Re: my post " Instr quals turn to smoke after a year: You do understand that I referenced MILITARY instruments ratings? In each unit that I served with, I would get written notice to renew (take a check ride) annually. Failure to schedule a "ride" would result in my inst qual ""going up in smoke" until I took the ride. The GOOD news is all time logged was mine forever. Could be used for FAA (civilian) purposes. I was usually a member of the base flying club and flew a lot of IFR.
I held a military special instrument qualification. That means I could be CLEARANCE AUTHORITY for both myself and my flight. (somewhat like Dispatch authority in a civilian 135 op) Also cleared for zero/zero departures. Never found that needed. A standard rating only allowed one to "clear" himself. There is a signature block for this on the back of the DD175 flight plan form.
This added complications when first adding FW to my Aviator designation. Had to hunt up a sign off for FW flights. I got a "local" check out in my unit. Further requirements were a FW inst rating (mil). Could only take that "ride" until I logged ten hrs of hood. Gimme a break. I had a FAA COM ASEL w/ Inst in my pocket and I was current. I was also a 2LT. Hard to find one of the old timers to crawl in the back of a Birddog while a "dassl" flew around. Dassl = dumb a** second LT. We still had WW2 vets in the unit (60's) Four of them. All but one even spoke to me.
My FW unit transition was part of my CO's plan. My Maine Nat Guard unit was based at BGR. Prior to flight school, I was assigned as a OV-1 Mohawk section leader. We had O-1s in lieu of. We also had helos. So orders were cut to send me to RW track at flt school. I would and did get soloed later in the dog after an hour. I would be a dual rated aviator. Not until I got a mil FW Inst rating.
In July 1968, the unit went from an ARTY AVN Battery to a Hel Ambulance unit. Turn in the Birddogs! In sept 68 I got orders for active duty. There were 8 other pilots before me. FW went up in smoke. Until 1971 on active duty. All previous FW paper had been lost and I started from scratch. I had been promoted above dassl and found another pilot who also needed his ten hrs hood time and we ground it out together in a T-41B. Once again, I got soloed with only an hour of dual.