Marine Pilot Slots

[Lynxman]

I had a few ?'s concerning pilot training with the Marines. Tomorrow I have a meeting with a couple officers about getting into OCS for Jan. 2010, but I was wondering what aircraft do the Marines use for primary flight training? Roughly how long is primary flight training? Is there any Marine pilots on this board? Thanks for the help.

 

[AirCobra]

I had a few ?'s concerning pilot training with the Marines. Tomorrow I have a meeting with a couple officers about getting into OCS for Jan. 2010, but I was wondering what aircraft do the Marines use for primary flight training? Roughly how long is primary flight training? Is there any Marine pilots on this board? Thanks for the help.

Marines train at Pensacola with the Navy. T-34C for Primary, T-44 (King Air) if you track props, T-45 (Goshawk) if you track jets, TH-57 (Jet Ranger) if you track helos.

Flight school is self paced and dependent on aircraft and IP availability. I havs seen it take as litte as eight months to graduate to as much as a year and a half.

These sites should help answer a lot of your questions:
http://www.navygouge.com/

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/cmps_index.php

OCS is pretty tough, and TBS can be grueling, I would make my first goal just getting through OCS. You will have to take a PT Test to get accepted and another before you leave so get or stay in good shape.

 

[Lynxman]

Thanks for the links I'm in the process now of getting back into shape for this since its a pretty big goal of mine to do this.

 

[AirCobra]

Here is a link to the OCS Prep Workout Program:

http://www.ocs.usmc.mil/CandidateInformation/90 Day.asp

I can't stress enough to get in the best physical condition of your life. They will virtually annihilate you in the first three weeks of PT. No matter how strong you are, they always seem to find something you are not as good at. Mine was pullups. I could run, climb ropes and walls, and do sit ups with no problem, but then I would watch guys who could barely do the minimum number of situps knock out 50 pull ups, while I struggled to do ten. Whatever it is you are weak at, they will find it.

I don't think it gets easier, I just think you get stronger. I remember running something like seven miles total on day four stopping at these different stations to do pushups, sit ups, pull ups and dips. You will probably also do a six mile forced march in week one, which I thought I was going to die on. We eventually worked our way up to 12 miles which after weeks of PT and froced marches was no big deal.

 

[Lynxman]

So my meeting today went well except I'm going to be leaving on May 28th if all goes as planned. It sounds like I'm going to get my a$$ handed to me multiple times a day.

 

[AirCobra]

I strongly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/One-Bullet-Away-Making-Officer/dp/0618556133

Frick went through OCS about 15 years after I did, but the experiences he realtes are pretty similar.

 

[Lynxman]

Thanks cobra I ordered that book along with the Military Flight aptitude study guide also. I'm hoping I can pass that test so I can get this pilot slot.

 

[Flybywire44]

Good luck bro. My buddy just entered Marine AOCS.

 

[Lynxman]

Thank you much I should be going off to Meps relatively soon just gotta get a bunch of Post Op Evals for a few surgeries I've had that's the only thing that may hold me back from my May 28th date.

 

[Lynxman]

Getting in shape for OCS is kicking my A$$! Does anyone know of any good workout programs that can help me get and stay in shape!

 

[Bluto13]

Go to www.airwarriors.com. They have all the answers to any question you could possibly ask. Good luck and never quit.

 

[Lynxman]

Thanks so much I just did I trial PFT and got my sh!t handed to me by a couple OCS grads I feel like I'm not going to be ready by May 28th even though I'm going to the gym everyday.

 

[furloboy]

"...I would watch guys who could barely do the minimum number of situps knock out 50 pull ups, while I struggled to do ten."

50 pullups?!? Guys are more studly than when I went through.

It's important to remember that all Marine Corps pilots are naval aviators. Their flight training track is essentially the same as that of Navy officers.

A good book that walks you through flight training from front to back is, "To Be a U.S. Naval Aviator."

 

[AirCobra]

Thanks so much I just did I trial PFT and got my sh!t handed to me by a couple OCS grads I feel like I'm not going to be ready by May 28th even though I'm going to the gym everyday.

Lynx,

I was going through my old VHS collection and ran accross some tapes I used to use to stay fit between PT Tests. The Navy Seals Workout is now on DVD and they added Semper Fit. These are straight up videos of actual military workouts. No fancy dance moves, yoga stretches, or Tae Bo sticks. I would do a killer workout in the morning, push ups, sit ups, weight training, high impact aerobics etc. for about an hour, then every evening go for a run of at least three miles about six days a week. You will be surprised of you progress in as little as two weeks.

http://www.amazon.com/Semper-Fit-Ma...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1239491204&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Navy-SEALs-Wo...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1239491162&sr=8-1

 

[AirCobra]

"...I would watch guys who could barely do the minimum number of situps knock out 50 pull ups, while I struggled to do ten."

50 pullups?!? Guys are more studly than when I went through.

It's important to remember that all Marine Corps pilots are naval aviators. Their flight training track is essentially the same as that of Navy officers.

A good book that walks you through flight training from front to back is, "To Be a U.S. Naval Aviator."

Dude we had a guy do 80 pullups! We also had a contest where you pulled yourself up on the bar and stayed there for as long as possible. Some of the DI's were all telling us how we were going to get wasted by DI's. I lasted like one minute, but our 80 pullup guy was still up there 25 minutes later when they told him to come down, and of course won the contest. Just a freak of nature I guess.

 

[psysicx]

There is a Navy Seal workout on Baseops thats really good. Its starts you out really basic.

 

[727C47]

Good luck brother,good old USMC ,and OCS,TBS,and IOC,fond memories,now that the pain has faded ! Run,run,run, and run some more,and hit the weights hard every other day,between now,and 28 May. Quantico,will always be special to you,dont take anything your platoon sgt,or sgt instructor screams at you personally,they are just seeing how you react.Its a 75 day head game, play it with all you've got. You will do fine !

 

[scarface]

Looked at my Candidate Regs from 1967 a few weeks ago and noticed they broke down the grading as:
1/Physical:25%
2/Leadership:50%
3/Academics: 25%
However, if you were a physical puke you'd be graded down under both Physical and Leadership.I wouldn't look for a lot of stroking and they will ask you questions that will fluster you. I remember the one that I had no good answer for: Staff Sergeant Jesse C. Collier, two tour Viet Nam infantry type, asked me "what makes you think you can lead me in battle?"
Don't know what it's like now. I hear they can't punch you or hit you with rifle butts(M-14) etc anymore but I'm sure they can make your life interesting.
I'd do it again, but I'd go to Jr. PLCs in a lot better shape than I did; it like to killed me.

 

[semperfido]

Dude we had a guy do 80 pullups!

Did you personally witness this feat? and were they dead hang, legal pullups? Just curious about the facts?

 

[Lynxman]

I'm freaking out about leaving. I'm trying my best to get in shape, but damn I'm sore. The saying goes tho nothing good in life is easy!