Once pilots are assigned to a specific pipeline, they will begin "Advanced Flight Training". The students will arrive at their new duty station and immediately start learning the characteristics and procedures for their new training aircraft. Whether they are flying the T-45C Goshawk, which SNAs in the Strike pipeline will fly, or the TC-12 Huron, which pilots in the Maritime pipeline will fly, the curriculum and stages will follow a similar pattern.
Students will encounter the following stages in some form or another in most pipelines; however the information learned for each will vary. The following are the major stages of the strike pipeline: strike tactics, weapons delivery, air combat maneuvering, and receive their carrier landing qualification. The process for each different pipeline will take a different amount of time as portrayed in the training pipeline graphic in the slide show below.
Upon completion of their last stage of training as students, SNAs are winged (receive their wings of gold) and are now referred to as aviators. They are then sent off to their perspective RAG/FRS squadrons to begin training, and become proficient, on their fleet aircraft. This stage is explained in the next section in more detail.
Below is a video showing some of the advanced flight training of rotary wing pipeline students. Below that are a group of pictures taken from all pipelines illustrating the path for each pipeline, and some of the training in each.
Students will encounter the following stages in some form or another in most pipelines; however the information learned for each will vary. The following are the major stages of the strike pipeline: strike tactics, weapons delivery, air combat maneuvering, and receive their carrier landing qualification. The process for each different pipeline will take a different amount of time as portrayed in the training pipeline graphic in the slide show below.
Upon completion of their last stage of training as students, SNAs are winged (receive their wings of gold) and are now referred to as aviators. They are then sent off to their perspective RAG/FRS squadrons to begin training, and become proficient, on their fleet aircraft. This stage is explained in the next section in more detail.
Below is a video showing some of the advanced flight training of rotary wing pipeline students. Below that are a group of pictures taken from all pipelines illustrating the path for each pipeline, and some of the training in each.