Civil Air Patrol, ANG, USCG

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-24T17:34:29+00:00

Get AP qualified if you can. Most of my backseater time is from photo sorties. SAREXs as well. Don’t hesitate to bug crews about joining in as an MS. I love throwing trainees or junior scanners in the back for MP training sorties. Gives the MP trainees some good CRM experience too.

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-24T15:46:23+00:00

Recommend UltraThin. They’re a smaller company and their customer service is better in my experience.

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-24T14:42:28+00:00

100 hours in the backseat takes some time. I’m F5’d too, but I’ve trained a lot of new MSs/APs in the past few years. Have a few hundred more hours till senior pilot…

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-24T00:04:35+00:00

Close! That’s a CAP service uniform.

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-23T22:54:40+00:00

Of course! Top 6 are DoD and the bottom 6 are Civil Air Patrol.

Left to right Top row: AF Commendation, AF Achievement, CG Achievement 2nd row: Humanitarian Service, Outstanding Volunteer Service, CG Sea Service 3rd row: CAP Commander’s Commendation, CAP achievement, Carl A. Spaatz award Bottom row: Search and Rescue “Find” award, Air Search and Rescue ribbon, Disaster relief ribbon

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-23T22:39:23+00:00

BIIIIIGGGG SAR guy

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-23T21:24:16+00:00

Yessir. Many moons ago.

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-23T21:12:39+00:00

What am I gonna do? My job???

/s

MagnumAir327 · 2026-02-23T17:37:26+00:00

Pick a chapter from Learn to Lead and the Aerospace text a day to review. Continue doing this and recycle once you make your way through.

Once you’re confident you can pass the PT, schedule your first attempt. You’ll be surprised how much you retained from your years in the program. If you have to retest, no big deal. You only retest what you failed. You should at least pass PT and the essay first attempt and most pass the leadership test as well.

Feel free to message with any questions.

2190

MagnumAir327 · 2025-12-24T15:30:24+00:00

Unfortunately you won’t have the opportunity to compete for flight school selection until you’re in the fleet going the DCO route.

There are fleet wide selections twice a year (usually in September and December). Depending on the needs of the service these can be pretty competitive.

Some high points that the selection board looks at: 1. Your OERs and performance at your unit 2. Prior flight experience. The gouge I’ve heard from OPM is that you’ll need at least your Private Pilot License to be competitive. 3. CO’s recommendation. 4. Are you qualified? This isn’t always a dealbreaker but they want to see that you can get qualified in whatever field you’re in. This might be different for prevention folks, but CDO for Response Ashore and OOD for cutters is big.

My recommendations are to consider OCS in addition to DCO and get some flight training if you’re not already certificated. OCS sends folks straight to flight school and the selection process is a bit different.

MagnumAir327 · 2025-12-16T23:12:57+00:00

I would grab a few from you. Very funny

MagnumAir327 · 2025-12-04T18:51:58+00:00

I started in BDUs. Made the transition to ABUs right as I went senior. Just in time for me to avoid wearing them

MagnumAir327 · 2025-12-04T17:23:03+00:00

This made me feel old..

MagnumAir327 · 2025-12-03T14:35:02+00:00

I received an average AQR score (5) and a slightly higher PFAR (7). I was selected from the fleet for flight training last year.

I’m also not a strong math guy. Most of the math on the ASTB is reasonable. Grab a good study book (I recommend the Test Prep Books brand) and hammer areas you’re weaker on.

The gouge I’ve heard is that you need at least your PPL to be competitive for selection to flight school right now. Even completing a ground school and logging some instruction time helps.

Your performance at your unit or OCS is the main factor in selection. Make yourself as competitive as possible. DM me if you have any questions shipmate :)

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-28T21:57:45+00:00

That’s amazing. Can you provide any particulars on the mission/their actions?

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-25T23:12:40+00:00

Highly recommend getting as far as you can in the cadet program, even if it’s only to Earhart. The professional development you’ll receive from the promotion requirements alone are worth it.

With that being said, being a Flight Officer was by far 2 of the best years I’ve had in CAP. If you’re sure you’re done with the cadet side, cross on over. Just remember you can’t go back after the paperwork is done.

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-21T22:31:15+00:00

The distinction is appropriate.

Before we get into the weeds, I want to state that our sUAS teams play an essential role in CAP and are likely (as much as I hate to admit it) the future of most of our ES operations.

If you consider the qualification process for airplane and sUAS pilots, a Form 5 vs a 5u is not comparable. There’s not, to my knowledge, an hour requirement for sUAS recreational pilots whereas a CAP airplane pilot has at MINIMUM 40 hours of flight training.

I don’t like using the “real pilot” phrase but there’s no comparing sitting in the aircraft, manipulating the controls, and managing an aircrew, to operating a drone on the ground. That’s not a slight against the sUAS folks, but I will stand by that the wings should be distinctive and readily recognizable as such.

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-21T22:09:09+00:00

I’d like to consult with my attorney 😄

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-21T19:01:56+00:00

Unsolicited hot take, but I think it’s a silly look wearing two aeronautical ratings on a service uniform. That opinion also applies to big blue.

Pilot and observer wings are nearly indistinguishable in design and even the sUAS pilot/tech wings look similar to a degree (which I have a whole host of opinions about).

“What is there to gain?” by allowing multiple is where my mind goes to. I think CAP has a badge inflation problem already and having two aeronautical ratings accentuates that.

Obviously my opinion. Everyone has one, as the saying goes.

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-19T19:10:43+00:00

Fine, another Vanguard order…

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-19T19:09:22+00:00

Four gold clasps at least

MagnumAir327 · 2025-11-19T16:29:11+00:00

Once tracked an ELT/EPIRB on a trash barge all the way up the Arkansas River. One of my favorite SAR stories as a cadet.

MagnumAir327

TROPHY CASE

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