constantly laughing at all the stupid things we did while hypoxic. The way it started was that they led us into the chamber, got us hooked up then took us to 5000 ft to make sure everyone could clear their ears and no one had sinus problems. After that we heard a recording of a hypoxia related mishap in order to pass some time since we had to be on 100% oxygen for 30 min before we went up to the proper altitude. In the beginning I hated breathing through that mask especially since it felt like it was slicing my nose up. I would have loosened it but if I broke the seal I would be out of the ride. Sometimes I didn't know if I was hyperventilating or not breathing enough since it was just weird breathing through it. When the 30 minutes were up, they took us up to FL350 then brought us immediately down to FL250. There at 25,000 feet, the first group took off their O2 masks so that they could get stupid and we could laugh at them. They had to do the patty cake and the guys at the end had to try to put the correct shape in the matching hole. Needless to say things got laughable. After 3 minutes the patty cake was impossible to some. Some lasted to almost 4 minutes but then quickly lost it. One guy was being told to put his mask on but just said ok each time but just sat there smiling with an empty stare and finally had to be helped. One of the instructors said he was about 15 seconds from passing out. Oh, he also had the ball with the shapes and 3 weeks ago someone put a shape in there that didn't fit anywhere as a cruel joke. 1 minute into it he was already completely lost with that piece until the instructor finally told him about it. When it was our turn, I had that ball and about 3 minutes into it, my head was all fuzzy, my vision was suffering and my hands and feet were really tingling. I was also having trouble finding the holes for the shapes. I finally just grabbed my mask, turned my O2 on and treated myself for hypoxia like we were supposed to. Some people don't notice and are too hypoxic to treat themselves. You'll hear some funny stories when you do it. We then descended to FL180 and turned of the lights and took off our masks. We were given a color sheet to look at and notice how altitude effects our night vision. We then did a rapid decompression which was pretty cool and made a banging sound with the whole room fogging up.
     After the chamber we learned more about that vest we put on which has all of our equipment whos name I keep forgetting. We had to put on blind folds and take out certain items when told to.
     We then had a very short lunch then went next door for the "spin and puke." This is a machine which has 10 large barrels in which you sit in which then spin around to disorient you. After the little briefing and demonstration of nighttime visual illusions, we got into the barrels and started spinning. Its not bad at all. Each barrels has a door that slides up and down to let you see out or not. It starts spinning and a projector projects stars on the wall. The projector can stand still, spin with you, against you or faster than you to create all sorts of visual fun. I recommend leaning forward and looking at the building's ceiling to see how confused you really are. You have controls to input what you think is going on. You will swear you are going one way but are completely wrong. At the end just for fun, they turn all the barrels inward, lower the window doors  and the whole thing spins fast enough to produce 1.5 transverse Gs. You can see a picture of the spin and puke here and here.
     After that we had our physiology test which had a very nice review session so everybody passed as they have for the past 6 months. Don't worry about this test. Its 25 questions (you can only miss 3). and its pass fail and doesn't count into your API average. We USAF guys got our altitude chamber cards (dunno how the USN works) and were set free a bit past 1600. It was a very long but fun day.

17Oct00 End of API

     Thursday was a nice short day for us. We came in at 0630 and had a few briefs on water survival equipment such as our life vest and different kinds of rafts. We were also told we have another test next week on all this stuff. After about 2 hours of that we went downstairs by the sea wall and got to set off mark 124 flares and smoke and also got to shoot off the pencil flares. If you shoot off the flare side of the mark 124 after the guy in front of you has shot off the smoke side, DO NOT touch the other side to your body for support (you have to do it one handed) because you will stain your flight suit with an unremovable red ink. I saw this happen to a few people. One thing I should mention is bring your upchit everywhere you go because each section of training needs it for their records. Make copies because things tend to get lost. 
     Today we went to the dunker building next to the O-club to do some water egress training. First we started with a couple of hours of briefings about all the fun stuff that happens when you have to bail over the water and how to handle your parachute and connectors and all that. Then we put on full flight gear which was 10 times in better shape than the crap we used at the first pool during academics. We had to swim across the pool using the sidestroke, then push off the wall and come back doing the breast stroke, touch the wall then start treading or drown proofing (floating face down) for the remainder of the 5 minutes. You are allowed to take your helmet off, trap air in as you submerge it and use it as a floatation device. This really helps. After that we got on the SWET chairs which are a pair of seats mounted on a structure of metal tubing submerged in the pool. You sit on one of the chairs and you are flipped upside down by the instructor pulling a lever. You then have to grab onto your reference point, release your strap, then pull yourself along the left side to a door type thing you have to open and get out. The guy on the other chair is doing this at the same time and going to his left so you are both converging on each other. Be sure to stay on your side and you can only use your arms. The first time on the chair, you can open your eyes and you can come up for air after opening the door. The second time though, you have blackout goggles and you have to get to the door, open it, remove the goggles, then stay swimming underwater until you reach the red line halfway down the pool. Be sure to get a good breath before you submerge. Its not nearly as bad as the tower jump/swim in the first three weeks though. Once you get to the deep end, you have to tread water while inflating your life vest (the CO2 cartridges have been removed). After this we were done. We have Monday off so we come back Tuesday for the dilbert and helo dunkers. I believe we are also doing the simulated water parachute drag and water landing. 3 more days left of API training. Its gone by so fast. Friday is just signing papers so the end is near. I went to Whiting today to try and get my books early but they don't give them out until you check in. I did get to play on the cockpit procedure trainers though. There is also a preflight T-34C next to the hangar by the flight line which you can go play around in and learn some procedures. If you are USAF you can go to VT-3 and check it out and talk to some students there since that is where all USAF pilots go. We even have our own CPT in there and the place is almost finished being renovated. I'll have more on all the Whiting stuff when I get up there. 

15Oct00  API Complete
     Due to uploading problems and having to pack and move to Whiting, I haven't been able to update my journal. Now that everything is settled I'll finish up the last week. 
     Monday we had off so we started the dunkers on Tuesday. We first had some briefings and then got dressed up in much better flight gear than they had at the regular pool. We were broken up into groups so each group started with something different. I started with the hoist. I had to jump in with full flight gear, hook myself up and go up for the ride. Here is a pic. Nothing too special. After that I did the simulated parachute drag which was a bit more fun. Its a machine that drags you back and forth in the pool until you finally release yourself. Here is a pic of the drag. I was told the record is 23 times across. Most people get out right after it turns to come back. One girl got stuck and went back and forth 10 times. That was fun to watch. After that we had to jump in hooked to a parachute by the last strap which we release right as we hit the water. Two guys jump in after you pulling the parachute over you. You have to get out of your harness and get away from the chute. I got tangled on one of the lines but managed to break free after a little while. Here is a pic of someone jumping in. After that we did a different type of hoist and then went on to do the helo dunker. The helo dunker was fun until I got the pilot seat with the black outs. You have to do the dunker 3 times. The first time you can go out any exit, the second time you can go out only by the main exit and the third time you can only go out the main exit but you have black goggles to simulate night. There are 6 people at a time in there and you do not want to be in the cockpit unless its the first dunk. The machine just free falls like 5 feet to the surface of the water then starts to go down slowly and starts to rotate to one side slowly also. Once your head goes into the water, start counting to 12. Its not that long but when you are trying to get out and people are blocking your way it gets frustrating. My third try was the scary one. I was in the pilot seat and I tried to hold onto my reference point with my right hand. Well, the harness it hard to release with your left hand (front seats have four points), I couldn't find it so I had to release my right hand, get it off, then try to get out while being blocked by the other guy who was in the front who was in turn being blocked by everyone else. So I was stuck and for some reason people seemed to be taking their sweet time getting out. When I was finally able to go, something on my suit got stuck on the exit and it took me a few tugs to wrench free. Needless to say I was the last one out. Luckily the 15 yard underwater swim after jumping off the tower in the first part of API got me used to that drowning feeling so I didn't freak out. Another thing that sucks about the trainer is the water going up your nose, but still didn't feel as bad as the SWET chairs. Those made me feel as if the water filled up my sinuses....maybe it did. 
     After the helo dunker, we did the dilbert dunker. This dunker is only for the T-34 and you go through the ditching procedures then they slide you into the water with a pretty violent flip. Its not hard to get out of at all and there is a guy underwater helping you. Here is a pic. Here is another.
     The next day we did some of our parachute training. My group did the virtual jump first. They strap you to this virtual reality simulator which has the VR headset and the strings to pull. Its pretty cool how well it works and you have to go through certain procedures depending on what type of terrain you are landing in. You get two different types. This is also the first and only time you get to use the CO2 cartridge to inflate your vest. Here is a picture. After that we went over to practice PLFs. You do about 32 PLFs that day each time getting higher and then finally you have to hang on to something that slides down and let go to simulate the parachute coming down  in different directions. After that part you get to drag and get dragged in the dirt. This is basically the same as the water drag except you get your own flight suit and boots nice and dirty.  Here is a picture.
     After that we had lunch then came back for life raft organization training. We had to flip the raft over and have everyone climb in and listen to a small brief aboard the raft. We were right next to the ramps for this. The water was pretty cold and most of us had wet suits under our flight suits (it was optional and they supply them). We then got into a 40 foot open fisherman looking boat and headed out to meet the coast guard helo that was supposed to lift us 10 feet out of the water. Well the stupid thing broke down so we turned back and were let out early. Oh well.
     Thursday we met at a grass airfield in Alabama for some parasailing fun. You in sets of four. You have to run about 100 yards do some more PLFs then go down to get a parachute strapped on. They also stick a small walkie talkie in your flight suit with an ear piece in your helmet so you can hear them while you are up there. When you are ready to go, the guy hooks you up to the tow line tells you how you look like his 8 year old daughter waiting to get a flu shot and then tells you to run when the truck starts pulling. So you run and up you go to what seemed like 200-300 feet. The truck starts slowing down after about 15 seconds and you start coming down the truck moves little by little in order to slow your fall. You land softer than any PLF you have ever done. Another truck comes, gets you, then takes you back for round two. This time the guy notices the smile on your face and sends you up again. You go up faster and higher the second time or so it seemed. This time though, the truck stopped quickly and you just drop. I was going backwards when I hit, but again it was as soft as the first one. The one thing you have to remember is to keep your eyes on the horizon. DO NOT look down. When you see your buddies doing the parasail, it will seem as if they are coming down hard, but its not bad at all. Its MUCH easier than the practice PLFs although it looks worse. Here is a pic. Here is another. And yet another.
     Friday was graduation day and all you do is come in and wait for an hour, then fill out some forms, wait some more, then the commander guy comes in and hands out your certificates and sends you on your merry way. That's all for API.