My son will start his last phase of NIFE school in Pensacola soon. Since he did ground school and was evaluated by a Navy Instructor Pilot in a Cessna 172 while still at the Naval Academy, he could skip much of NIFE. He hasn't flown in over a year, but it doesn't matter. He heads to Corpus Christi around Thanksgiving, where he'll fly the T-6, and Big Navy/Marines will decide if he's fixed wing or rotary. He'll be in a cockpit by January. He wants to fly C-130s which is a very slim possibility. If he selects, he'll stay in the Corpus area to train in Queenaires.

I ask him to please not ask for Ospreys. He, in no way, wants that airframe. It's a common feeling in the training pipeline. I'd rather see him in a dinosaur AV-8; at least he can eject.