AIR OPERATIONS

The Steps Required to Become an Aircraft Commander and Air Crew

The requirements for entry into the AuxAir program are outlined in Chapter 2, Section A of Auxiliary Aviation Training Manual, COMDTINST M16798.5B (series). Here, we will provide an explanation of these requirements. The appropriate place in the manual will be noted for each item.

To begin, your membership status must be BQ (Basically Qualified) or AUXOP (Chapter 2, section A, Introduction). This means at the least, that you have passed a basic boating safety course given by the Auxiliary or other organization, and it has been accepted by the Director. Check your ID card for "BQ" or "AX" on the front, and also check with your IS officer, as sometimes your card can be incorrect.

Members in AP (Application Pending) status, even if you have a Basic Boating Course must wait until you have received a "favorable" status on your background check. Members in AP Status without a Basic Boating Course may take one to achieve BQ Status while awaiting the result of their background check.

Next, the member must pass the online AuxAir test, Part A with a score of 90% or better (2.A.2 Test Preparation). This is an open book, 3-hour timed exam. Access to these exams is through: http://ntc.cgaux.org/

Make sure you download the Aux Air Supplemental Materials at: http://ntc.cgaux.org/supplements.php or you’ll have a tough time with the exams.

Your reference materials are:

• Auxiliary Manual, COMDTINST M16790. 1F (series)
• Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual, COMDTINST M16798.3E (series)
• Auxiliary Aviation Training Manual, COMDTINST M16798.5B (series)

All of these are accessible through: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg3/cg3pcx/missions/aviation-op-branch.asp Make sure you download the correct versions! Unfortunately, there are no paper copies of these manuals available generally, though your Flotilla may have paid to have some printed.

Once you have these items completed, you may fly on authorized patrols as a trainee.

Your next step in qualification is to take the Aviation egress training and swim test. Until you take this test, you may not fly on a mission that takes the aircraft out of safe gliding distance of land (2.A.3 Practical Training). You must inform the pilot of any mission you fly on of this.

I have added some notes after the end of this letter to provide some guidance on some of these aspects.

All of this is good, but what really gets you up in the air is to get to know the pilots. You will not get far in AuxAir (or most anyplace else in the Auxiliary for that matter) if you stay at home and do everything from a distance.

Note 1: The Online Exam

The online exam can be intimidating for some. However, with some work on your computer, you can make it go very smoothly.

First, I will say that you should definitely be familiar with the reference manuals. Particularly the Aviation Training manual, and the Aviation portions of the Operations Policy Manual. That said, we can minimize your time at the screen with a few tips:

Don’t try to do the test by opening the reference materials in Explorer, Firefox or Safari. Download (or use save as) the manuals to hour computer and open them with Adobe Reader.

Download and install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from http://www.Adobe.com. Some of the manuals use the latest technology from Adobe, and you will need to as well.

Now that you have the manuals downloaded, and the new reader, you can open all three references at the same time, and switch between them using the Window menu in Adobe Reader.

With the references loaded, you can then go to your browser and go to the test site. Once you open the test, you can then switch between your reference materials and the test as often as you like. Remember, you have three hours for the test.

If there is a question that stumps you, go to Adobe Reader, and pick the reference you think the answer is in. Then use the search feature (binoculars) to type in the text from the exam, and search for the answer. As always, don’t just copy over the answer, but be sure you understand the question and why that particular answer is correct.

If you need help getting these things set up, someone from your Flotilla can help. But they cannot take the test for you or with you. You must take the test on your own.

Note 2: Egress training and the Swim Test.

The egress training is pretty straightforward. An hour or so in a classroom going over ditching, egress, survival and related subjects.

The swim is also fairly straightforward. You will wear long pants, a long sleeve shirt and shoes. This is to simulate what you will experience in the real world should you have to ditch in the water.

You will be in a group of three and are required to swim 75 yards (three lengths of most pools we use), wearing a PFD (personal floatation device) finishing up in the deep end. After that, without getting out of the water, you will demonstrate several survival and recognition methods as a group. Immediately afterwards, your group will board a survival raft similar to what we use on our aircraft. You will be shown methods to best get everyone into the raft before you get into the water. Once in the raft you're pretty much done. Your egress and swim training is good until the end of the calendar year following the year you take it in (i.e. a swim taken any time in 2008 is good through Dec. 31, 2009). (Note - While your swim is required every calendar year, and you can take it at any time during the year; you shouldn't wait until December to do so!)

The swim is not a challenge for most folks. Swim at an easy pace. It is not a race. Remember, the key is survival, and you survive better as a group than individually.

If you haven’t been in the water in several years, I strongly suggest that you go to a local "Y" or other recreational facility and swim some laps before attending the swim test. This will help to ease you into the idea of swimming again after a long layoff. You’ll be less likely to panic or have a hard time with the swim if you are prepared.

I'm a pilot WITH AN AIRCRAFT, new to AuxAir, and I need an 'action plan'. 

(If you can write an answer to this question then please email it to Fred Simmons (fredinn@optonline.net).

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I'm a pilot WITHOUT AN AIRCRAFT, new to AuxAir, and I need an 'action plan'. 

What would you recommend? How long will it take?

The official AUXAIR requirements are listed in COMDTINST M16798.3E ( I believe it's Sec 3 & 8)..... however, just having gone thru it...... (if I had it to do over again), here's what I'd consider the quickest method.

1. Attend an AuxAir meeting...... introduce yourself to and arrange to personally meet w/the Personnel Officer to prepare your membership paperwork.
2. The Personnel Officer will guide you thru the initial requirements... ie: filing your Membership Application, getting fingerprinted, photographed, taking the Air Operations training course open book exam, taking the Oath and submitting a check for your membership Flotilla dues.
3. DO NOTHING (repeat... NADA, NOTHING) other than attend meetings while waiting for your membership to process (4-5 months).... at which time you'll receive an ID number and your IQ card by mail. (reason: w/o an ID you have no official entry or permission to attend any other AUX events).
4. With your ID number in hand... you can do almost everything else... especially, you'll have access to http://www.netskeds.us where you can find out all the other requirements (see "My Properties" in Netskeds for those items).
5. However, (again if I had it to do over) I'd strongly urge that your FIRST ORDER of business should be to sign up and attend an ABC course. (or dig out the ABC certificate from a previous course you may have attended). Be advised.... not having ABC is a 'blocker' to being listed in AUXDATA.... so, DO IT FIRST !!!
6. Then fly as many missions as available to learn the OBS duties while simultaneously taking care of the rest of your requirements (in any order).... ie: Air Ops (A) Exam, ICS-100, ICS-700, Annual Emergency Egress Training, Annual Water Survival Training & Swim Test, Annual Air Safety Workshop (all of which are listed in nestskeds' "My Properties").
7. When sufficiently trained, arranged to have a 1st Pilot or A/C commander sign you off on the ANSC-7015 syllabus and OBS endorsement.
8. Forward all your certificates (you should have put them in a safe file for electronic retrieval) to Darryl Laxson w/copies to your Flotilla CC & Recording Officer.

My processing took 13 months..... mostly b/c some events are only available at selected times and/or distant locations.. such as driving to NJ to take the Emergency Egress, Water Survival and Swim test... and the ABC course in Moriches (both events were at least150 mi RT's for me).

Hope this helps.

Regards & Safe Landings,

John Rapps

PS: I expect to finally receive my OBS Certificate at the next Air Station ISP meeting b/c all my quals have been finally listed in netskeds (w/many thanks to Darryl Laxson for his gracious help).