http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/how_to_join/pilots_faq/?&show=faq&faqID=163
I have been in CAP since 1989 and have been a CAP pilot since last November. I got my certificate in August of 2012 with about 73 hours or so (yes I could have gotten away with less). It took me that long, and I'm still not done training.
Note that CAP requires PIC time, so the hours you spend with an instructor before your checkride will not count towards your total.
At 100 hours PIC you can become a transport mission pilot after some training and a checkride. You won't be able to fly SAR / DR missions but you can fly people and equipment around, fly highbird, and basically rent a Cessna 182 dry for around $45/hour (and do a ton of paperwork
) You will have to do one checkride per year with a CAP check pilot to keep your transport mission pilot status. Usually, your renewal check rides are funded, and can count as most of a flight review in FAA Wings. Your initial qualifying check ride is normally paid by you out of pocket at the "dry" rate of ~$45/hour (cheaper for a 172, more expensive for units that tack on fees).
At 175 hours PIC you can start training to become a SAR/DR mission pilot, which is a different annual checkride to maintain. I haven't done mine yet, but I do believe that normally your first is paid for by you and your renewals are funded. You won't be able to take your checkride until you hit 200 hours PIC.
Once you are a SAR/DR mission pilot, you will probably get about an hourish funded proficiency flying per month (depending on your state / wing and how they do budgets). This is a fairly new program and I am not sure how this is shaking out everywhere.
In order to fly G1000-equipped aircraft you will need to take G1000 VFR ground school and have a special flight check in that platform. Depending on your wing and equipment availability, your G1000 checkride might be your initial checkride as well. For me, I started in a steam gauge 172, moved up to a steam gauge 182, and finally checked out in a G1000 182. I haven't done my instrument ground and checkride in the G1000.
CAP is pretty serious about ensuring that their pilots are trained. It is what I like about the program. I'm hoping that, if I keep working hard, it will help with my skill and my attention to detail, but we'll see how that works out in the long run. A Cessna 182 with G1000 for ~$105/hr wet isn't too bad either, but I can't just fly it wherever I want. I pretty much have to be on a training or proficiency profile to fly it. That's ok with me, since I'm pretty much a CAP lifer and I am in the program primarily to fulfill a desire to serve my community.
And to you naysayers out there, I would not be a pilot if it weren't for CAP.
Hope this helps!