Trying to Fly

While the CAP sounds like fun and provides a valuable service, I've
heard from people who've tried it that there's a lot of military wannabes,
politics, and things that take away the enjoyment. Is this common, or
just the situation at some units?


That's very common. When you spend more time doing useless paperwork and
silly training classes than flying its very discouraging. The actual flying
and SAR mission training is great.

While the CAP sounds like fun and provides a valuable service, I've
heard from people who've tried it that there's a lot of military
wannabes,
politics, and things that take away the enjoyment. Is this common, or
just the situation at some units?


That's very common. When you spend more time doing useless paperwork and
silly training classes than flying its very discouraging. The actual
flying
and SAR mission training is great.

Yes, there's a lot of crap involved. But no more so than I've found in
other large national organizations.

Bureaucracy rule all organizations.

But CAP is the only one I've found that has airplanes, and actually lets you
fly them around!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

but to take members of your family... they have to be members..

imagine that..

BT

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:qMG7e.15754$Bb3.6312@attbi_s22...
While the CAP sounds like fun and provides a valuable service, I've
heard from people who've tried it that there's a lot of military
wannabes,
politics, and things that take away the enjoyment. Is this common, or
just the situation at some units?


That's very common. When you spend more time doing useless paperwork and
silly training classes than flying its very discouraging. The actual
flying
and SAR mission training is great.

Yes, there's a lot of crap involved. But no more so than I've found in
other large national organizations.

Bureaucracy rule all organizations.

But CAP is the only one I've found that has airplanes, and actually lets
you fly them around!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

While the CAP sounds like fun and provides a valuable service, I've
heard from people who've tried it that there's a lot of military
wannabes,
politics, and things that take away the enjoyment. Is this common, or
just the situation at some units?


That's very common. When you spend more time doing useless paperwork and
silly training classes than flying its very discouraging. The actual
flying
and SAR mission training is great.

CAP pilots as a group are the dumbest ones out there. Give me a pattern
full of first solo's rather than one CAP pilot in the units 182. They
don't know how to talk on the radio, they have no idea where they are or
where they're going, they don't do what they're told or even what they
request to do, etc. It's amazing that CAP can ever find anybody who
went down.

OtisWinslow wrote:

While the CAP sounds like fun and provides a valuable service, I've
heard from people who've tried it that there's a lot of military wannabes,
politics, and things that take away the enjoyment. Is this common, or
just the situation at some units?

Joined March '83, saw the plane once (C182), prior to joining. Its been
moved since then, stays locked away in a hanger for others to enjoy I
suppose...

From what I can tell each unit has it's own personality, so if you
don't like one, try another. There are quite a few rules and regs to
go through as it is a sort of military kind of thing.

OtisWinslow wrote:
While the CAP sounds like fun and provides a valuable service, I've
heard from people who've tried it that there's a lot of military wannabes,
politics, and things that take away the enjoyment. Is this common, or
just the situation at some units?



"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:3eA7e.14330$xL4.4172@attbi_s72...

I am looking for a place or organization where I can volunteer my time as
a
pilot, not have to pay too much for the equipment, so that I can keep
current,

Try joining Civil Air Patrol. You can rent their 172s, dry, for just $21
per hour. 182s are just $23 per hour.

CFIs are free, if you wish to add a rating. And mission flights don't
cost you a dime.

Gliders are just $3 per hour, plus the tow plane, which you pay the
straight 172 rates for (see above).

And you get to provide your country with a valuable service -- search &
rescue. AND, if you've got teenagers, you get to do something with your
kids.

It's been a win-win for my son and me.
--
Jay Honeck
CAP Senior Member, 2d Lt
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

From what I can tell each unit has it's own personality, so if you don't
like one, try another. There are quite a few rules and regs to go through
as it is a sort of military kind of thing.

True enough.

However, my son spent all day Saturday training on a SAREX (Search & Rescue
Exercise), had a great time, learned a lot about teamwork and coordination,
and maybe learned some skills that might benefit one of us here someday.
(We hope not!)

Last night was our monthly PT (Physical Training) night. We both shaved
some time off of our 1-mile runs, and then the squadron played volleyball
for the next 2 hours. Everyone had a great time.

CAP can be a lot of military gobbledy-gook, but it's great for cadets, IMHO.
Sorta like the Boy Scouts -- but with a real purpose.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 03:58:48 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in
Y5Ebe.24371$r53.23845@attbi_s21::

CAP can be a lot of military gobbledy-gook, but it's great for cadets, IMHO.
Sorta like the Boy Scouts -- but with a real purpose.

And that purpose would be, drug interdiction? :-)

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
It's been a win-win for my son and me.

Sounds great ...until CAP adults start getting called up to Iraq?

Won't happen? Hmm, I think I heard about some recent legislation - maybe it
was just an Executive Order... :-)

Chamberlain at Gettysburg
Honeck in Iraq

There's something about those English majors g


Montblack

"Montblack" wrote in message
...
("Jay Honeck" wrote)
It's been a win-win for my son and me.

Sounds great ...until CAP adults start getting called up to Iraq?

Won't happen? Hmm, I think I heard about some recent legislation - maybe
it was just an Executive Order... :-)

Chamberlain at Gettysburg
Honeck in Iraq

There's something about those English majors g




CITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!