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- Path: sparky!uunet!noc.near.net!genrad.com!genrad.com!not-for-mail
- From: dls@freedom.genrad.com (Diana L. Carlson)
- Newsgroups: rec.aviation
- Subject: Re: Civil Air Patrol/CAP thoughts
- Date: 18 Nov 1992 07:31:53 -0500
- Organization: GenRad, Inc.
- Lines: 58
- Message-ID: <1edd3pINNkgh@freedom.genrad.com>
- References: <1992Nov17.234419.27387@odin.corp.sgi.com>
- NNTP-Posting-Host: freedom.genrad.com
- Keywords: Civil Air Patrol/CAP
-
- In article <1992Nov17.234419.27387@odin.corp.sgi.com> jerryb@jerber.sandiego.sgi.com (Jerry Bransford) writes:
- >Any constructive comments on joining the Civil Air Patrol program? I just
- >received my license and have considered joining the CAP organization to
- >gain flying experience and do something useful with my license (flying 200
- >miles for a hamburger lunch is not my idea of useful things to do with a
- >license).
-
- Civil Air Patrol is an excellent way of keeping your interest in flying.
- Especially if you enjoy continually learning, since there is always a SAREX
- or practice session going on somewhere in the state (CAP is divided on state
- boundaries, however, it is a Federally funded organization). I would
- definitely recommend CAP for anyone who is interested in aviation WHETHER
- OR NOT they are pilots.
-
- >I understand 200 hours of PIC is required to fly in the left-hand seat, but
- >that's OK, I can do a pretty good job on radios (also have a ham radio
- >license), etc until I get my 200 hours PIC.
-
- This is not correct. It does NOT require 200 hours PIC to "fly in the left
- seat". It DOES require 200 hours PIC to be a Mission Pilot on a real mission.
- However, the MP can sit in EITHER SEAT, he just has to be Acting Pilot-in-
- Command. To BE IN the airplane of a real mission does require a CAP rating,
- however, this could be Mission Observer or Mission Scanner, and neither of
- these require even a pilot's license (although most observers are also pilots).
- There is also a requirement of 200 hours PIC to be a Cadet Orientation Pilot.
- There is a requirement of 100 hours PIC to be a Mission Transport Pilot.
-
- >Finally, just how closely aligned with the USAF is CAP? I was in the Air
- >Force from 1966 to 1970 (a loonnnggg time ago!) and don't want to feel like
- >I've rejoined the USAF again. I was younger and 'more agreeable' then. I
- >liked the Air Force, but I'm not going to be able to put up with uniform
- >inspections, etc again.
-
- CAP is aligned closely with the USAF. Most of the funding is direct from the
- USAF, and CAP is in fact an auxiliary of the USAF. However, there is no
- requirement to wear the USAF uniform. There are a few other acceptable
- uniforms for those who cannot or don't want to wear the USAF style uniform.
- In general, even when wearing the USAF style uniform, there are no
- "inspections" but you ARE expected to maintain proper wearing of the uniform,
- IF YOU WEAR IT. That means no hair below the collar for women (put your hair
- up), no hair below the top of the collar for men (see above), be within the
- weight requirements for the uniform (the weight requirements are NOT as strict
- as USAF weight requirements, but they are absolute), wear the uniform in neat
- and appropriate manner, with all patches and rank and ribbons in their proper
- place, shoes polished (but not spit polished like in USAF), etc. If you don't
- want to conform to these expectations, DON'T WEAR the USAF style uniform,
- wear a different CAP uniform.
-
- Hope this helps.
-
- Diana
-
-
- --
- ->Diana L. (Syriac) Carlson dls@genrad.com Ham: KC1SP (Sweet Pea) <-
- ->I'D RATHER BE FLYING! P-ASEL, INST CAP: CPT, Freedom 690 Mobile<-
- ->AD ASTRA, PER ASPERA Airplane: C-172 N6513E <-
- ->GenRad, MS/6, 300 Baker Ave, Concord, Mass. 01742 (508)369-4400 x2459 <-
-