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Where it All Begins
Initial Flight Screening (IFS) and Navigator Introductory Flight
Training (NIFT) are prerequisite programs to introduce Active Duty, Air
National Guard, Air Force Reserve Officers and ROTC cadets, who are
candidates for Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) or
Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training (SUNT), the basics of
aviation and navigation before attending SUPT or SUNT training.
The IFS program was preceeded by the former Enhanced Flight Screening
Program (EFSP) which flew the T-3 Firefly aircraft. Following the
grounding of the T-3, IFT and subsequently IFS was created.
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Initial Flight Screening (IFS) is the Air Force's
initial pilot and Combat Systems Officer (CSO) flying screening and
training course located in Pueblo, Colorado.
USAF IFS Information, as of October 2006
Daily Schedule at IFS
 For the first week or so when we got to IFS, the
entire day was spent in the classroom. There was standup in the
morning, along with a standup brief explaining the weather and other
information for the day. Then there was a boldface/ops limits test. By
the end of the first week, we would be grounded that day if we failed
either of the tests. Ground school lessons went on from the end of
standup until lunch, and then after lunch till around 4pm.
 The second week, we hit the flightline. There
were
15 of us, and we were broken up into 2 shifts. Each morning we would
have standup, then the morning flights would leave while the rest of the
group stayed for ground school. After lunch the groups were switched,
and the afternoon flights would go while the rest stayed for ground
school. The other weeks were pretty much the same, but when ground
school was done, we were able to have the day to ourselves when we were
not doing pre-brief, post-brief, or flying.
We were required to go to the gym a total of 25
hours, so once a day or so was pretty normal, but aside from a few group
workouts, and the PFT we took when we first got there, we were on our
own. After the day was over, we were free to do whatever we wanted, and
most of the time we went out to dinner or just simply studied.
Military Personal Loans - 24 Hour Service
Ground School
 Ground school was broken up into sections of
academics. Topics such as weather, radio, avionics, navigation,
systems, and instruments were a few of the sections that were covered.
Each section was broken into a number of lessons, ranging from 3 to 9
depending on the topic. The lessons were covered one at a time back to
back with a few minutes of break every hour or so. As mentioned above,
the first week was all ground school morning and afternoon, after which
it was flight and school or vice versa until the academics was finished,
and then it was just flying and pre/post flight. In addition to the
academic sections, there is also a list of emergency procedures. A few
are reviewed each day, and are basically taught as a standup EP, though
in smaller groups either with your IP or another instructor.
Flight Syllabus
The flight syllabus introduces a number of
maneuvers and procedures in order according to their difficulty. Each
check ride, of which the first came roughly 10 flights into the
syllabus, required a proficiency check of all the maneuvers introduced
up to that point. You receive an overall grade for each ride as well as
an individual grade for each maneuver performed. There was a 3 flight
continuity, so you got a chance to practice each maneuver/procedure
fairly often. The maneuvers included ground operations, landings,
patterns, arrival/departures, stalls, turns/steep turns, basic control,
climbs/descents, basic instruments, inflight checks, and simulated
forced landings to name a few. Overall there was about 35 different
maneuvers / procedures that they could teach you, with all but 5 requiring
a proficiency check to pass the course.
Written/Oral Tests
There were two written tests for the ground school
portion of IFS. One was a midterm and the other was a final exam. I’m
pretty sure you had to pass with a 90% or higher, but I can’t remember
for sure. The only oral tests were those during standup, though they
were not really tests, and oral exams during the ground portion of the
checkrides. Boldface/Ops Limits were given each day during the first
week or so, then moved to once a week on Mondays.
Checkride/Standards
Checkrides themselves were pretty much like any
other flight. The only thing that was different was that the IP didn’t
say anything during the flight, unless you became unsafe. They only
rode along and took notes, either mentally or on paper. After the
flight, during your post-flight briefing, the IP gives you a
boldface/ops limits test, and asks a number of questions pertaining to
the systems of the aircraft, as well as any other things covered in
ground school. The questions were not uniform, and could be anything
the IP wanted, however they were not obscure or too difficult of
questions.
The overall standards for the checkride were
slightly higher than a normal ride. However it was the standards of the
maneuvers that were stricter. These standards, as well as the general
standards for performing maneuvers were printed in a binder along with
the ground school lessons, which is given to you when you get there, so
it is easy to look them up. The standards themselves were realistic,
and the syllabus introduced them at a good pace. Studying each night
was recommended, but you could pass without killing yourself.
Overall, I can only speak to the program as I saw
it. When I attended we were based out of the local Best Western Hotel,
and we were bused to the flightline for each flight. We were given a
tour of the new facility, which should be operational by now. The
building had the capacity for almost 200 people, and there were hangars
for the planes right on the property. There was also a dedicated
taxiway from the hangars out to the flighline. There was also a workout
facility and chow hall, so there is no need to go to a separate gym like
we did. There was only 15 of us in the initial class, we were
considered a flight, and we used the conference room in the hotel. In
the new building each flight has their own room, along with a flight
commander’s office and conference table. There are a number of flights,
so I’m not sure how much interaction you get between them.
What I have above is pretty much what I can
remember from October 2006, so it’s not perfect, but it should be most of
what you need. If someone else has any information on how the program
is run in the new building, with so many more people, that would be
great, because all I have is speculation.
Thanks to Shawn Alcock
A Diamond DA-20 aircraft awaits students of
the Air Force's new Initial Flight Screening program on the flightline
of Pueblo Memorial Airport in Pueblo, Colo., Wednesday. Currently, 10
aircraft are on site -- a number that is planned to increase to 44 as
the Air Force phases in IFS completely over the next two years.
Visit the new IFS 306 Flying Training Group / Det 1
official website. New students pre-arrival checklist are
posted on this website in addition to the DA-20 Boldface, Ops Limits,
and more.
Incoming IFS students:
information
here. Visit the 19th AF IFS Website.
Read more about Air Force IFS in an online
Blog.
Primary Resp:
- HQ AETC/A3FI.
Special Notes:
- An active duty
service commitment will not be incurred as a result of attending
this course.
 
New Air Force Airmen Battle Uniform Accessories
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Waiver Authority:
- 306 FTG/CC for syllabus waivers
- HQ AETC/A3F for entry prerequisite waivers
Location Information:
Pueblo, Co USAF
1 William White Blvd, Ste 200
Pueblo, CO 81001
Comm (719) 423-8340
POC: DOSS Aviation
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