Recruiting Tips, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

What does it take. To Fly with a Squadron?

Without the benefit of a Boot-Camp or Flight School, as Beginners, What are the skills and attitude we need to Contribute to a Flight Group?

Id like to start this thread as a Guide for Nuggets (newbies). A Miniature Bootcamp if you will.

A primer, so that we understand what is needed from us, what being in a squadron entails.

Etiquette, Attitude, Prerequisite Flight Knowledge, Basic Handling Skills, Equipment Required, ANYTHING we need to know. To make this the best experience possible.

Please Explain what YOU need from applicants, and what is expected of us.

What does it take. To Fly with a Squadron?

Without the benefit of a Boot-Camp or Flight School, as Beginners, What are the skills and attitude we need to Contribute to a Flight Group?

 

Id like to start this thread as a Guide for Nuggets (newbies). A Miniature Bootcamp if you will.

A primer, so that we understand what is needed from us, what being in a squadron entails.

 

Etiquette, Attitude, Prerequisite Flight Knowledge, Basic Handling Skills, Equipment Required, ANYTHING we need to know. To make this the best experience possible.

 

 

Please Explain what YOU need from applicants, and what is expected of us.

Good post mate.

Our wing requires people to have a basic understanding of the F18. Recruits need to be able to as a minimum land and take off from a land base; the rest we'll teach. A good positive attitude and willingness to constantly learn. Being able to fly a minimum of twice a week or more. We find those who fly less lose the perishable skills. A social personality is a must on a wing. You will become friends with those you fly with. People who do not get along with others in real life might as well avoid joining a wing because they are a social group with various personalities. Finally, taking the initiative and practicing on your own is a good thing.

Our wing uses teamspeak and SRS so having a good headset is a must. We recommend Warthog HOTAS and Oculus Rift since 90% of our pilots fly in VR. TrackIR is also acceptable. We use teamspeak to brief and debrief but never during flights. Comms are always done through SRS.

Skills that we look for and teach:

Basic aircraft handling

Radio operation and communication land and sea

Navigation including TACAN radials, WPT, arrival and departures VFR and IFR

A2A Refueling

Formation flying including lead wingman responsibilities

A2A and A2G combat

Tactical weapons employment

Carrier Operations CASE 1, 2, and 3 including radio calls etc

I'm probably forgetting something but that's off the top of my head.

Finally, being able to follow directions is a must as a wingman. Our wing does not support or keep lone wolf pilots, since it completely defeats the point of belonging to a wing.

After trying to join a few virtual squadrons a year ago without having enough ability to meet basic needs. So in reflection I recommend mastering the training missions for the aircraft interested in. Then any training campaigns for the airframe once that’s done then you should be able to fly with the online squadrons.

Honestly, the best thing you can bring to a squadron as a new player is a genuine, sincere, and very eager desire to not only learn but to teach yourself. To be self sufficient and able to direct your own learning without someone always having to hold your hand.

For example. If you want to join a squadron that uses the A-10C a lot, make sure that you are already hitting the books, reading the manual (and not just Chuck's guides), and putting in GENUINE effort to learn. If you can go into a squadron already armed with at least the basics, that means that they can get you in missions all the sooner and won't have to work so hard to get around what you don't know.

I can't emphasize this enough. If you can read, you can learn a DCS aircraft. If you can put some amount of time into practice every so often, you can learn a DCS aircraft. You don't need someone to hold your hand. You don't need someone to tell you what to learn. It is all in the manual and whatever terms you don't understand from the manual, you can look up via google or the like.

One last thing I want to emphasize. If you want to join a squadron, you need to understand that learning to become proficient in various aspects of DCS involves more than just having someone show you something once. A lot of folks who teach others DCS modules are doing so in the hopes that their initial lessons are a door that you walk through and continue on your own. If you get taught something or learn something from a manual or whatever, you need to practice it. You need to do it enough so that it sticks. If there is one thing that a squadron should not have to deal with, it is members who are constantly stuck on square one because they don't practice and don't continue learning on their own.

What Bonedust said is exactly what our squadron is looking for as well. And what statrekmike said is key also. The flying and systems are not easy to master, and toss in some unexpected bandits and/or SAM launches and it all goes out the window. So you really have to have the time and motivation to study and practice yourself so it all becomes second nature.

The squadron can take you to the next level, but have the basics covered first. Be able to successfully perform all the DCS training missions for your aircraft. I have only done it for a few aircraft, but ED did a good job on them and you can practice them over and over. Plenty of good youtube tutorials to watch in between your flights.

Flying in a squadron makes it much more enjoyable for me. Having good pilots that know the procedures and systems well, fly formation tight, know tactics, have great comms, etc just makes the missions so much more satisfying. Plus its a good tight community to spend time with. Well worth the effort in my opinion.