Flight Engineer retraining

[Gunner7]

I would have to say that the retraining process through the vMPF has changed the way we do business. I have seen applications sail through in a matter of months and others move at a glacial pace. Each application is different and the speed of processing will depend in part on whether you need a waiver or an exception to policy. Of the eight Flying AFSCs, just about all are critical skills that are constantly in need of volunteers. A limiting factor on how many positions are open during the FY is how many people can be put in seats for training. Our maintenance folks do a fantastic job of getting birds in the air and we squeeze every bit of training we can out of each sortie. There is only so many aircraft that can be dedicated to training while we execute our mission in the AOR.
If you are considering retraining I would urge you to visit this site from a .mil computer: https://afkm.wpafb.af.mil/asps/cop/o...er=oo-dp-so-02
read through the retraining tutorial and the information on the different career fields so you can proactively manage your career.
Have a great day.

[BigBaze]

Thanks Gunner. I find out the last week of January if I get the job. As of now there are 75 slots open for first term airmen so we will see. If I don't make it this time I automatically roll into next month's board, and then have one more chance after that. I spoke to the scool at Lackland and they said if accepted I probably will be looking at an April class date at the earliest. I do two weeks of that, then have to wait on a survival school class date, and after THAT i still have to wait for a flying class date for whatever airframe I am assigned to, which is a 6 month school. I am told the waiting for that is around 1-2 months after survival school so it is a process. Lot of TDY.

[starlifter]

Originally Posted by BigBaze

I am currently in the process of submitting my retraining package into the flight engineer career field. (1A1X1) Apparently it is a critically manned field because the people in it deploy a ton. It has been quite a hassle dealing with AFPC, trying to get answers about how many they select each month, and when they release the results of the board. I know the retraining board meets the 3rd week of every month. Any FE's out there how have been through the retraining experience and can send some advice my way? I am a first term SSgt with 4 years 7 months TIS, all firewall 5 EPR's, BTZ, yada yada, what are my chances getting this job, and does it help that i am in the maintenance world? (F15 jet engine troop)

I wish you luck.
I have a total of 9,000 logged Flight Hours as a Flight Engineer on C-124, C-141,C-5 and C-123K.
When I started we did all the computations on a slide rule. The Flight Engineer (C-124) was one busy Crew Member. We had four R-4360 Compound PW Engines and the Flight Engineer had complete control from start, taxi, take-off, climb, cruise, decent and landing to shut down.
Being USAF Retired now with nearly 25 years of Active Duty, I look back and reminiscence with pride in having been a Flight Engineer.

Good Luck and have a safe flight.

[dub13]

i just found out i got approved christmas eve. After it went to the commander and she approved it, it went to the CFM and he approved it on 27 Oct. So it was pretty much a two month wait to get status 5 which was on Dec 24. i got status 6 four days later on Friday and i start EAUC March 14th. so its a little wait but well worth it considering i started this whole process the end of last May

[C-130 AMP FE]

Keep your heads up guys, it will be worth the wait. I never had some of the issues in my process that some folks have, other than someone at MPF trying to tell me I couldn't retrain because of the manning levels in my maintenance career field. This is a fact that lots of people don't realize: the 2A career fields are feeder AFSCs to the 1A1 career field. This means that it doesn't matter what the manning level is of the mx field, you get to retrain. Look at the notes carefully, this is spelled out specifically.
I've been flying for 15 years now & have never once regretted the move. I've been on C-130s that whole time. While I would like to move to another airframe to see how the other side lives, I still love the Herc! One of the very best jobs in the AF if you want responsibility, adventure & travel.
I'm always happy to help folks out who are interested in making the big career move.

[BigBaze]

I appreciate the post, I found out they release the results of the board between Jan 29-31 so I am pumped up....this is the job I wanted originally coming in but didn't get it of course because I was not retraining into it. C130's are on the top of my list because of the many different missions they perform. I did read that they are only taking people from 1A and 2A fields so I guess my chances are high.

[BigBaze]

Originally Posted by dub13

i just found out i got approved christmas eve. After it went to the commander and she approved it, it went to the CFM and he approved it on 27 Oct. So it was pretty much a two month wait to get status 5 which was on Dec 24. i got status 6 four days later on Friday and i start EAUC March 14th. so its a little wait but well worth it considering i started this whole process the end of last May

Yeah Dub I think it took 2 months for you because the retraining board meets on the third week of every month for FTA, so yours just missed the October board and met the November board. From what they tell me they release the results about the same time the next months board meets..so that is what I am looking at..I got lucky when I sent in my package in December, because of the holidays the board met the last week of Dec so I just snuck in there..I applied in August and AFMC came back and said I needed to lose weight....so I went on a running spree and lost about 35 lbs....so if I get accepted it definately will be a great accomplishment. I just had two guys in my squadron come back from the two week basic course and the 2 week or so survival school. They are now off to Little Rock for the 6 month flying school for C130's...keeping my fingers crossed

[BigBaze]

Just got the status 5 today, so I will wait around for the class date. Does 5 mean you have been approved, you are just awaiting allocation of a class date?

[jkru37]

I have decided to try and cross train into Flight Engineering. My situation may be a little different from others. I was sheet metal for three years and then the F-22 came along. Sheet metal troops then became low observable troops. They plan to split the career field this fall, which will cause the low observable career field to be undermanned. Also, I have a line number for SSgt and am currently in 7 level upgrade training. Does anyone think that AFPC will see this and deny my retraining?

[jkru37]

Sorry for stealing your thread "Big" but I didn't want to start a new one with the same subject. Good luck to you with your retraining.